Overview

Many instructors asked for a way to detect plagiarism, then we added a "similarity checker" feature that finds similar programme submissions among students in a class, and highlights similarities (like Stanford'southward MOSS programme).

However, we also encourage instructors to focus on preventing plagiarism in the get-go place, by reducing a student's temptation. Thus, nosotros also released a zyLab "coding trail" feature. A coding trail is a compact representation of a student'south history of effort with a zyLab. Seeing that the system is recording try, and knowing instructors can encounter such endeavor, students may be less probable to plan on copy-pasting another pupil's code (or code written by a "tutor" from those squeamish educatee websites).

Coding Trails

zyLabs now display a coding trail of work but beneath the student's lawmaking output (in Develop mode) or the Submit button (in Submit mode):

mceclip0.png

Below is a coding trail for one pupil working on a zyLab:

mceclip1.png

The above student started on 3/26 (March 26) on Thursday (R).

  • Each "-" indicates a develop run, meaning the zyLab is configured for students to lawmaking in the zyBook, and the student ran their lawmaking in the zyBook with their own input values.
  • Each "|" indicates a submission, meaning the pupil submitted their lawmaking for grading confronting the zyLab's test cases. The | is followed past the score that code received, so |5 ways the submit earned five points.

Above, the pupil did 3 develop runs "---", submitted only got 0 "|0", developed twice more "--", submitted just got 0 once again "|0", and then on. The student eventually got v points, and with two more develops, a last submission earned x points. The student concluded on 3/26.

Below, the student started on 3/ten Dominicus, and connected on Monday, eventually getting viii points:Screen_Shot_2020-03-26_at_12.36.59_PM.png

Note: M: Monday T: Tuesday W: Wednesday R: Th F: Friday S: Saturday U: Sunday

 If a zyLab is configured for students to lawmaking outside the zyBook and upload files, the coding trail will only incorporate submits "|". In that case, nosotros recommend instructors tell students they are expected to submit their code throughout development, such as after every 20 minutes of attempt, knowing the score achieved may be depression, and so that instructors tin see when they started and the history of their effort.

Discussion

Coding trails can reduce the temptation amidst some students to cheat. This is akin to how many retail stores have a camera and video display visible to entering customers. Such displays are known to reduce shoplifting, as the entering would-be shoplifter sees the display and thinks "Hmm, there's video, peradventure I shouldn't".

Of course, we also don't desire students feeling like they are being constantly monitored. Thus, we've placed the coding trail in a location, and sized it, such that students will notice it only such that it does not boss their attention, merely as most customers entering a store don't really notice or care near the video brandish -- unless they were thinking of shoplifting.

Of grade, coding trails can be faked by submitting bogus programs, simply that takes endeavor, so may deter some folks.

Coding trails practice not currently indicate the fourth dimension spent, merely nosotros plan to suspend that info too. Nosotros also plan to indicate develop/submits where the lawmaking dramatically varies from the previous code, equally might be the case if a student at some signal replaces their own unsuccessful lawmaking by a re-create-paste of somebody else's code.  And nosotros might even develop some AI that detects coding trails likely to be fake.

Nothing can entirely prevent adulterous. But nosotros encourage instructors to take steps to try to reduce cheating before information technology happens, in role past reducing temptation. Coding trails tin can aid, as tin informing students of the similarity checker. Many students are immature and may make bad decisions particularly when overwhelmed or desperate. Reducing temptation to crook tin not only keep otherwise skillful students on track, but likewise reduces the headache instructors must endure to punish detected cheating. We hope coding trails help!