How to Detect and Prevent Plagiarism in Online Learning Environments

      With all the online technologies accessible today and the amazing growth of the World Wide Web, “the world is at our fingertips”. With such resources, comes great responsibility. There is greater opportunity for cheating and plagiarism both equally in traditional learning environments and online learning environments (Pratt, 2016).

Detection Software

            There are several plagiarism detection software packages on the market today. When shopping for detection software, the following requirements should be considered:

•  Ease of use
• Accepts HTML format
•  Allows for pre-selected websites to be excluded as needed
•  Ability to compare and display possible plagiarism flags within submitted work

(Jocoy, 2006)

Strategies to Reduce Plagiarism and Cheating

While the initial thought for detecting plagiarism and cheating would be software like Turnitin.com, There are other strategies within instruction that can help to reduce the opportunities to cheat or plagiarize. One of the first ways to address this issue is to include policies and guidelines (fair use, copyright, plagiarism & cheating) in the course syllabus (Simonson, 2012). This provides the learner with an immediate awareness of need to understand what is considered unacceptable.According to Jocoy and DiBiase’s study found that students receiving explicit plagiarism instructions were less likely to engage in it (Jocoy, 2006). The facilitator can also design assessments that incorporate collaboration. By doing so, it discouraging cheating. 

Instructional Design Preventative Planning

As instructional designers, preventing plagiarism and cheating, should be part of the planning of a course. Designing collaborative assignments within the course, including assessments will discourage cheating. It will also improve learning by reflecting real life situations. Most who are working on a project or assessing a project do not “go it alone”, it is usually a team effort (Pratt, 2016). Additionally, the beginning weeks of the course should include not only policies and guidelines but also various scenarios to show application of the policies and guidelines. Such scenarios could include:

(Pratt, 2016)

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

Pratt, P. a. (2016, February). Palgiarism and Cheating. Walden University Video Media.

Simonson, S. A. (2012). Teaching and Learning at a Distance. New York: Pearson.

Technology, Multimedia and their Impact on Online Learning

When setting up an online learning environment, there are numerous components to think about prior to and during the creation of the course. Technology tools are one essential component that needs to be carefully chosen and connected to meeting the learning objectives and goals of the course. Included in these technology tools are various Web 2.0 choices and the use of multimedia. Each having their own unique impact on the learning environment.

Impact of Technology Tools and Multimedia

            Technology tools and multimedia impact every stage of the online learning environment. Whether it is the course beginning and the use of discussion boards to get to know fellow learners, the middle weeks of a course where learners can collaborate on course content and begin discussing ways to apply that new knowledge. Or the last weeks of the course where final touches are being made on a group project to submit. No matter which stage of the online learning course the learners are at, the tools chosen by the designer must correspond to distance learning theory and course objectives. No tool, technology or otherwise, should be utilized for only the sake of “saying it was used” (Conrad, 2010). The benefits of incorporating the appropriate technology tool are vast; from increased learner engagement to collaboration in a positive learning community, learner transformation is amplified.

(Finn, 2013)

Considerations before Implementation

            When preparing an online course, one must consider various factors prior to implementation. The first being designing of content. Ensuring that discussion questions grow in depth over the weeks and that rubrics, directions, and questioning are clear and concise for the learner. Additionally, course resources need to be easily accessible for all learners in the community. Organizing essential content for the course. Getting to know each other icebreakers should be implemented in the initial onset of the course not during the last week of meeting. Another consideration is what tools are available to you for utilization (Conrad, 2010). Are the tools going to be unfamiliar to some students? How will this be addressed for the best success for all learners and meeting their needs?

Friendly and Accessible Technology Tools

            Every tool has a purpose to accomplish. Just as a hammer is used to accomplish a specific task, so too technology tools have a specific task they are utilized for.  Choosing the appropriate tool for the job means the task is clearly stated, the tool is the best to accomplish success, and you have access to that tool. For online teaching, each technology tool implemented in a course must be the best choice for the designated task.Some examples of Web 2.0 tools and their purpose in a course are listed below. 

Web 2.0 Tool                                                                       Purpose

Blog (Weblog)	·         Allows users to view website and  leave comments about the website’s content (Pratt, 2016) ·         Captures student thinking (Conrad, 2010)
Wiki	·         Allows learners to build project deliverables together ·         Used to create a community around a common purpose (Pratt, 2016)
Aggregators	·         Provides facilitator a way to track postings and updates to multiple student blogs and wikis quickly (Pratt, 2016)
SocialNetworking Sites: Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn	·         For networking and extending the learning community beyond the CMS (Conrad, 2010)

In order to implement effective online instructional strategies and incorporate technology tools and multimedia appropriately, the instructional designer needs to convey clear and concise objectives and goals for the course. As decisions are made on strategies to utilize and which technology tools to pair with those strategies, the availability of the tools and their direct connection to the clear objective must be at the forefront of planning.

As a student and a professional, I have experience with many Web 2.0 tools and multimedia usage. One of my favorite tools to incorporate are blogs. These are resourceful for the novice and the experienced. I am also a daily user of google drive for storing, sharing and collaboration of key content for my job. Moving forward, all IDS professionals should be sure their choices for tools directly fit together with the objectives to achieve.

Resources

Conrad, B. &. (2010). The Online Teaching Survival Guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Finn, K. (2013). Media's Impact on Teaching and Learning. Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u54nDOtAvdc

Pratt, P. &. (2016, February). Enhancing the Online Experience. Walden University Video Media.

Wiencke, M. R. (2003). Design and Use of a Rubric to Assess and Encourage Interactive Qualities in Distance Courses. American Journal of Distance Learning, 77-98.