Turnitin/Plagiarism

Plagiarism is becoming a common problem for students because it is so easy to access information from the web and copy and paste it into a document.  Students need to be aware of plagiarizing, and its serious implications. Authors and creators deserve credit for their work. Any work that is not directly from one’s thoughts, and if there is any information that comes from another source, it needs to be cited, even if it is put into one’s own words. Turnitin.com is a software application that students and teachers can use to determine how much plagiarism is in a document. It searches the Internet to find any similarities to the document submitted, and generates a percentage to reflect how much of the paper is plagiarized, and it gives the links to the webpages where the similarities were found. Teachers can set the percentage for how high they want the maximum amount of plagiarism to be. This software can also assist teachers in helping students meet Common Core Standard CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.6 : Use technology to share and publish written documents. Students can begin learning how to use this software as soon as they have to start submitting documents that require research sources. It is very simple to use, and the software is readily available online. Using software like Turnitin helps students and teachers abide by ISTE Standard 4, by helping students understand and be aware of legally producing digital work.

ISTE Standars for Teachers

 ISTE Standards

 Teachers

International Society for Technology in Education

Effective teachers model and apply the ISTE Standards for Students (Standards•S) as they design, implement, and assess learning experiences to engage students and improve learning; enrich professional practice; and provide positive models for students, colleagues, and the community. All teachers should meet the following standards and performance indicators:


1. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity

Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.

A.         Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness 

B.          Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources 

C.          Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes 

D.         Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments

I think it is important for teachers to develop interesting ways for students to learn, and the use of technology can certainly be used to enhance student learning and develop creativity.

2. Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments

Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the Standards•S.

A.         Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity

B.          Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress

C.          Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources

D.         Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards, and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching

These standards are set in place to help teachers enhance the learning experiences for students through the use of technology. Technology is integrated into most people's daily lives, and it is necessary for students to be comfortable and familiar with it. 

3. Model digital age work and learning

Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.

A.         Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations

B.          Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.

C.          Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats

D.         Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning

It is important for teachers to display proficiency with the use of technology in order to model for students how to use it properly. As teachers, one way to teach is to model how to do something. Teachers need to be able to show how to use technology for research, communication, collaboration, and innovation with ease.

4. Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility

Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.

A.         Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources

B.          Address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources

C.          Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information

D.         Develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital age communication and collaboration tools

It is necessary for teachers to not only teach and model how to use technology, but they also need to teach and display how to use technology properly through the use of legal and principled use.

5. Engage in professional growth and leadership

Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.

A.         Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning

B.          Exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others

C.          Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning

D.         Contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community

Teachers can use technology in the classrooms, and outside of the classrooms to further exhibit their proficiency in their use of digital applications. They can constantly growth and expand their skills to help improve their schools and their communities.

Source: ISTE Standards 

Concept Map Reflection

Concept mapping is a great way for a teacher to simplify and condense a lesson plan to help highlight key points of the material they are covering. A concept map could also be used as a diagram to display for students to help them see the main points the teacher is discussing. A concept map can be used as a visual display to teach from, or it could be taught to students as a way to help them brainstorm ideas. It acts as an outline to help students remember to focus on the key concepts of the ideas they are trying to express. The Kidspiration software used to create my concept map was fairly simple to use, and it was a great tool to help me quickly organize a lesson plan that I could teach to students. I feel as if it would be software that students in elementary classrooms could use to help them learn how to design a concept map. Using this software would help teachers meet the first two ISTE standards by helping integrate technology into their learning, and helping students learn to use technology to express their creativity in a digital format. It would encourage innovative thinking and employ students in discovering inventive growth. The only issue I had with Kidsperation software was trying to download it on my personal computer. It did not want to download at first, but I was finally able to get it to finish downloading.
   

I did this concept map based on the different habitats of Earth. This could be a lesson for students to show them how other parts of the world may be very different from ours. Some children may have never been exposed to different landscapes, and I think it would be a simple diagram to introduce them to the other habitats that exist.