Inside eLearning by Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D.

Unintentional Plagiarism: It Could Happen To You

susan — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:30:00 GMT

By Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D.

Every day, all around the globe, a number of online students receive the dreaded message, "I'm sorry, but your paper has been flagged by our plagiarism detecting program as having problematic content."

It's a deliberately vague statement, intended to protect the institution and the instructor, but the meaning is clear.

Imagine for a moment that the recipient of that message was you. Your first reaction is shock and disbelief. Something is terribly wrong with your paper. Wrong? How could that be? You feel your heart pound and your skin tingle. What happened? You tried very hard with this paper. You were very careful to do outside research for this paper, as required by the instructions. When searching for information for your paper, you went to your favorite places on the Internet, and they looked very good to you. You listed the URL at the end of the paper. Further, you were very careful to use five or six sources, not just one. What went wrong?

Students often unintentionally plagiarize when they write their term papers. The ways that this happens are numerous; it is important to recognize each one. It is also important to understand how popular plagiarism detecting programs like turnitin.com work, and how and why the results they yield can be illuminating and frustrating.

Varieties of Unintentional Plagiarism

Here are a few:

1. Patchwork Quilt

After students have completed their online research and have written annotations for their bibliographies, it is tempting to weave them together to create one's paper. While it is always a good idea to use references and outside sources, the problem with using too many block quotes is that the integrity of the paper can be compromised. The result can be a patchwork quilt of block quotes, with as much as 90 percent of the paper consisting of material gleaned from sources. This will register as plagiarism. One should never have more than 15 to 20 percent of direct quotes or block quotes.

2. Wikipedia — "Wiki-cosis"

Wikipedia should never be used as a course in an academic paper. The information is not reliable, and it can be incomplete and biased. It is amazing how many people consider Wikipedia to be authoritative. Granted, it is a good place to start, but it should be used as a point of departure. The over-reliance on Wikipedia can lead to something one could consider "wiki-cosis" — toxic levels of incomplete and inaccurate information derived from Wikipedia. It is easy to spot a paper that has information that has been copied and pasted from Wikipedia. The block of text will have a pale blue background.

3. Link-Only Citing — Insufficient Citation

Some students think that it is sufficient to simply create a list of links at the end of the paper. They may or may not set off their quoted material in block quotes, and they may fail to put quoted phrases or sentences between quotation marks. Needless to say, this will be flagged as plagiarism.

4. Block Paraphrasing — Word Substitution

Realizing that they cannot just copy and paste entire sections of papers, some students simply substitute certain words and create close-to-the-original paraphrases. Often they fail to cite the source using in-text citations and a reference at the end of the paper. While summaries and overviews of a work or a source can be useful, to copy the structure and argument of the block, and to change the wording only slightly is not considered academically appropriate.

5. Encyclopedia Article Template

Some people turn to online encyclopedias for their term papers. For example, they may select the life and times of William Shakespeare as their topic. They then go to Encyclopedia Britannica or another online source, and they copy the structure, reproduce the argument, and paraphrase the ideas without giving any credit at all, except for perhaps a listing at the end of the paper. Why is this not acceptable? A paper written by the student should contain the student's own ideas and own analysis.

6. Son of Son of Source

Many blogs and news sources regularly copy material from wire sources (Associate Press) or from each other. The student may not realize that the citations are incorrect, and that it appears that they are deliberately obfuscating or masking the original source of ideas. When looking for information and checking out sources, try to find the provenance of an idea or a citation. Peer reviewed journals will more clearly present idea provenances than will newspaper articles or blogs.

Dirty Tricks that will Ping Plagiarism Detecting Programs

1. Peer reviews. This could be unintentional.

Depending upon where the discussion boards occur, and whether or not they are password protected, individuals work and drafts could end up in search engine results. Since plagiarism detection programs spider the Internet, it is likely that a draft or paper posted there as a part of a peer review process will show up. It is possible it would appear to be authored by someone else, if the peer reviewer is the one doing the posting.

2. Frenemy. Have a friend who is into playing tricks, "punking" you?

You may have an enemy/friend whom you have emailed your paper. You may have asked them to take a look at it and comment on it. You may simply have wanted to share. Whatever it was, if they took your paper and posted it on their blog, on the Web, or somewhere else, it's possible it would show up in search engine (and plagiarism detection) programs. Your instructor will think it was written by your frenemy if there is no specific information attributing it to you.

In conclusion…

It is possible that a large percentage of online learners have inadvertently created documents that could be flagged as problematic by plagiarism detection programs. Thus, it is very helpful to know the pitfalls, as well as the proper procedures for citing materials in research papers.

Download the accompanying podcast on this topic: "Unintentional Plagiarism" (5.3 MB).

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"Inside eLearning by Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D." Podcasts are Available for Download

susan — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:59:00 GMT

Listen to the following podcasts read by Dr. Susan Smith Nash:

Enjoy!

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Games, Interactive Tasks, Simulations: Where and How Does the Learning Take Place?

susan — Thu, 01 May 2008 14:00:00 GMT

By Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D.

Chances are, you've taken advantage of the companion Web site provided by your textbook, and you've probably enjoyed the game-based approach to flashcards, multiple choice, and other interactive tasks. In your course, you may have gotten involved in a role-playing game (in Second Life™, or even text-based), or you may have gotten involved in a simulation or serious game. While you enjoyed your experience, you probably asked yourself, Am I learning anything? If so, where and how? Here is a brief overview of what and how you're learning in games and interactive tasks. Armed with information about how you're learning, you can then prepare yourself to get the most from your experience.

Classification Games

A number of online games involve placing things in categories, or classifying knowledge that you're gaining in the course. In many ways, you're involved in creating and reinforcing sets. For example, you may be taking a botany course, and you may be asked to classify different types of trees. Alternatively, if you're in a nursing program, you will need to be able to identify and classify many things, ranging from bones and muscle groups in the human body, to types of equipment and treatments used for patients. Keep in mind that the categories can be simple, or they can be complex.

As you are performing the tasks, your mind is engaged in a number of cognitive tasks. These include:

Transfer of information from short-term memory to long-term memory.
Relational framework established which maps how each chunk of information connects with others.
Develop memory and mnemonic techniques for retrieving information and performing with it.

Multiple Choice Activities

While this is a popular "game," playing this one can be relatively high-stakes, when one considers that multiple choice is one of the most common means of assessing knowledge. After you have become comfortable with multiple choice, you'll begin to notice that each multiple choice maker or provider has a certain idiosyncratic way of creating/deploying multiple choice tests. There are numerous methods employed when developing the tests, and the astute test-taker begins to understand the underlying "grammar" — the characteristic organizational logic, and method of making sense and meaning. This is why it is very important to participate in as many practice exams as possible.

The mental processing required to choose correct answers helps learners to:

Transfer of information from short-term memory to long-term memory.
Deepen understanding of the content area.
Build confidence in their knowledge of the content area.
Identify and eliminate erroneous ways of thinking.

Fill-in-the Blank

What's missing in this statement? What items go together? What is the right sequence? The mental processing required to organize these statements helps learners:

Transfer of information from short-term memory to long-term memory.
Deepen understanding of the content area.
Build confidence in one's knowledge of theories, concepts, and principles in a topic or content area.
Make sense of a schema.
Demonstrate an understanding of concepts by reviewing important principles and procedures.
Develop an understanding of causal relationships and logical sequences.
Explain how and why items in certain sets relate to each other.

True-False

Many people think that True-False is about truth and reality. In a certain philosophical way, it is. In a more basic way — cognitively speaking — it's more about categories. Your knowledge falls into categories, and whether or not a think fits into the category is either a yes or a no (true or false).

The reason that True-False tests can be so confusing is that the learner may not yet have a clear understanding of the categories that are being constructed. As you study the material, you'll need to create classification guidelines and mental schema for the following elements in your course:

Concepts
Principles
Facts
Processes
Procedures

The mental processing required to match items to dichotomous categories helps the learner to:

Transfer of information from short-term memory to long-term memory.
Apply what you learn to personal tasks, or to your own jobs.

Simulation

Simulations can be invaluable training tools. They are important for demonstrating skills and the ability to analyze a task and actually execute it. The challenge to the simulation designer is to create a realistic scenario which truly engages the complex cognitive actions that are required. The learner has to be able to work with categories of knowledge, chunks of information, as well as cause-effect relationships and long-term and short-term outcomes.

If the simulation is truly aligned with a real-world situation or setting, the experience can be very valuable. It can be a predictor of whether or not a person can perform the task on the job. Of course, a lot depends on the individual's learning styles and preferences. Simulations are not for everyone.

Further, if a simulation does not accurately align with the real-world situation, the result could be costly and potentially disastrous accidents. Ideally, a good simulation leads to the discovery of underlying principles and the practice of appropriate skills.

The cognitive processing required to work through these simulation games helps learners to:

Apply new knowledge to a setting that replicates real life.
Move skills from the realm of theory to actual practice.
Deepen understanding of concepts and procedures.
Anticipate launching the knowledge and skills in the real world.

It is tempting to believe that simulations are ideal for all learners. This may be true, but it depends on the learner and the subject matter.

Text-based: Ideal for situations that require processing text. (virtual pharmacy — the names of the medicines)
Graphics-enhanced Text Simulations: Ideal for situations that have a combination of text and graphics. (virtual pharmacy — the appearance of drugs)
Dynamic Graphics-based Simulation: Ideal for situations that require one to respond to unexpected situations. (virtual pharmacy — drug interactions)
Simulator: Ideal for situations that require physical interaction in the real world (virtual emergency room — moving from pharmacy to an overdose situation)

As technology advances and learning programs incorporate mobile learning, games, simulations, and interactive tasks that you can use with your handheld (phone, PDA, media player) will become increasingly important in the acquisition of information and skills. Further, as more credit by exam courses and programs are developed, it will be increasingly important to be able to practice answering the questions.

Watch the related video "Future of e-Learning — Web 2.0 and Mobility" created by Dr. Nash.

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Virtual Worlds in Nursing and Health Education for Professionals and Family Caregivers

susan — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:30:00 GMT

By Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D.

Simulations and serious games have been employed for many years in the health industry. Because role-playing, labs, and clinicals have been a part of nursing and health education from the inception of teaching programs at hospitals, it has been a natural step to create CD-ROM simulations and to use videos and multimedia. However, the flaw that all have is that they are not as adaptive nor as dynamic as real-time, synchronous role-play. The advent of workable virtual worlds that truly accommodate multiple users and are able to replicate the complexity of a real emergency room or even a home health care situation has the potential to revolutionize nursing and allied health education.

It could also be used for training home health care workers or family members entrusted with elderly, disabled, or chronically ill relatives who are cared for at home.

John Miller, R.N. a nursing instructor in Tacoma, Washington at Tacoma Community College has developed a number of islands or worlds in Second Life in which nursing students can role-play in real-life settings. With demonstrations on the Web, the simulations show the power of Second Life to help students gain an appreciation of the decisions that must be made quickly in the health care industry, and also an idea of the kinds of knowledge needed and how one will be required to be able to process the information. Miller's YouTube channel is quite interesting because it allows one to take a look at how he has used Second Life in nursing education.

Nursing in Second Life

Chest Pain

Demo 1:
Starting an IV

Demo 2:
Defibrillator

Demo 3:
More Defibrillation/evaluating the patient

Demo 4:
Visiting Centralia College's Second Life island Resources (links to locations on the Web — model of the liver, etc.)

Demo 5:
Interactive Objects:
Example - the Vertebra/stacking vertebrae

G4H Conference (Games for Health) — May 2008 — previews

A Game with Bugs: Designing a Game About Malaria Prevention Practices

Sim Surgery at Renssalaer Polytechnic

Virtual Worlds in Health Education

Dartmouth College's Synthetic Environments for Emergency Response Simulation is a virtual prototyping experiment funded by the Department of Homeland Security. It is an immersive multiuser environment to train emergency responders.

* * * * *

Institute of Rural Health Idaho State University is using a multiuser immersive environment to host virtual table top exercises in bioterrorism awareness and preparedness educational programs.

Training in a large scale massive virtual environment. Our attraction to virtual environments as a learning platform is that they provide opportunities for problem based learning and experiential learning.We will be using a customizable massive online multiplayer environment SecondLife™ to host virtual table top exercises for the NIMS, ICS and HEICS courses. This is because of its relatively low access cost and its ability to handle dynamic content seamlessly (Figure 1). This environment is ideal for a large number of participants to role play disaster scenarios that are designed rapidly by non-programmers using menu driven tools. The SecondLife™ environment is poised to revolutionize the way virtual environments are created and used for training purposes.

* * * * *

The Centers for Disease Control has set up its first test site for sharing public health information in an online, cyber community. Meet Hygeia Philo (lover of health), a virtual public health worker.

* * * * *

Genetics in Second Life is a site created just this April by Bertalan Meskó, a medical student at the University of Debrecen.

* * * * *

Harvard University's River City Project is a virtual multiuser environment designed to teach middle school kids about disease transmission and the scientific method.

As visitors to River City, students travel back in time, bringing their 21st century skills and technology to address 19th century problems. Based on authentic historical, sociological, and geographical conditions, River City is a town besieged with health problems. Students work together in small research teams to help the town understand why residents are becoming ill. Students use technology to keep track of clues that hint at causes of illnesses, form and test hypotheses, develop controlled experiments to test their hypotheses, and make recommendations based on the data they collect, all in an online environment.

The Future

As soon as many of the technical and access issues are ironed out, it is likely that education via virtual worlds will become more important, particularly in developing a learning community, discussions, role-playing, labs, simulations and/or skills-building. As more people are able to participate, we'll see changes. Content will no longer be imposed on learners, but will rise up through learner groups in a kind of grassroots movement. The future is exciting!

Watch the related video produced by Dr. Nash: Leadership Choices

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Childhood Obesity and Asthma: Future E-Learning Implications

susan — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:00:00 GMT

By Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D.

We've all read about the current explosion in childhood obesity rates. Many blame it on fast food and hormone-laced milk, while others blame obesity on video games. There is no doubt that a sedentary lifestyle coupled with poor eating habits leads to overweight.

According to the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics and their 2007 report, America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, during 2003-2004, 18 percent of children ages 6-17 were overweight. Black non-Hispanic girls had the highest rate, with 25 percent being overweight. In other groups, the rates were slightly lower. For example, 16 percent of young white non-Hispanic girls were overweight and 17 percent of Mexican American girls.

What is the story behind the statistics? We live in a society of single mothers and dual income couples, who work three or four jobs just to try to keep up with fuel costs and adjustable rate mortgages. Children entertain themselves and they consume chips, candy and soft drinks as they do so.

Social Isolation and Social Networking

The story is one of social isolation, except for the world of social networking and multiplayer role-playing games, WoW (World of Warcraft) and many others. It is a story of children becoming conditioned to feel comfortable with the Internet, computers, and mobile devices (phones, iTouch, etc.).

Eating Disorders: Pro-Ana and Ana-Mia Sites

Female adolescents are under enormous pressure to maintain an appearance that conforms with the popular images of the day.

Socialization occurs via the Internet, and images of Beyonce, Rihanna, the Olsen Twins, Nicole Richie, Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana), Britney Spears (pre-breakdown), are widely circulated as the ideal of female beauty. How many of the celebrities are anorexic or bulimic? How many of the celebrities openly discuss taking classes via the Internet?

Colleges and trade schools offering online courses have their work cut out for them. While the upcoming generations of potential e-learners are familiar with the Internet, and regularly use it to communicate, share information, set up networks, and shop, they are not necessarily using it to prepare themselves for a future.

In fact, unless a few prominent celebrities champion e-learning in favor of induced vomiting and self-starvation, it's likely that more young teenaged girls will try a new diet and hair style before they try a new set of YouTube videos on how to solve Algebra problems, or immerse themselves in a Second Life Japanese language-learning world (or island).

Asthma and America's Youth: 20 percent with Asthma in Some Populations?

It is a bit shocking to look at statistics on asthma. Asthma has been rising dramatically. In fact, according to the 2007 federal report, America's Children, as many as 20 percent of children of Puerto Rican descent suffer from asthma.

The child who suffers from asthma is not only a special-needs child. If she does not receive ongoing medical support, she will have developmental problems and could even die.

In 2005, 13 percent of black, non-Hispanic children under age 18 were reported to currently have asthma, compared with 8 percent of white, non-Hispanic and 9 percent of Hispanic children under age 18. Within the Hispanic population, there are differences, with 20 percent of Puerto Rican children and 7 percent of children of Mexican origin reported to currently have asthma. (America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being)

Asthma is expensive. It will drain the resources of families with asthmatic parents or children. It also makes certain outdoor activities difficult. Long commutes and bus rides are scary for the child who suffers from asthma. Very often, parents miss work as they take their children to the emergency room. As a result, parents who can do so often homeschool their child.

However, homeschooling is not always an option in a single-parent household, especially in a low or middle income situation. Nevertheless, many parents of children who suffer from asthma tend to encourage their children to spend time working on the computer, which helps develop confidence.

Young asthma sufferers, if they have the proper infrastructure and hardware (wireless laptops, mobile devices, high-speed connection), may benefit in a disproportionately positive way from online learning.

Today's Real-Life Online Behaviors and Health Challenges; Tomorrow's E-Learners

What all groups of youth have in common is the fact that they are, when presented with the opportunity, using computers. However, they are not necessarily using them for educational purposes, but instead, are using them to share video, audio, text, and images. They network, create social communities, and shop.

Today's youth in America do not necessarily gravitate toward education when they use the Internet. Nevertheless, comfort and familiarity with the Internet and with mobile devices (smartphones, players that play downloaded materials), means that introducing individuals to e-learning does not constitute a huge barrier to overcome.

The analysis above is based on findings are described in detail in America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2007, http://www.childstats.gov/pubs.asp . America's Children is the U.S. government's annual report that monitors the well-being of the nation's children and youth. The report is a compendium of the most recently released federal statistics on the nation's children, and is issued by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics.

Key Informational Sources:

Child Stats

National Center for Education Statistics

National Center for Health Statistics

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