Copying from the Internet is not cheating?

I remain convinced that the Internet facilitates copying primarily in subjects other than Math & Science. Opinions about the role of homework in the math classroom can only be formed after one has clarified the definition of cheating as it pertains to their course.

The following web site provides links (a particularly good one titled "Electronic School: Digital Deception") supporting the growing concern of cheating in the classroom: http://www.gradebook.org/Cheating.htm.

Common expectations are that students should hand in work that includes only their own ideas/efforts (i.e. not copy homework solutions irregardless of the source), and not have access to electronic memory during closed-book assessments.

Technology makes it easier to cheat during a test, but this is why there are testing guidelines such as no cell phones, ipods, etc. during a test. I do not think that this needs to be of concern, provided the teacher is on top of things in their classroom (and able to handle the supervision of the number of students in their class).

As for copying assignment solutions? Teachers must develop strategies to deal with this reality because there is no way of preventing it. It is still far easier for students to copy one anothers solutions than to plagerize a web solution. Actually, I think that the process of searching for a math problem on the Internet (or in a book) is a beneficial activity. The student is still thinking about how to formulate a solution. Perhaps there are online examples, with different numbers, that will provide enough support for the student to be able to answer the question? I prefer this from a student to a complete lack of motivation to complete an assignment.

Students were able to share information about assignments with each long before the Internet. How technology, computers in particular, does facilitate cheating is that it makes the process easier and quicker.

That being said, teachers need to develop strategies like designing different methods of assesment that discourage/prevent copying, knowing their students abilities in order to recognize a copied assignment, and creating a classroom environment in which students will want to turn in their own work. See some great applications of this (along with more research on computers & cheating) at http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin375.shtml/.