0657 ais kuwait academic honesty policy

8/9/2019 0657 AIS Kuwait Academic Honesty Policy

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A C A D E M I C H O N E S T Y F R A M E W O R K

American International School Kuwait



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PHILOSOPHY AND BELIEFS

AIS Mission Statement

AIS Kuwait inspires students to become critical thinkers and contributing world citizens through

rigor and balance in a nurturing educational environment.

IB Mission Statement

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young

people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural

understanding and respect.

To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations

to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and

lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

The procedures outlined below are guided and bound by the Academic Malpractice Policy inThe Policies of the American International School of Kuwait .

POLICY XV. ACADEMIC MALPRACTICE

1. Academic Malpractice, as defined by the IBO, is any behavior that results in a student

gaining an unfair advantage in one or more components of his or her assessment.

Malpractice includes: copying; plagiarism; seeking or gaining an unfair advantage; and

assisting others to seek, to gain, or to give an unfair advantage.

2. It is the responsibility of the principals, through the library staff, to develop and

administer age appropriate procedures for the teaching of academic honesty.

3. It is the responsibility of teachers to recognize and reward original work and creative

thought in an age appropriate manner.

4. It is the responsibility of the teaching staff, under the direction of the librarians, to

publicize and explain to parents and students appropriate research and reporting.

5. It is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that examinations and other summative

assessments are kept in a secure location and out of the reach of students.

6. Examinations will be written in a manner consistent with guidelines set down by the

IBO.

7. Incidents of academic malpractice will have consequences that will include, but are not

restricted to, receiving a zero grade for the examination.

8. The Administrative Council will review all cases of grave misconduct on examinations

and determine the consequences.9. Incidents of academic malpractice on an IBO World Examination are subject to the

rulings of the IBO, as well as the consequences given by the school. In cases deemed by

the IBO to be “very serious”, students could receive a mark of “No Grade”, loss of credit

and banning from further participation in the IBO programmes. Students who commit

academic malpractice on an IBO examination will receive an “F” on their AIS transcript

for the final year of the course.



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All other related policies can be found in Appendix A (I. Policy Development, VIII. Admissions,

IX. The Assessment of Student Learning, X. Reporting of Student Learning, XVI. Language

Instruction Policy).



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IB Learner Profile

IB programmes aim to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing our common

humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better, more peaceful world. IB

learners strive to be:

Inquirers

They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to

conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They

actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained

throughout their lives.

Knowledgeable

They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global

significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop

understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.

Thinkers

They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively

to pose and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical

decisions.

Communicators

They understand and express ideas and information confidently and

creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of

communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with

others.

Principled

They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness,

justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and

communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the

consequences that accompany them.

Open-minded

They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal

histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of

other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking andevaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the

experience.

Risk-takers

They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and

forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles,

ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their

beliefs.

BalancedThey understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional

balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

Caring

They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and

feeling of others. They have a personal commitment to service and act

to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the

environment.

Reflective

They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and

experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and

limitations In order to support their learning and personal development.



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AIS Profile of the Graduates

In preparation for adulthood, graduates of AIS Kuwait will be:

Thinkers

They take initiative to organize ideas and apply thinking skills independently, critically and

creatively to recognize and approach complex problems with confidence.

Knowledgeable

They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have significance to local and global systems. In

doing so, they acquire in-depth knowledge and understanding that transfers across a broad and

balanced range of disciplines.

Inquirers

They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to engage in inquiry and

research, and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love oflearning will be sustained throughout their lives, resulting in continued growth and

development.

Principled

They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the

dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions

and the consequences that accompany them. They are positive people who value a strong work

ethic, self-reliance and volunteerism. They are not only 'takers', but also 'makers'.

Open-Minded

They are flexible and adaptable members of a global community, understanding and

appreciating their own cultures and personal histories, as well as sensitively respecting the

perspectives, values and traditions of others who are different from them. They are

accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from

the experience.

Balanced

They are motivated and manage time appropriately to maintain healthy and productive lives.

They are realistic and understand the importance of intellectual and emotional balance to

achieve personal well-being for themselves and othersCaring

They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They

have a personal commitment to service in the community, and to stewardship of the natural

environment, acting passionately and diplomatically to make a positive difference to the lives of

others.



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Communicators

They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than

one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They are confident and proficient in

the use of modern communication technologies, understanding the importance of the

appropriate use of technology in maintaining positive interpersonal relationships. They

demonstrate active listening skills and work effectively and willingly in collaboration with

others.

Reflective

They give thoughtful consideration of their own learning and experience in order to use, teach

and build upon it. They are able to evaluate and understand their strengths and limitations, as

well as the impact of their actions, so that they can set goals which are supportive of their

learning and personal development. They self-advocate reasonably and develop confidence by

celebrating successes.

Risk-takers

They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have

the persistence and adaptability to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are agents of

positive change - brave and articulate in defending their beliefs and taking action.



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K E Y P R I N C I P L E S A N D D E F I N I T I O N S

What is academic honesty?

Academic honesty in the International Baccalaureate (IB) is a principle informed by theattributes of the IB learner profile. In teaching, learning and assessment, academic honesty

serves to promote personal integrity and engender respect for others and the integrity of their

work. Upholding academic honesty also helps to ensure that all students have an equal

opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they acquire during their studies.

Academic honesty is an essential principle of the IB’s academic programmes that enhances the

organization’s credibility and position as a leader in international education. As stated in the IB

learner profile, all members of the IB community strive to be “principled”, acting with “integrity

and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual,

groups and communities”. In all their studies for the Diploma Programme, students must

demonstrate academic honesty and avoid any form of academic misconduct.

What is academic misconduct?

Academic misconduct is a behaviour that results in, or may result in, the student or any other

student gaining an unfair advantage (or a behaviour that disadvantages other students) in one

or more assessment components.

Plagiarism is defined as the representation, intentionally or unwittingly, of the ideas, words or

work of another person without proper, clear and explicit acknowledgment. The use of

translated materials, unless indicated and acknowledged, is also considered plagiarism.

Collusion is defined as supporting academic misconduct by another student, for example

allowing one’s work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another.

Examples of misconduct during an IB examination include: taking unauthorized material into an

examination (whether the student uses it or not), behaviour that disrupts the examination or

may distract other students and communicating with another student during the examination.

Duplication of work is defined as the presentation of the same work for different assessment

components and/or Diploma Programme requirements.

Good practice—IB recommendations for students

• Ensure that all sources you have consulted are acknowledged in your work using the

referencing style agreed with your teacher.

• Make sure that information you have used is acknowledged in the body of the text and is fully

listed in the bibliography.



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• Use quotation marks or indentation to show all text that is someone else’s exact words and

do not forget to show whose words they are.

• Cite your sources so that readers can find them; if you cannot state the origin of the source it

is probably better not to use it.

The IB has no means of knowing whether an act of academic misconduct was deliberate or not.The IB expects students to know what is and is not acceptable behaviour in the examination

room, and expects students to know how to indicate and cite material originally developed by

others. For these reasons, a student’s intent cannot be taken into account when investigating

an alleged breach of the General regulations: Diploma Programme.

Why cite?

Proper citation is a key element to academic scholarship and intellectual exchange. When you

cite, you:

• show respect for the work of others

• give the reader the opportunity to follow up your references

• help the reader distinguish your work from the work of others

• give the reader the opportunity to check the validity of your interpretation

• receive proper credit for your research process

• demonstrate that you are able to use reliable sources and critically assess them to support

your work

• establish credibility and authority of your own knowledge and ideas

• demonstrate that you are able to draw your own conclusions.

Plagiarism misrepresents the work of another person as your own.

Essential IB Academic Honesty Practices

• Make clear which words, ideas, images and works are not your own.

• Give credit for copied, adapted and paraphrased material.

• If you paraphrase an idea—that is if you restate it, but alter the exact wording—you must still

cite that source.

• You must cite the source of images, maps, charts, tables, data sets, musical compositions,

movies, computer source codes and song lyrics—any material that is not your own.

• Make clear where the borrowed material starts and finishes; this can be done by using

quotation marks, using an “opening” indication and a closing page number.

• All sources cited in the text must also be listed in the bibliography (or reference list/list ofworks cited) and all sources listed in the bibliography (or reference list/list of works cited)

must be cited in the text.



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As the legal guardian of a Diploma Programme student, how can I support my son or

daughter?

• Encourage your son or daughter to plan each assignment.

• Provide support with the scheduling of their work, as your son or daughter may have many

assignments to complete.• Let your son or daughter do his or her own work, but show them how to research and plan

their work.

• Establish a good level of communication with the school so that you understand the

requirements of the Diploma Programme and what is expected of students.

• If your son or daughter is having difficulty with their work, encourage him or her to ask a

teacher for advice.

The preceding sections were reproduced from the IB Publication: Academic Honesty in the

Diploma Programme Pamphlet

Review of Academic Honesty Framework and Academic Malpractice Procedures

The enclosed academic malpractice procedures are reviewed and updated on a yearly basis by

the Administrative Council. Any changes to the procedures are made only with the approval of

the appropriate divisional principal or at the recommendation of the Administrative Council.

Changes to the Academic Malpractice policy are made in accordance of with AIS Policy

Development practices (I. Policy Development in Appendix A).

Availability of AIS Academic Honesty Framework

Published on the school’s Atlas-Rubicon website, on the info drive, and on the HS blog



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A C A D E M I C M A L P R A C T I C E A T A I S

Academic Malpractice in Grade 11 and 12 Courses

Students must do their own work in order to be assessed properly by teachers. Student

behavior that obscures or invalidates fair evaluation of individual progress or

achievement is academic malpractice.

The onus is on the student to be above reproach. Suspicious behavior will be considered

as evidence of academic malpractice.

Malpractice is defined as behavior that results in, or may result in, a student or any

other student gaining an unfair advantage in one or more assessment components.

Malpractice includes:

Plagiarism: this is defined as the representation of the ideas or work of another

person as the candidate’s own

Collusion: this is defined as supporting malpractice by another student, as in allowing

one’s work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another

Duplication of work: this is defined as the presentation of the same work for differentassessment components.

Any other behavior that gains an unfair advantage for a student or that affects the

results of another student (for example, taking unauthorized material into an

examination room, or misconduct during an examination).

Consequences for Academic Malpractice

All incidents of Academic Malpractice will be recorded with the Assistant Principal and

placed in the student’s file. Teachers will email the Assistant Principal the student’s

name, with title and date of assignment.

Consequences for Academic Malpractice will include: The student will receive a zero for the material in question.

Parents will be contacted.

Teachers may ask students to redo the assignment to ensure the material has been

learned but no marks will be awarded.

The student will be issued a 2-hour Saturday detention.

Academic malpractice on a final exam or IB World Exam may result in loss of course

credit, graduation privileges, in addition to other consequences stipulated by the IBO.

Established Practices to Promote Academic Honesty

All teachers must use Turnitin.com to check for the authenticity of submitted work.

Teachers and Librarians must provide instruction in: The use of the MLA style guide including in-text citations and work cited reference

preparation.

Research writing skills using the Big 6 process.

Writing and editing guidelines using the Write Traits approach.



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A C A D E M I C H O N E S T Y I N T H E I B D P P R O G R A M M E A T A I S

AIS uses the following relevant sections from the Handbook of Procedures for the Diploma

Programme, International Baccalaureate Organization, 2014, to determine appropriate actions

when dealing with academic misconduct.

A8.1 Academic honesty

A8.1.1 Policy

It is an IB requirement that every IB World School that offers the Diploma Programmed has a

policy to promote academic honesty. This policy must be shared with candidates before they

begin the Diploma Programmed and be followed by reminders throughout the two years of the

programme. The way in which this policy is shared with candidates and teachers is left to the

discretion of the head of school, or his or her nominee.

IB teachers are best placed to verify that candidates’ work complies with the IB’s expectations

concerning academic honesty. Therefore, teachers must use appropriate means to ensure that

candidates’ work is, to the best of their knowledge, the authentic work of the candidates.

Schools are responsible for checking all candidates’ work prior to submission to the IB for

assessment or moderation.

Further information can be found in the IB publication Academic honesty .

A8.1.2 What constitutes academic misconduct?

Cases of alleged academic misconduct (previously referred to as malpractice) investigated by

the IB typically include the following situations. Coordinators should take notice of these

common breaches to the regulations when administering the Diploma Programme and

developing the school’s academic honesty policy.

Lack of referencing

Diploma Programme candidates submit work for assessment in a variety of media that mayinclude audio-visual material, text, graphs, images and/or data published in print or electronic

sources. If a candidate uses the work or ideas of another person the candidate must

acknowledge the source using a standard style of referencing in a consistent manner. A

candidate’s failure to acknowledge a source will be investigated by the IB as a potential breach

of IB regulations that may result in a penalty imposed by the final award committee.

The IB does not prescribe which style(s) of referencing or in-text citation should be used by

candidates; this is left to the discretion of appropriate faculty/staff in the school. Regardless of

the reference style adopted by the school for a given subject, it is expected that the minimum

information given includes: name of author, date of publication, title of source and page

numbers as applicable.

Candidates are not expected to show expertise in referencing, but are expected to demonstrate

that all sources have been acknowledged using a standard style consistently so that credit is

given to all sources used (audio-visual material, text, graphs, images and/or data published in

print or in electronic sources), including sources that have been paraphrased or summarized.

When writing text a candidate must clearly distinguish between their words and those of others

by the use of quotation marks (or other method like indentation) followed by an appropriate in-

text citation accompanied by an entry in the bibliography.

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Too much assistance and collusion

Although group working is a key element in components of certain subjects, coordinators are

reminded that candidates are expected to present assessments in their own words and

acknowledge the words or ideas of others where collaboration has occurred.

It is recommended that coordinators warn candidates against using the growing number of

websites and organizations that claim to offer "help" with IB assessment tasks. None of theseare endorsed by the IB and some are virtually indistinguishable from sites on the internet that

offer custom-made assignments, usually for a fee, for candidates' use. Some sources of support

may be acting in good faith, but nevertheless are offering a level of support and guidance that

may not be permitted by the IB.

The level and kind of guidance permitted by the IB for any subject is outlined in the appropriate

IB guide. If a coordinator is in any doubt as to what is permitted, contact IB Answers for advice.

Other forms of academic misconduct

Academic misconduct most commonly involves collusion or plagiarism and constitutes a breach

of regulations. However, there are other ways in which a candidate may be in breach of

regulations. For example, if he or she:

duplicates work to meet the requirements of more than one assessment component

fabricates data for an assignment

takes unauthorized material into an examination room

disrupts an examination by an act of misconduct, such as distracting another candidate

or creating a disturbance

exchanges, supports, or attempts to support the passing on of information that is or

could be related to the examination

fails to comply with the instructions of the invigilator or other member of the school’s

staff responsible for the conduct of the examination

impersonates another candidate

steals examination papers discloses or discusses the content of an examination paper with a person outside the

immediate school community within 24 hours after the examination.

For further details refer to the IB publication Academic honesty and the relevant articles in the

General regulations: Diploma Programme.

A r t i c l e I . A 8 . 2 T h e a u t h e n t i c a t i o n o f c a n d i d a t e s ’ w o r k

It is the responsibility of Diploma Programme teachers to support candidates in the preparation

of their work for assessment and to ensure that all candidates’ work complies with the

requirements of the relevant subject guide. Therefore, teachers (or supervisors in the case of

extended essays) are well placed to judge whether a candidate’s work is authentic. Ongoing

support and guidance will help with the early detection of plagiarism and will dissuadecandidates from deliberately copying another person’s work without acknowledgment because

they know their work is regularly subject to scrutiny.

The IB will not accept work for assessment or moderation unless the candidate has signed the

coversheet to confirm that the work is his or her authentic work and constitutes the final

version of that work. Additionally, the teacher (or supervisor in the case of an extended essay)

must also sign the coversheet to confirm that, to the best of his or her knowledge, the work is

the authentic work of the candidate. If a teacher signs a hardcopy coversheet but writes a

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http://xmltwo.ibo.org/publications/DP/Group0/d_0_dpyyy_vmx_1309_1/pdf/DP_regs_e.pdf






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comment on or attached to the coversheet to the effect that the work may not be authentic,

the candidate will not be eligible for a mark in that component and no grade will be awarded.

Increasingly, it is a requirement to upload candidates’ work instead of sending work to an

examiner as hardcopy; for example, theory of knowledge essays. When work is uploaded, there

will be an equivalent of the coversheet that requires a declaration by the candidate and

teacher.For non-examination components: teachers and supervisors should follow the flow diagram

below as a standard practice f or checking authenticity of the candidate’s work before the

coversheet is signed.



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A8.3 Alleged academic misconduct during an examination

During a written or oral examination a candidate may engage in academic misconduct (for

example, taking unauthorized material into the examination or showing disruptive behaviour)

that will be witnessed by the coordinator and/or invigilators of the examination.

Alleged misconduct during an examination must be brought to the attention of the IB

Assessment Centre by sending a report to IB Answers within ten days after the examination.The report must comprise of:

a full account of the incident

a statement from the candidate(s) involved in the incident

a statement from the invigilator(s)

a seating plan of the examination room.

If appropriate, the original of any unauthorized material, such as written notes, should be

included with the report.

Note that a candidate will be in breach of regulations if unauthorized material (for example, an

electronic device other than a permitted calculator, notes, a mobile/cell phone) is taken into an

examination room, regardless of whether an attempt is made to use that material.

A8.4 The improper conduct of an assessment

Coordinators and teachers are required to ensure that all assessments are conducted according

to IB regulations and the procedures stated in this handbook. A lapse in compliance will be

investigated by the IB and considered by the final award committee. Examples include, but are

not confined to:

the unauthorized rescheduling of an examination

failing to keep the examination papers secure prior to an examination

opening examination paper packets prior to an examination

providing a candidate with undue assistance in the production of any work that

contributes to the assessment requirements of the Diploma Programme

leaving candidates unsupervised during an examination allowing additional time in examinations without authorization from the IB

releasing an examination paper, or otherwise disclosing information about the content

of a paper, within 24 hours after the examination.

A8.5 Actions to be taken by the IB for alleged breaches to the regulations

Investigating a breach to the regulations

The following circumstances are those that most commonly give rise to an investigation.

A coordinator informs the IB Assessment Centre that academic misconduct may have

taken place during an examination.

An examiner suspects plagiarism or collusion and provides evidence to justify his or her

suspicion. A random check of assessment material at the IB Assessment Centre using a web-based

plagiarism prevention service reveals that the work of a candidate may not be entirely

authentic.

The IB will investigate a case of suspected academic misconduct only when there is clear

evidence to justify a suspicion of wrongdoing. In the case of plagiarism, the evidence must be in

the form of a source that appears to have been copied by a candidate. In cases of collusion, an

investigation will only be pursued if the candidates' work shows clear similarities.



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If the IB Assessment Centre initiates an investigation into academic misconduct, the

coordinator will be informed by email that a candidate (or candidates) is being investigated for

a possible breach of regulations. It is a requirement of the IB that the coordinator will

immediately inform the head of school that a candidate (or candidates) is suspected of

academic misconduct.

In all cases the coordinator will be asked to provide statements after he or she has conductedtheir own investigation. These statements must be word processed and submitted on

templates provided by the IB Assessment Centre. In the case of suspected plagiarism or

collusion the coordinator will be asked for:

his or her own statement

a statement from the candidate’s teacher for the subject concerned (or supervisor in

the case of an extended essay)

a statement from the candidate.

The statement from the candidate’s teacher (or supervisor) must:

explain what subject-specific guidance on academic honesty is given to IB candidates

provide details about the nature and extent of supervision given to the candidate(s) on

the work under investigation

explain what procedures are adopted to verify that, to the best of his or her knowledge,

a candidate’s work submitted for assessment is authentic

provide any relevant information, based on teaching/supervisory experience of the

candidate(s), with specific reference to the allegation(s) made against the candidate(s).

The statement from the coordinator must:

briefly explain what guidance on academic honesty is given to all IB Diploma Programme

candidates

provide any relevant information, specifically making reference to the allegation(s)

made against the candidate(s).

The candidate(s) will be asked to provide any relevant information, with specific reference tothe allegation(s) against him or her.

If the coordinator brings a case of possible academic misconduct to the attention of the IB, it is

expected that the above statements will accompany the email or letter sent to the IB.

Decisions of the final award committee

Cases of suspected academic misconduct will be presented to the final award committee, or its

sub-committee for academic honesty. After reviewing all evidence collected during the

investigation, the committee will decide with full discretion whether to dismiss the allegation,

uphold it, or ask for further investigations to be made. If the final award committee deems

evidence of academic misconduct is insufficient, the allegation will be dismissed and a grade

will be awarded in the usual way.In all cases where the final award committee has considered a breach of regulations, the head

of school will be informed by email of the decision reached by the committee. The

correspondence will be copied to the school’s Diploma Programme coordinator, appropriate IB

staff and the chair of the examining board.

Reconsideration of decisions of the final award committee

In cases where a request for reconsideration is possible, as defined in the IB General

Regulations: Diploma Programme, reconsideration must precede any appeal. Decisions of the









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final award committee are only open to reconsideration if the candidate establishes the

existence of facts that were unknown to the final award committee when making its original

decision. All requests for reconsideration are examined by a sub-committee of the final award

committee. The sub-committee is entitled to refuse to reconsider the matter if it deems that

the request is not based on new facts. If the sub-committee refuses to reconsider the matter, it

will inform the candidate (or his or her representative) at the address indicated in the request,with a copy to the Diploma Programme coordinator.

AIS uses the following relevant sections from the General Regulations: Diploma Programme,

International Baccalaureate Organization, 2011, to determine appropriate actions when dealing

with academic misconduct.

B: Academic infringements

Article 25: Definition of an academic infringement

There can be instances where work submitted by a candidate for assessment contravenes the

standard academic practice of clearly acknowledging all ideas and words of other persons

without the candidate having made a deliberate attempt to gain an unfair advantage, for

example where a candidate has not used some means of indicating a quotation, but has cited

the source of the text in the bibliography or in a footnote. The final award committee may

designate a case of this type as an academic infringement and not as malpractice.

Article 26: Applicable procedure for academic infringements

If the final award committee decides that an academic infringement has been established, no

marks will be awarded for the component or part(s) of the component. The candidate will still

be eligible for a grade in the subject or IB diploma requirement concerned. The head of school

will be notified that this action has been taken. The case will not be recorded as malpractice.

C: Malpractice

Article 27: Definition of malpracticeThe IB Organization defines malpractice as behaviour that results in, or may result in, the

candidate or any other candidate gaining an unfair advantage in one or more assessment

components. Malpractice includes the following.

a. Plagiarism: this is defined as the representation of the ideas or work of another person as the

candidate’s own.

b. Collusion: this is defined as supporting malpractice by another candidate, as in allowing one’s

work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another.

c. Duplication of work: this is defined as the presentation of the same work for different

assessment components and/or IB diploma requirements.

d. Any other behaviour that gains an unfair advantage for a candidate or that affects the resultsof another candidate (for example taking unauthorized material into an examination,

misconduct during an examination, falsifying a CAS record, disclosure of information to and

receipt of information from candidates about the content of an examination paper within 24

hours after a written examination).

Article 28: Applicable procedure for malpractice

28.1 The school’s Diploma Programme coordinator must inform the IB Organization if he or she

identifies any malpractice (for example, plagiarism) in relation to a candidate’s work after the



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candidate has signed the cover sheet to the effect that it is his or her own work and constitutes

the final version of that work. In such cases, or when an examiner or the IB Organization

suspects malpractice, the school will be required to conduct an investigation and provide the IB

Organization with relevant documentation concerning the case. If questions arise about the

authenticity of a candidate’s work before the cover sheet has been signed, that is, before the

work has reached its final stage, the situation must be resolved within the school.28.2 Candidates suspected of malpractice will be invited, through the school’s Diploma

Programme coordinator, to present a written explanation or defence.

28.3 Cases of suspected of malpractice will be presented to the final award committee, or a

sub-committee of the final award committee. After reviewing all evidence collected during the

investigation, the committee will decide whether to dismiss the allegation, uphold it or ask for

further investigations to be made.

28.4 If the final award committee deems evidence of malpractice insufficient, the allegation will

be dismissed and a grade will be awarded in the normal way.

28.5 If the final award committee decides that a case of malpractice has been established, no

grade will be awarded in the subject(s) concerned. No IB diploma will be awarded to the

candidate, but a certificate will be awarded for other subject(s) in which no malpractice has

occurred. The candidate will normally be permitted to register for future examination sessions,

which may include the session that follows six months later if the relevant registration

deadlines are met.

28.6 If a case of malpractice is very serious, the final award committee is entitled to decide that

the candidate will not be permitted to register for any future examination session.

28.7 If the candidate has already been found guilty of malpractice in a previous session, this will

normally lead to disqualification from participation in any future examination session.

28.8 An IB diploma, or a certificate, may be withdrawn from a candidate at any time if

malpractice is subsequently established.



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Appendix A: Related AIS Policies

POLICY I. POLICY DEVELOPMENT

1. The Directors and Board/Owners of the American International School (AIS) Kuwait will

be the sole arbiters of policy.2. Policies will be statements of the principles that enable AIS Kuwait to fulfill its Mission.

3. Policies will be strategic and the procedures that enable their implementation will be

tactical.

4. Policies will be broad enough to allow flexible implementation, but specific enough to

give clear guidance.

5. Policy will make employees responsible for their actions via written procedures,

routines, or protocols used to implement the Policy.

6. Policy changes will be approved by the Director/Owner who will inform other members

of the Board of Owners.

7. A continuously updated manual of the approved Policies of the American International

School of Kuwait will be maintained in hard copy in the office of the Director, the

Superintendent’s Office and in each Divisional Office.

8. Updates to policy will be added to the manuals as they occur and the outdated policies

will be color coded and stored in the manual.

9. Other copies of the Policies of the American International School of Kuwait will be

circulated as necessary in read only electronic format.

10. Policy will be reviewed systematically and updated in a timely manner. The Director on

behalf of the Board can institute a policy review at any time.

11. The Superintendent will be responsible for developing and implementing procedures to

fulfill policies.

12.

The Superintendent will form an Administrative Council to provide policy advice to theDirector/Owners and to develop and implement procedures.

13. New policies, or shifts in policy, made by the Director and the Board will be made with

broad and often informal consultation, and will be made after seeking the advice of the

Administrative Council.

14. It is the responsibility of the Superintendent to inform the Director when actions of staff

or members of the Board depart from policy.



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POLICY VIII. ADMISSIONS

1. The Director and the Board are the final arbiters in the admissions process.

2. Admissions requirements will be published annually.

3. The registrar will coordinate all activities related to admissions.

4.

All applications for admission will be screened by the registrar, divisional principal andsuperintendent.

5. Admission will be determined by an aptitude test and prior student records.

6. Admission decisions include interactions with the child and family so as to assess

congruence with the school’s mission and beliefs.

7. High performing students who speak no English may be accepted in exceptional

circumstances if and when there is adequate English Language Learner support

available.

8. Applicants who are unsuccessful in the spring may apply again in August.

9. Students with identified cognitive or other learning disabilities will not be accepted.

10. Early childhood applicants who are admitted with latent cognitive or learning disabilities

that become evident as time passes will be re-assessed. In cases where the school

cannot serve the special needs of the child, they will be advised and assisted in seeking a

more appropriate placement.



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POLICY IX. THE ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING

1. The assessment of student learning stems from these beliefs:

Learning requires the active participation of the student and each constructs

meaning in his/her own way.

People learn in a variety of ways and at different rates. Learning is both individual and a group process.

Inquiry and discovery are essential elements of critical thought.

Learning should be for its own sake and not merely for the attainment of grades.

2. Assessment of student learning is both formative and summative.

3. Assessment of student learning addresses all levels of thinking.

4. Assessment of student learning encourages and rewards both individual and group

achievement without compromising academic integrity.

5. All assessments of student learning will be reliable, valid, and fair.

6. Summative assessments of student learning reflect common planning and the

development of common assessments.7. It is the responsibility of the teacher to secure all summative exercises, including tests

and examinations. Hard copies must be kept in a locked space and soft copies must be

password protected at all times.

8. Assessment of student learning is done according to explicit criteria established at the

beginning of each unit and assessed using common rubrics.

9. The concepts in the above statements of policy will be clearly explained in procedural

guides for teachers, parents, and students. Procedures and protocols define and clarify

the concepts outlined in the policy.



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POLICY X. REPORTING OF STUDENT LEARNING

1. The AIS report card differentiates between academic performance and student

deportment.

2. Reporting of Student Learning is done using a report card consistent with the PYP, MYP,

and the DP programmes.3. Reporting format of student grades is done so as to meet the entrance requirements of

universities and the scholarship requirements of the Ministry of Education of Kuwait.

4. Grading of students is done so as to recognize and reward exemplary performance,

determine subject distinctions, honor lists, and scholarship recipients.

5. Reports are issued to parents on a regular basis and are followed by parent-teacher

conference.

6. Transcripts of student grades are retained at the school in both electronic and hard copy

format and are available to graduates upon request for a nominal fee.

7. Students are involved in their own learning through the maintenance of portfolios of the

assessed tasks.

8. Procedures are put in place to safeguard the authenticity of all reports and transcripts

and protect the academic integrity of the organization.



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POLICY XVI. LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION

1. The goals of language instruction are mastery of English and additive bilingualism.

2. Teachers, regardless of the subject area, are language teachers.

3. Language instruction is guided by the PYP, the MYP, the DP, the AIS curriculum, and the

regulations of the Kuwait Ministry of Private Education.

4.

The IB Diploma categorizations: Language A (Mother tongue or best language) andLanguage B (Second or foreign language) will be used in policy and procedures.

5. The language of instruction across the curriculum is English (Language A).

6. Students who hold Arabic passports are also required to study Arabic (Language A) each

year. Arabic passport holders who have not studied Arabic prior to their arrival at AIS,

who have been out of the country for a period of three years, or whose mother holds a

non-Arabic passport are exempted from this requirement.

7. All other students are required to study Arabic as Language B each year Pre-K through

Grade 9.

8. All students are required to obtain two consecutive Language B credits in high school in

order to graduate.

9. Students taking both Language A Arabic and English are exempted from the Language B

requirement.

10. Additional Language B course offerings may include French and Spanish.

11. Language curriculum and development will support English Language Learners at all

levels.

12. Specialists will be engaged to meet the goals of the language policy.

13. Language procedures consistent with the PYP programme will be developed and

implemented for Pre-K through Grade 5.

14. Language procedures consistent with the MYP programme will be developed and

implemented for Grade 6 through Grade 10.



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Appendix B: Sources

AIS Documents:

The Policies of the American International School of Kuwait

AIS Faculty Handbook

AIS Divisional Staff Handbooks

AIS Divisional Student Handbooks

IB Publications:

Academic Honesty (2009)

Academic Honesty in the Diploma Programme Pamphlet

IB General Regulations: Diploma Programme (2011)

Online Curriculum Center. International Baccalaureate Organization, present.

http://occ.ibo.org/ibis/occ/guest

IB DP Subject Guides, International Baccalaureate Organization, 1993-present

Handbook of Procedures for the Diploma Programme, International Baccalaureate Organization,

2014.

From Principles into Practice: Diploma Programme (2009)