Plagiarism Detection and Prevention

The definition of plagiarism according to Webster II New Riverside Office Edition is “to take and use as one’s own the ideas or writings of another” (Webster\'s II new, 2009). Basically, this means that plagiarism means stealing someone else’s work and then lying about it later.

Since more and more universities and colleges are offering online learning and distance learning courses, it has become essential for instructors and students to understand and protect themselves against plagiarism.

It is vital for instructors to be aware of the characters of plagiarism in order to be proactive in preventing it from happening.

What is Plagiarism: (CCC Library, 2010)

What plagiarism detection software is available to online instructors?

There are many different plagiarism detection tools available for instructors to prevent plagiarism within the online/distance learning environment.  By developing an understanding of various plagiarism detection software tools, it will allow the instructor to determine which one will work better within their online/ distance learning environment. 

Some examples of plagiarism detection software include: 

Dupli Checker: http://www.duplichecker.com/

Professional, student, and newbie, can equally benefit from it Dupli Checker. Upload essays, thesis, research papers and other written assignments , and get the analysis report within seconds. 

iThenticate: http://www.ithenticate.com/

iThenticate's offers writers, researchers and editors insight into plagiarism issues across different industries, and guidance for avoiding plagiarism within various roles and environments. Unfortunately, this is not a free service.

Turnitin: http://turnitin.com/

This website ensures that submitted work is original  by checking submitted papers against 24+ billion web pages, 300+ million student papers and leading library databases and publications. 

How can the design of my assessments help prevent academic dishonesty? 

In designing assessments there is no single approach that will deter plagiarism, but various strategies that can be adopted and reinforced. Assessments should be designed with the student in mind but also assessments should be aligned with the course goals and outcomes. 

Assessments plans generally have at least four types of experiences important to evaluation for example:

• ·         Participation in discussion post

• ·         Automated low stakes quizzes

• ·         Individual projects that include analysis such as critical thinking and   communication of that work to others in a final product of some type, such as a paper, interview, report, podcast, or presentation.

• ·         Team projects of various sizes and purposes (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010). 

It is important for instructors to give clear instructions and guidelines concerning course assignments so there is less room for students to copy and paste from other sources. 

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

I currently use turnitin in my online/distance courses with great success. By using this software tool, I feel that I have the ability to identify student work that is not written in their own words. 

In the future, I plan on allowing my students to submit written assignments early to check their progress. I feel that if the student feels that their work is going to be checked for plagiarism throughout the course at different points, they will be less inclined to plagiarize and cite all of their sources. This will also give the student the ability to edit their assignments as the course progresses to ensure that their activities reflect their actual 

knowledge. 

 

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

It is very important that clear guidelines and consequences for plagiarism be given early in the course and stated in the course syllabus. If a student is suspected of plagiarism they should be confronted with direct and specific details from the assignment that was detected as plagiarized. Many institutions have student handbooks that will allow the instructor to follow the standard rules and regulations of the institution. 

Boettcher, J., & Conrad , R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint.

CCC Library. (2010). Plagiarism [Video]. Available from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw6NxvwP41U

(2009). Webster's II new riverside dictionary. (Revised ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.

The Impact of Technology and Multimedia

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

Technology and multimedia is an important part of our everyday lives.  We use technology when making a purchase at the grocery store, paying bills, and communicating online with friends and relatives using Facebook, technology has totally integrated into our everyday lives. 

So how has technology influenced online learning environments?  Learning in an online environment can bring out the best in some learners who normally may be too shy to contribute in a typical face-to-face classroom. The technology and software that is available can create social relationships between learners and stifle the creation of a learning community in a classroom (Conrad & Donaldson, 2011). Technological advances have made learning at a distance much easier without technology distance learning would be more difficult.  

The great thing about technology is that it allows today’s students to learn asynchronously or synchronously within the online learning environment. These advances in technology have provided students with the ability to customize their learning to their needs and have a greater chance of success within the online learning environment. 

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

As an instructor, the most important considerations must be that the technology chosen must meet the needs of the learners and the educational objectives that need to be accomplished. There is a lot of technology out there that can be flashy, but just because we have it does not always mean that we have to use it. Sometimes the simplest approach is the best approach.   Meeting the needs of learners means to establish a learning community that supports learners with confidence to work together and provide a clear direction that enables learners to take charge of their own learning (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010).

It is vital for an instructor to know the skill levels of their learners. If an instructor forces new technology that is too difficult for learners to learn in a fixed amount of time, the learner may become frustrated with their online work. It’s important for instructors to only introduce one new technology at a time; introducing more can become very overwhelming to students (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010).

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

As with everything there can be drawbacks, using technology tools in an online environment is no different. Instructors need to be aware of the different tools that help to make learning possible for all students. It is also important that the instructor take into consideration that many times technology does fail, and they should communicate alternative options for students in case the technology should not work properly. 

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

The technology tools that appeal to me in an online environment are definitely communication tools such emails, video conferencing, and chat tools. I feel that it is vitally important to be able to communicate clearly and effectively with your learners. Discussion boards, wiki’s, and Google docs are also collaborative tools that I find effective in the online environment. Using collaborative tools allows students to be able to learn from one another and work together on group assignments. 

I have learned the value of social learning, and how to create a learning community online since I started working towards my degree in instructional design and technology. Through careful direction by the instructor in the beginning, through “getting acquainted” activities, graded use of discussion forums and prompt feedback,  I have experienced first-hand how technology and effective communication plays an important part in online education.

References

Boettcher, J., & Conrad , R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint.

Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. (2011). Engaing the online learner. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint.