Rush to e-learning may fuel online plagiarism, warn lecturers by Joe Humphreys

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"Union’s members express concerns over impact of technology on higher educatio" writes Joe Humphreys, Education Correspondent with The Irish Times, and author of the weekly ‘Unthinkable’ philosophy column.

The growth of commercial websites offering to carry out student assignments showed how “the depersonalisation and de-professionalisation of education will create problems”. 
Photo: Irish Times 

Universities need to invest in staff and not just technology if they want to tackle online plagiarism and protect the integrity of higher education, the Irish Federation of University Teachers has said.

General secretary Mike Jennings said “there is a body of opinion that MOOCs (massive open online courses) and e-learning are going to make current teaching and learning superfluous, and that students will be able to do it all from the attic”.

However, he said, the growth of commercial websites offering to carry out student assignments showed how “the depersonalisation and de-professionalisation of education will create problems”.

The Irish Times reported on Monday that a growing number of Irish third-level students were posting ads on specialist websites seeking freelance academics to write essays for them.

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Source: Irish Times