Plagiarism
Identifying plagiarism in math can be a challenging task. In the module I am focusing on, I have taught all students the same process for factoring quadratics. The process varies depending on the type of quadratic being factored. If students are correctly factoring a quadratic, the work they show will be very similar to each other. Since plagiarism-checking programs are looking for similar or matching phrases, it makes their use challenging in this subject area.
With this in mind, I have created the assessment activities in a way that requires students to rephrase, speak, or create new visuals. Students may use an equation or expression that has been seen before, but they will be explaining in their own words the method being used. Whether summarizing using Audacity, explaining while on Skype, or teaching others using Explain Everything, students will be using their own words to create each assessment. JeopardyLabs will be the most challenging of the assessments to check for plagiarism. Since this is an interactive assessment that requires problems with solutions, students could reuse previously solved problems from class. The rubric will be an important element of this assessment.
As is the case for any subject, the most important element in detecting plagiarism is the human element. As a teacher, I know my students. I will be aware of suspicious phrasing or work that doesn’t match a student’s previous examples. I also will make sure time is spent in class on defining plagiarism and the consequences associated with it.
With this in mind, I have created the assessment activities in a way that requires students to rephrase, speak, or create new visuals. Students may use an equation or expression that has been seen before, but they will be explaining in their own words the method being used. Whether summarizing using Audacity, explaining while on Skype, or teaching others using Explain Everything, students will be using their own words to create each assessment. JeopardyLabs will be the most challenging of the assessments to check for plagiarism. Since this is an interactive assessment that requires problems with solutions, students could reuse previously solved problems from class. The rubric will be an important element of this assessment.
As is the case for any subject, the most important element in detecting plagiarism is the human element. As a teacher, I know my students. I will be aware of suspicious phrasing or work that doesn’t match a student’s previous examples. I also will make sure time is spent in class on defining plagiarism and the consequences associated with it.
Diversity
Great care has been taken in selecting different assessments that will address diversified learning styles. Students have opportunities to use audio production, video production, and graphic production. In addition, students will be working as individuals and in groups. They are given opportunities to create and reflect. Through the use of summarizing, explaining, teaching, and creating, students are demonstrating their understanding of the concepts in a variety of ways.
References
Bailey, J. (2011, December 7). The Limitation of Every Plagiarism Checker. Retrieved August 15, 2015, from https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2011/12/07/the-limitation-of-every-plagiarism-checker/