Plagiarism Detection and Prevention

Plagiarism is the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of themas one's own original work (plagiarism, nd). Most colleges and universities have outlined in their student handbooks severe consequences and actions for students who engage in plagiarism and cheating activities. And many of these eventually lead to academic dismissal and/or removal from the school. Now that more and more schools are offering courses online, there is a whole new arena to consider when attempting to protects against these acts.  Just because we have entered another age of learning and education, doesn't mean that plagiarism and cheating do not exist.  Faculty and staff have to become more aware of not only the characteristics of plagiarism and cheating but tools to help them prevent it. A national survey published in Education Week found that 54% of students admitted to plagiarizing from the Internet; 74% of students admitted that at least once during the past school year they had engaged in "serious" cheating; and 47% of students believe their teachers sometimes choose to ignore students who are cheating.  This statistic alone shows that we, as online facilitators, must be more aware and more diligent against these acts.

What plagiarism detection software is available to online instructors?

There is a variety of software and tools available to online instructors to help detect plagiarism in the work of there students. The best tool will depend upon a few factors such as the type of assignment, resources used and features of the detection software. Online instructors should carefully identify the features of the software prior to use in the online setting. Additionally, instructors need to provide technical help and assistance for the students who are required to use the software.


Some known detection software includes:

• Turnitin (www.turnitin.com) - which not only checks for duplicated content but also assists with checking for spelling and grammar mistakes
• Duplichecker (www.duplichecker.com) - which is a free online tools for detecting the reuse of copyrighted material
• iThenticate (www.ithenticate.com) - which is used in most professional settings but also provides screening of resources prior to publishing
• Check for Plagiarism (www.checkforplagiarism.net) - which also provides checks in multiple languages and document types

How can the design of assessments help prevent academic dishonesty?

The design of the assessment should align to the course outcomes and goals. Assessments should also be designed as a place where students will contribute their knowledge on specific content items. This contribution must be the student's own thoughts and knowledge unless otherwise indicated. When instructors, especially those who teach online, design assessments they should consider plagiarism and cheating in their design. Instructors can do this a number of ways. One way is to provide clear directions and rubrics/guidelines. I have had numerous projects and assignments in online settings where what was required wasn't very clear. The instructor asked for us to create a presentation but provided limited guidelines on what the presentation should cover. With clear guidelines, a student would be less likely to "copy and paste" from another student but would be more interested in completing the specific guidelines.


In this week's resources, Boettcher talks about project coaching as it occurs in the middle of an online course. She discusses having "multiple assessment points"in order to better prepare students for the completion of their project. I also think this is helpful regarding plagiarism because then a student will be less likely to "adapt" large pieces of work to complete an assignment. With smaller chunks due at multiple intervals, can now receive consistent and frequent feedback from the instructor to provide clarity and support for completion.


Another way instructors could design assessments to prevent plagiarism is to assess the process and not the final product (University of Leeds, nd) and use a variety of assessments (Assessment, 2008).  By doing this, the instructor is informing the student that the answer is not what's important but how you arrived at the answer and the metacognition behind your answer. As a student, if I know that my instructor is more interested in how I arrived at answer and not the specific information, I am less likely to worry about making sure the answer is correct even if that means copying it from somewhere or someone else. Additionally, knowing that I will have multiple opportunities to demonstrate the knowledge learned in different ways, I am less likely to be focused on just knowing the right answer.

What facilitation strategies do you propose to use as a current or future online instructor?

I just recently completed an online course with teachers regarding the integration of Web 2.0 tools. Most of the assignments in the course required the teachers to develop integration plans for their curriculum. I understand how easy it is to just find another lesson plan written by someone else, change a few words and pass it off as your own. To prevent this and any future plagiarism and cheating, I propose to schedule assessments to be due at multiple intervals with specific instructions on how the participants can personalize it. Secondly, I would also ensure that I am grading the process of the student's work and not the final product. I want them to know that I am concerned about their metacognition and strategies for integration versus their lesson plans and the perfect lesson. Finally, I will make sure within my course I either spend some time teaching copyright and fair use or provide resources and direct the students to look their specifically. I truly believe the some students just aren't aware of their limitations when using someone else's

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

Rules are important because they give clear lines and boundaries for behavior in any setting. This is why it is of the utmost importance that instructors give clear rules regarding plagiarism, cheating and the use of someone else's work. Even if the student doesn't read all the rules or abide by them, they are at least knowledgeable that those rules and guidelines do exist and that there are repercussions for those actions. Another consideration teachers should make to detect or prevent cheating and plagiarism is to confront early, often and directly. At the beginning of the course, the instructor should remind students of copyright laws and the consequences for cheating and plagiarism during the first couple of assignments. When and if a student participates in plagiarism, the instructor should contact the student via telephone or email to address the issue with specific details regarding the infraction. Finally, the instructor should provide the consequences based on the rules and guidelines established in the course or provide additional students to redo the assignment, if that is an option.

References:
"Assessment Design to Prevent Plagiarism." Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2008. Web. 7 Aug 2011. <http://edc.polyu.edu.hk/PSP/Assessment%20Design.htm>


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


Boston University. 2010, December. What is Plagiarism in the Digital Age. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFtdZTG2-OM 


iParadigms, LLC, Initials. (2011). Plagiarism.org. Retrieved from www.plagiarism.org


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.
Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete database.

 Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Plagiarism and Cheating. [Video webcast]. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5364570&Survey=1&47=4114519&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

plagiarism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved August 07, 2011, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/plagiarism


University of Leeds. (nd). Designing assessments that prevent plagiarism. Retrieved from http://www.ldu.leeds.ac.uk/plagiarism/design.php. 

The Impact of Technology and Multimedia

What impact does technology and multimedia have on online learning environments?
     There are various content management systems (CMS) used to create online learning environments such as Blackboard, Desire2Learn and Moodle, to name a few. Each CMS has its own set of features and tools for both the use of the Instructor and participants. Most share very basic features like discussion boards/forums, dropboxes for file uploads and gradebooks. As the Instructor, we must find the best use for these tools. The use of these tools inside of the learning environment has a large impact on the learning process and access to course content for the learners. It ultimately affects the very way that student access the course content, express their thoughts and complete assignments required by the course.


     Multimedia, on the other hand, is so influential, that is has an almost greater if not equal impact on the online learning environment. As the video mentions, there is widespread access to digital media and digital content on a number of devices. This immediate access provides learners with real-time course content and information. Instructors must be prepared to provide media-rich resources and multimedia content for their learners as well as ensure (as best as possible) that the multimedia is accessible through the CMS.

What are the most important considerations an online instructor should make before implementing technology?
     The most important consideration to make is prior experience. As the Instructor, your comfort with the use of technology tools and the implementation of those tools depends highly upon your previous experience with those tools. If you are not familiar with discussion forums and how they work, you will be less likely to engage your learners beyond the basic interaction of the tool. When I taught my first online course, I had previous experience with discussion forums through other online courses I had participated in, however, I did not have the experience of the discussion forum as an Instructor. Boy what an eye opener! It was almost like trial by fire. The prior experience is not only for the Instructor, though. It also applies to the learners as well. Getting acquainted with your learners at the beginning of the course will indicate who has had prior experience and whether or not additional "training" or directions will be needed throughout the course. 

What implications do usability and accessibility of technology tools have for online teaching?
     The focus of the transition from a face-to-face course to an online course, in my opinion, is focused on not the content, which can be found and duplicated or replaced, by the usability and accessibility of the content and course tools provided to the learners. It's not as important for me to have six really deep articles on the topic as it is to ensure that my learners can access the articles. The focus of any instruction is to provide an environment where all learning styles can be addressed. Ensuring the course content in its digital version and the course tools available meet the various needs of the different learning styles is key. Ensuring that the course itself is easy to navigate and access is important as well. Some considerations for teaching online and meeting the needs of usability and accessibility are: using a simple and consistent navigation scheme, optimize images for a quicker download, provide a list of hardware and software requirements and/or provide offline versions of content (Shank, 2009).


What technology tools are most appealing to you for online teaching as you move forward in your career in instructional design?
     As a lifelong learner, I have succeeded at integration of content and resources into my profession by taking the time to think and dialogue with others about its important, benefits and drawbacks. As I teach online learning and prepare to engage others with the same content, I desire to continue the same metacognition and discussion among the learners in my environment. With this in mind, I would like to use tools that coincide with that desire. Three tools immediately come to mind. First, I will continue to use a discussion forum within my courses. This provides the learners with a place to dialogue, ask questions and provide feedback to each other as well as provide me an opportunity to see what's going on in the learner's mind relating to the course content. Secondly, whether the course is for credit or not, I will continue to use a gradebook. I think having a clear and established expectation of how participation in a course looks is important. Finally, I would like to implement various Web 2.0 tools like blogs, wikis and other presentation tools. Considering I will be addressing various learning styles, I want to present the content in a way that is reaches most of them.


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


Shank, Patti. (2009). Usability issues that impact online learning. Faculty Focus, 7. Retrieved from http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/instructional-design/usability-issues-that-impact-online-learning/.

Setting up an Online Learning Experience

What is the significance of knowing the technology available to you?
My second year in college, I loaned one of my dorm mates my car to run into town and purchase a birthday cake for her roommate. Because she was in a rush to get to her destination and I was distracted by studying, I did not take the time to orientate her to my vehicle prior to her departure. When her absence turned from one hour to four, I began to worry. What I later discovered is that she got into a severe car accident where she injured another motorist as well as herself and another passenger. Why? She was looking the switch to turn the lights on as it became dark! Not knowing the tools/technology available to you can be very detrimental to those in your online community especially being the facilitator. My first response in hindsight was to make sure if I loaned anyone else my car that I would give them a tour of every nook and cranny of my car prior to their departure. This is not wise either. What I should have done was calculated what would be needed for her trip: lights due to the sunset and access to the windshield wipers due to the impending storm. Instead of tackling all of the "tools" to ensure she would arrive at her destination, I should have (and have since then) chosen what is essential. Keeping that in mind, when I taught my first online class, I made sure I picked tools that would be essential not only for communication but for the purpose of the course which is technology integration. During the orientation session, I did an in-depth introduction and overview of the Learning Management System (LMS) used at the time, Moodle. 


Why is it essential to communicate clear expectations to learners?
Communicating clear expectations to learners is essential in any learning environment whether you are a classroom teacher or a corporate trainer. When I conduct training sessions for my school district, there are a few expectations that I dictate to the audience every time I begin such as location of restrooms and procedures for dismissing themselves to use it, procedures for asking questions or seeking assistance during the course of the training, cell phone usages, session objectives and agenda. I have found, in my experience, not making these clear have not only provided a distraction to the other learners in the environment but to myself as the instructor. In the online environment, this is usually covered by the syllabus, which "sets out the overall course plan with performance goals, learning outcomes, and requirements" (Boettcher, 2010). I usually take the first three weeks amidst the content in the course to ensure that the learning objectives and expectations for participation in the course are clear. I also try to make sure that the participants have read them (at least once) and have had an opportunity to ask any questions or clear any misconceptions before the "real work" begins.


What additional considerations should the instructor take into account when setting up an online learning experience?
Prior to setting up on online learning experience, the instructor must complete a course syllabus, weekly plans and discussion postings and the course site (Boettcher, 2010). One additional consideration the instructor should take into account is the characteristics of the learners. Knowing the learner or at least the audience you will entertain is important to creating engaging activities and increasing participation in the course. Additionally, knowing your learners will assist in building and maintaining a common theme for the community. The first step in the ADDIE model for designing effective instruction dictates that one identify the characteristics of the learners involved. This can be done a myriad of ways including icebreakers during the first two weeks of the course. Not only will knowing your learners help you address various learning styles and personalities but it will also help identify any additional needs such as having learners with disabilities.


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


Morrison, G., Ross, S., Kalman, H., & Kemp, J. (2011). Designing Effective Instruction. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 

Online Community Building Essential Elements

     Seems silly, doesn't it. We "meet" people on various social networks and share all kinds of information and create "relationships". We engage each other with stories, resources, advice and participate actively in a "community" of like-minded people centered around a common goal. Won't we, as Online Instructors and Facilitators, ask the same things of our students who join an online class, some for the very first time? Isn't our goal to engage the learners in the online environment and build community among its participants? Conrad and Donaldson state "The involvement of the learner in the course, whether one calls it interaction, engagement or building community, is critical if an online course is to be more than a lecture-oriented course in which interaction is primarily between the learner and the content or the learner and the instructor." Building community is life or death to an online course and I believe there are some essential elements, as mentioned by Dr. Palloff and Dr. Pratt, which help create that: People, Purpose, and Process.

     People are the backbone of an online course or community. Without people, there is no true need for a community. In order to engage people in this environment, we must highly consider our introductions and our interactions. Introductions can take on various forms in the online community. It can be as simple as "In the Student Lounge, tell us your name, which state you are located in" or as detailed and creative as "You are going to create a collage of images that describe who you are". Creating introductions allow the participants of the course to establish a "social presence." Now they are much more than a name, Susie Johnson, but a person who has real-life responsibility, aspirations and goals. Just as important are the interactions you, as the Instructor, create in your community. They must be engaging, foster higher-order thinking and provide an opportunity for discussion and feedback. If your learners will not be engaged beyond the content of the course, then the course should be one week long with all of the content of the course deposited into one module. In an online course for teachers I taught, I tried to provide opportunities for the "people" to connect with each other beyond the required course activities and assignments. I will admit it was a challenge in addition to keeping up with grading and providing feedback but it proved to be the most beneficial aspect of the course in the end.

     Purpose sets the tone for the course and provides the learners a roadmap. This purpose can be defined by the learning theories introduced within the course or the rules for engagement within the course itself. Inside the course, you must have guidelines for sharing information and interacting as well as goals established. Your guidelines for sharing will indicate the frequency and  location for sharing. Each week the learner should be reminded of opportunities to be engaged with other learners and where that can happen. For the Instructor, this may mean establishing a weekly activity in which learners will have to communicate with each other or posting a thought-provoking question in Student Lounge. The Instructor must also set clear goals for the course and establish those early and often. These goals provide the learner with the direction they are heading and what they will accomplish by participating in this course.

     Process by definition means "a systematic series of actions directed at some end" (Dictionary, nd). In an online course, the process is the weekly activities, discussions and content learners will interact with in order to achieve the goals set for the course. In order to be successful in completing this, you must have the right materials and a clear method of delivery. The materials used in the online community should be well-chosen and highly-considered. They should not be a list of random links but articles, video and other multimedia that allows the learner to construct their own meaning. They should be up-to-date and relevant to current industry standards. Once you have a solid set of materials, you must decide and carefully consider how you are going to deliver them. If as a leaner, I am presented with a list of links in my course, I am not going to be engaged nor am I encouraged to participate actively. Instructors should consider methods like debates, role playing, real-world scenarios or even webquests to give students the opportunity to interact with the course materials.

     As an Instructor, online community is important and a community does not exist without engagement whether it is social, academic or both. You must consider the People in your course, the Purpose of your course and how you are going to convey that as well as the Process of your course and the materials you use.


References:

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

     Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A. (2004). Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for creative instruction. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

     Englishnationalopera. (2011, June 8). Can I be your friend? Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDycZH0CA4I.

     Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Online Learning Communities. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5364570&Survey=1&47=4114519&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1.

     process. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved July 22, 2011, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/process

     Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.