Plagiarism

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In the second episode of JF Podcast, Season 2, Tim Woolley and I tackled a topic that's been making waves in the education world - plagiarism. A lot has changed since our last podcast together two years ago. Since then, we've gone longboarding down the slopes of Harborne, skirting parked cars and avoiding crashes. Tim managed to wear through his jeans when he hit a pothole. The coffee before and after at a cafe called the Steam Room was outstanding, though.

We recorded this episode in my classroom, CHM4, across a narrow desk, like in last week's episode. However, the last time Tim joined me on the podcast, he showcased his impressive studio mic via Zoom. This time, he had to contend with my £15 Amazon mic, which he politely deemed 'good value for money'. We decided to record during the extended lunch break, with Tim having just completed his first marathon, the Birmingham half, in just over an hour and a half - extremely impressive. I was less hungry but was preparing to give a talk about ChatGPT-4 for Dom Jones' teaching and learning group. Thus, the usual egg and cress sandwich awaited me.

We dove into the issue of plagiarism, discussing its impact on learning and creativity. We shared anecdotes about classroom realities, like students' over-reliance on tools like Google Translate. An unusually structured sentence or a word that doesn't fit in context is often a giveaway. These instances can be transformed into teachable moments - opportunities for growth.

Failure, although unnerving, is an incredible motivator. This topic led us to discuss the importance of academic mock exams. They provide students with a safety net, allowing them to experience failure, reflect on it, and learn, preparing them for future challenges. In my opinion, it's our mistakes that spur learning. There's far too much stigma related to failure in society. The more we place ourselves in positions to make mistakes, the more we grow, and plagiarism is entirely contrary to this.

Our conversation also veered towards the role of AI in education. The misuse of AI tools by students, like writing essays or completing homework, is a worrying trend. It's a subtle form of plagiarism that, in the long run, could be just as harmful. Tim's analogy about Michael from GTA 5, a character who starts with everything but lacks purpose, excellently illustrates this point. Is the final result really what's important?

We ended the podcast with a joke about my upcoming talk on ChatGPT-4. It was a light diversion, but it underscored the theme of our conversation - the importance of original thinking and learning.

Outside of the podcast, Tim and I have been campaigning for better coffee beans in the staff common room. We're still holding out for the much-coveted Quarter Horse beans.

Looking forward to next week's episode, I'll be talking to another KES legend. In the previous season, I managed to talk to John Claughton. The next guest is just as, if not more, legendary. Stay tuned for more!