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/

Literally hundreds of millions of people use some form of digital communication every day. It is pretty incredible to think that there really has never been a specific usage structure for digital communications. The result of this is perhaps noticeable to most social media users and digital communication recipients. All one has to do is scroll through a social media wall or read a couple of emails from friends and associates to recognize the disparity in usage structure. I’ve gotten messages I couldn’t decipher because of abbreviations, acronyms, and short cuts! NetiquetteIQ is designed to address these issues. They state that their products are specifically designed to promote improved grammar, composition, and usage in digital communications. They offer a book in hard copy and digital form: “NetiquetteIQ- A Comprehensive Guide to Improved, Enhance and Add Power to Your Email.” The book offers a concise set of instructions for digital communications. Perhaps an even more useful technology is their blog NetiquetteIQ.blogger.com. This offers up to the minute suggestions and real situations which can be discussed in a blogging forum. As an adult educator, these resources would make an excellent reference for learners to develop some form of established usage guidelines. I would build this resource into the introduction phase of each course, requiring learners to review the ebook and the blog, then report on findings in a DQ style classroom discussion. More information can be found at http://www.netiquetteiq.com/Benefits.aspx.

A related concern is Internet Ethics. Most of us just hop onto the Internet and do our thing without considering if “our thing” follows best practice or ethics for the digital domain. What exactly are Internet Ethics? A slideshare program by the Brookings Institution gives a relatively brief description of the top 10 Commandments for Internet Ethics. Issues such as hacking, privacy, copyrights, and plagiarizing are addressed. This would be a simple program to require new learners to view and discuss in each classroom. As an online adult educator I feel it would be my responsibility to improve the ethical understands of my students. This slideshare program presents basic Internet Ethics and provides a blogging forum to further discuss them. This would be an invaluable tool for educators and learners alike. More information is available at:  http://www.slideshare.net/smartinson/smm-10-commandments.

The Open Education Resources (OER) movement is credited to an MIT OpenCourseWare project in 2001 which was followed in 2002 by putting their entire course catalog online (Wikipedia, 2013). This began an openly accessible source of almost limitless learning potential. One of the most popular OER sites is Kahn Academy.

Founded by Salman Khan, the Kahn Academy has grown from Kahn tutoring his cousin via Yahoo’s Doodle Notepad in 2004, to an international phenomenon with more than 1 million subscribers viewing over 260 million lessons on thousands of topics (Kahn Academy, 2013). Through short video clips over 1400 subjects are covered, from basic to advanced topics. My personal experience with Kahn came in 2012 when I took a graduate statistics course and needed help grasping difficult concepts. For absolutely no fee I was able to watch, again and again as needed, videos on each advanced concept which thoroughly explained each topic and visually demonstrated each equation on an electronic grease board. Perhaps I would have found another way to get help, but I feel this resource saved me from floundering in the murky waters of inferential statistics!

The lessons allow for practice, testing for comprehension, statistics regarding progress and participation, and achievement recognition through a badge system. This is a global classroom that, if the student chooses, can be accessed by educators as well. This would be invaluable to teachers who can look at a glance and see how their students are progressing with a complete summary of class performance. Kahn Academy does the record keeping, the data compilation, and even makes statistical charts available at no cost. I believe this resource is a revolutionary enhancement to the educational environment.

While Kahn Academy is best considered a tutoring resource, the MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) mentioned in my introduction not only started the OER movement, but continues to this day as a very effective resource for students, self-learners, and educators. Students use OCW to enhance knowledge in a subject they are taking, to complement a course they are taking, and to plan a course of study. Self-learners would be learners who are not currently enrolled in a course but desire to learn more outside of their area of expertise, enhance their area of expertise, keep up with continuing education in their area of expertise, and apply new knowledge to a work related project. Educators can learn new teaching methods, develop curriculum, use OCW materials in their own classroom, and acquire continuing education. As of 2011 127 million visits had been made to the OCW site, with over 50% of the traffic coming from outside the United States. They have a total of 1018 courses (MITOPENCOURSEWARE, 2013).

The scope of these sites is tremendous. Between just these two sites (leaders in OER offerings) nearly a half a billion lessons have been delivered, for free! These are valuable resources that completely change the educational landscape. As an educator, I would make use of OER resources to continue my own education and maintain state of the art and best practices. I would use material from OER resources in classrooms and refer students for tutorials and research purposes. These resources will enhance any online educational environment and increase both educator and learner success. Please see the URLs in References below for more details.

References

Kahn Academy (2013). A free world-class education for anyone anywhere. Retrieved 10-08-13, from http://www.khanacademy.org/about

MITOPENCOURSEWARE (2013). Site statistics. Retrieved 10-10-13, from http://ocw.mit.edu/about/site-statistics/

Wikipedia (2013). Open educational resources. Retrieved 10-08-13, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_educational_resources

Gaming is an interesting way to learn using today’s technology. In the past I have taught Morse code training classes to groups of prospective ham radio operators. We used a grease board and audio tapes to listen to and learn the code. Learning to send was simply just using a Morse code key to send words written on the grease board. A company called Newgrounds.com has created an action game with requires both sending and receiving Morse code in a world war II simulation game. This game encourages accuracy both sending and receiving through the computer keyboard to stay alive and “win the war”! It takes the tediousness out of just sitting, learning code from a series of beeps. It helps learners use the code as a language to communicate with instead of just dots and dashes. You get so wrapped up in the game, you almost forget you’re using Morse code! Of course, that is the idea. To become proficient at Morse code it has to become automatic, just like a spoken language. I am going to try this game during my next training session. This will be very beneficial to help adults learn Morse code in a fun way. Previously, many people struggled with the dry and boring sitting through sessions of audio tapes. More info on this game can be found at: http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/567733.

A key element of gaming education is offering a difficult, complex subject in a fun, interesting, and understandable way. As an example, I will use calculus for the subject. For most of us, this is a complex subject which may seem to have little real world application or need. By creating a game which adults can relate to, these complex concepts can be seen in a new perspective. “Waker” is a puzzle based calculus educational learning game. By solving parts of the puzzle, learners move to more and more difficult mathematical concepts. These are concepts such as position and velocity curves, chains of derivatives, sorting expressions and rules, and simplifying exponential expressions. Just the very terms make me a bit queasy! But “Waker” is an interactive simulation of a dream world that is navigated by using these concepts. I haven’t done calculus in over 30 years, but a few minutes interacting with this game helped me to remember so basic concepts and even apply some new ones! This has direct application to adult learners. Many students going back to college after a lifetime of distractions have difficulty with subjects such as mathematics. Educational games such as these help learners catch on to these subjects in a fun and interesting way. As an adult educator, I would use a program such as this to build foundational mathematics skills, especially as a graduate statistics instructor. For more information, or to try a basic online version, here is the URL: http://gambit.mit.edu/loadgame/waker.php.

A use can be found for a game or simulation in virtually (pun intended!) any subject. These virtual tools can freshen a curriculum and bring a spirit of fun and competitiveness into the classroom!

Mobile learning technologies can make adult education experiences easier, more fun, and more successful. Smartphones and tablet devices are becoming more and more popular. Most students have one, or access to one. Many students are experimenting with popular new software applications for their devices. Two popular apps are Blackboard for Mobile Learning and Perrla Mobile. Both of these applications show promise for the adult learner on the go!

 

Blackboard for Mobile Learning (BBML) gives online students whose school uses the Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS), the option of accessing the LMS from a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. It is not uncommon for adults to struggle with finding time for studies when faced with busy lives requiring attention to children, spouses, jobs, personal responsibilities, health issues, and unexpected interruptions. Access to the LMS through a mobile device allows the busy learner to check in to class, read resources, check grades, and coordinate assignments. As BBML is constantly being updated and enhanced, soon interaction with discussion boards, blogs, wikis, and social media will be possible. Assignments will be able to be downloaded to a dropbox in a simple format and interactive collaboration with group members will be possible anywhere there is a signal (instead of only at your desktop or laptop connected with wifi). As an educator, taking advantage of BBML could take place through a reading assignment done through learner’s mobile device and then checking in to the virtual classroom to complete the assignment by writing a brief review posting. Students could also keep a log of time on their mobile device vs. time on their desktop/laptop device. It should be evident that spare time well spent using BBML saves time at the desktop which, in turn, creates more time for other life areas needing attention. More information can be found at:   https://www.blackboard.com/platforms/mobile/overview.aspx.

 

Perrla Mobile is available for either Apple or Android. Currently it is not available for any other platforms. Perrla for desktop computing is a program for formatting APA and/or MLA papers precisely and automatically to the standards described in each format. It automatically formats the body of the title page, body, conclusion, and references. Perrla makes it easy to create a “perfect” paper. Perrla mobile is not a replacement for the desktop versions, but meant to be an enhancement. Rather than formatting entire papers, it formats only research information found through searches on your mobile device, and stores them in a reference database which can be uploaded to your desktop computer for integration into a paper. This allows research work to be done any time it is convenient, and safe, to work with your mobile device. I have used Perrla for several years and it is a time saver, plus it creates documents which are perfectly formatted; there is never any question if it is done right. Perrla mobile extends some of the functionality to mobile learning devices, allowing research to be conducted even when away from home. In professional practice I would assign students a task to research a topic relevant to the course being taught with their mobile phones, and then upload their findings to a collaborative class Perrla paper. This can be done at no charge with the free Perrla Mobile application which allows up to ten references to be researched free of charge. Another assigned task would be to have each student demonstrate knowledge of, and ability to, access all of the Perrla Mobile features and apply them to the class collaboration. More information can be found at: http://www.perrla.com/MobileAppDetails.aspx.

 

Both BBML and Perrla Mobile are excellent examples of technology which makes smart use of mobile learning devices. They are technologies in the process of development, as technology advances, so does the evolution of these products. The eventual intention of Blackboard for Mobile Learning is to allow full functionality of the Blackboard Learning Management System to mobile devices. Likewise, Perrla Mobile will eventually include title page and content body creation. This technological evolution will ultimately allow complete integration of mobile devices with online education. This will create an educational experience which is more positive and successful for both learners and educators.  

OK, time for a technology rant… Last night I met a 19 year old co-worker at a pre-determined location so we could drive a company vehicle out of town for work. The night before I gave him simple instructions, plus the address of the location. We were to meet at a location two blocks off of the only major Interstate highway going east/west through Phoenix. Take the Interstate west, turn right at a clearly marked cross street, then turn into the location, also clearly marked, on your right. Did he make it??? Not even close… At 30 minutes late I called him, only to find out he had no idea where he was. He didn’t know what street he turned off of the Interstate on, he didn’t know if he was north or south of the Interstate. He didn’t even know how to read the street signs to determine the cross-streets of his location. After talking to him for 15 minutes, figuring out where he was, I gave him turn by turn instructions to my location and he got there. He claimed his GPS gave him wrong directions. OK, I’ve seen that happen. But I had previously given him simple “turn right off the Interstate, go two blocks, then turn right into the parking lot where there is a HUGE sign indicating the location.” When I asked why he didn’t just follow the simple instructions, he said “I wasn’t ever taught that. I don’t know directions, I only know how to use my phone.” Is this what technology is leading us toward? People who are helpless without technology???

 

I mention this only as a reminder for us as educators. While technology may be easier, faster, more informative, more fun, or less hassle, I think we need to make sure our learners understand fundamentals as well. Otherwise, these “shortcuts” could leave us in the dark if the technology fails us. In my example, a basic understanding of the four directions of the compass with some understanding of mapping skills would have helped. Just paying attention to what I said when I gave the simple directions instead of ignoring me and relying upon his phone GPS would have done the trick. How many young adults know how to do long division? Or any math by hand? How many of us remember phone numbers anymore? If my phone died and I had to make a call to anyone I know, (even my own mother!) I do not know a single phone number by memory. I couldn’t do it! I got an A in a graduate statistics course using state of the art software to solve complex equations. Do I understand how these equations work? Could I solve them by hand? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! And I just took this course a year ago, I couldn’t remember today how to use the software either. So, did I learn anything? Nope. I got a grade and a degree that says I did…

 

I believe we have to give learners an education that will benefit them in today’s world, using today’s technology. But I also believe we have a responsibility to help learners understand the fundamentals beneath the technology, where it came from, and how it got to where it is. Otherwise we’ll wind up with a society who can’t find their way across town, doesn’t know how to make a friend face to face, and has no way to call for help when their phone dies!

In an attempt to bring social networking into the office, “Conversations” is a new technology that provides a message board style interface for groups of people to communicate and collaborate. This technology would seem to have direct application to educational settings where all of the students and instructors in a classroom could get together with real time communications rather than discussion board style “email” messages. This would be like a real time classroom café. URL: https://hootsuite.com/features/conversations

 

Another interesting technology with potential for educational settings is “OpenID.” It is an open authentication protocol that allows a single set of login credentials work at each site visited. Once you’ve been authenticated, there is another app called “OAuth” which will automatically fill in all the personal information that each new site visited. One of the obstacles to using various websites is trying to remember login information for each site, and filling out the same tedious profile information over and over again. These two apps automatically do it for me. Without a simpler way to sign on, I tend to forget the login information, get frustrated with searches for login and passwords, and quit visiting the site. Less time spent trying to access a site and enter redundant information leaves more time for learning. This technology claims to be a safer, faster, and easier way to log into web sites. URL: http://openid.net/

My personal experiences as an online learner have created my interests in educational technology. I hope that these personal experiences can translate to professional experience as an educator in the future. I have used Learning Management Systems at each of the online schools I have attended. The LMS's I have experience with are LoudCloud, Angel, and Blackboard. Each have their strengths and weaknesses, however I believe that ease of interface between the LMS and the student should be the prime objective. In this blog I intend to report my research findings comparing various systems and note student/instructor feedback on user experience. Another educational technology of interest is mobile application technology. Though online learning has been popular for a decade, and smartphones have been around for nearly as long, joining the two technologies in a reliable, easy to use format has lagged behind. Creating mobile apps is now listed as one of the top ten desired future technologies (http://www.edudemic.com/2012/09/10-emerging-education-technologies/)for the future. Having a reliable, functional method of using my smartphone or tablet would be a huge benefit for my schedule which often has me working out of town and/or working an erratic schedule with short bursts of time where I could log in to my LMS and participate in the weekly activities. Anyone having personal experiences or who has read/conducted research into these technologies is welcome to comment and share their experiences. Thanks!