The pursuit of integrity : using undergraduates' conceptions of integrity to inspire teaching and learning innovation in a post-secondary business school context

Abstract

In recent years integrity has emerged as an institutional value, behavioural expectation, and student learning goal within post-secondary undergraduate business school programs. The purpose of this Scholarship of Teaching and Learning inquiry was to gain insights that could be used by business school educators seeking new ways to help students develop a deeper, more transformative understanding of integrity during the educational process. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with new graduates of a post-secondary undergraduate business program. The methodology of phenomenography was used to structure the data collection and analysis process and gain insight into the qualitatively different ways this cohort of participants understood integrity in the context of their educational journey and their development as business professionals. Learning experiences participants found helpful for developing a deeper understanding of integrity during their undergraduate studies were also explored during the interview process. Five distinct conceptions emerged from the phenomenographic analysis (Rule Follower, Analyzer, Empathizer, Pathfinder, and Navigator), and three dimensions of awareness were identified (self-awareness, social awareness, and situational awareness). A visual model depicting the hierarchical relationship between the five conceptions of integrity and three dimensions of awareness was developed. The findings of the analysis are discussed in relation to the theory of self-authorship and critical concepts arising from a review of the literature on cognitive and moral development. Implications for teaching and learning are presented, study limitations are noted, and opportunities for future research are identified.