Plagiarism Detection and Prevention

“Plagiarism may be defined as the use of another person’s words and/or ideas without

acknowledging that the ideas and/or words belong to someone else. It is not a new phenomenon,

nor is it something exclusive to the discipline of economics, but there is little doubt that it is a

growing problem that lecturers need to address systematically if the underlying causes, rather

than the symptoms, are to be addressed. At the heart of the problem is the increasing availability

of easily accessible electronic resources in recent times, whereupon it has become so much easier

for students to ‘cut and paste’ slabs of unedited text” (http://www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk/handbook/printable/plagiarism.pdf).

What plagiarism detection software is available to online instructors?

 According to Boettcher and Conrad (2010, p. 73) “http:// plagiarism.com / self.detect. htm and http:// Turnitin.com/static/indes.html. Many institutions have a site license for the Turnitin application”.

How can the design of assessments help prevent academic dishonesty? 

• “Allows questions that require critical thinking, analysis, evaluation, or synthesis
• If questions require higher order thinking than fact recall, timing is not a serious concern.
•  Be prepared to reset a test should students lose connectivity or be kicked off the server
• Use Authentic Assessment (students are asked to perform real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills)
• The true author of work will discuss it fluently” http://www.foothill.edu/fga/prevent_cheating.php

What facilitation strategies do you propose to use as a current or future online instructor?

I propose to uses three facilitation strategies: “inspirational; practice-oriented; and highly structured. The study shows that these facilitation strategies generated innovative ideas, motivated students to participate, and provided a risk-free and relaxed atmosphere for participation” ( http://www.public.iastate.edu/~acorreia/Student-led%20facilitation%20strategies.pdf).

 

 

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

I would use resources to preventing academic dishonesty such as:

•  “Academic Integrity Best Practices
• Designing Online Courses to Discourage Dishonesty
• Are Your Online Students Really the Ones Registered for the Course?
• Cheatability - determine how well your course site prevents cheating
• Strategies to Minimize Cheating Online
• Ethics and Distance Education: Strategies for Minimizing Academic Dishonesty in Online Assessment
• Curbing Academic Dishonesty in Online Courses
• Combating Cybercheating: Resources for Teachers
• Preventing Academic Dishonesty
• Handling Academic Dishonesty
• Tips for Handling Technology Enhanced Cheating
• Writing Multiple Choice Items which Require Comprehension
• Tutorial: Academic Integrity Episodes” (http://www.public.iastate.edu/~acorreia/Student-led%20facilitation%20strategies.pdf)

 

References

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

Retrieved from http://www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk/handbook/printable/plagiarism.pdf

Retrieved from http://www.foothill.edu/fga/prevent_cheating.php

Retrieved from  http://www.public.iastate.edu/~acorreia/Student-led%20facilitation%20strategies.pdf

Setting Up an Online Learning Experience

Setting Up an Online Learning Experience
After reading the require reading and viewing the Video online environment is an essential step to creating a positive learning experience. “Computer knowledge is a deeper understanding of how technology works. It provides a foundation for you to understand how technology is being used today and how you might use technology in the future. For example, knowing how the Internet works provides the foundation for you to understand the potential of electronic commerce and to understand how information about you can be collected and dispensed without your consent” (http://books.mcgraw-hill.com/computing/oleary/pdf/ole65985_ch01_web.pdf).

What is the significance of knowing the technology available to you?
All sources are important when it comes to researching and knowing where to go and receive it. You might have a paper and need more information to finish the paper or the research. Conrad and Donaldson (2011, p. 38) state, “the biggest challenges is making sure that all participants have the necessary skill level with the communication tools that will be used during the course. Tracking students’ use of the technology is essential. The best way for students to learn to use the online course tools is to actually use them. The significance of knowing that technology is available is to focus on the essential tools, and build your first course around those tools. The primary tool to become familiar with is the course management systems (CMS)”.

Why is it essential to communicate clear expectations to learners? It is essential to communicate clear high expectation to facilitators and the need to create a welcoming learning environment that connects trust and respect. The learners need to have a clear understanding where they may be able to perform or translate what is being communicated to them. “High expectations must not exist in a vacuum; they are an integral part of a larger learning environment that is solidified at the beginning of a learning experience. Student performance is significantly affected by how we communicate expectations for performance and how we communicate confidence that conditions for success exist in our classrooms. In general, students will perform to the level of their own, their peers’, and their professors’ expectations” (http://books.mcgraw-hill.com/computing/oleary/pdf/ole65985_ch01_web.pdf).

What additional considerations should the instructor take into account when setting up an online learning experience?
Boettcher and Conrad (2010, p. 53) state, “The instructor focuses on creating a comfortable and trusting learning environment and begins implementing the course plan for the first weeks. The faculty member models thinking behavior by making connections among the learners, the content, and the desired learning outcomes. Other important actions for the faculty member are making course requirements clear and processes for communicating explicit, leading the launch of the course learning community, and ensuring that all students are engaged”. The instructor needs to be sure that all the information is clear, precise and able to understand on that student’s level.

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.
Setting High Expectations Retrieved from

Online Learning Communities

How do online learning communities significantly impact both student learning and satisfaction within online courses?
Boettcher and Conrad (2010, p.10) state, “the goals are to launch the course well, laying the groundwork for a learning community in which learners and faculty support one another in the accomplishment of course goals”. Dr. Rena Palloff and Dr. Keith Pratt state, “A community of students and faculty who explore content together to construct meaning and knowledge about that content. Learning communities create a dynamic where facilitators and learners are equal, participants (Laureate Education, Inc.)”. Instructors must find ways to help students become strongly connected with other, the instructor and the facilitative actively in order to create a strong community with online learning.

What are the essential elements of online community building?
According to Dr. Rena Palloff and Dr. Keith Pratt, “facilitators need to explain to students how they will be supporting them in a learning community approach”. Conrad and Donaldson (2011, p.) state, “build peer interaction through peer partnerships and team activities, create authentic activities and implement games and simulations and phase in activities that promote engagement among online learners”. Some of the essential elements accordance to Boettcher and Conrad (2010, p. 7) state, “the faculty role shifts to coaching and mentoring, meetings are asynchronous, learners are more active, learning resources and spaces are more flexible and assessment is continuous”.

How can online learning communities be sustained?
The best ways to sustained online communities is to use the phase of engagement. Conrad and Donaldson (2011, p. 8-9) state, “the phase of engagement framework includes introductory community-building exercises, which build trust and help a group learn how to work together. As learners gain more confidence and expertise, they can be guided to use the phase of engagement”.

The roles and responsibilities

PHASE	LEARNER	INSTRUCTOR
1	Newcomer	Social negotiator
2	Cooperator	Structural engineer
3	Collaborator	Facilitator
4	Initiator/partner	Community member/challenger

(Conrad and Donaldson, 2011, p.9)

“Phase 1 activity focuses on introducing peers to one another in a creative and fun manner.
Phase 2 activity focuses on two peers working together.
Phase 3 demonstrates a reflective activity
Phase 4 exhibits how learners can be provided with the opportunity to lead an activity in the online community” (Conrad and Donaldson, 2011, p.11)

What is the relationship between community building and effective online instruction?
The relationships are:

• Clear goals and expectations for learners,
• Multiple representations of course content,
• Frequent opportunities for active learning,
• Frequent and constructive feedback,
• Flexibility and choice in satisfying course objectives, and
• Instructor guidance and support.

http://cguevara.commons.gc.cuny.edu/files/2009/09/learning-effectiveness.pdf

 

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.
Learning effectiveness online: What the research tells us Retrieve from http://cguevara.commons.gc.cuny.edu/files/2009/09/learning-effectiveness.pdf

 

Learning from a Project “ Post-mortem”

According to Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton and Kramer, (2008, p.7) “all projects are carried out under condition of uncertainty. Well-tested software routines may not perform properly when integrated with other well-tested routines. The best-made plans often go awry.  Uncertainty ensures that projects travel a rough road”. I believe that a project must have a distinct beginning and ending to be successful. The skills I feel that will make my project work to be successful are understanding the end goal, identify clear roles, cooperate, break it down, communicate, ask questions, look at the past and look to the future. Time is important in any project, when you can take your own notes and see the improvement in valuable and efficient.

There are risks and difficulties in every project to be successful. The goal is to satisfy the client and the investors. Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton and Kramer, (2008, p.6) stated, “When project information is determined accurately and completely and shared effectively, project managers dramatically increase their chance of project success. When pieces of this information are vague, missing, or not shared effectively, the chances of success are reduced”.

Reference

Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B.    E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Reflection – The Future Perceptions of Distance Education

According to George Siemens,

“Students entering higher education today, researchers note, possess a different view of technology due to lifelong immersion in a digital, media‐rich, and networked world. These learners are often described as millennials. Millennial learners, due to their digital lifestyles have expectations of education as a participative, engaging, and active environment. In order to meet the needs and expectations of these learners, Oblinger and Oblinger and Dede suggest that educators adopt tools and approaches to teaching and learning that reflect the experiences and communication habits of millennials. These tools include blogs, wikis, social networking, podcasts, online videos, and virtual worlds” (p.6-7).

What do you think the perceptions of distance learning will be in the future (in 5–10 years; 10–20 years)?

In the future, I believe that there will be more and more people enrolled in distance learning classes. It provides the flexibility that many students need to work and attend class.  As technology continues to grow, I believe that distance learning will do follow. Dr.Siemens (2010) states that distance learning is and will continue to increase in acceptance in society.   In 2010, the Sloan Consortium found that enrollment increased 21% from 2009 to 2010 in online education programs, while the overall enrollment in higher education only increased by 2% (Hessen, 2011, Online Education Continues to Grow section, para. 1).The quality of distance education will continue to increase, if professionals treat it the same as traditional education in a classroom setting.

How can you as an instructional designer be a proponent for improving societal perceptions of distance learning?

As an instructional designer, I can be a proponent for improving societal perceptions of distance learning by developing methods to accurately evaluate distance education experiences.  To perform this development, I will consider quality, needs assessment, return on investment, training and performance support, improving instructional systems design, and revising learning models as necessary (Moller, Foshay, & Huett, 2008a, 71).  I will also consider the factors of diversity such as the differences in age, learning styles, attitude, experience, general abilities, and personal responsibilities. All of these factors influence motivation to learn and improve societal perceptions of distance learning. More and more research is proving that distance education provides an equivalent or even superior education (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2009, 8). 

How will you be a positive force for continuous improvement in the field of distance education?

I will be a positive force for continuous improvement in the field of distance education by constant training and improving my own professional learning. I believe that training is one of the essential tools for the success of distance education. I will also encourage student-teacher interactions and learn to provide independent learning activities. There will always be an open and clear line of communication between my students and myself. I will also keep in mind the necessary skills to be an effective instructional designer such as being proactive, understanding, and synergize. In order to be a positive force, I must never stop learning.  I need to become and stay active in distance learning education.

References

Hessen, P.  (2011, Jan. 7).  Distance education helps more students study science.  Retrieved from http://sloanconsortium.org/news_press/january2011_distance-education-helps-more-students-study-science.

Moller, L., Foshay, W. R., & Huett, J.  (2008a).  The evolution of distance education:  Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 1:  Training and development).  TechTrends, 52(3), 70-75.

Moller, L., Foshay, W. R., & Huett, J.  (2008b).  The evolution of distance education:  Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 2:  Higher education).  TechTrends, 52(4), 66-70.

Siemens, G.  (2010).  The future of distance education.  Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer).  Video.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S.  (2009).  Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Converting to a Distance Learning Format

The PDF document below focus on converting to a distance-learning format. There are many concerns that a trainer or instructional designers need to take into account before converting a traditional course into an online course. Planning an online course is very important to a successful learning environment. All components need to be planned, developed, and experienced before the course is offered. In the PDF document, you will find steps and tips on pre-planning strategies, ways to enhance courses in a distance-learning environment, how the role of the trainer will change, and steps the trainer should take to encourage trainees to communicate online. Communication is the heart of the online learning process. Click the link below to view the PDF dcument:

                             http://www.scribd.com/iva_dixon/d/89593231-A7DixonI

The Impact of Open Source

Open Yale Courses

“Open source software is intended to be freely shared and be improved upon and redistributed to others. The code in which the software is written is free and available to anyone to do just about anything with it, as long as the uses are consistent with a 10-part definition maintained by the Open Source Initiative (OSI). Open source does not mean unlicensed. Open source software typically has a license, but the terms of the license should comply with the Open Source Initiative definition before the software is truly open source" (Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S., 2012, pp. 141).
The Open Course I decided to evaluate is Open Yale Courses http://oyc.yale.edu/. Open Yale Courses provides free and open access to a selection of introductory courses taught by distinguished teachers and scholars at Yale University. The aim of the project is to expand access to educational materials for all who wish to learn (Open Yale courses website, 2012). Even though learners won’t receive course credits, degrees, or certificates they are still able to learn and grow in different areas. This will prepare them if they decide to go to college. The best part about this open source is that no registration is required and the lectures are recorded in a real classroom. The videos and audio elements are available on YouTube and iTunes.
“The online courses are designed for a wide range of people around the world, among them self-directed and life-long learners, educators, and high school and college students. The integrated, highly flexible web interface allows users, in effect, to audit Yale undergraduate courses if they wish to. It also gives the user a wide variety of other options for structuring the learning process, for example downloading, redistributing, and remixing course materials” (Open Yale courses website, 2012).
“Each course includes a full set of class lectures produced in high-quality video accompanied by such other course materials as syllabi, suggested readings, and problem sets. The lectures are available as downloadable videos, and an audio-only version is also offered. In addition, searchable transcripts of each lecture are provided” (Open Yale courses website, 2012).
The course I explored was Listening to Music from the Department of Music. “This course fosters the development of aural skills that lead to an understanding of Western music. The musical novice is introduced to the ways in which music is put together and is taught how to listen to a wide variety of musical styles, from Bach and Mozart, to Gregorian chant, to the blues” (Open Yale courses website, 2012).

Does the course appear to be carefully pre-planned and designed for a distance learning environment? How so?

• Yes this course appears to be carefully pre-planned and designed for a distance learning environment. The course is taught by an experience music professor and author. This course offers the necessary materials for a distance learner. There is a syllabus, sessions, a survey, buy books, and other course materials. There are also twenty-three lectures that are available to learners. Each lecture provides an overview and a video. Some lectures even have extra resources. Learners shouldn’t have a problem with this course. Everything that is needed to succeed his course is present.

Does the course follow the recommendations for online instruction as listed in your course textbook?

• This course offers Organizational Guidelines, Unit-Module-Topic Guidelines, Assessment Guidelines, Content Guidelines, and Instruction/Teaching Guidelines as the course textbook recommends for online instruction. These guidelines are used to offer and develop ways to organize courses for a distance learning environment.

Did the course designer implement course activities that maximize active learning for the students?

• I do believe that the course designer implemented course activities that maximized active learning for the students. He offered quizzes, listening exercises, tests, and reviews. It’s up to the learners if they want to participate to learn about music.

The course and other materials are very clear and understanding. The learners are provided with an overview to give them insight on what to expect during each lecture. The professor shows interaction with students and he provides musical presentations for learners to understand.

 

 

References
Open Yale Courses. MUSI 112: Listening To Music. Retrieved on April 8, 2012. http://oyc.yale.edu/music
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.