POLICIES&PROCEDURES
LearnerMalpractice/ Maladministration Policy
1.Introduction
Thispolicysetsouttodefinetheprocedurestobefollowedintheeventofanydisputeorallegation regardinglearnermalpracticeinaninternallymarked/assessedpiece(s)ofevidenceandalso regardingexaminationsmarkedexternally.
Allallegationsofmalpracticeinrelationtoexaminationsandassessmentwillbeinvestigatedby ThinkEmploymentLtd(hereinaftertheCompany) inordertoprotecttheintegrityofthe qualificationsandtobefairtothecentreandalllearners.
‘Malpractice’,whichincludesmaladministration,meansanyact,defaultorpracticewhich comprises,orattemptstocompromisetheprocessofassessment,theintegrityofanyqualification, orthevalidityofaresultorcertificate;and/ordamagestheauthority,reputationorcredibilityofany awardingbodyorcentreoranyofficer,employeeoragentofanyawardingbodyorcentre.Insimple terms,anyworkthatisnotthelearner'sownwork(i.e.copiedfromothersources,createdby technologyratherthanthelearner)isconsideredmalpractice.
2.ExamplesofMalpractice
2.1Portfolio-basedqualifications
Attemptedoractualmalpracticeactivitywillnotbetolerated.Thefollowingareexamplesof malpracticebylearnerswithregardstoportfolio-basedqualifications.Thislistisnotexhaustive:
Plagiarism:thecopyingandpastingofthewholeorpartofanotherperson’swork,including fromsourcessuchastheinternetorthecoursecontent,asthelearner'sownwork
Collusion:workingcollaborativelywithotherlearnerstoproduceworkthatissubmittedasthe learner'sonly
Failingtoabidebytheinstructionsofanassessor–Thismayrefertotheuseofresourceswhich thelearnerhasbeenspecificallytoldnottouse
Thealterationofanyresultsdocument
Artificialintelligence(AI):itisstrictlyforbiddentouseAIinanyforms AIreferstoany technologythatcanbeusedtodoyourwork,suchasgivinganswerstoquestions,basedon whatthesystemcanfindfromotherworksandothersources.
Theassessorwillreferanyworkforwhichmalpracticeissuspectedandwillcontactthelearnerto explainthis.Thelearnerwillhavetheopportunitytogivetheirsideofthestorybeforeanyfinal decisionismade.Twopossiblescenarioswillthenensue:
Ifthelearneracceptsthatmalpracticehasoccurred,he/shewillbegiventheopportunityto repeattheassignment.
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Ifthelearnerdeniestheallegations,theassessorwillcontacttheHeadofQualityortheLead IQA,whowilltheninvestigatethematter.Thismayleadtoadiscussionwiththelearnerto gaugeifthesubmittedworkistheirown;forexample,byaskingthemtoclarifysome componentsoftheirwork.
ThelearnerwillbegivenONEchancetorepeattheassignment(s).Anyfurtherevidenceof malpracticewillleadtothewithdrawalofthelearnerfromtheprogramme.
2.2Liveexaminations
Thefollowingareexamplesofmalpracticebylearnerswithregardstoexaminations.Thislistisnot exhaustive:
Onsiteandremoteinvigilation:
Takinganexaminationforanotherperson
Talkingduringanexamination
Takingamobilephoneintoanexaminationwithoutitbeingswitchedoffandputoutofreach
TakinganyitemsotherthanthoseacceptedbytheAwardingBodyintotheexamination,suchas abooksornotes
Leavingtheexaminationroomwithoutpermission/beingoutofsightofthewebcam
Onsiteinvigilationonly:
Passingnotesorpapersoracceptingnotesorpapersfromanotherlearner
Remoteinvigilationonly:
Mutingtheirmicrophone
Switchingofftheirvideo
Anotherpersonpresentintheexaminationroom
Usinganinternet-enabledevice
Apop-upappearingonthescreen
Iftheinvigilatorsuspectsalearnerofmalpracticeduringanexamination,thelearnerwillbe informedandtheallegationswillbeexplained Thelearnerwillhavetheopportunitytogivetheir sideofthestorybeforeanyfinaldecisionismade.
Ifthelearnerisfoundguiltyofmalpractice,theAwardingBodywillbeinformedandthelearner’s examinationpaperwillbewithdrawn.Itisunlikelythatthelearnerwillhavetheopportunityto repeattheexamination.
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3.ReportingtoAwardingBodies
Anymalpracticeorattemptedactsofmalpractice,whichhaveinfluencedtheassessmentoutcomes, mustbereportedinfulldetailstotheappropriateawardingbodynolaterthan2workingdaysafter identifyingtheact.
FormJCQ/M1(suspectedlearnermalpractice)orFormJCQ/M2a(suspectedmalpractice/ maladministrationinvolvingcentrestaff)mustbeusedtonotifytheawardingbodyofanincidentof malpractice.EachformisavailablefromtheJCQwebsite-http://www.jcq.org.uk/examsoffice/malpractice.
Notificationmustbemadeimmediatelyofallalleged,suspectedoractualincidentsof malpractice. Theonlyexceptiontothisisleanermalpracticediscoveredincontrolled assessments,courseworkornon-examinationassessmentbeforetheauthenticationformshave beensignedbythelearner.
Awarding body
Where to submit the form JCQ/M1 Link to the procedure
BCS Email cpqt@bcs.uk
NCFE
Complete the online form (link next column)
Open Awards Open Awards17 De Havilland Drive,Estuary Commerce ParkSpekeLiverpoolL24 8RNPhone: 0151 494 2072
Training Qualifications UK (TQUK) Email quality@tquk.org
Gateway Qualifications Complete the form at Suspected Malpractice Form - Gateway Qualifications
Malpractice and Maladministration Policy (bcs.org)
Malpractice and Maladministration (qualhub.co.uk)
Microsoft Word - Document 12 Malpractice & Maladministration Policy (openawards.org.uk)
Malpractice-Maladministration-Policy.pdf (tquk.org)
Malpractice-and-Maladministration-Centre-Guidance-v1.0.pdf (gatewayqualifications.org.uk)
Skillsfirst Email qualityassurance@vtct.org.uk https://www.skillsfirst.co.uk/policy/malpractice-maladministrationpolicy/
4.Appeals
Intheeventthatamalpracticedecisionismade,whichthelearnerfeelsisunfair,thelearnerhasthe righttoappealinlinewiththeCompany’sLearnerAppealsPolicy.
5.Reviewofthepolicy
ASeniorLeaderwillreviewthispolicyannuallyormorefrequentlywheretherearesignificant changesincircumstances
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To be disseminated to: All Staff / Service Users
Authorised by:
Head of Administration
Lead IQA
Head of Quality
Amendments:
Issue Date: December 2018
Dec 2018 – Amended to include JCQ form details
Dec 2019 – No updates
Dec 2020 – Minor amendment in wording
Policy Ref: 006
Review Due: December 2024
Nov/Dec 2020 – Added remote invigilation Clarified when to inform awarding body of malpractice
Added awarding bodies’ contact details and links to malpractice procedures
May 2021 – Added TQUK
Nov 2021 – Added a note that login details are required for Ascentis procedures to be opened
April 2022 – Changed Head of Central Support to Head of Administration; removed City & Guilds; added Gateway Qualifications
Dec. 2022 - Removed Skillsfirst and Ascentis; added sources in plagiarism.
Aug 2023 – Added Skillsfirst again and added a timeframe for reporting the malpractice
Jan. 2024 - Added AI; replaced "candidates" with "learners", and "Manager" with "Leader"; clearly separated portfolio-based qualifications from live exams
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