Plagiarism Detection and Prevention

Plagiarism is a concern schools of all types must address. Plagiarism is when students use information without properly citing the source. Jocoy and DiBiase (2006, p. 2) state that “The Council of Writing Program Administrators states that “Plagiarism occurs when a writer deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) materials without acknowledging its source” (as cited in Quinn, 2006).” However, in the same study Jocoy and DiBiase also recognizes that the majority of plagiarism seems to be unintentional and the lack of knowing or understanding what constitutes plagiarism. While the casual use of such information may not directly be considered plagiarism by some educational institutes, it is still a form of academic dishonesty as Dr. Rena Palloff explain (Laureate Education, 2012). Most often students do not seem to be aware of the errors they are making. This is where detection software, the design of assessments, and additional strategies can help both students and instructors.

·         What plagiarism detection software is available to online instructors?

There are many plagiarism software programs and websites to help online instructors. Turnitin is a flexible software that compares the turned in product to vast databases of materials looking for too much likeness to original texts. Turnitin is especially nice for institutes that also have internal databases for assignments turned into the school which allows for the searching of assignments previously turned in also. This can help catch plagiarism as well as blatant cheating in the form of using someone else’s work or previous work the student has used in another class. If the budget is too tight to afford a license, there are free options for detection. Grammarly is free to use and can even be added to some browsers which check for spelling and grammatical errors in writing. Grammarly also has a plagiarism detection option which I have always used with great success.

·         How can the design of assessments help prevent academic dishonesty?

Assessments and their grading criteria should clearly state all expectations the students should follow. These should be part of an expectation management strategy that also includes notification of the detection software being used, the penalties for dishonesty, and resources that show proper use of cited or paraphrased materials (Laureate Education, 2012). This expectation management strategy needs to be readily available at all times to the students and instructor for reference and assistance. Assessments that require students to think critically or compare in their own words are more appealing for the sake of avoiding academic dishonesty. Dr. Keith Pratt spoke briefly about making assessments open book with free communication between students which allows for the sharing of information rather than hindering it (Laureate Education, 2012). As Dr. Pratt points out in that video, this is an age where looking up information and collaborating with peers should be encouraged. Knowledge is rarely used in a vacuum anymore and learning that reflects the collaborative nature of the working world helps students learn realistic ways to solve problems.

·         In an effort to reduce the opportunity for plagiarism or cheating, what facilitation strategies do you propose to use as a current or future online instructor?

I would use software like Turnitin or, at least, Grammarly to help me detect plagiarism. I would also try to find ways like Dr. Pratt to make the assessments themselves so involved that sharing information and looking things up would be encouraged instead of discouraged. As Dr. Pratt (Laureate Education, 2012) points out “Real life situations are that if you run into something, you’re given the assignment to do, your boss is not going to tell you, OK, lock yourself in the bathroom and you don’t have access to a computer. You don’t have access to other people.” Unless specifically told it is not allowed collaboration and investigation should be encouraged as it reflects the way problems are solved in the real world more authentically.

·         What additional considerations for online teaching should be made to help detect or prevent cheating and plagiarism?

The Internet has changed how people learn and communicate in ways that need to be considered within education also. Before the Internet came along, it was a lot easier to see if people were cheating because students sat together and could be viewed but the Internet allows people from all over the world to sit in private while being socially active in their learning. Youth no longer sees the need to memorize things like we did back before the Internet because within a few seconds they can find the most up-to-date answer possible from the greatest memory in existence, the web. Working together, sharing ideas, collaborating on a topic while doing separate tasks are how the younger generations think, and it is how workplaces truly work. Online education needs to recognize this and rethink assignments to reflect these social mechanics. Also, because of the Internet, I feel that plagiarism avoidance needs to be actively taught to students repeatedly throughout their courses. Having access to virtually all information ever made requires us to be responsible in how we represent it in our work also. We need to give credit where it is due, and we need to recognize when our work is built on the work of others because they helped to make it happen. Most of us would like recognition for the hard work we do, so it is simply about mutual respect to do the same for the efforts of those we use.

References

Jocoy, C., & DiBiase, D. (2006). Plagiarism by adult learners online: A case study in detection and remediation. International Review of Research in Open & Distance Learning, 7(1), 1–15. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. 

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). Plagiarism and cheating. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Impact of Technology on Adult Learning

Technology impacts all facets of life anymore, and education is no exception. Online education exists because of technology. In grade and high school kids now are born with technology as much a part of their lives as cars have been for my generation, they are simply there. These younger generations are called digital natives (Kisling & Williams, 2015). For adults of various ages though technology is still seen as mostly for entertainment, but this is because they do not necessarily understand the technology or how to use it to their advantage. These older adults that are unfamiliar with technology are called digital immigrants (Kisling and Williams, 2015). This gap between digital immigrants and natives poses unique problems for online adult education. The technology and resources used for online adult education can have a profound impact on the learners, educator, what they learn, and how well they can succeed.

The Impact of Technology on Adult Learning

The effects of technology on education have been far reaching. No longer are learners bound to their local libraries or volumes upon volumes of encyclopedias which may or may not have current information. Thanks to mobile devices, computers, and the Internet up-to-the-minute information is at our fingertips. However, as most who use the Internet quickly learn, not all information to be found there is useful or valid, and yet it can often be presented as if it were empirical facts. Consumers of this information must learn to verify and authenticate the information found through critical thinking and research. Technology, like any tool, is only as useful as the person using it and their knowledge of how the tool works. Two different people could use the same search engine, for example, to look for the same thing and find completely opposing information depending on their knowledge of how to search properly. As with all tools, it can be used for “good or evil” depending on the motives of the person creating the information or the person using said information.

Before even making it online though the learner needs to understand the computer, or mobile device they intend to use. This can be an education all on its own. Fear of the unknown and being worried that something will break have been the most common reasons for not learning the technology or being hesitant around it. These are valid fears as computers are often expensive pieces of machinery that can be broken but that fear also needs to be tempered with curiosity and the desire to learn about technology that is here to stay it seems.

Instructor Considerations for Incorporating Technology into the Learning Environment

Some factors instructors or instructional designers must take into account are the variety of life experiences, the level of technological expertise, work experience, age, geography, and access to software and computer accessories such as audio and video. No matter what hardware or software is chosen a solid support team for the use and troubleshooting of those methods must also be in place. Students should always have readily available help for any methods and resources a class uses. This help can come in the form of instructional videos, audio, help files, or even customer support depending on the needs of the student.

It is important to remember that even though online learning is based around technology that using it just for the sake of it is also not a wise idea. Boettcher and Conrad (2010, p. 57) offer this advice, “You may not be feeling quite ready to tackle all of the tools that are available for your online course. This is actually wise. The best approach for teaching a first online course is to keep it simple.” They recommend picking a few essential tools and once comfortable build around those tools slowly. Also, as an instructor I feel it is our duty to make sure we know how to fully use any tool we expect our learners to use. If we do not understand then, we cannot reasonably expect them to or to understand their use of the tools.

Implications of Usability and Accessibility on Adult Learning

Usability and accessibility are, in my opinion, the greatest hurdle to adult learning. Having unimpeded access to the technology and resources are a requirement for expecting them to learn effectively. The tools being used need to be usable meaning they are clean and easy to understand or provide detailed help as needed through help centers or similar.

When a technology-deficient learner comes into an adult learning environment that uses technology it can create chaos for the class as a whole, it can break down the flow of learning the instructor prepared for, and it can cause the learner to become overwhelmed and discouraged. This can be helped by entry-level courses that are designed specifically to teach the learner about their learning platform and resources they will be required to use such as libraries, web tools, and help access points. When I took my bachelor's program, we had an entry level class available that was not required but was recommended. When I began my master’s level program, there was no such entry level class. I personally feel my classmates and myself, in both programs, should have been required to take a course “showing us the ropes” as it were. Even though this class would be a repeat for someone going from one level to the next a refresher does not cause harm and might remind students of things they forget, as well as introducing anything new.

Most Appealing Online Teaching Technologies to Me

To me, the most appealing online technologies are those that encourage communication in the early phases of the learning. Emails, announcements, discussion boards, and even audio or video are essential I believe when students and instructor are still new to each other (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010). These same tools are also used throughout the entire learning experience which means their utilization and importance need to be established right from the start the same as the syllabus and expectations of student and instructor.

I am also a fan of the instant communication technologies such as texting, instant messaging, and chat programs that allow for anything from text to full audio and video. While adult learners have many things to juggle in their lives such as family, work, education, and other responsibilities I do think that stress can be reduced when people can have questions answered as soon as possible. I log into my school platform once or twice a day but this can be 12+ hours apart and during that time many people could have a quick question that takes only a moment to reply, however, they could be stuck until they do get that answer. All of the instant communications methods can easily be set aside during down times like sleep or work by simply muting the notification sounds and can be addressed whenever the time is available. To me, this feeling of someone being “right there” when needed helps to reduce the feeling of being alone and separate from the learning and other people in the class.

The need to understand all of the tools the learning platform offers from course management systems to rubrics should go without saying as they are the foundation that all of the learning is built upon or within. Taking time to learn our workspace, even if it is online, benefits everyone involved. Feeling at home in the learning environment is important for an educator as they are the first impression of the learning process and their authenticity can shape how the learner feels about the learning and the educational institution.

Conclusion

Technology is the future of every aspect of life it seems, and education is no exception. It can be as helpful or detrimental to learning as we make it. There is a saying in the computer world that goes something like this, a computer is only as smart as its user. This saying is very true as a computer can only do what it is told and if the user does not understand what it can do they cannot instruct the tool to work for them. As long as we consider our learners, the needs of the instructors, and the access to help that any party may need we can bridge the gap between those that make technology work for them and those that may still be newer to what it has to offer.

References

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Kisling, E., & Williams, S. (2015). The Virtual Early College Dilemma: Digital Immigrants versus Digital Natives in the Classroom! In Proceedings of E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2015 (pp. 1022–1026). Kona, Hawaii, United States: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/152120.

Internet-Based Multimedia Resources for Online Learning

In online education, it is vital to know of resources that can be used by both educators and learners that include all kinds of multimedia types in order to cover all types of learning preferences. Finding resources is easy but finding useful resources that have been reviewed by people with expertise in the fields of education are another matter. I explored some multimedia resource sites and found some that I feel could be exceptionally useful to educators of all levels.

Utubersity - YouTube is one of the most well-known of media resource sites, but it can be hard to find quality videos there sometimes. However, some people have already recognized this problem and have created sites devoted to helping filter the good, bad, and ugly. Utubersity has done a lot of the legwork in finding educational videos from YouTube and organizing them in ease-to-find categories. They have videos and lectures for practically every educational topic one could imagine. I compared searches on this site and YouTube to see how much work this resource saves by doing the filtering and quality control for me, and I was rather impressed. On Utubersity I could find what I wanted within seconds, and I had the benefit of knowing it had already been peer reviewed and checked for accuracy. When I ran the same search on just YouTube, I had to wade through pages of opinionated and often inaccurate information before finding something I would consider trustworthy.  I learned that sites devoted to helping with educational resources could alleviate a lot of the stress that finding valid resources can sometimes cause.

Classroom Aid – This site is devoted to digital learning in all of its forms. They have resources for videos, audio, games, game-building, and the list just goes on. This site even includes free mini-courses in learning how to build interactive learning environments. Their selection of materials is impressive and broken down into easy to find and understand categories. This site has information about studies done regarding digital education and best practices as well as motivational stories and looks at future tech in relation to the digital education settings.

Concerns about incorporating resources

Incorporating new information or resources can always be a bit scary for an educator, especially someone newer to the practical end of teaching. Finding resources that will be updated as needed, maintained, and accessible are always a factor with online resources. Think of it as going to the library but the book you need was checked out and never returned, the same hurdles would have to be jumped. This is why it is vital for educators to go over the resources they are giving students to make sure any links work, that the information is still relevant, and to understand any steps needed to accessing the resource so they can help students that may struggle. Anytime technology is incorporated into learning, even online learning, the educator needs to keep in mind the technological level of understanding their students may or may not possess. Part of using these resources can also include needing to find the resources to teach the skills required to use them. Conrad and Donaldson (2011, p. 93) point out, “To be effective, the activity must have value outside of the learning setting and should build skills that can be used beyond the life of the course.” This piece of advice can include needing to help students learn basic platform operations like inserting pictures, or how to choose a specific timeframe from a video instead of the whole video. In today’s digital world these “basics” can mean the difference between authentic and useful online education and simply traditional education that is placed online.

References

Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A. (2011). Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for creative instruction (Updated ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Setting Up Effective Online Learning Experiences

Setting Up Effective Online Learning Experiences

There are many steps to establishing an effective online learning experience for adult learners. Syllabuses and assessment plans must be made, course site accessed, course layout decided or template explored, materials and links must be verified and understood, getting acquainted with facility resources such as technical support and other educators in the program, planning out full schedule to account for holidays or events, preparing discussion topics, and asking for feedback or using standards of quality rubrics.

I feel the most essential of these elements are the course site as it is the access point for the learning, the first few weeks of discussion posts and assignments along with their materials need to be ready, and the syllabus which contains the expectations of the learner, instructor, facility, and grading policies. According to Boettcher and Conrad (2010, p. 63), “The course elements that must be completed for an online course are the syllabus, the weekly plans and discussion postings for the first weeks, and the course site.”

However, that is just the essential technical aspects of the course in my mind; there is still the community aspect of setting up also. This includes welcome posts and icebreakers to help the students feel comfortable but also it helps the instructor learn a bit about the student which can be insightful. Dr. Palloff (Laureate Education, 2012) points out “… if I'm getting a sense that part of where that student is coming from is based on their background, and the life they've lived, and their experiences et cetera, sometimes I'll go back to their intro or bio to check that out.” These beginning social exercises help give personality and dimension to everyone instead of being just a name and text which makes for more concise communications.

Clear communication is essential to an online education setting where the lack of voice and body language can easily lead to misunderstandings or confusion. Sometimes what seems clear to one person reads a different way to other because they lack those key cues that help convey meaning. In some cases, clarity can be achieved through the use of video and/or audio clips as they add dimension to the character of the person and information.

When teaching adults online, there are also considerations that need to be observed for scheduling and understanding purposes. If the instructor is going to be unreachable during normally available hours, this needs to be expressed to the students so they can also plan around it as needed. Adult students also come into classes with a broad range of education, experiences, backgrounds, and personalities all of which the instructor and classmates need to keep in mind. While the adult educators main job is to guide the learners, there is also the responsibility of making safe space for voicing opinions and ideas freely without fear of hostility. It is ok and even beneficial to have a difference of views and ideas being discussed, but it is not ok to so in a negative manner.

I feel a well planned and executed first few weeks combined with an open and friendly atmosphere are vital to any successful online course. Without both of these elements, the rest has no foundation to build upon and the learners will lose confidence in the education and the learning. If the instructor is well-prepared and sets a good example of communication in the community area during the first few weeks of the course, it sets the stage for deeper and more meaningful learning exchanges between everyone.

References

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A. (2011). Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for creative instruction (Updated ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Online Learning Communities

Online Learning Communities

This week we are studying the significance of online community building in educational settings. Socialization in traditional education settings is not like socialization in an online setting. However, 21^st-century socialization and online communications do have much in common. An online community can offer support, peer interactions, study assistance, and a primary means of communicating with others from all over the world regardless of geographic location. With the tools offered through online mediums, we can see and hear each other as if in the same room and technology is already spreading into allowing feeling and smelling through virtual settings. Just having access to these tools does not guarantee efficient use of them, however. In an educational context how the tools are used is more important than just using them because they are available. Let’s look at what elements are needed for online community building, their impact on education, their sustainability, and the relationship between them and effective online instruction.

What are the essential elements of online community building?

The essential elements of online community building are people, purpose, and community (Laureate Education, 2012).

People – Students, faculty, experts, administration, approved members only.

Purpose – There needs to be a shared sense of purpose that binds the community together.

Process – The methods of interaction available to assist learning and growth.

How do online learning communities significantly impact the learner’s learning and satisfaction with online education?

Online communities function as support groups where learners can assist one another to gain a deeper understanding of the concepts being learned. Online communities also offer more options for those that may have a disability making them ADA compliant (Laureate Education, 2012). Ease of access to assistance and the support of peers encourages learners to keep trying even when they struggle as there are people they can reach out to for help. In online schooling attrition rates are always watched, and it is often the first few classes that assist in determining if a learner stays or leaves. The presence of an online community increases the attrition rates by acting a guides and mentors to the newer or struggling students.

How can online learning communities be sustained?

These online communities can be sustained by always offering their use to new learners so that when others leave there is always a flow of people to help each other. They also need to make use of modern technology in a way that is friendly to experienced and novice users. Using emails to welcome each student personally, even if sent in a batch, gives a feeling of welcome and connectedness. The communities need to be wary of using technology just for the sake of using it. For example, using Twitter for a debate class would become more of a brief argument rather than allowing for detailed discussion simply because of the character length limit. Twitter would be good to use for the instructor and classmates to remind each other of deadlines though or to ask a quick question.

What is the relationship between community building and effective online instruction?

When an instructor and classmates work together to build a community to builds trust, respect, and support. Once trust and respect are established it creates settings where learners feel safe to explore ideas, make mistakes, and push boundaries that can lead to new learning without fear of repercussions such as mockery or inequality. In an online learning community, it is easy for learners to become isolated and feel left out by the very nature of the learning taking place away from the rest of the learners. These feelings of isolation can lead to self-doubt and a loss of confidence as the learning and learner disconnect from the outer world where the learning must be utilized (Laureate Education, 2012).

Conclusion

Taking online classes where the learner just looks at the content of the course with no regard for the community it is a part of only gives part of the benefits of quality learning. Working together, helping one another, and building upon the work of others is an essential component of all education and online is no exception. Because of the lack of physical presence, it is vital to building an online presence by being an active member of the online community. As an educational institute or an instructor it is their job to make sure the community is there and that the learners are aware of it being available. 

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). Online learning communities. Baltimore, MD: Author. 

Introduction

My name is Heather Dunlap, and I am a student of education. I am working on my M.S. in Adult Education with an emphasis on online environments. The class I am taking now, Online Instructional Strategies for Adult Learns, is the first of my program focused specifically on the online setting. I am excited and looking forward to learning everything I can. Most of my classmates are new to me this term as I just recently took a break, so I have a lot of 'getting to know you' to do also. I hope people enjoy my blog and maybe even learn something from each other.