WPP - Final

Wicked Problem:  Plagiarism
Wicked Solution:  PlagiarismBeGone website
Wicked Presentation geared toward students:  Xtranormal video

My Wicked Need:

My Wicked Problem has nothing to do with the discipline that I teach. But, my Wicked Problem does affect many students in my classes. Students plagiarize. Often. This has become such a prolific occurrence, that I need to find a solution to this Wicked Problem.

Through a survey I conducted, I found out that half of my current students haven't learned about plagiarism and how to avoid it in a formal setting. My students are adults in college, and I am just stunned at the lack of education on this topic prior to enrolling in college courses. When I think about it, this just isn't my Wicked Problem, it is a Wicked Problem for our entire society as we neglect to educate students on the purpose of copyright laws. Not guiding them in this regard causes confusion regarding plagiarism. Students don't seem to find value in avoiding plagiarism beyond their own personal consequences and even then, they are only careful to follow enough rules to avoid getting caught stealing the words and ideas of others.

This Wicked Problem is complicated in my case by the fact that I teach World Religion courses. I don't have the opportunity to take up a good deal of official class time to teach students about plagiarism. They are supposed to know this information prior to enrolling in college courses. This means that part of my problem is that my solution needs to stand apart from my current curriculum. I need a solution that can operate outside of our class lectures and assignments, yet be thorough enough to guide students in their own education regarding copyright law and avoiding plagiarism.

Additionally, my Wicked Problem is made more complex by the sheer volume of resources available to students and the low quality of many of those resources. It seems that students have difficulty finding the exact type of information they need amongst the voluminous amount of information on the internet. And, they have difficulty discerning which information is just right for their circumstances. Therefore, I feel that my solution must also provide students with curated information.

I have created a Weebly website in order to solve my Wicked Problem.  The Weebly covers topics ranging from the definition of plagiarism, why we use citation methods and how to avoid plagiarism.  The website is called PlagiarismBeGone and can be found at plagiarismbegone.weebly.com. I also created an Xtranormal video for my students to entice them to visit the site. I'm hoping this video will compel them to once and for all, understand plagiarism, learn how to avoid it, and strive to apply the correct methods of citation in all work they produce.

I chose this platform as the solution to my Wicked Problem because it solves the three aspects of my Wicked Problem of plagiarism.  Firstly, the PlagiarismBeGone website educates students on the topic of plagiarism and why we need to avoid it.  Secondly, it provides all the relevant information outside of my course curriculum, and thirdly, curates all this relevant information so that students don't engage in their own wayward searches on the topic.

The research I conducted on the method of teaching students about plagiarism provided some insightful material that helped me approach my Wicked Problem Project in a pedagogically strong manner.  One source in particular struck a chord in me as it made such a solid connection between learner and teacher.  This article was written by Jonathan Bailey titled "How to Teach 'Generation Plagiarism' About Plagiarism", in a publication called "Plagiarism Today".  Mr. Bailey articulated that the best methods for instilling the importance of avoiding plagiarism stems from two core principles.  First, it is necessary to  remove the fear of committing plagiarism, so that students feel more comfortable in submitting work in the first place.  Secondly, it is imperative to explain why the rules of proper citation are in place.  All other articles I read provided some version of these ideas and this article summed it up very precisely.  So, that is how I approached this project.  My goal is to empower students to take matters into their own hands so they don't have to fear the dreaded plagiarism through the understanding of why we use all these rules of proper citation.

I drafted a plan. It is to require students to visit my PlagiarismBeGone website during the first week of courses and to make them responsible for the material through a written assignment. Students will need to write a short paper on some aspect of copyright law and actually use proper citation methods throughout the paper. I will also encourage them to use sources other than print, such as video and audio clips, screenshots, and the like, so they get practice citing all types of sources.

The website itself is made on Weebly, which allows the user intuitive functions and navigability. There are several pages and tabs titled: Plagiarism Defined; Terminology; Avoiding Plagiarism; Try It!, which is a page connecting the user to tutorials and videos; Citation Methods; Consequences of Plagiarism; a blog regarding the consequences of plagiarism; and a contact me page. These pages are the ones that I have implemented thus far based on the ideas from research regarding removing fear in students and instructing them on why avoiding plagiarism is necessary. These pages provide students with a simplified explanation of the concepts that make sense to one that has not been exposed to the topics of copyright and plagiarism in a formal manner. When I complete CEP 812, I plan on adding many more pages in order to provide even more in-depth information to students. I plan on including a printable checklist for students that they can use for their assignments that will help them identify if they have included all the necessary components of proper citation in order to avoid plagiarism. I will include a Creative Commons page as well, so that students themselves can engage in sharing their material with others, and vise versa. An example page will also be incorporated into the site in which students can view actual examples of proper and improper citation and try to properly cite themselves. And, I would like to include a page on public domain in an attempt to get students to understand what this concept means and how to know whether a source, phrase, fact, etc. is actually part of the public domain, or not, and what how to properly include this type of information in their own work.

Thus far, I feel that this project has been successful. I have had many students ask me follow-up questions regarding the information on the website, have accumulated some good feedback from them on a survey I sent them regarding the quality and usefulness of the PlagiarismBeGone website. If they are asking questions, they have read the material on the site and if they are telling me in the survey that the site has improved their general knowledge of plagiarism, then I feel this project is a success at this point. Also, at the time of writing this post, I have graded about half of the Mid-Term papers submitted from this group of students and have encountered zero incidents of plagiarism. That, in and of itself, was worth the effort in creating the website. Students have indicated that they will use the website throughout this semester to help guide them in preparing assignments, will use it in future semesters for the same reason, and would recommend the site to friends. Even if I can't reach every student, I feel successful in reaching many of them at this point. Next semester, I will know I am successful once I receive the first week assignments in which students write about copyright while having properly cited each and every source used in that copyright paper. Ahhhhh, how sweet success will be...still have my fingers crossed.

TPACK:

Technology/Pedagogy:
The PlagiarismBeGone Weebly site is available at all hours of day, which is more than can be said for the instructor. Students will have access to the information any time that it is needed, which will aid students in applying proper citation methods because they won't have to wait for an instructor's guidance. The Weebly site is intuitive in functionality and navigability, so students will easily be able to access information needed. Also, the information, on the Weebly site, is compartmentalized and presented as a formal, academic unit. The information can be used all semester, as well as in future semesters, after our course is completed. The website reduces the fear of plagiarism because plagiarism is defined in simple terms as opposed to being shrouded in mystery. Also, it also informs students why rules of citation need to be followed as a method for adhering to copyright laws.

Technology/Content:
The information on the PlagiarismBeGone website will serve students of multiple levels. Some students need just a bit of specific information regarding plagiarism or citation, while others need a more comprehensive education on the topic overall. The website meets the student where the student needs to be met. The information is available at the time it is needed and provides an in-depth coverage of the topic that couldn't be provided by an instructor in one meeting, email message or web conference. The Weebly provides a service to the student that is reliable and comprehensive.

Pedagogy/Content:
The goal is to erase the fear of plagiarism because the fear causes confusion, which compels students to plagiarize even more. Copyright, citation methods, and discussions ranging from the roots of the topic to the application will help reduce the fear because the students will understand why instructors require them to use proper citation methods. When students understand the root of the issue, which is ownership of words, then, they are more likely to conceptualize the need for proper citation methods. This seems to be a missing link between students and the avoidance of plagiarism. Also, students can depend on the material in the website because it is pertinent to their success in assignments, is available at the time they are composing assignments and is curated to ensure accuracy and dependability. Additionally, it provides them the opportunity to contact me to discuss any issues.

Implementation:
What surprised me the most in the implementation process of the PlagiarismBeGone website was the urgency of the need for a site. Plagiarism is rampant, as many of us know, but this is the worst plagiaristic semester I have ever encountered. Within the first two weeks of the semester, 1/4 of my students engaged in plagiarism on some level.

The bumps I encountered while implementing the site were related to the Weebly technology itself, especially the free version. I had envisioned the site to be filled with certain elements that Weebly didn't allow. I purchased a Weebly subscription so that I would have the ability to add such elements as audio clips. Even so, I would like it better if I could design the site more precisely, instead of just using the stacking method. I'd like to add elements on the entire screen, not being restricted to placing widgets and such on top of each other.

The delights of this implementation is that the ideas just kept flowing. Students sent me suggestions via the survey I sent them, and the list of new elements I want to add, just keeps growing. Students indicated that they would like more examples of inappropriate and appropriate citations, more exciting graphics, a discussion on what constitutes public domain, and the like. It is great that I can keep adding to the site to enhance its value for students. I made a more detailed podcast regarding the implementation, if you would like to have a listen.

Findings and Implications:
Although the PlagiarismBeGone website wasn't implemented as planned, as much of the information I intended on including, I couldn't execute prior to to the deadline of this assignment, I'm glad I had to publish what I did have ready. This provided information to students that urgently needed that information. Now I can add additional information over time without worrying that students are "stranded" without a reliable source of information regarding plagiarism.

I have seen evidence of success already. One such piece of evidence come in the form of remarks from students themselves. One student said, "I think she pretty much nailed everything there was to get about plagiarism. Everything from quoting to paraphrasing was mentioned including potential consequences of plagiarism that were initially considered harmless." This is a really good quote! My students are so eloquent...LOL! There is more. Another student said of the site, "I think that it pretty much covered plagiarism. Job well done Tracy!" How do I get such great students?

Additionally, I have seen an improvement in citation methods and Work Cited pages of students, have had many students email questions regarding their techniques indicating that they want to make sure they understand the rules and I have had much less plagiarism since the implementation of PlagiarismBeGone.

I wouldn't have changed anything about the implementation of the project as I learned from all the bumps in the road.  I have changed my initial plan regarding how I will use this website.  Initially, I thought I would use it on an "as needed" basis referring students to it when they plagiarized, or had questions regarding citation methods.  Now, I am going to require students to work through this website as part of the first week curriculum.  They will be responsible for the material through a required assignment.  My view of the urgency of this Wicked Problem of plagiarism has changed throughout the course of working on this project, and I don't think it is fair to students to let them continue on in courses without this information.  It is imperative they receive it.

I think we should approach all our Wicked Problems as projects.  We can self impose deadlines, rubrics, and requirements in order to give structure to the project and get it implemented so that solutions can be found.  Instead of always working around our problems, I think we should attempt to tackle them in a way that provides good pedagogy to our students.  Many of our Wicked Problems can be solved by finding the sweet spot within Technology, Pedagogy and Content.

Sources:

Bailey, Jonathan, "Three Kinds of Plagiarism:  Part 1", Plagiarism Today, N.p. 6, Sept. 2005.  Web. Oct. 12, 2012
Bailey, Jonathan, "Three Kinds of Plagiarism:  Part 2", Plagiarism Today, N.p. 4, Oct. 2005.  Web. Oct. 12, 2012
Bailey, Jonathan, "Three Kinds of Plagiarism:  Part 3", Plagiarism Today, N.p. 27, Oct. 2005.  Web. Oct. 12, 2012
Bailey, Jonathan, "How to Teach 'Generation Plagiarism' About Plagiarism."  Plagiarism Today, N.p. 24, Apr. 2010. Web. Oct. 12, 2012
Communication Across Curriculum/Plagiarism and Avoiding It, Illinois Institute of Technology, 2012. Web. Oct. 2, 2012
Hall, Jonathan, "Plagiarism Across the Curriculum:  How Academic Communities Can Meet the Challenge of the Understood Writer", Across the Disciplines(Vol 2/Feb. 5, 2005). Web. Oct. 7, 2012
McCabe, Donald L. and Trevino, Linda Klebe, "What we know about Cheating in College", ProQuest Education Journals(Jan/Feb 1996). Web. Oct. 7, 2012 
"Put an End to Plagiarism in your Classroom." Education World, N.p., n.d. Web. Oct. 7, 2012
Paul Robeson Library/What is Plagiarism?, Rutgers University Libraries, 2012.  Web. Oct. 2, 2012
"Real World Examples", The Library, UC San Diego, 2010, Web. Oct. 12, 2012
Vaughan Memorial Library/Writing a Paper & Citing Sources, Acadia University, 2011. Web. Oct. 2,  2012
Vaughan Memorial Library/"You Quote It! You Note It!", Acadia University, 2004. Web. Oct. 2, 2012

Group Leadership Project - Final

My hard-working group is number 4.  The members include Ariel, Suzanne, Charlene and myself.  We used Camtasia, Screenomatic, and iMovie to record and edit our tutorials and then placed them on YouTube for easy viewing.  The first introductory tutorial was captured using Screenomatic, then produced and edited in iMovie, while the tutorials regarding creating an account in Google and beginning a Google Hangout were captured and edited using Camtasia.  All the tutorials were then uploaded to YouTube for easy viewing by our group, our instructor, our class, and now the planet.  The first tutorial was created in iMovie as that is the technology available to Suzanne that she desired to learn more about.  It is excited how easy it was to upload to YouTube, so that was a good learning experience.  The second and third tutorials were made using Camtasia.  We initially wanted to use Jing because, as a group, we wanted to develop a good command over a free technology.  But, the final tutorial, which is really the most crucial information, exceeded the time limit, of five minutes, that is allowed with Jing.  Initially, when we were planning our tutorial, we realized we would be limited in time using Jing, which is why we decided to break our tutorial into three parts.  Actually, I think this "limitation" benefited us, even though in the end we didn't use Jing.  As a group, we believe that the tutorials better serve our users by being separated.  This way the users can decide which tutorials are important to them and watch just those units without having to sit through an entire tutorial to get to a specific part that interests them.  Also, it is easier to watch a smaller tutorial again, if needed later, as a refresher.  Please feel free to check out our tutorials.  You can watch an Introductory tutorial, covering the overall usefulness of Google +.  You can also view one illustrating how to set up a Google + account.  These first two short tutorials are available to help those who need this information before going forth to the third tutorial, which demonstrates how to begin a Google + Hangout, record the Hangount and then upload it onto YouTube.

I learned a good deal through this group project.  Firstly, I reinforced my love of Google Hangout.  Not only did we cover this technology in our tutorials, but we used it to communicate with each other, so I guess you can say we 'practice what we preach'.  I have developed a greater command of its functions and am much more comfortable using it than I was before I began this project.  Even though I didn't work on the actual production of the tutorials, as I was part of the storyboarding and scripting team, I did learn about Jing.  I have never used it before, but have now worked with it since we have started the project.  I like seeing the little Jing "sun" peeking out at me from the corner of my computer screen.  I also learned a good deal about group work.  We didn't hesitate to begin our project, and I am really glad about that.  Even though we are all hard workers and contributed equally to the project, we still needed all the time.  Part of that is due to our distance from each other and schedules.  Some of us can work on MSU projects during the day and some can only work at night...some really late at night.  Had we procrastinated, I may have experienced some anxiety relating to meeting the deadlines.  So, even though we didn't have to frantically work to meet our deadlines, I still learned that projects like these should never be put on the back burner.   At the time of writing this blog posting, one member of our group has no power and may not for a while because Hurricane Sandy blew it out.  Because that group member contributed in a timely manner, none of us worried about her work.  We told her to just worry about herself and keep safe.  She is safe.  What a relief.  So, in summary, I learned how to confidently use Google Hangout, Jing and how to keep procrastination tendencies at bey.

I did, reluctantly, learn something else from this group experience.  I hate to say it, but I learned the benefit of storyboarding.  This was a painstaking process in this project, and I'm not sure I would use storyboarding for a tutorial of this nature and duration in the future.  I would definitely use an outline, and probably one that was pretty detailed, but not a storyboard, necessarily.  If I needed to create a tutorial that was more complex and was of a longer period of time, then I can see how storyboarding would be valuable.  Having said that, I couldn't even fathom starting my final WPP without storyboarding because that project is comprised of many elements that I had difficulty visualizing at first.  So, the group storyboarding assignment really helped me get working on my final WPP assignment.  It was a way that I could conceptualize such a big project and also work on each piece individually.  I will keep using storyboarding when I need it in the future.

What would I do differently if I had to produce a similar product in the future?  I think I would set some deadlines for each specific task on the "to do" list.  After the vision of the project was established, the plan constructed and the work load was divided amongst the members, I would set some "due dates" for the particular tasks.  I think this would have helped me in planning my own schedule, for the most part.  Also, I would know just when the current phase was ending and the next one beginning.  We did give ourselves some soft deadlines, but no hard dates.  Even if the dates had to be adjusted for schedules or because we just couldn't get the work done by that particular date, I think this would have helped, me, at least, execute the project with more efficiency.  But, other than that, I think all the struggles we had were part of our own learning experience and I don't think removing the struggles would have made the final product any better.  The goal here is to learn as much as possible in this short eight weeks of class and I certainly accomplished that while working on this Group Leadership Project.

Group 4 rocks!  :)

Professional Learning Plan

This exercise of visualizing my Professional Learning Plan has been beneficial to me.  I think the process of working through some of the suggested questions in the Portfolio rubric and also reflecting back on my Personal Growth Plan from CEP 810, was a thoughtful endeavor that I'm not sure I would have carried out without direction to do so.  I'm glad I had the opportunity to indulge in this process because it forced me to acknowledge the progress I have made, which is so much more than I could have ever imagined prior to enrolling in the CEP program.  And, I have purposely mapped out a plan for myself to continue learning, that I'm sure I will follow because it is an actual plan, not just an intention.

The transcript of my presentation is below.  I have created a my Professional Learning Plan in a Prezi presentation using a technology that I have never used before.  Thanks to my group mate, Suzanne, I was inspired to use Screencast-o-matic to record the narration and capture my Personal Learning Plan Prezi presentation.  It was great fun using a technology I haven't used before with one that I have.

What makes sense to me, as I consider my Professional Learning Plan, is to create a visual representation so that I can lay out all the aspects of my professional and personal learning goals.  A visual representation illustrates for me the various branches that stem from the knowledge I’ve gained since enrolling in the CEP program at MSU.  I tend to think in metaphors, and trees are wonderful metaphors of learning.  We start of with just a seed of knowledge.  We get water from the guidance we are given by others who have gone before us.  We get nutrients from the ground, which is the knowledge we choose to absorb from the world.  If we get the right amounts of water and nutrients, we become a tree of knowledge whose branches grow thick and spread, as our knowledge grows thick and spreads.  Finally, our leaves bloom so that our knowledge can be witnessed and bestowed upon others.

As we learned in the last weeks of CEP 812, it is just as important to reflect on personal learning as it is to develop professional skills.  As I begin this process, I consider three categories of previous professional learning.  One iss my work at Henry Ford Community College in creating four online classes.  Another element is conferences that I have attended, one of which was the recent EduTech Conference at MSU.  

Finally, I reflect on my courses in the MSU CEP program.  I revisited my Personal Growth Plan, which was one of the first assignments I completed all the way back in CEP 810.  What I’ve discovered through this revisitation is “I’ve come a long way, baby!”  

I stated in that Plan that I’d wanted to expand my general knowledge of technologies so that I could instruct students on selecting technologies that would develop their 21st century skills.  I feel I have certainly accomplished that!  In my Personal Growth Plan, I also stated that I wanted to be fluent in RSS feeds and blogs, which really makes me laugh given my extensive use of blogs in all three CEP courses.  I never would have fathomed I would be so comfortable with blogging before I started this program.  And, I indicated that I would like to become more fluent in social networking.  I can check that off the list having used Twitter and Google + for all kinds of assignments in this program.

As I progress in reviewing my Personal Growth Plan, I notice I mentioned I envision being able to provide students with a seamless educational experience wherein their learning in the classroom can be meshed with their learning in life.  This is an ongoing project that I must address as I continue to sprout new branches and continue to grow into a tree of knowledge.

I visualize growing and blooming leaves in several areas.  

Firstly, I’d like to enhance my Social Networking with students.  I’d like to use Twitter and other social networking tools to allow students to connect with each other, me, or our course material outside of class time.  My thought is that I’d like them to have a forum in where they can “deposit” information as a way to bring others into their learning moments outside of class.  My first experiments will be with Twitter and then maybe Facebook.  I plan on starting a Twitter feed for my three online sections next semester that will serve as a place where students can tweet about conversations or experiences they have, people they meet, places they visit, symbols they notice, and the like, that is related to our course material, which is world religions.  I feel like these learning moments are probably more significant than the ones that happen in class.  We now have the technology for networking at any place and time, so I’d like to seize those learning moments.  I’d like students to share those learning moments with our whole class.  I think this will enhance overall learning, make the learning process more enjoyable as well as reinforce 21st century skills.

There is another area that I wish to grow.  I want to increase my Personal Learning Network and spend real, quality time engaging in learning communities in order to keep up with emerging educational technology.  I want to build Personal Learning time into my days as part of my work schedule.  This is such valuable time well spent that will only make all the other hours of work so much more productive.  I want to have a Personal Learning hour each day so that I can continue to grow, giving me the knowledge to lead my students in their growth.  I’m thinking this will be my “coffee hour” in the morning.  I can read through my RSS Reader feeds to get just the information I’d like to absorb to strengthen my knowledge overall.  

I will also begin using what I have learned in the CEP courses in order to grow in practice, not just theory.  Next semester, I will not be taking any classes at MSU, which will free me up to integrate a whole, very large, list of educational technologies that I have learned about through the CEP courses, into the courses that I teach, which will all be online.  I’m going to require students to work through my WPP, which is a website on plagiarism.  I’m actually going to require this of all 90 students during the first week of our semester.  I will then assign them a writing assignment, in which they will be required to discuss copyright law, while employing proper citation methods.  Plagiarism is a wicked problem right now, so I feel this will be very beneficial to students and to me.  I’m also going to use the technology I learned through our Group Leadership Project, which is Google Hangout and hold weekly Hangouts with students on particular topics, record them and post them on YouTube.  I hoping this will broaden their understanding of our topics as well as identify specific problems students may be having as they read through the class material.  And, I’m going to create some really good instructor introduction pieces for each new unit using technologies like Voki, GoAnimate, and even Mindomo concept mapping, which will map out our tasks for the week.  I’m going to use all these technologies to teach students and I’m also going to create some assignments in which students have the opportunity to express what they have learned using these technologies as well.

Another way I can grow is to keep learning more.  I plan on applying to the MSU MAET program, which I will do as soon as I am finished with CEP 812.  I loved every minute of the Certificate Program and I want more.  I’m hoping that I am accepted into the program so that I can discover what else I don’t know and learn that.  

I plan on attending more conferences, possibly the MACUL conference this year, continue to develop my PLN, and be sure to build in Professional Learning Time each and every day.

21st century skills are not a focus in many of our schools in the United States, and I’d like to help change that.  Maybe I can make small changes in the lives of some students now, that will help them to make bigger and better changes in our world in the future.

The future is bright, I can grow, and the possibilities are endless.

Mobile Learning Devices Lab

I enjoyed checking out the unbelievable amount of resources in this lab.  Holy cow!  That's a lot of apps.  I am interesting in iPads in the classroom, not just in my own college classroom, but in my son's fourth grade classroom.  I, of course, am not his teacher, but so many of those apps would really enhance their learning.  Also, I would like to see his classroom use flip cameras.  I find that those nine year olds really have a good eye for how the world should be presented.  My son, like most nine year olds, I'm sure, really has a knack for making movies from the creation process all the way through the editing process.  I'd like to see more work in his classroom revolving around the use of cameras.  I think they could really illustrate learning that way.

Another aspect of the lab I really liked was the Classroom 2.0 site.  I think I could get some really good ideas there and plan to follow the groups and posts on that site.  I posted a comment on the board of the  Classroom 2.0 site.

Additionally, I created a Poll Everywhere poll.  I had never used this tool before, but I think that I will certainly do so when I get back in the classroom.  Right now all my classes are online, so I don't have the opportunity to engage with students face to face.  I think that I can use this tool often in the real classroom.  We have conversations in every class where we touch on sensitive topics and I think this tool will certainly help to get the class warmed up and engaged in discussing the types of topics that society often tells people not to talk about in public.  One of the two biggies, namely religion, is what we talk about in my classes everyday.  Since I don't have a class right now, I created a poll that I could give to my son, who is nine, and some of his "colleagues".  His school does not use much technology in the classroom, much to my chagrin.  If I could just get through to the administration and teachers that our children are falling behind by not using technology in their classrooms, I would be a much happier parent.

In previous years, I have used technology in the classroom, with little support from the Dean of my department, as well as other instructors.  However, I wasn't deterred.  I had students create digital stories as a Final Exam project as an alternative to a traditional research paper.  In this project, students utilized their own flip cameras, or their own cell phone cameras to capture original video and incorporate that into their stories.  Additionally, they had to use some type of movie making software, like "iMovie" to produce the film.  These stories also had to be narrated, so they also used tools, such as Audacity to narrate over their moving and still pictures.  

I have also encouraged the use of cell phones and other devices in class, especially in group work.  On days before a big unit test, I would hold "study sessions" where students would be grouped together to work on writing essay type responses to questions that could appear on the test.  In these groups, they were researching the questions and then relating the information to the rest of the class.  The groups were encouraged to use their mobile devices as a source for research.  Then they had to record their findings in the LMS via those mobile devices so that all the groups could use all the research to help in studying for the test.  The class really loved this activity. 

Additionally, at any given point during class, I would ask students to google something, like a picture or a particular type of website that could then be shared with the rest of the class.  I would either plug their device into the big screen projector, or just have the student relate what was found for the class.  I found that the students liked engaging in research right then and there to answer a question or provide an image that would help the class understand a concept.  Sometimes they would ask if they could do this for the benefit of the group.  I would come prepared with such things for class, but hope that they asked questions beyond the material I provided.  Students tend to ask really crazy questions about religion...they want to know the really weird stuff.

Even though I am not in a real classroom now, I want to start a Twitter feed in my online classes that will serve as a reactionary platform to add a different dimension to our class.  I feel that there are many more learning opportunities out in the world that teachers aren't tapping into.  How often I have heard students say that they wished I was with them at some point outside of class because this really interesting "thing" happened at some point relating to our course material.  This really bugs me because they are experiencing something that causes them to think of the class and the class material.  Why can't we tap into those moments?  I think those are the real learning/teaching moments.  Those are the moments when students are teaching themselves at that point because they are applying the knowledge learned in class.  I want to have a Twitter feed going in which my students and I can tweet about "things" that happen related to class.  It might be a thought, a conversation had with a friend, a picture they take of a religious symbol, a website they stumble across, a place they visit.  These are moments in which one can react to something relating to world religions.  I hoping that this will provide a way for all of us to be enriched by someone else's learning moments.  

The challenges I see are really related to getting this Twitter feed up and running.  It isn't hard to start a Twitter feed, bit being that my classes are online, I will need to incorporate all this information into the LMS, which I really don't care for, but that is perhaps a whole other blog post...LOL!  And, I will have to send out email messages giving information on the project as well.  Another challenge is the grading of such an activity, which may be a logistical issue since the Twitter feed lies outside the LMS.  And, being that the Twitter feed won't be linked within the LMS itself, I feel like this makes the class a bit disjointed.  The Twitter assignment doesn't have to be perfect the first time around and I have to be willing to experiment to see how it goes.  I will work around these challenges because the idea of capturing learning as it is taking place out there in the world is really exciting, and inspirational, to me.

Part D - Findings and Implications of WPP

Unfortunately, my WPP did not get implemented as planned.  I wanted to have the entire PlagiarismBeGone website complete this semester for students to use immediately.  I finished a good deal of it, but still have many pages, tabs and ideas to integrate.  As the deadline for this assignment was nearing closer, I decided to get the most basic information out there for students to use.  Even though this wasn't my plan and I only did it to meet the requirement for my CEP 812 course, it really ended up being the absolute best plan for my project overall.  Firstly, I got some good information out there about two weeks prior to a Mid-Term research paper deadline for a section of students.  This particular section needs the information more than any other section I have ever had in history.  So, I'm glad I got some information to them in time for them to use for their papers.  And, I don't think I can tolerate that much more plagiarism, so this is really good for my sanity, as much as it is for their grades and general understanding.  Additionally, getting part of the project implemented means I won't just keep waiting and waiting until it is "complete" because when is that?  I plan to keep adding material over time, so there really is no end date.  This keeps me on task.  Also, I have already received some really good feedback from students regarding the functionality, appearance and usefulness of the site, which I wouldn't have received had I waited to go public with the site.  That feedback will guide me as I go forward in developing the website.  Sometimes, unplanned circumstances end up being better than the planned ones...this is the case here.

I do already feel that the PlagiarismBeGone website has been successful on some levels.  I have seen noticeable improvements on assignments as it relates to plagiarism and proper citation since encouraging my students to visit the site.  Not all work has been perfect, but I can see that they are attempting to work in more quotation marks, proper citation and...yes...I can hardly believe I am writing this...Bibliographies.  Yes!  Seriously, I have seen improvement in just a couple of weeks.  I'm very, very happy with this.  The real test will be the Mid-Term papers...fingers crossed!  Also, I sent out a survey to my students asking questions about the usefulness, functionality and additional materials they would like to see on the site.  Most students indicated that the information was useful, that it is was easy to access and easy to understand.  Almost all of them indicated that the site had improved their understanding of plagiarism in general as well as methods of citation.  Even if I only reach half of them, I'll feel successful.  Most students indicated they will use the information contained in the website this semester and also in future semesters and would recommend the site to a friend. :)  They have also given specific feedback as to what other information could be utilized by them.  {***********One comment in particular stated that the site "needs more resources", which I do plan on adding, while another mentioned that more "Examples of plagiarism" would be beneficial.********}  Again, I hardly believe I am typing this, but I actually think they are glad they have the source and hope that it can serve them beyond just this class.  Wow!  If that isn't success for a teacher, I don't know what is. {********** One student said, "I think she pretty much nailed everything there was to get about plagiarism. Everything from quoting to paraphrasing was mentioned including potential consequences of plagiarism that were initially considered harmless."  This is a really good quote!  My students are so eloquent...LOL!  There is more.  Another student said, "I think that it pretty much covered plagiarism. Job well done Tracy!"  How do I get such great students?  ***************}

I'm not sure I would change anything about the manner in which I implemented the PlagiarismBeGone website, at this point, anyway.  I have learned so much from the bumps in the road that I am glad I encountered them.  What I will change, however, is that I will require this content to be covered beginning next semester.  Although this is not my subject area, I am now finding that this is such an important topic, that I will integrate this into the curriculum of each and every class that I run from now on.  For my online classes, next semester, I am going to develop a packet that will cover plagiarism, copyright law and citation methods the first week of class.  Students will be responsible for the material in some form of an assessment at the end of the week and, I will expect very good citation methods to be employed on each and every assignment in the course.  Even though plagiarism has little to do with my curriculum of World Religions, I don't feel that I am doing my job as an instructor, if I don't at least expose students to that which can be their ultimate downfall, which of course, is plagiarism.  At this point, I think it is important enough to re-work my courses to allow for some good lessons on proper citation methods and how to avoid plagiarism.

The lesson that another person may benefit from knowing about my experience with this Wicked Problem is that maybe we should make all our Wicked Problems into Projects.  I have been bothered by plagiarism for so long, frustrated with the lack of knowledge of students on the topic, and concerned that I am not doing enough to help the situation.  So, when this WPP was presented to me, I took the most wicked of my problems and began to tackle it.  The final product has not come to fruition yet, but I have already witnessed some benefits.  Students are getting the message, attempting to apply the information they are learning and telling me what else they would like to know about this topic.  Taking on my Wicked Problem has really made it less wicked.  I feel better about the where my students are getting good information and know that I can send them to a place that will provide a solution to this problem for them and for me.  My advice would be to think of every Wicked Problem as a project and work toward a solution...even if it isn't perfect at first.  The amount of work put in to developing a good WPP, will certainly outweigh the amount of work put out previous to the WPP being implemented.

I will definitely endeavor to repeat this process again.  Firstly, as stated above, the PlagiarismBeGone Weebly is going to be a part of each and every class I hold from here on out.  I will continue to develop this site and require that students are responsible for this information in my courses.  In another way, I plan to take on more of my Wicked Problems in a similar fashion.  I may not create websites, but I will strive to use the technology tools that are at my disposal to provide students with knowledge that is presented in a clear, practical platform that will serve as a positive learning experience that they will benefit from in my class, future classes, and in their professional environments.  How I carry out such a project may change, depending on the need, but what won't change, is my determination to not let Wicked Problems get the best of me and my students.

I Wordled my Blog!

WPP Part C - Implementation

I have a Wicked Problem.  My Wicked Problem is plagiarism.  To combat it, I created a Weebly website.  I did this so that I could send my students to one website that contained all the information needed to understand what constitutes plagiarism, why we practice certain citation methods, how to avoid plagiarism, as well as other information relevant to this topic.

As you will discover in more detail in my podcast, the surprise I encountered while implementing my Wicked Problem Project was the urgency of a solution to my wicked plagiarism problem.  Once I started this project, I knew I could not stop because I currently find myself in the single worst semester for plagiarism I have ever experienced as an instructor.  I'm finding plagiarized assignments about three times per week.  Plagiarism is rampant and I am very exhausted from dealing with it.  Two days after I implemented the plagiarism website and asked students to check it out, a student plagiarized.  I'm not sure why this surprised me...I guess it is because I am trying to get students to grow academically.  It was, however, very nice to be able to send that student that plagiarized to the website knowing that he would have all the tools he needed to carry on without indulging in plagiarism on another assignment.  

As is the case with any project of wicked proportions, this one involved getting over some unexpected bumps.  One of said bumps was the limitations of Weebly itself.  Prior to beginning the project, I had envisioned a website incorporating a good deal of bells and whistles.  Unfortunately, the free version doesn't grant the user the ability to use all the bells and whistles.  For instance, the free version of Weebly doesn't offer audio uploads.  So, I bought a Weebly subscription.  It cost $40.00 for a year.  Now I can add audio, if I'd like, but there are still some creative limitations in Weebly, such as the stacking of information.  Widgets and the like can only be stacked on top of each other, not side by side, or in other places on the screen.  If I find that the Weebly site is very helpful to students, I may considering taking the content from the Weebly to begin a website from scratch that is hosted on "Go Daddy!" or something.  This way I can customize it to be exactly how it will best serve students.  I haven't had any student comments regarding the functionality of the site itself, but I would like to make some improvements in this area.

What delighted me most was that the ideas just kept coming, even after I implemented the site.  As I worked, I thought of more useful pages and information to incorporate into the plagiarism website.  Also, students asked me some questions after I had given them access to the site, which indicated some additional areas that needed to be incorporated into the site.  So many new ideas were flooding my brain, I didn't have enough time to build them all into the site...yet.  But now, I have many elements that I can work to include in the site over time.

My Weebly site is called PlagiarismBeGone and you can check it out, if you would like.  At this point in time, it includes pages on the definition of plagiarism, terminology, how to avoid plagiarism, interactive tutorials, citation methods, the consequences of plagiarism, a blog, and my contact information.  I have tried to use very straight forward and easy to understand language that will enable students to come to a full understanding of the topic of plagiarism, why we practice proper citation methods, and how to avoid plagiarism.  I'm hoping the students find the curated material less confusing than conducting their own wayward search and that students of many levels can utilize the information contained within.

Maybe if I just keep hoping and working with students, one day plagiarism will be gone...yes, that's a bit unrealistic, but an instructor can always dream, can't she?