Digital Citizenship: The Cyber-Plagiarism Dilemma in Compulsory School

In today's digital society, knowledge is built through relationships with others and the environment. Schools have a vital role in promoting and developing skills in children and youth until they complete compulsory education. The use of technology to access and share information is unavoidable and has led to cyber-plagiarism to become a significant problem faced by educational institutions, particularly among primary, secondary, and high school students. Digital citizenship skills such as researching, selecting, collecting, and processing information through critical thinking are necessary to prevent cyber-plagiarism. Its use raises ethical concerns and undermines the fundamental values of a democratic society. This work reflects on the practice of cyber-plagiarism by students, defines the concepts of plagiarism and cyber-plagiarism, identifies their causes and consequences, and proposes strategies to fight against it in schools. A narrative literature review methodology, which includes national and international research sources and official documents, is used to present guidelines for educational institutions and communities to adopt common strategies to prevent cyberplagiarism. The work also suggests fundamental strategies for the initial and continuous training of teachers to develop skills that promote digital citizenship and prevent cyber-plagiarism.