You may know of it among your college friends, or if you're a parent, among your kids' friends: plagiarism is becoming as common as Wi-Fi connections at coffee shops. 
 
 The Pew Research Center, in conjunction with the Chronicle of Higher Education, recently surveyed 1,055 college presidents from two- to four-year schools, private and public. More than half of those top officials said they've seen an increase in plagiarism in the past 10 years. Nearly all of them say computers and the Internet have played a major role in the rise in stealing others work and claiming it as their own 
 
 The yin and the yang of the Internet and education is profiled in the survey, "The Digital Revolution and Higher Education," which also includes asurvey of 2,142 adults ages 18 and older. Among Pew's key findings: 
 
 The public looks down on the value of online courses; college presidents do not."Only 29 percent of the public says online courses offer an equal value compared with courses taken in a classroom. Half (51 percent) of the college presidents surveyed say online courses provide the same value. 
 
 And, they think online classes are the future, with half saying 10 years from now most of their students will be learning that way. Right now, 15 percent say "most of their current undergraduate student" have taken an online class. 
 
 Twenty-three percent of college grads say they have taken a class online; the percent is twice that for those who graduated in the past 10 years. 
 
 Online courses are becoming more available: 77 percent of college presidents say their schools now offer online courses, with public universities leading the way, Pew says. "While 89 percent of four-year public colleges and universities offer online classes, just 60 percent of four-year private schools offer them." 
 
 Textbooks will go digital. Ten years from now, more than half the textbooks used by undergrads "will be entirely digital," say 62 percent of college presidents. 
 
 Computers and phones in the classroom.Among recent grads, 57 percent said when they were in college, they used a laptop, smartphone or tablet computer in class "at least sometime." Most colleges and universities "do not have institutional guidelines in place for the use of these devices in class," Pew found. "Some 41 percent of college presidents say students are allowed to use laptops or other portable devices during class; at 56 percent of colleges and universities it is up to the individual instructors. Only 2 percent of presidents say the use of these devices is prohibited." 
 
 College presidents are "with it" when it comes tech and social networking: 87 percent say they use a smartphone daily; 49 percent use a tablet such as the iPad "at least occasionally," and 42 percent say they use an e-reader such as the Kindle or Nook. 
 
 Facebook is also a resource for them; 32 percent say they're on the social networking site weekly or more often; 18 percent say they use Twitter "at least occasionally" — but presumably not when they're in a class or meeting. 
 
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 This report is based on findings from a pair of Pew Research Center surveys conducted in spring 2011. One is a telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of 2,142 adults ages 18 and older. The other is an online survey, done in association with the Chronicle of Higher Education, among the presidents of 1,055 two-year and four-year private, public, and for-profit colleges and universities. 
 
 Here is a summary of key findings: 
 
 The Value of Online Learning. The public and college presidents differ over the educational value of online courses. Only 29% of the public says online courses offer an equal value compared with courses taken in a classroom. Half (51%) of the college presidents surveyed say online courses provide the same value. 
 
 The Prevalence of Online Courses. More than three-quarters of college presidents (77%) report that their institutions now offer online courses. These courses are more prevalent in some sectors of higher education than in others. While 89% of four-year public colleges and universities offer online classes, just 60% of four-year private schools offer them. 
 
 Online Students. Roughly one-in-four college graduates (23%) report that they have taken a class online. However, the share doubles to 46% among those who have graduated in the past ten years. Among all adults who have taken a class online, 39% say the format’s educational value is equal to that of a course taken in a classroom. 
 
 The Future of Online Learning. College presidents predict substantial growth in online learning: 15% say most of their current undergraduate students have taken a class online, and 50% predict that 10 years from now most of their students will take classes online. 
 
 Digital Textbooks. Nearly two-thirds of college presidents (62%) anticipate that 10 years from now, more than half of the textbooks used by their undergraduate students will be entirely digital. 
 
 The Internet and Plagiarism. Most college presidents (55%) say that plagiarism in students’ papers has increased over the past 10 years. Among those who have seen an increase in plagiarism, 89% say computers and the internet have played a major role. 
 
 Do Laptops and Smartphones Belong in the Classroom? More than half of recent college graduates (57%) say when they were in college they used a laptop, smartphone or tablet computer in class at least sometime. Most colleges and universities do not have institutional guidelines in place for the use of these devices in class. Some 41% of college presidents say students are allowed to use laptops or other portable devices during class; at 56% of colleges and universities it is up to the individual instructors. Only 2% of presidents say the use of these devices is prohibited. 
 
 College Presidents and Technology. The leaders of the nation’s colleges and universities are a tech-savvy group. Nearly nine-in-ten (87%) use a smartphone daily, 83% use a desktop computer and 65% use a laptop. And they are ahead of the curve on some of the newer digital technologies: Fully half (49%) use a tablet computer such as an iPad at least occasionally, and 42% use an e-reader such as a Kindle or Nook. 
 
 College Presidents and Social Networking. Roughly one-third of college presidents (32%) report that they use Facebook weekly or more often; 18% say they use Twitter at least occasionally.
– Online education will be booming over the next decade, according to a new Pew survey of college presidents. Some highlights, as noted by Today's Digital Life: Half of the presidents surveyed say most undergrads will take at least some classes online in 10 years, up from the current estimate of 15%. 62% say more than half of textbooks will be digital in 10 years. Half of the presidents say online courses offer the same value as those in a regular classroom; that's higher than the 29% of the general public that feels the same way. This brave new world is apparently making plagiarism easier: Half the presidents say they've seen an increase over 10 years, and nearly all blame the Internet.