Week 8 Essential Question

Why are there more issues with cheating, plagiarism, and related incidents now than before the web? Or are there?

Some subjects may have more issues with cheating and plagiarism now because the web is so easy to access for students. However, it's also easy for teachers to access the web and check up on the students. I've heard of a few problems with plagiarism in English and Social Studies papers and projects from other teachers. Fortunately, I haven't had really any problems with cheating or plagiarism from the web. There are no online translators that are actually accurate in Latin. I tried to find accurate sites for Latin in college and there really aren't any that are helpful besides a college database. So that fact makes me feel better about students cheating on Latin translation, because I know they honestly can't. For projects or papers I have to be a little more cafeul but I still haven't had any problems.

I know that there are websites where students can pay for papers, but students have always been doing that if they are desperate enough. I honestly don't think any students with common sense will plagiarize or cheat off the internet, it's too accessible, even parents can check on them. Subjects like math and technical subjects probably don't have to worry as much either. And English teacher probably has a different opinion than I do. Information is so easy to access off the web that I think it would almost be more difficult to cheat or plagiarize on purpose than to just look up the correct information.

Technology Integration

Can technology integration benefit everyone?

I think technology integration can benefit everyone IF it is done properly. Of course there are many things that can go wrong or not work out, hence the big if. First you have to have the ability to integrate technology. You need to have the resources necessary and available to teachers for technology. Sometimes the internet can go out or be incredibly slow which doesn't benefit anyone. In Nashua we now have the integration specialists which really helps teachers who normally wouldn't integrate teachers. If you have the support to do it, then more people will do it. Teachers need the support and education to effectively implement technology. We also have so many workshops on technology that really help, but not everyone is going to take advantage of that.

The tools for new technology can be a problem as well. I think it has helped learning about DonorsChoose and other grant opportunities available to us. I really wouldn't have done anything before about gettin a projector but it has helped to see that other teachers have gotten technological equipment this way. In a perfect system we would all have our own laptops or iPads as well as students but that isn't going to happen anytime soon, and that would just bring up other problems too. I think its almost more benficial at this point to give more tools to the elementary schools to start their education earlier. Teenagers in high school already have a lot of devices of their own to use and know how to use them.

Students will benefit from meaningful and well planned technological tools. If a tool is just used as a filler or not seriously, then they won't take it seriously. Teachers need to think about what they actually can integrate realistically into their classrooms before they attempt to. And they should speak to other teachers and/or a specialist before doing so.