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/.