HAVE U TURNED IT IN?

This is the word for which most of us possess a phobia!

It is the same word, students get obsessed with during week 9 and 10 of study term.

It happens to be the most pronounced word by students and academicians and even the student service personnel!

So if you wondering what it is --of course I was mentioning the “Turnitin”.

Here we go again, so what are you supposed to turn in- turn ? in. If that is the question, nearly everything, even your life. Coz this measures how much of it is original and how much  of it is duplicate.  OKies so far, I was juz kidding.

Moving on to more serious stuff- Why turnitin?

A standard set by  Coventry University  and many other top ranking Universities in evaluating student  assignments is to get the report on originality of their work , as generated by turnitin.

How does turnitin generate the report?

When the student uploads their work that has to be checked by turnitin, it is checked against its  databases of contents-  for patterns of strings that matches or nearly matches any of the materials that are indexed and stored by turnitin.

Now, do you wanna know how much material is stored on the database that turnitin owns –

20+ billions web pages crawled – on the increase this minute you are reading this article!

220 + million archived student papers – on the increase again, every term as students keep uploading their assignments for grading purposes.

120 + million articles from 90,000 + journals, periodicals and books(Turnitin, 2012) – on the increase as more authors are writing new papers and journals

The above information did not drop from my brain- I took it from the turnitin web page.

Turnitin also has a literary collection via the Gutenberg project.

  

Who developed turnitin?

John Barrie is the name – a  PhD holder from UC Berkeley along with three other graduate students are the developers and owners of this intellectual product that has become a norm in nearly every part of the world(Turnitin, 2012).

Dos  and Don’ts:

As part of assignment fulfillment, students have to submit their assignments or reports that they have created, to the software to check for originality.

While doing so, you may have to keep some points in mind-

1. Submit ahead of time, do not delay until the last day, when your submission of coursework is due to be dropped in the drop box!!

2. Check whether you turnitin account is working, as soon as the lecturer has created the class space for the module.

3. In case the account is indicating problems, approach your lecturer for help. Do not upload in other module spaces or through your friend’s account. (whoa this sure happens!!! Don’t do it anymore.)

4. Make sure you give the correct e-mail address to the lecturer who is in charge of the module.

5. Once the report is generated the first time and it indicates a high percentage of copied work, rephrase your work based on the color coded report that is generated.

6. Having uploaded for the second time, through the resubmission button, wait for at least 24hrs for the second time report generation(some of you may be lucky to get it immediately- but as the due date approaches traffic is high  and it may take time).

7. Do not copy word for word from internet sources. Try to write the ideas in your own words.

8. Last but not the least , don’t ever forget to provide in-text citation and the reference list for the portions taken from  reliable sources. (Of course you aren’t allowed to refer to unreliable sources!) Use the Harvard Reference Mechanism for referencing works of others.

Yes, with that I believe you should be able to confidently submit your coursework on to turnitin, and get the “live happily ever after” kinda feeling. J

Ok- Here I go, I am gonna reference my work!

Reference List:

 iParadigm, 2012.Our History:2009-present. [online] Available at: <http://turnitin.com/en_us/about-us/our-company> [Accessed 13 April 2012 ].

Migration towards Virtual Learning Environment in Private Colleges

The entire context is too broad. In this section I want to keep my ideas and opinions to the virtual learning platforms, that facilitate e-learning in the tertiary sector of private colleges.  I want to discuss on the advantages and disadvantages that migrating to VLE in the education field may have on the users and providers.

A scenario description:

UK universities as we know are pioneers in offering Virtual Learning Environments for the provision of a variety of academic courses, with limitations to courses that may need practical training. Nevertheless, software simulation, virtual reality and other such technologies have opened the opportunities for VLE delivery of these courses possible too. Platforms like Moodle, Blackboard, Web CT, Lotus, StudyNet and many more are already in use, in many private colleges, that run UK university undergraduate and post graduate programs in Singapore and Malaysia. However, there are still many colleges, that have not adopted even partial delivery of  courses through the VLE.

For a group of students the following problem was given and they were asked to analyse the problem solution using the Three Sphere Model.

For a private college, where the delivery of lectures are purely traditional, there is a proposl to migrate into partial delivery of lectures through VLE. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this proposal if it were to be implemented? It is understood that VLE is featured with Content Management Systems.(CMS).

The solution to the problem can be obtained through the analysis of the scenario under the three dimensions of the Three Sphere Model, which are Business Perspective, Organization Perspective and Technology Perspective.  A class of 30 students were divided into groups, each group was given the task  to apply this model in arriving at the solution on the migration to a VLE. Having discussed among themselves, keeping in mind all factors that influences the topic, they came out with solutions.

Business Perspective

1. What is the cost of the network provision  required to facilitate the virtual environment for access of  lectures and  course materials?

2. Is there a need for special servers to house the system, dedicated to the college? If so, what will be the cost of the server?

3. What is the cost of any new software and hardware that has to be made available for the virtual environment?

4. What is the cost of maintanence and support of the system, once it  implemented?

5. Does the student need to have any special licensed softwares to access the course materials? If so, what are costs like?

6. How will this new system affect the enrollment? Since students do not have to be physically present in the college, it may be convenient for part timers, who are working. This may increase enrollments, whereas on the other side, how is it gonna impact full time enrollment?

Organization Perspective

1. Which group of students are affected by the migration? Are they mentally prepared to accept the new learning model?(Even though traditional lecture is also followed, some students may have a resistance to virtual environments.)

2. What type of training is essential to facilitate the virtual learning platform, for example Blackboard CT or Moodle? Who will provide the training, both to the staff and the students?

3. What if the students affected do not have a computer of their own? Will they be willing to buy one, or should they have to make use of browsing centres to attend the virtual lectures, if they are real time.

Technological Perspective

1. What Operating Systems support the VLE platform?

2. What software and hardware specifications are required to enable the working of the VLE on the system.

3. What is the requirement of the internet bandwidth, to enable upload and download of information, transmission of  real time lecture etc. Will there be congestion of network, when there are more people trying to access real time lectures?

4. Is there a need for video chat, in case of virtual classrooms, where the lecturers conducts chat session with students, all logged in at the same time?

5. Is the interface  designed in a user friendly way, so that students dont develop a resistance to this type of learning model.

The Three sphere model approach to the problem, generates questions in each of the three spheres. When the answers for these questions can be identified, the list of advantages and disadvantages are derived. On having studied the benefits, the organization may want to opt the idea or may want to opt out.

The above questions were formulated using input from students. However, a detailed research  can guarantee a more accurate answer, when the model is applied on a larger group of students.

But there was one thing evident, that even among part timers, the resistance to adopt VLE  prevails at a higher level. So there is along way to go, to replace this model with the VLE, however advanced technology may move.

Coping with skills needed to be a good teacher!

Being a good teacher- doesnt mean being good at lecture delivery, loaded with knowledge- a brain that is equivalent to a dictionary and well experienced in teaching. More to it, they have to be friendly and approachable by students.

I wish to start my discussion with the knowledge-need to be a  good teacher. I am a person who strongly believes that one can remain in the field of teaching forever, only if he or she holds a strong passion for the job. One more thing that is mandatory will be the enthusiasm and energy to be updated in the area of specialization.

So how does an academician get herself updated? Yes, most importantly- reading is a must. Read all the book published at the latest point of time, read all new theories framed  by researchers, participate in workshops arranged for empowerment in the field of education, etc.....Each of us may have our own ways of keeping us abreast of what is happening in the education field.  Having done the knowledge upgradation bit, now we could consider ourselves to be the good teacher! But do we realistically make one? Not that is a big question. The knowledge transfer part may be easy for us, and we could have the capability to deliver a first grade lecture(like those delivered in the Universities, like those you watch on Youtube). But there could be one major component missing in us. RAPPORT! I do understand that it is difficult to establish common wavelength with so many students in class. Some more if u have to mange a class with students from different cultures and races, it matters most. Eight years of teaching tertiary sector, in the south east asian part of the world has given me the opportunity to meet students from various cultures, races, religions and beliefs. They may stand apart from each other owing to the place they come from, but ultimately inside a classroom when they are seated for a lecture all look forward to one thing in common- their expectation of a good teacher to teach them their subjects.    

I do personally believe that if a lecturer can connect with the student emotionally, conveying that they can be guaranteed of pastoral care, I am sure you are the good teacher. This does'nt apply only to primary and secondary pupils, it is essential for tertiary pupils as well. You may have a student who is the father of four kids, but when he becomes your student, they go back to square one, of expecting guidance on the subject area, of which we have to assure them.

Rattling away a lecture may impress our own self, but has it done so to the other side? Some readers who are lecturers yourselves may not agree to this point, but I have felt this way- lending a helping hand in times of need, empowering my students with subject knowledge, and above all offering pastoral support during the period of study- will surely make the ideal teacher- good one indeed!

Virtual Learning Environments Vs Traditional learning models

This post  is gonna help me share my academic experience as a student. I had enrolled my MBA under the United Business Institutes(UBI), classes held in Malaysia, Stamford College, Petaling Jaya. It was in February 2008 when my all-time interest in doing an MBA  started taking form. The college where I worked in (stamford College, Malaysia) offered me the opportunity to study under a grant with their partner university(UBI). I thought that it was wise of me to take it up and with my husband giving me all the support I got started.


The modules offered were coursework based, which required attendance of face-to-face traditional lectures during weekends. Apart from this we also had to attend a virtual classroom on two days in the week, each session being two hours long. So now the virtual classroom could connect us to the lecture from wherever we were, just with the help of a computer connected to the computer. The Virtual Learning Environment(VLE) as is most commonly known as has been adopted by many colleges and universities as a model for delivering education. It varies widely from the traditional lectures,  In VLEs the requirements and specifications of the course are delivered online, through Learning Management Systems(LMS). A few of the most famous LMS are Moodle, BlackBoard, WebCT, Lotus Learning Space etc.   One of the main features of the virtual classroom that I attended, facilitated by e-Campus  was the synchronous chat session, with our module lecturer and other course-mates who could participate from anywhere in the world, and like in all chat  softwares, this one too is two-way interactive. The students get the freedom to ask questions, and the facilitator, who is our lecturer, will guide the students through by clarifying the doubts and disciplines the 2 hr long session. The entire session can be archived, in case there is any student who was unable to attend the session he or she may get to access the session details. Important discussions on the coursework are archived, which was helpful to us in the construction of the assignment.

There were other features  of the VLE, that we used. We could also enable video chat, but with nearly thirty plus student logging in at the same time, bandwidth problems always hindered the use of video chat and voice chat. Some students tend to ask too many questions, while some are just observers. But you never knew, some students just logged in - sneaked away some where, and came back at the end of the session to say 'bye'. However, those truly interested in learning would be involved in the interaction.

The modules being delivered by the two models- traditional lecture and VLE methods of course delivery have given us the opportunity to experience the advantages of both. There have been disadvantages in both ways too, just that we have learnt to live with the disadvantages of the traditional lectures. Since the time VLE  had been introduced, many Higher Education Institutions have adopted it, and have made changes to their methods of delivering lectures. Lecture materials, in the form of power point slides, lecture videos, word documents of supplementary materials may be accessed on the VLE by students who have the privileges to do so. However there is one area that has crippled the growth, which is the resistance of people in accepting the technology. Western Universities  have been pioneers. Asians were not far beyond. The model is mostly used for distance learning, that could have been one reason as to why Asians have not accepted the model in totality. With the invention of  smart phones, notepads and mobile internet providers, VLE model of education can take students a long way with wide range of course options and availability of study material 24X7 basis. Students can be catered education on the go, thereby this model will surely benefit students, who are travelling most of the time, or who are working and have less time to study and to those others who are open minded towards this model of education.

e-learning has changed the way education is catered. The technology is not limited to HEIs, the secondary and primary sectors of education also have started using it. My daughter who is in her Primary One is given online-exercises for long term holidays, where her attendance and assessment are all done virtually. The e-learning method has gone a step ahead in enhancing the pedagogical framework. Yet there is still a long way to go, as it is not expected to totally replace the traditional methods of teaching, owing to reasons like the different types of courses, availability of technological infrastructure that can facilitate the platforms across universities, resistance of students in accepting virtual lecturers etc.

Time and technology will decide the speed of penetration of this technology into every university in this World. Nevertheless, the virtual classroom experience I had through e-Campus was truly an opportunity to learn.