Re: TARGET>Hyperstudio Presentations & Plagiarism & More

[Beverly Kay Maddox <bmaddox@MAILER.FSU.EDU>]

Sharon,
        Your post provoked me to remember my own frustrations this year
as I observed colleagues "oohing and aahhing" over electronic plagiarism
from students.  The flashy electronic "reports" were clearly not
evaluated for their substance.  As a language arts teacher who is also a
strong advocate for responsible and appropriate use of technology, I'm
becoming more and more convinced that the use of online and cd-rom
technology for research reports (and I use the term loosely) should be
curtailed in middle school.  Our media specialist who works most closely
with middle school at our K-12 center does a terrific job training kids
on information seeking.  Although one of the most techno-literate of
media specialists in our state, she does not allow students to be seduced
by the technology. She emphasizes "information seeking" of all kinds.
However, if teachers do not avail themselves of her expertise by
consulting with her prior to assigning projects, they push their kids
into plagiarism with poorly constructed projects and a cavalier attitude
toward plagiarism.  Similarly, technology class instructors sometimes let
form overshadow substance in their assignments and react with fulsome praise
to student's flashy but dishonest products.

Good for you, Sharon, for cottoning to the poor guidance the computer
camp students received.  I hope you'll be able to undo the intellectual
and ethical damage done them.  It would be fun to work with you.

Beverly Maddox
bmaddox@mailer.fsu.edu