Integrity is the concept of being honorable, reliable, trustworthy. Anyone displaying integrity is a person you can trust without question. Why then, when we apply integrity to examination, don’t examinees have the same automatic positive feeling?
It’s common for examinees to view exam integrity processes as rigid and unforgiving. Instead of evoking positive feelings, these processes often conjure a sense of dread for examinees. I myself received a letter from a former student stating that they thought of me as the “bearer of bad news,” as I was responsible for all things assessment, including maintaining exam integrity. I am not alone; I know many exam administrators have felt that students view them as the necessary antagonist, at best, versus a helpful ally.
