Plagiarism and Cheating

What plagiarism detection software is available to online instructors?

 Plagiarism has been a touchy topic from years! I remember when I was college that was something that the instructor spoke about vaguely but really didn’t enforce any major policy because at that time technology was not as advanced as it is today. However, today with the technological advances such as Google. It very hard to plagiarize because everything is on the Internet even other students’ work! I remember there was a time where you could buy or purchase other student previous papers and pass them off as your own. But today, with the use of the plagiarism software such as “Turnitin and EVE” it helps instructor’s detect academic integrity among students.

 How can the design of assessments help prevent academic dishonesty?

  In my opinion,  to prevent academic dishonesty as an instructor would be to set cleat expectations, goals and outcomes.  According to DiBiase & Jocoy

( 2006)“Recent case study research provides support for the effectiveness of incorporating plagiarism instruction into individual courses.  For example, by addressing the university and course policy on plagiarism and incorporating the importance of academic integrity into the course will help prevent the dishonestly of students. Furthermore, Soto, Anand, and McGee (2004)  “found that students who received no explicit plagiarism instruction plagiarized twice as often as those who participated in active instructional activities such as class discussions of definitions of plagiarism, review of Turnitin.com plagiarism reports, and exercises requiring students to identify instances of plagiarism in example essays”.

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

 The strategies that I would use would be congruent to the strategies that the Walden University Instructors use such as the Turnitin feature.    However I would change a couple of things such as allowing students the abilities to go back and make correction from there work that they submitted to Turnitin. In my opinion, I think to prevent academic dishonestly you have to teach the students about academic integrity because it’s all about interpretation. For example, I didn’t that the taking material from a previous paper written by you would be considered plagiarizing. And I am sure I am not the only one! Therefore, my strategies would be to encourage and to teach academic honesty through software features such as Turnitin and Grammerly. And encourage students to revise and edit their work and openly discuss the consequences of plagiarizing.

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

 Honestly, I think providing clear expectations and guidelines of the university policy on plagiarism and academic dishonestly will help alleviate some of the programs with both. In addition “…providing explicit plagiarism instruction in the form of an expectation management strategy introduced prior to students’ preparation of assignments” DiBiase & Jocoy (2006). Furthermore, instructors should address the student that has been suspected cheating or plagiarism with direct information from that particular assignment by providing them an opportunity to redo the assignment or further disciplinary actions.  Students should know and understand that their will be consequences due to cheating or plagiarizing whether its grading deduction or disciplinary actions from the instructor or school.

Reference:

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

The Impact of Technology!!!!

1. What impact does technology and multimedia have on online learning environments?

Today technology plays a major role within the online learning environment because it’s the key component to the online learning. Technology has allowed students to learn asynchronously or synchronously within the online environment.  The technological advances have made it possible for instructors to customize their courses to fit their student needs within online learning. In addition, technology and multimedia has transformed the learning environment, as we know it because of its capability to reach the masses by way of Internet.

2. What are the most important considerations an online instructor should make before implementing technology? 

        To implement technology into a course, the needs of the leaner must be met by way of objectives and outcomes that need to be accomplished.  Establishing a learning community that will support the learner needs within the online environment. Next considering whether the online software is user friendly for the students. There is nothing more frustrating for a student than to have complicated Course Management system ( CMS).  Lastly, making sure the technology meets the needs of the educational objectives of the students. Meaning, the students can see how they are going to benefit from using the technology. In my opinion, technology is only as good as the person implementing software.

3. What implications do usability and accessibility of technology tools have for online learning?

         

 The whole point of online learning is the usability and accessibility.  The use of technology as a tool is not different from using a car to drive. We need it! Technology is a tool that has made learning accessible for all ages and learning styles. As with many other tools, technology has it’s up and downs as well such as loss of connectivity due to severe weather conditions. Recently, at Walden University certain part of the US were experiencing severe power outages across a couple of states and the university and the instructors had to provide extensions on assignments. These are things that are beyond anyone’s control and that just technology.  Even though there can be drawbacks to technology it’s the new form of learning because it provides learners with so much flexible and capabilities to be able to learn anywhere. And that’s what people like the most about the online learning environment.

 4. What technology tools are most appealing to you for online teaching as you move forward in your career in instructional design? 

          

 Since taking this course I have truly found my liking Google; that’s from Hangouts, chats, Google doc, blogs, email and so much more that Google provide to learners and students.  I find myself learning something new everyday about Google that I know that I could live with out it! Another thing that I would need are the l presentation and document tools that student need to complete assignments. But mind you that Google has that as well ( LOL). Moreover the discussion format tools and LMS tools would be a must as well. Lastly, when designing a course the most important part is finding the tools that will achieve your learning outcomes and objectives for the course so that the students are successful.