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The Trusted Seal Program
What is The Trusted Seal Program?
To achieve this goal, Software Secure, Inc. and the International Center for Academic Integrity (ICAI) have partnered to develop the “Trusted Seal Program”, endorsed by leaders in online academic integrity solutions and best practices, to evaluate the integrity practices of online courses. The “Trusted Seal Program” has at its core a set of essential criteria that an online course must meet in order to be “Integrity Excellence Certified”. These criteria, founded in academic integrity research, are measured with an ICAI-endorsed rubric that focuses on two standard practices; to educate and inform, and to promote and protect academic integrity in the online learning environment. The ultimate goal of the “Trusted Seal Program” is to provide a resource to the greater academic community by which online course integrity can be standardized across institutions.
How does it work?
The ‘Trusted Seal’ Program evaluates, with a peer-reviewed, ICAI-vetted rubric, hybrid and online courses for best practices in academic integrity. Individual online or hybrid courses receive a rubric “score” based upon the recommendations of three reviewers trained in the implementation of the rubric and endorsed by ICAI to be knowledgeable in the subject of academic integrity. Those courses that pass peer review by ICAI subject matter experts will be vested with the ‘Trusted Seal of Integrity’, a symbol of excellence in those practices that safeguard academic integrity in the online environment. The ultimate goal is to provide a tool, endorsed by leaders in online academic integrity solutions and best practices, to the greater academic community by which online course integrity can be standardized across institutions.
How do you apply for The Trusted Seal?
Instructors, institutions, and programs interested in submitting their online or hybrid courses for review can do so in four simple steps:
Step 1: Download the Application Toolkit
Step 2: Download the Trusted Seal Rubric and Rubric Criteria Explanation sheets.
Step 3: Prepare courses for evaluation by meeting the Trusted Seal Rubric criteria.
Step 4: Complete the application, and upload it, and supporting documents, to our website
Where can I get more information?
For more information about the Trusted Seal Program you can contact us at trustedseal@softwaresecure.com, or view our list of Program FAQs - Click here.
For more information about Academic Integrity best practices, visit the ICAI website. We have also provided a list of Academic Integrity FAQs - Click here