Maria Glod of the Washington Post reports that students at McLean High School in Virginia are protesting the implementation of Turnitin in their school system:
But some McLean High students are rebelling. Members of the new Committee for Students' Rights said they do not cheat or condone cheating. But they object to Turnitin's automatically adding their essays to the massive database, calling it an infringement of intellectual property rights. And they contend that the school's action will tar students at one of Fairfax County's academic powerhouses.
"It irked a lot of people because there's an implication of assumed guilt," said Ben Donovan, 18, a senior who helped collect 1,190 student signatures on a petition against mandatory use of the service. "It's like if you searched every car in the parking lot or drug-tested every student."
The student has a good point. Is plagiarism so serious that we need metal detectors at the gates of writing submission?
Sure!
Quick--somebody call the Wahbulance! Wahhh!! Oh, no, we won't be able to "assemble" essays as easily as before!
Although the rhetoric here is a bit severe, I'd likely answer "yes" to this question. I would also advise actual metal detectors at all the entrances, or at least some drug-sniffing dogs. My guess is that with enough drug-sniffing dogs this plagiarism problem would take care of itself. ;-)
And as far as drug-testing every student is concerned...I've always wondered why we haven't been doing that already. How the heck are we supposed to win the war on drugs when so many college kids are smoking pot? It's all part of a vicious cycle...No drug screening, no plagiarism screening...And then we worry about poor retention and graduation rates. Geez...Wonder why???
Check out Barton's gaming blog at Armchair Arcade.
well, then, how about . . .
I'll be writing to your department chair and provost tomorrow to make it clear that you wouldn't mind submitting a daily time sheet justifying every half hour spent. You know, one of those micro management tools that allows administrators to scrutinize everything you do to make sure that you are maximizing the money your school pays. No more video games for you, buddy, on the company clock. And don't cry about this. Education is continuously facing budget cuts. Guaranteeing efficient uses of money spent--regardless of the method--is completely legit, right? End justifies the means.
That is, unless you would prefer that they trust you instead ;-)
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Charlie | cyberdash
No videogames???
What??? I take it all back. I agree: That WAS a malfunctioning Glade Plug-In I smelled in the hallway yesterday. Or maybe somebody was burning leaves somewhere. ;-)
Can I at least continue to goose step? That was really helping me burn some calories in between classes.
Check out Barton's gaming blog at Armchair Arcade.
slashdot is talking about this
Slashdot is talking about the Washington Post piece. I'm surprised more people aren't picking this up and talking about it. Is is that the blogosphere only knows how to talk about politics?
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Charlie | cyberdash