What if we didn't have Gullnet?

The main piece of software I use for decision making is without a doubt Gullnet.  For the past four years I've relied on Gullnet to make my class schedule.  Without Gullnet it would be a lot less convienent to plan and sign up for classes each semester.  Gullnet allows you to look up all the classes that are offered at Salisbury as well as the different professors that teach them and the different times they're available.  With Gullnet you can search for a specific class right away instead of searching through a catalog.  Gullnet definitely saves me a lot of time when advising comes around each semester.  Along with Gullnet, I use RateMyProfessor to help me get an idea of what the different professors are like.  I usually don't rely on RateMyProfessor a lot because I know a lot of the stuff written on there is usually biased and from angry students who don't really want to be in school.  I tend to compare what I read on RateMyProfessor to what I hear from friends who have had that professor before.  I definitely like that we have Gullnet available to use because it is a really good tool for us to have to help us sign up for classes.

Plagiarism on the Rise

The issue of plagiarism is definitely on the rise.  According to a survey by the Psychological Record, 36% of college students willingly admitted to plagiarizing on assignments.  A lot of thanks goes to those new innovative pieces of technology that come out every couple of months.  With access to a computer and the Internet basically anywhere, it makes it very easy for someone to plagiarize.  Now that we have iPads and smartphones we don't even need to be sitting at a desk to copy someone else's work.  Obviously, technology makes it ridiculously easy for college students to plagiarize.  I know we all use search engines to help us with homework problems, papers, and presentations, but sometimes we use them in the proper way.  Instead of using technology to help us, some people use it strictly to complete an assignment with as little effort as possible.  Since technology makes it easier to plagiarize because resources become more accessible to everyone, obviously it is going to occur more often.  Even social networking sites are an aide for those who are trying to cheat because it allows them to communicate with other students in there class and even all over the world.

It is hard to control what is put on the Internet and how students use it to their benefit, but professors at colleges/universities can do a few things to control the increase in plagiarism.  A professor from Rutgers University created a web page all about plagiarism.  He offers multiple ways to prevent and cut back on the amount of plagiarism.  One way he explains is for a professor to design their own assignments, quizzes, and exams.  He mentions that you should have multiple variations for exams and quizzes and that repeat assignments should never be given in a future semester.  Another way is for professors to help with a research paper throughout the semester rather than assigning it at the beginning and giving a due date without ever mentioning it again.  This will prevent students from panicking at the end of the semester when they remember they have that huge paper due, which will cut down on their urgency to just complete it, whether it's copied or not.  Finally, Professor Ehrlich suggests requiring students to give presentations or share their progress on a thesis with the entire class.  This would prevent students from plagiarizing because they know they could get caught in front of the entire class.  It also gives the professor insight into whether the student has really been working on the assignment or not, which can help predict the future and the possibility of plagiarism.

Here is the link to Professor Ehrlich's page: Plagiarism and Anti-Plagiarism
Source for the statistic: MLA Forum

An Ethical Dilemma

A few years ago when I was working as a cashier at the concession stand of a sports arena, I was faced with an ethical dilemma.  As I had my back turned to the register to prepare some of the food, one of the other employees was at the cash register getting change for a customer to use at the vending machine.  This was something that happened regularly so I was not surprised or worried that anything would go wrong.  At the time management was very trustworthy of the employees and everything was pretty basic when it came to security procedures.  This meant that there were no cameras behind the register and most of the employees had access to the register.  When I was putting food in the oven, I could see out of the corner of my eye that the person was putting money into their back pockets.  I didn’t think anything of it at first because some employees worked as hostesses for the birthday parties so when they entered the bill into the register, if any tip was given to them, they just deducted it from the total as a tip and took the money out of the register.  Once I got back to ringing up the customers in line, I realized that this certain employee was not working birthday parties that day.  When I figured out exactly what happened, I knew I had the responsibility to tell management.  I wasn’t sure how to bring it up without putting myself or the guilty party in awkward situation.  Finally, I decided to write a note to the supervisor to explain the situation and what I saw.  In my mind I did what I thought was right by telling someone in charge.  I think everyone has a different opinion on how to handle ethics, so it is hard to determine what exactly the right thing to do is.

American Education, or Lack of...

I think the lag in the American education system can not be pin-pointed to a single factor.  There are multiple factors that caused this result.  One of the main factors, I believe, is the lack of motivation in children and teenagers.  At a young age, many kids start becoming less occupied with school and more entertained with their friends, video games, and computers.  If these kids don't have the drive and motivation to do well in school, it is hard to force them to do well.  This also stems from another factor: discipline.  I know all parents have their own ways of raising their children and they always do what they can to raise a well-rounded child, but there are some parents who don't show any interest in their childs' lives.  If an adult is not present from early childhood to model how children should behave, then the only other people children can model are their own friends.  It is crucial that children are disciplined at a young age and they are shown what is right and wrong.  Most importantly, there needs to be someone there to make them go to school and to sit them down and make them do their homework before they can play.  As a kid, I would come home from school and immediately start on my homework because if I didn't do it first, then I was not allowed to go outside and play.  One more factor relating to both motivation and discipline is a child's attitude.  If a certain kid has an "I don't have to do anything because I'm better then everyone else" type of attitude, they certainly won't get very far in life.  It is crucial that kids go into school with an open-mind and positive attitude.  Obviously not every class, teacher, lecture, and assignment is going to be interesting, but what we learn from each of those things is extremely beneficial to our futures.  Nothing is ever given to us on a silver platter.  We all have to work for what we want, so if a child thinks that he can cruise through school until graduation and continue living under his/her parents' roof; I think they're in for a huge shock.

American Education Lacking--This is an article from 2010 that discusses multiple factors that cause the American Education system to fall behind so many others.

Academic Failure: Poor U.S. Test Results Tied To Weak Curriculum--This article provides 3 specific reasons and compares students in grades 4, 8, and 12 in both math and science.