Linda
Komara shared via her blog the Netiquette:
An exercise and e-guides on social interaction and communicating electronically
Website found at http://www.studygs.net/netiquette.htm. This page is part of a site titled Study Guides and Strategies, and has
been created and maintained for more than a decade by Joe Landsberger as an
open education public service. It
contains various study guides for adult learners to advance their learning
skills. One of the study guides is on
netiquette. This particular web page
covers all aspects of communicating via email and includes guides regarding Writing for the Internet, Copyright Basics,
and Citation (Landsberger, n.d.). This website is a valuable tool because
email is one of the main communication tools in the workplace. Students must be familiar with the proper
ways to use email in order to be successful in handling it in the workplace. They must understand that there is a
difference between emailing and texting or using social media. Moreover, many of them will need to know how
to use email effectively in a global context.
I might use this website with my more advanced adult ESL learners in a
unit that deals with using English writing skills in the email format. I would review the information on the Website
thoroughly with my students, giving them plenty of time for discussion and
questions. Then, I would divide the
students into pairs and assign them to email each other back and forth over a
week’s time sharing information about their hobbies or future vocational
aspirations. I might also have my ESL
class connect with another ESL class at another university overseas. I would assign my students to exchange emails
with the students in that class and have them share with them some of the
Internet technologies they have found engaging and helpful in improving their
English literacy skills. In both of
these examples, my ESL students would gain valuable experience in communicating
with the proper netiquette via email as well as effective practice in writing
English.
Reference
Komara,
L. (2013, April 18). Welcome to Linda K's Blog: April 2013 [Web log post].
Retrieved from http://komaralk8.blogspot.com/2013_04_01_archive.html
Landsberger,
J. (n.d.). Netiquette: an exercise and
e-guides on social interaction and communicating electronically. Retrieved
April 24, 2013, from http://www.studygs.net/netiquette.htm
Carolyn
Bell shared information about Turnitin via her blog. Turnitin is a publishing
tool that assists educators and students in checking their essays and papers
for originality (Bell, 2013). It
integrates with over 50 Course Management Systems, uses three databases to
match content, is positioned in over 126 countries, and is used by over 69% of the
top 100 universities/colleges in the U.S. (Turnitin—Our Company, 2013). “Ethics is an inherent part of the discussion
surrounding plagiarism as educational institutions struggle to produce high-quality
students with ethical standards” (Brown & Rubin, 2011, p. 33). Many students believe that digital
information is open and available for all to use (Dye, 2007; as cited in Brown
& Rubin, 2011). Because students “use
this free content daily, their perceptions of plagiarism differ from their
teachers” (Ma, Wan, & Lu, 2008; as cited in Brown & Rubin, 2011, p.
29), and unfortunately, teaching and counseling them about avoiding plagiarizing
has proven to do little to deter them from copying others’ works (p. 29). Turnitin is a valuable technological tool
because it can be used to help students learn to “value their own voices and to
appreciate what others have created (Calvin, 2007; as cited in Brown &
Rubin, 2011, p. 30). I would use it with
my more advanced ESL adult learners by first explaining what it is and how it
works, and then asking them to submit some of their essays and papers through
Turnitin. I would not ask that all
essays be turned in to it as I would not want to breach the trust element
between the educator and student. Another
way I might use Turnitin with my ESL students is to review a few essays with
them that were plagiarized and then ask them to make suggestions based on the
portions cited by Turnitin that need proper citation or paraphrasing of the
content. I believe that Turnitin serves
as a deterrent to plagiarism when learners realize it will hold them
accountable for originality and proper citation of others’ works.
References
Bell,
C. (2013, April 18). carolynbell02 « A topnotch WordPress.com site [Web log
post]. Retrieved from http://carolynbell02.wordpress.com/
Brown,
V. & Rubin, N. (2011). The ethics of Turnitin from a faculty’s perspective.
National Teacher Education Journal, 4(2),
p. 29-34.
Turnitin - Our Company. (2013).
Retrieved April 24, 2013, from http://turnitin.com/en_us/about-us/our-company
Carolyn
Hesher shared information from her blog about the Website, Digital Citizenship, http://ecitizenship.csla.net/. This is a site sponsored by the California
School Library Association and California State University Long Beach. The site describes digital citizenship as “the
ability to use technology safely, responsibly, critically, and pro-actively to
contribute to society” (Digital Citizenship, 2011). The site offers six modules about digital
citizenship that individually address:
definition, standards, student engagement, tools, teaching, and
resources. Complete and thorough lesson
plans are provided with each module.
This is a valuable tool for adult learners because it helps them learn
how to use emerging technologies properly and responsibly. I might use the first module with my adult
ESL students to help them learn the basics about digital citizenship. Module 1 is available in different grade
levels from K-12, which would be helpful in teaching beginning ESL students,
so, I could make it as basic as needed.
I might also use Module 3 to teach more advanced ESL students how to use
technology in order to participate in the digital world. I would assign them to read about getting
civically engaged through the use of technology, explain what this means, and ask
them to suggest a “digital service project” which we would discuss together as
a class (Digital Citizenship, 2011). In
the workforce, students will be expected to know the effective and appropriate
ways to use technology. It is imperative
that we, as educators, teach them these skills along with the subjects we are
teaching.
References
Digital
Citizenship [Web log post]. (2011, February 1). Retrieved from http://ecitizenship.csla.net/
Hesher,
C. (2013, April 18). Carolyn Hesher | This WordPress.com site is about
exploring how technology can enhance adult education [Web log post]. Retrieved
from http://carolynhesher.wordpress.com/
Sara, In relation to your discussion on Turnitin, I agree wholeheartedly that students have a very different perception of what defines plagiarism. I have had several instances of students copying information word for word from Wikipedia, pasting the information into term papers, then citing Wikipedia and thinking this is okay. Today's students have difficulty expressing themselves clearly or paraphrasing researched material. Turnitin is one tool that helps to control the amount of copied material a student can submit as their own. Educators need to do a better job teaching students digital citizenship related to plagiarism. Some of the interactive sites shared in week 7's blogs will engage students on a different level and hopefully help them fully understand the implications of plagiarism.
ReplyDeleteHi Sara - thank you for sharing all of the information about Turnitin. I have often wondered how many schools/ colleges used this program, and how this database is kept current. I agree with you and Linda that many students may have trouble expressing themselves in their own words, and many would think that copying from the internet is acceptable. I also agree that this is an issue of Digital Ethics that needs to be taught and modeled to students.
ReplyDeleteSince I am planning on teaching some online courses, I know now how important it is to review these issues of digital citizenship with all student learners at the beginning of the course.
Thank you for the pertinent information!
Carolyn H.
Sarah, you made good choices to summarize here. I think the most important among them is the information on netiquette and ethics. It means a lot to be respected and treated fairly. It is something that all students should know and understand.
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