A Message from Mel Glennon, Ph.D. M.Ed - Chief Online Learning Officer, StraighterLine
I'm often asked: "How do you maintain academic rigor and integrity in a self-paced, online environment?"
It's a question I welcome — because the answer reflects who we are as an alternative education provider, and what we believe about learning. We're all navigating the challenge of maintaining academic rigor and ensuring genuine mastery of learning outcomes, while simultaneously developing students' digital literacy and critical thinking skills in an AI-enabled world. Academic integrity isn't ancillary to our work; it's foundational. Without it, transferability becomes nearly impossible. Without it, grades become meaningless. And without it, we fail the students who trust us with their academic progress.
Here's what that looks like in practice: we don't make our courses easy; we make them accessible. There's a critical difference. Through thoughtful instructional design, universal design principles, and intuitive user experience, we remove barriers to learning — but we don't remove the challenge. Our students work hard; they should. Hard work begets mastery. This commitment to academic excellence is what makes transfer credit meaningful and ensures our students arrive at their next institution genuinely prepared.
With each passing day, AI brings new questions about what rigor means. We don’t have all the answers and even when we do– a new day brings new challenges. Bottom line: especially in the AI-era, students should always need to think with criticality, solve problems, and demonstrate genuine mastery.
Why Academic Integrity Matters — to Everyone
A passing grade only holds value if authentic learning sits behind it. When that authenticity is compromised, everyone loses: students miss the opportunity to build real competence, receiving institutions question the credibility of transferred credits, and the entire alternative education ecosystem suffers reputational damage.
That's why we've built a comprehensive, multi-layered integrity system — one that protects learners' genuine achievements and upholds the academic standards that colleges and universities expect from transfer coursework.
When students do the work authentically, everyone wins: the learner gains knowledge that will serve them beyond a single course, the receiving institution can confidently accept demonstrated mastery, and the credibility of online, self-paced learning strengthens across higher education.
Our Comprehensive Approach: Integrity by Design
1. Clear Expectations from First Step
Every StraighterLine course begins with a mandatory Academic Integrity Lesson covering:
What constitutes academic honesty and dishonesty
Proper citation practices (APA & MLA)
Our three-tiered AI Use-Case Policy for transparent, ethical AI integration
How to interpret originality reports from Turnitin
Students must complete and sign our Statement of Academic Honesty before accessing course materials.
2. Built-In Security Across All Assessments
Our LEAP Learning Model structures assessments into three categories, each with targeted integrity measures:
Assessment Type | Integrity Features | Purpose |
Checkpoints |
| Formative assessment of knowledge application |
Benchmarks |
| Summative evaluation of concept mastery |
Capstones |
| Higher-order thinking and authentic application |
3. Honorlock: The Final Benchmark Standard
We've recently implemented Honorlock on all final cumulative Benchmarks across 40+ courses, ensuring consistent, secure assessment conditions while maintaining our commitment to flexibility. This means students demonstrate mastery under conditions that colleges and universities recognize as legitimate — and that learners can trust to reflect their actual capabilities.
Browser-based (no downloads required)
ID verification with government-issued photo ID
Webcam monitoring for identity confirmation
Lockdown browser prevents unauthorized resource access
Timed Exams to eliminate access and knowledge browning
Open-book format maintained with authorized course materials–where applicable
Open-Book Assessment Approach
Many of our courses use an open-book approach to final benchmarks; in this situation, only authorized course materials are permitted and this can vary based on course. Open-book exams raise standards by shifting assessment from memorization to analysis, application, and judgment. To maintain academic integrity, we implement time limits per question and restrict retakes. This balanced approach upholds rigorous standards while maximizing the support learners need to demonstrate genuine mastery.
4. Transparent AI Use Policies
We don't ban AI — we teach responsible use. Every Capstone assignment clearly identifies one of three AI use cases:
Independent Work Requirement → No AI permitted
AI-Assisted Planning Option → AI for brainstorming only, with required documentation
AI-Integration Requirement → AI use required with reflective analysis
For ALL Benchmarks: AI use is prohibited. Period.
This approach prepares students for the professional world while ensuring assessment integrity. When AI is permitted, students must document and reflect on its use — building the critical thinking skills that colleges and employers value.
5. Faculty Expertise and "Grow & Show" Feedback
Our faculty (all holding Master's degrees or higher) don't just grade — they teach through assessment. Every Capstone receives:
In-text feedback highlighting specific strengths and growth areas
Summative comments connecting performance to learning outcomes
Rubric-driven evaluation ensuring consistency and transparency
Turnitin analysis with instructional coaching on originality
When a similarity score raises questions, our faculty use it as a teachable moment — not just a violation flag. We help students understand the difference between collaboration and copying, between inspiration and plagiarism.
The Numbers Tell Our Story
Current Honorlock Implementation: 40+ courses and growing
Faculty-Graded Capstones: 100% human-reviewed
Turnitin Integration: Every written assignment
Resubmission Policy: Second attempts only open if a student scores below 90% on their first attempt to incentivize growth, not gaming
Academic Integrity Committee: Escalated cases reviewed by faculty experts
Supporting Learners Holistically
Integrity doesn't exist in a vacuum. Students succeed when they have support — and when they understand that authentic learning benefits them:
10 hours of live tutoring via Tutor.com (Math, Writing, Science, and more)
Learning Coaches available via chat, phone, and email
Transparent policies published on our website, student dashboard, and within courses
We make it easier to learn honestly than to cut corners.
What This Means for Students — and Transfer Partners
When a college or university reviews a StraighterLine transcript, they can be confident that:
The student completed the work under secure, verified conditions
The grade reflects mastery of course outcomes, not memorization or workarounds
Faculty reviewed written work for originality, critical thinking, and academic integrity
AI use (where permitted) was documented, reflected upon, and pedagogically sound
The learning is transferable — because it was authentic from the start
An Invitation to Conversation
Our Academic Integrity Committee meets regularly to review complex cases, refine our policies, and stay ahead of emerging challenges (yes, we're watching AI developments closely). We welcome your questions and feedback.
Whether you're a prospective student wondering what to expect, an academic advisor evaluating our courses, or an institutional partner with specific integrity standards, let's talk. We're committed to transparency and continuous improvement — because trust is what makes quality online education possible.
A Closer Look: Our LEAP Learning Model, Explained
LEAP is our guide for designing and supporting learner-centered education at scale. These four pillars guide every online course we create, ensuring students have the support, flexibility, and engagement they need to succeed. Each pillar represents a key commitment to learners and partners:
Learn Without Limitation | Access to learning anytime, anywhere, for everyone |
Engage Actively | Applicable content and authentic assessments |
Advance with Agency | Clear milestones, progress tracking, and mastery-driven learning |
Progress Together | Personalized guidance, just-in-time assistance, and scaffolded support |
