THAT’S CHEATING!!!

Plagiarism is an ongoing concern in education. It brings into question the motives, intentions, and values of students who cheat. It also creates concern about how much do educators need to worry about it and what can be done. Some research says about 13% of students plagiarize (Jocoy and DiBiase, 2006). With the steadily increasing number of online students, even if the percentage doesn’t change, the numbers of cheaters is steadily increasing. What can be done?

The very technology that makes researching and using information simple and limitless is the same technology which has created plagiarism detection devices. Concerned educators can insert phrases into almost any search engine and discover if the phrase is original and where it came from if it isn’t. Software such as EVE (Essay Verification Engine) and Turnitin.com check assignments automatically against a database with millions of entries and have a very high detection rate. These detection devices have been in use for several years, and yet plagiarism continues.

My experiences as an undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate student have included the use of Turnitin for many years. How hard is it to write a paper and use citations in APA form? If a student doesn’t know how to format in APA (and by graduate school they certainly should), they can use writing formatting software such as PERRLA (http://www.perrla.com/) to format papers for them. I just don’t understand why someone would go to the trouble of researching a topic, then finding a quote, and copying and pasting it without taking another minute to cite it properly. I suppose it might be considered academic laziness.

It is my opinion that educators should continue to uphold expectations of academic excellence in accordance with established guidelines (like MLA or APA). Students should be made aware of expectations and academic guidelines, as well as school policy regarding plagiarism. A properly formatted reference section should maintain an important place in a grading rubric. Students who plagiarize should be penalized accordingly. However, the remainder of the paper or assignment should still be considered for credit. To do this, educators can modify the nature of the assignment to discourage plagiarism. By utilizing personal experiences and examples, as well as requiring personal application of concepts, educators can assess the level of learner understanding of core concepts, the ability to think critically, and solve problems. A properly designed assignment will not benefit from plagiarism; in fact it may demonstrate learner weaknesses rather than assets.

In their video “Plagiarism and Cheating”, Pratt and Palloff (2012) discuss designing assignments and assessments in such a way as to discourage, or at least discount, plagiarism. I found this approach to be refreshing and extraordinary. Most of academia decries cheating, while these educators were actually inviting it! I am in complete agreement with this approach. Though I believe educators still have the duty to encourage academic writing and skills, they also have the duty to promote skills which are applicable in a real world environment. Many adult learners may have no interest in scholarly thinking and writing, but they have returned to school to acquire skills which will benefit them in their lives and careers. Creating assignments and assessments which have value whether there is “cheating” or not is an effort to advance education in spite of the age old issue of cheating.

In my own experience I have taken distance learning exams by a proctor and for online courses exams allowing open books and sources. The online exams were much more comprehensive and demanding. The ability to “cheat” was acknowledged; however using notes, texts, and Internet sources was more of an impediment than a benefit. A comprehensive question with a time limit for response requires a solid understanding of the topic at hand and the ability to express that understanding clearly.

It is these types of assignments and assessments I aspire to apply to online education for adults. While acknowledging academic criteria and encouraging its use through state of the art technology (like formatting software and detection software), I hope to create assignments where plagiarism and cheating are not helpful. Instead of cheating I hope to foster creativity, understanding, and a successful learning experience.

 

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 12-07-13 from: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/242/495

Pratt and Palloff   2012 Plagiarism and cheating.  Laureate Education, Inc Retrieved 12-07-13 from: http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/Walden/EDUC/6179/06/downloads/WAL_EDUC6179_06_A_EN.pdf

PERRLA  Retrieved 12-07-13 from: http://www.perrla.com/

Technology and Adult Learning

      Technology is the foundational reason I have finished 3 post-secondary degrees. Without technology I would not have had the wherewithal to complete a degree in the traditional brick and mortar fashion. Even correspondence courses could not hold my interest. Online learning brings to entire classroom experience right into my home office. It has structure and a set time frame which keep me motivated and interested. That being said, there have been challenges along the way!

      My biggest challenge with online learning has been with the course management system (CMS), sometimes called the learning management system (LMS). I enrolled in a popular school’s master’s degree psych program which used a common LMS. Everyone, peers and instructors, seemed to have a good grasp of it and navigated it easily. The school elected to discontinue this popular LMS in favor of their own proprietary system. While this system may have been in it’s infancy, my experience of it for a year and a half was mostly nightmarish! The school email system didn’t work, DQ boards commonly dumped users while posting without saving information, links to references seldom functioned, instructor posting notification systems didn’t work, and the worst: even tech support people admitted they hadn’t been trained in the system and couldn’t help! From this experience I have learned that a successful online instructor MUST be familiar with the CMS/LMS. To gain my trust as a student, an instructor must understand how to navigate the system, be able to respond to basic user questions, and be able to access all information sent to them in a timely manner. In a number of classes I have had instructors who don’t answer instructor forum or direct email questions because “the system didn’t notify them that they had a message.” If I have to check a DQ board every day to see if new messages have been posted, is it too much to ask an instructor to do the same? Boettcher and Conrad offer the simplest of advice: “Focus on the essential tools, and build your first course around those tools.” (Boettcher and Conrad, 2010 pg 57) As a new instructor, my goal will be to be completely familiar and comfortable with the CMS prior to the beginning of class. Numerous tutorials are available and most institutions offer workshops and continuing education seminars to learn and keep up with the CMS and any changes/updates. The CMS is the most basic online tool and is the foundation for any of the rest of the course materials, resources, links, communications, and interactions.

      Once the CMS has been mastered, an instructor can explore the myriad of other technological tools available. Popular tools are webcasts, podcasts, wikis, blogs, synchronous collaboration networks, mini-lectures, instant messaging, and social networking sites. Prior to applying any of these tools an instructor must consider student technological efficacy. Many adult learners have limited experience with technology and can be lost completely with requirements to use a technology they do not understand. For this reason, an instructor should have a solid working knowledge of any technological tool they may want to incorporate in the virtual classroom. Students with questions on how to access or use the technology should be given simple, patient direction. Most technologies make the learning process simpler and more fun, but getting past the learning curve can be challenging!

      The tools and technologies available today, and dreamed of for tomorrow, are what make online learning such a viable method for ongoing learning. The scope of information available is infinite, and the ability to communicate worldwide is instantaneous. Learners are able to access this technology at their own convenience and pace (within a structured program). Open source educational opportunities allow students to explore topics completely at their own pace and without prerequisites. Software technology allows production of professional Power Points, papers, videos, and other presentations which students can easily create and turn in. Advanced technology checks for plagiarism and makes grading easier through rubrics. Not only do these technologies make an instructor’s job easier, students are able to grasp concepts and expectations easier as well. This makes the entire educational process smoother and more successful.

      As an instructor new to teaching adults online my initial focus will be to fully understand the CMS/LMS and where and how materials, instructions, and expectations are located within the CMS/LMS. Additionally, a good working knowledge of communications systems (email, discussion boards, individual forums, etc.), grading systems, and turn-it-in systems is a must. Once I have a good foundational knowledge of these systems, I would like to use audio and video media resources for announcements, lectures, and introductions. More advanced technologies such as synchronous collaboration tools would be implemented as both myself as the instructor and the learners become more comfortable with technology. We live in an information and education rich era where all can take advantage of technology to learn and grow.

Applications and Multimedia Resources:

Adult education has evolved along with technology. Online education is the prime delivery system for busy, responsibility filled, time starved adult lives. My own adult education experiences began with correspondence learning in the late 1990’s. Fortunately, that educational experience evolved into a high tech, online system which allowed me to complete my degrees. Without this evolution, I likely would never have finished my education. Self-study never held my interest, procrastination and distraction being my bane. Correspondence and self-study surely had its successes, but I suspect many like myself faded away without encountering the rebirth of passion for learning that I experienced when technology led the way into the new millennium of education.

 

Technology continues to entice me, to lure me further into my educational journey. An application that I believe encourages others to join into this journey is the Edmodo networking system (URL: https://www.edmodo.com/about/). Designed to create a network for students and instructors in a traditional learning environment, it is similar to an online discussion board morphed with a classroom café. Whether a traditional classroom or an online environment, Edmodo brings participants in the classroom together as a community where ideas can be shared, help asked for, and links for learning offered. This community of learners is what I was missing in my self-studies. Building a community creates an opportunity for all to learn and grow. It also offers a way for the educator to track usage patterns and both individual and group growth. These are valuable qualities to create a successful learning environment.

 

Another technology which has been responsible for my success in many learning opportunities is YouTube. YouTube as a multimedia resource is demonstrated in this URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yQfOYdCzoM&noredirect=1. This instructional video gives students specific, tangible instructions on how to access a multimedia resource. A simple, two minute presentation offers narrated audio, instructional video, and clear direction from the teacher on how to be successful. I have used YouTube in countless ways to simplify my learning processes. My own experience tells me that without these resources my own success would be greatly impaired. One of my hobbies is amateur radio. I enjoy building and installing equipment and antennas. The complexity of the projects available for application today has greatly increased due to the technology available for directions and examples. I can safely say that I have undertaken projects which I never would have been able to attempt, let alone complete, without these multimedia resources. Likewise, in my educational experience, I am not sure I would have been successful in graduate statistics without the numerous instructional videos available on YouTube. These experiences translate directly into professional educational applications. Offering students links to instructional videos, and creating my own videos of the same, allows students to learn in their time, at their pace, and in ways that make sense to them. With literally hundreds of thousands of educational videos on file, finding a resource which resonates with an individual set of experiences, cultural differences, or learning styles is an excellent way to insure a more successful learning experience for all.

 

Psychology is an area in which I have a desire to teach. Computer technology has advanced to the point where it is possible to create “virtual” simulations. Pearson Higher Education (http://www.pearsonhighered.com/educator/product/Simulations-in-Educational-Psychology-and-Research-21/9780131137172.page) offers an interactive educational psychology research program using five different virtual experiments. This is an opportunity to have students participate in an interactive virtual experiment, and then express their own experiences and conclusions. Having students write about their experiences in a discussion group format allows learners to experience each other’s perspectives, validate their own findings, and discover elements they might have overlooked. Using virtual experiments allows the same experiment to be repeated without any changes in parameters. As students choose methodology and types of analysis, results change. Student discussion can revolve around the assets and liabilities of the methods they chose. In this way, everyone is working on exactly the same experiment, but approaching it from their own personal perspective. As a group of learners works together, they can form a “best practices” approach to each virtual experiment. An additional benefit for an instructor is that the experiment never changes, each class that is taught uses the same virtual experiments and the instructor can bring collective wisdom to the discussion.

 

Disadvantages of using gaming or simulations may be that their use brings some element of impersonalization to the educational environment. Activities which may have been done with role play or other personal interactions in the past become virtual interactions. However, as technology advances, virtual technology is becoming more and more realistic and lifelike. Other concerns may be the efficacy of learners in using advanced technology, as well as the availability of computer hardware powerful enough to take advantage of the software technology. This must be considered before requiring a student to participate in a virtual experience that his computer isn’t powerful enough to reproduce. This concern, though real, is being addressed with newer, more powerful computers, at lower costs. Software developers are also aware that to realize the greatest number of potential customers, they must develop software that will work on a majority of machines. A forward thinking educator will consider his learner’s abilities and limitations, as well as their equipment’s abilities and limitations. He will then be able to offer assistance or referral as needed. The power of the Internet, as well as advanced hardware and software technology, make this exciting times for education in the 21^st Century and beyond!

And away we go…

Launching an online course in a positive manner is key to success in the learning environment. The old adage “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” is true here. How we start the course determines the momentum we carry forth into the remaining weeks. A poor start is difficult to overcome, especially in shortened terms commonly found in online education.

Positive, lasting, first impressions can be created in several ways. Two common, and effective, methods are Introductions/Bios and Icebreakers. Building a learning community is crucial to the success of an online learning environment, so the “getting to know you” phase carries much significance. What the learner says (and doesn’t say!) in an introduction/bio helps both peers and the instructor begin to create a personal connection with the learner. Online learning especially carries the potential for a learner to just feel like a “number” who is remote, alone, and insignificant. Developing a personal connection counters this potential by creating a safe and trusting learning environment. Icebreakers can be a fun and informative tool in getting to know each other. A well designed and implemented Icebreaker further builds personal connections by capturing learners’ interest in fun and unique ways. Many learners may expect a rigid and formal classroom experience and are surprised to find humor and genuine interest expressed in creating personal connections.

Building community also allows creation of presence. I can best describe this as “being there.” Learners need to know that their peers and the instructor are there for them and with them. Presence should be demonstrated at many levels: social, cognitive, and teaching. These do not pertain just to the instructor; everyone in a learning community gets involved in each level of presence and should be encouraged to do so. Though they may not think so, learners have something to offer, especially from a teaching perspective. Likewise, the instructor stands to learn from the experience as well, and should let the community know that!

Another important aspect of building community and creating a safe and trusting learning environment is to encourage learners to review the course requirements, content, and resources. They need a clear understanding of the syllabus and the course rubrics. Not understanding what the course expectations are creates an environment which lacks trust and cohesion. A thorough understanding of all expectations puts the entire learning community on the same page and avoids hurt feelings and surprises later in the term. Learners should also become familiar with the Course Management System (CMS) and be allowed to ask questions to resolve challenges in navigating this fundamental part of online learning. Not understanding how to navigate the CMS presents an immediate roadblock for learners and can result in them feeling confused, angry, and disconnected. This is easily overcome with a CMS orientation and an open door policy with any questions about its navigation.

Additional considerations for developing a successful learning community may be the previous experiences (or lack of) of the learner, cultural differences, gender, generational issues, language ability, cognitive abilities, and personal expectations/goals. A well prepared educator is aware of potential issues and is ready to address issues as they come up. Especially when teaching adults through an online forum, the diversity of the population is almost infinite. Being successful in creating a safe, trusting, connected online learning community will require the educator to be sensitive, prepared, and versatile. Working together, learners and educators can coalesce into an online community which is a successful learning environment.

ONLINE COMMUNITY BUILDING

 

Creating a community of learners is key to the success of an online educational environment. The three essential elements of an online community are:

1.)   People- there must be a group of learners who can develop a sense of who the other is

2.)   Purpose- the group of learners needs to have a similar reason for being there (goals)

3.)   Process- how is the learning accomplished? (learner to learner engagement, co-created knowledge, collaborative activities)

Adult learners who have a background of traditional learning environments are especially prone to feeling isolated and disconnected in an online environment. Traditional learning techniques do not work in an online environment; therefore building community counteracts this tendency to isolation and engages all learners (and the instructor) in the educational process. The instructor is involved on an equal level, as all participate in co-creating knowledge. In an online community, learners feel like a part of something larger, outcomes are stronger, and there is social pressure to succeed, as well as social/peer support in learning.

            Sustaining online communities begins before the class does. An instructor might send out welcome emails to students and/or there may be an online orientation available that is encouraged to review. Learners must be enculturated into the community. This may begin by using an icebreaker or introduction post which other students are encouraged to respond to and acknowledge. The instructor should be familiar with the technology used in the course and should have a frequent presence, especially in the first two weeks. Improved instructor presence improves attrition rates. The instructor and the Learning Management System design should convey a sense of warmth and be easy to navigate. More complex forms of technological involvement should be introduced slowly, especially with adult online learners.

            Adult learners do not have the advantage of a lifetime of experience with today’s technology. Many adults are returning to school many years after their most recent educational experience. Online learning in general and technology in specific may be very foreign and overwhelming. Creating an online community where learners can interact and learn not only from the instructor, but also from peers who may have very similar situations or stories, improves educational outcomes and student satisfaction. Online communities create a holistic approach to education, whereby each member of the community is both a learner and an instructor. This investment into the group and the process creates improved outcomes and increase social presence. This then improves educational success and personal well-being, which promotes continued educational pursuit in the attainment of personal, professional, and educational goals.

ONLINE COMMUNITY BUILDING

 

Creating a community of learners is key to the success of an online educational environment. The three essential elements of an online community are:

1.)   People- there must be a group of learners who can develop a sense of who the other is

2.)   Purpose- the group of learners needs to have a similar reason for being there (goals)

3.)   Process- how is the learning accomplished? (learner to learner engagement, co-created knowledge, collaborative activities)

Adult learners who have a background of traditional learning environments are especially prone to feeling isolated and disconnected in an online environment. Traditional learning techniques do not work in an online environment; therefore building community counteracts this tendency to isolation and engages all learners (and the instructor) in the educational process. The instructor is involved on an equal level, as all participate in co-creating knowledge. In an online community, learners feel like a part of something larger, outcomes are stronger, and there is social pressure to succeed, as well as social/peer support in learning.

            Sustaining online communities begins before the class does. An instructor might send out welcome emails to students and/or there may be an online orientation available that is encouraged to review. Learners must be enculturated into the community. This may begin by using an icebreaker or introduction post which other students are encouraged to respond to and acknowledge. The instructor should be familiar with the technology used in the course and should have a frequent presence, especially in the first two weeks. Improved instructor presence improves attrition rates. The instructor and the Learning Management System design should convey a sense of warmth and be easy to navigate. More complex forms of technological involvement should be introduced slowly, especially with adult online learners.

            Adult learners do not have the advantage of a lifetime of experience with today’s technology. Many adults are returning to school many years after their most recent educational experience. Online learning in general and technology in specific may be very foreign and overwhelming. Creating an online community where learners can interact and learn not only from the instructor, but also from peers who may have very similar situations or stories, improves educational outcomes and student satisfaction. Online communities create a holistic approach to education, whereby each member of the community is both a learner and an instructor. This investment into the group and the process creates improved outcomes and increase social presence. This then improves educational success and personal well-being, which promotes continued educational pursuit in the attainment of personal, professional, and educational goals.

Technology in Practice

 

While perusing educational technology blogs during the last few weeks, I have found a few technologies which would be interesting to apply to my own personal professional practice.  Story Kit (Apple Online Store, 2013) is an iTunes application for creating an electronic storybook. It allows the user to write text, edit, sketch, or attach photos. It is applied and saved in your iPhone. This allows its’ use any time, any place.  Though Story Kit is designed for children learners, I believe it could be used in a fun way with adults too. Two ways I would use this technology would be either to use it as designed with a 6-8 year old learner group or with adults in an online forum using one of the pre-loaded children’s story formats for an ice-breaker/introduction exercise. Every class requires the obligatory introductions; this could make introductions much more fun for students, while also familiarizing them with technology. This technology also allows for creation of a new story from a blank slate. Rather than asking learners for another short paper on their reflections of the past weeks, using Story Kit to narrate their reflections demonstrates their use of technology and creativity. More information is available from: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/storykit/id329374595?mt=8.

Another technology which caught my eye was “Vyew” (Simulat, Inc., 2013), a website that allows collaboration through live conferences which can share files, video, and pictures. This technology allows students to review and annotate projects and meet and present to peers. It also allows educators to teach and tutor, as well as track and log activity. One way I would use this technology is in a collaborative research project. By requiring it’s use an educator offers learners a technology which will simplify the collaboration process and leave a data trail for the educator to follow to indicate who is participating and who is not. This not only helps the student by giving them a state of the art forum to create their research project, but it aids the educator in applying participation points to each collaborator according to their level of contribution to the group. Another way to use this technology is as a direct teaching/tutoring tool. By making themselves available through Vyew, educators can offer special attention where needed with learners who need extra instruction. Rather than being limited to a one on one educational experience, the instructor could invite any number of struggling students to join the lesson. Another option is to invite students who are excelling in the subject area for peer instruction through the website. For more information, see: http://vyew.com/s/.

Coursecasting (University of Bristol, 2011) is a technology which records lectures and teaching activities, stores them, and makes them available over the Internet. Traditionally, video and audio equipment have been used to record lectures and then upload them as video files to a specific location. Coursecasting allows the same functions, but can be done with any computer which has the software loaded onto it. Using screen capture, an educator can narrate directly to screenshots, record classes and seminars, and use interactive whiteboards. This can be used by an instructor to quickly, and inexpensively (at no production cost), create tutorials for use as reference materials in weekly online assignments. When teaching in a traditional brick and mortar environment, educators can easily capture and record a classroom discussion, including interactive whiteboarding, for later review or for students missing class. This is not only good reference material for students, but an excellent way of preserving specific classroom sessions for later integration into the curriculum. In this way, spontaneous instructional ideas are recorded in real time for later reference and replication. For more information see: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/esu/e-learning/support/tools/coursecasting/.

Through technologies such as these I hope to make my professional practice fresh and up to date. Using state of the art technologies implies to learners my own dedication to the art of instruction, my willingness to explore new technologies (and encourage the same of my students), and my intention to create a learning environment which captures their interest, fosters learning, and encourages adventure through new challenges. All too common is the classroom with the instructor who drones on and on in lecture, or the online “teacher” who regurgitates a canned syllabus and makes perfunctory comments in a discussion forum. Today’s technology can make both teaching and learning a fun and rewarding experience for all!

 

References

Apple Online Store (2013). iTunes preview. Retrieved 10-21-13, from https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/storykit/id329374595?mt=8

Simulat, Inc. (2013). Vyew: Share your view. Retrieved 10-21-13, from http://vyew.com/s/

University of Bristol (2011). Coursecasting: Encompassing lecture capture and screencasing. Retrieved 10-21-13, from http://www.bristol.ac.uk/esu/e-learning/support/tools/coursecasting/