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Google is once again taking steps to support teachers around the globe with upgrades to the G-Suite for Education branch of the cloud business. Recently, Google announced the arrival of fantastic new features like Gradebook in Google classroom, which gives students and teachers alike an opportunity to track and display grades for their assignments. The Google Classroom environment also has a much smoother UI today, which makes life a lot easier for teachers that need to keep track of numerous students at once.
In August 2019, Google also announced the arrival of a new range of tools that are designed to help teachers fight back against the common issue of plagiarism in classrooms. This will ensure that the grades going out on Gradebook are awarded to students who do the work required for their assignments, rather than just copying what's already on the web.
The new 'Assignments' feature for G-Suite for Education is an updated version of the software from Google previously known as 'CourseKit.' This solution will now be shipping with a variety of new capabilities that help instructors to check the work of students in their class to ensure that it hasn't been stolen from another source. The Assignments tool also makes it easier for educators to check that work has been properly cited.
Teaching Students not to Cheat
There's more to the new and updated version of CourseKit than methods to help teachers catch cheaters. Students will also be able to use the latest tools according to Google, as the feature will also allow them to run 'originality' tests on their work before they submit it to their teacher. This should give the student a chance to catch and fix anything that might be counted as too close to plagiarism before they risk a damaged grade.
The new Google Assignments software also comes with combined functionality taken from tools like Google Search, Google Drive, and Google Docs to create functionality for a tool that helps with the creation and management of all schoolwork. Google says that the Assignments solution will assist with everything from the feedback process, to collecting assignments, and grading crucial pieces of work. Other features include the arrival of a new comment bank, where teachers can store some of their most common phrases and pieces of feedback so that they don't have to type the same message countless times.
There's also the new option to assign files to students through Google without having to use a copier, and there's a functionality that allows teachers to grade assignments for their class with rubrics and student switchers include.
The Capabilities of the New Plagiarism Checker
The plagiarism checker, which comes with the 'Originality reports' feature, is one of the most exciting new functionalities, as it means that teachers can check for missed citations and other plagiarism issues. When the work is submitted, the feature will check it against billions of web pages and books around the world, to ensure that the words are original.
Once a teacher turns the originality reports feature on for an assignment, students will only be able to check their work three times. This will give them an opportunity to fix any oversights, but it will ensure that youngsters can't abuse the tools to avoid detection by just re-writing a few pieces with different words. When the software is finished checking the work, it will send an originality report with the assignment to the teacher, which outlines any sources and missing citations.
Google believes that this feature will be crucial in the new age of education, where students have the freedom to explore endless ideas on the internet at the touch of a button. The G-Suite team feels that students need to learn how to balance the inspiration they get from other sources on the web, with their own unique thought processes. The plagiarism checker with the new Google Assignments functionalities will help with this. It should also assist students in learning how and when to properly cite their sources - which will come in handy for higher education.
The plagiarism checking feature launched in beta testing in August 2019, with a plan to roll the whole Assignments solution out to schools and teachers by the time the new school year starts. The Assignments feature is available as a free addition to any G-Suite for Education package.
