Blackboard Upgrade

the evil lime

So, they're upgrading to the latest flavour of blackboard (let's hope it works) and have at least decided to do so over the summer, so if they mess up, it'll have the least impact.

The new version gets improved old and shiny new features, the most interesting of which is this SafeAssign program. This is one of those controversial pieces of software that caused so much trouble in the US (and may be continuing to do so, I've stopped paying attention). It's essentially an automated plagiarism checker, which is a great idea. However, the way it works is to check not only books, journals and the internet, but also every assignment ever submitted to it anywhere in the world.

So, what it boils down to is (if I understand this rightly) that a program offered as a component (albeit one with no extra charge) of a commercial software implementation relies upon the use of the work of individual students who are receiving no compensation and have no means (that I know of) of opting out of the system.

I wonder how that's going to go down.

Économiste Monétaire

I don't see the problem personally. The system checks assignments based on a database, it doesn't plagiarise itself. They people whose work is checked shouldn't be compensated because their work isn't being reproduced; in fact it helps protect their work from unauthorised reproduction.

Some lecturers have a problem with the fact that any work placed on BB is the copyright of UCD, not their copyright.

colsmiff

Is there any indication of the extent to which this program (Safeassign)will be used by the university to check students work? It has been fully implemented for the HDipSHWW course following allegations of extensive plagiarism by some students.

gudbuzz

my course/modules arent showing up on blackboard at all which is kind of annoying seeing as its impossible to get a helpful response about anything from anyone in the offices!