Plagiarism Detection and Prevention

This week's posting is on plagiarism.

 

What plagiarism detection software is available to online instructors?

Two plagiarism software programs mentioned by Jocoy and DiBiase (2006) are Turnitin and Essay Verification Engine (EVE). Two other plagiarism programs are SafeAssign by Blackboard and Glatt Plagiarism Services.

How can the design of assessments help prevent academic dishonest?

Pratt and Palloff (Laureate Education, 2012) discuss creating assessments that encourage collaboration, similar to what learners will experience in real-life work settings. Pratt remarks that he attempts to develop projects, assignments or exams in such a way that students must access textbooks, websites or other students to complete assignments. He further states, employees rarely work in isolation without available resources. To mimic real-world situations, Pratt creates authentic assessments that promote teamwork; working with others to find solutions.

Although I agree with some of Pratt and Palloff's remarks regarding the design of assessments to prevent cheating, there is a point when learners must demonstrate their knowledge and understanding without the use of textbooks, web resources, or interaction with others. Palloff states when graduates are in the work world it is expected they know how to research and not come up with information off the top of their heads. However, in nursing and other health related professions, passing a licensure exam is mandatory to obtain employment. Graduates ready to sit for licensure exams cannot access any resources; they need to know the information to pass the exam. Employers, patients, families, and other members of the healthcare team are depending on the fact that the employee can function without having to look up information.

In an effort to reduce plagiarism or cheating, what facilitation strategies do you propose to use as a current or future online instructor?

Jocoy and DiBiase (2006) research supports the fact that learners are often unaware of what constitutes plagiarism or cheating. Despite completing English courses that include content on citation and referencing correctly, students claim they do not understand plagiarism. Therefore, as suggested by Jocoy and DiBiase, an assignment or tutorial that addresses plagiarism and cheating, followed by a quiz is one strategy I would employ.  Glatt Plagiarism Services offers a tutorial program with institutional adoption of their program.  Other web sources that address plagiarism are Digital Citizenship and Purdue OWL. Most college and university writing labs and library services offer students help with writing to avoid plagiarism. Providing direct links to these services on course web sites would encourage students to utilize these resources. 

What additional considerations for online teaching should be made to help detect or prevent cheating and plagiarism?

Two other strategies that might discourage students from plagiarizing or cheating are including plagiarism as a rubric criterion and describing grade penalties resulting from plagiarism and/or cheating. Most instructors have a student conduct policy listed in their syllabi. In addition, colleges and universities should develop a repository or central database to monitor student infractions. Faculty must be encouraged to report infractions and complete a form maintained through the repository.  For example, I work at a community college that monitors all student violations of the Academic Honesty Policy through The Office of Student Services. When I report a student for plagiarism, an investigation occurs to determine if the student has previous violations. Expulsion is a possibility for students with more than two violations. The benefit of a central department that monitors student infraction is often educators are unaware of a learner's pattern of dishonesty. If a student is reported repeatedly for the same infraction, stronger penalties can be enforced.

References:

Jocoy, C., & DiBiase, D. (2006). Plagiarism by adult learners online: A case study in detection and remediation. International Review of Research in Open & Distance Learning, 7(1), 1–15.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). Plagiarism and cheating. Baltimore, MD: Author

Impact of Technology on Adult Learning

What impact can technology have on adult learning?

Dr. David Thornburg (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011) posits that the explosion of technology has not so much influenced how people learn, but has facilitated the learning process. Technology has also changed the learning environment by focusing on the learner rather than the teacher. Passive students sitting in classrooms listening to lectures is no longer a viable method for learning. Today's students, including adult learners, seek faculty who actively engage students in the learning process by doing, by interacting with each other, and by using various technological strategies including Web 2.0 and 3.0 tools. Social networking has a great impact on learning since students are comfortable with this method of communication. Other tools such as wikis and blogs allow learners to create new knowledge through collaboration.  Mobile devices have increased the ability for adult learners to learn anytime, anywhere. The continuing evolution of technological resources and devices has supported the explosion of online learning and changed the way adult learners interact with course content.

What should online instructors consider before incorporating technology into the online learning environment?

Conrad and Donaldson (2011), along with other authors strongly suggest that technology should not be used for technology sake. Incorporating technological tools should support the achievement of learning goals and educational outcomes (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010; Conrad & Donaldson, 2011).  In addition, faculty should consider the diversity of the class, and determine if students are digital natives or digital immigrants. Older adult learners may not be as comfortable using various technological tools, therefore faculty should consider using common tools that are user-friendly. Faculty should also provide written instructions and/or video instructions for those students unfamiliar with the chosen technological tool. Finally, faculty must consider students with disabilities when choosing technologies for online learning (Cooper, Colwell & Jelfs, 2007)

What implications do usability and accessibility of technologies have on adult learning?

According to Cooper, Colwell and Jelfs (2007) the effectiveness of pedagogical strategies is influenced by accessibility and usability of technologies, especially for students with disabilities. Under American Disability Act (ADA) Title II, colleges and universities are considered places of public accommodation.  All programs, services and activities must be accessible to students with disabilities, and accommodations provided in a timely manner. Therefore, faculty must design online courses to accommodate learners with disabilities. Universal Design is a method of designing online environments so they are usable by everyone, to the greatest extent possible (CAST, 2011). 

Additionally, adult learners have multiple life responsibilities that compete for their time and may interfere with learning. Faculty must consider time on task when creating assessments that require the use of technology tools. Faculty should choose tools that are easily accessible to students, and are user-friendly with a small learning curve. Adult learners, or learners with disabilities who must spend an excessive amount of time learning new technology will quickly become overwhelmed, which reduces the likelihood that learning will occur. 

What technologies are most appealing to you for teaching online? Explain.

Adobe Presenter is a technology that allows the instructor to record mini-lectures for students and inserts checkpoints for learners to assess their understanding of material. Presentations can be viewed by students repeatedly using their computer or mobile device. Students like the ability to listen to the information as often as needed, and enjoy the flexibility of anytime, anywhere learning. Boettcher and Conrad (2010) claim that audio and video lectures create a media-rich learning environment. Another favorite technology is the use of YouTube videos. When explaining a complex subject, You Tube videos offer a visual format to help students learn. I also use YouTube videos to help students understand the impact disease has on a person's life. There are many well-done videos of people describing or demonstrating how they function at home or in the real world with a chronic disorder or some type of medical device. As the saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words." 

Reference:

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

CAST (2011). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.0. Wakefield, MA: Author. Retrieved from http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines

Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A. (2011). Engaging the online learner: Activities and

resources for creative instruction (Updated ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Cooper, M., Colwell, C., & Jelfs, A. (2007). Embedding accessibility and usability:

Considerations for e-learning research and development projects. ALT-J: Research in Learning Technology, 15(3), 231–245.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). The impact of technology on learning. Baltimore, MD: Author