Danger: Too many students are using distance learning and electronic technologies to violate the teaching-learning contract. Studies show that incidents of cheating and plagiarism are too frequent and are increasing. The instant availability, 24-7, of vast amounts of information on the Internet has made it easier than ever for students to "cut and paste" their way to a finished essay, and to locate and buy ready-made term papers and custom researching and writing services.

Opportunity: Technology empowers faculty to detect plagiarism, including Internet-based detection services, free software developed by professors and search engine techniques. The best solutions for discouraging and preventing cheating and plagiarism, however, are not "high-tech," but pedagogical: teaching students how to cite sources properly, getting involved in all stages of their writing processes, and, perhaps most importantly, carefully and creatively constructing assignments. Developing and enforcing honor codes are also vital.

This program will offer solutions to the increase of cheating and plagiarism by:

Panelists

Hope Burwell, an English instructor, chaired Kirkwood Community College's 1998-1999 investigation into plagiarism issues and wrote the subsequent plagiarism policy. It places responsibility for proving they have not plagiarized their written assignments on the students, instead of requiring faculty to prove that plagiarism has occurred. Burwell will describe how the unique policy was arrived at and how it has changed the plagiarism environment across the 12,000 student campus. Since joining Kirkwood in 1991, Burwell has spent a year each as acting Dean of the department, visiting faculty member in a British community college, and International Baccalaureate literature teacher at the Frankfurt International School in Oberursel, Germany.

Jessica A. Keir teaches psychology at Labette Community College in Parsons, Kansas. She became interested in the topic of Internet plagiarism after gaining some personal experience in how widespread the problem is. At Labette, she chaired a committee that revamped the college's definition of academic misconduct and created a new appeals process. Her approach to teaching includes strategies for discouraging and decreasing the incidence of cheating and plagiarism. She has presented at national conferences, including a workshop on plagiarism at the international conference of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) last year.

William L. Kibler, PhD is a founding administrator and Past President of the Center for Academic Integrity and serves as the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Associate Professor for Educational Administration and Human Resource Development at Texas A&M University. He has co-authored a book on academic integrity and co-authored and edited a book on student judicial affairs. He has authored several book chapters and articles in the areas of academic integrity, student judicial affairs and student affairs administration. Bill has also served as a consultant on academic integrity issues at colleges and universities throughout the country.