Using Turnitin with large classes to support student writing

1. Using Turnitin with large classes to support student writing Dr Sharon Flynn 4th International Plagiarism Conference June 2010 Email : sharon.flynn@nuigalway.ie Twitter: @sharonlflynn Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

2. Overview Context Turnitin @ NUI Galway 3 Case Studies: what we did 3 Case Studies: what we found Conclusions Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

3. Context Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

4. Context: National University of Ireland, Galway One of seven universities in (the Republic of) Ireland Founded in 1845 Restructuring: 7 Faculties -> 5 Colleges Approx 17,000 students Undergraduate, Postgraduate, on-campus, blended and distance New Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategy Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

5. Turnitin @ NUI Galway Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

6. 4 years of Turnitin @ NUI Galway • Introduced as a pilot in 2006 • Advisors • Individual staff members • Faculty of Commerce project (2007) • More than 600 student essays submitted • Integration with VLE (Blackboard) in 2008 Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

7. 3 Case Studies Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

8. 3 Case Studies: What we did Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

9. A: Psychology 600+ students Existing assessment practice • Concerns: • Suspicions of collusion • Problems with citation and referencing • Consistent approach? Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

10. A: Psychology 600+ students Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching Workshop 1: Student plagiarism, information literacy and expectations of student work. Using Turnitin, interpreting reports Workshop 2: Technical support, Blackboard

11. A: Psychology 600+ students New assessment practice and access to originality reports Submission: electronic + single hardcopy Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

12. B: History120 students Existing assessment practice • Concerns: • Problems with citation and referencing • Perceived levels of plagiarism Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

13. B: History120 students Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching Previous departmental workshop: Student plagiarism, information literacy and expectations of student work. Workshop: Using Turnitin, interpreting reports

14. B: History120 students New assessment practice and access to originality reports Submission: electronic + two hardcopy versions Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

15. C: English Literature550 students Existing assessment practice (per semester) • Concerns: • Problems with citation and referencing • Wanted to encourage and recognise good writing • Move towards complete online submission Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

16. C: English Literature550 students New assessment practice and access to originality reports Submission: electronic only Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

17. Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

18. 3 Case Studies: What we found Plagiarism Detection & Deterrence Some minor cases of internet copying (all) Collusion (A,C) Opportunity for discussion (A,C) Major cases followed up (A,B) No evidence of deterrence Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

19. 3 Case Studies: What we found Supporting the Teaching Team Additional work for teachers, tutors, co-ordinators (A,B) Voted to use it again (A) Useful to identify referencing problems, support plagiarism detection, identify excellent work, raise issues (C) Gives visibility into the student group (C) Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

20. 3 Case Studies: What we found Supporting Student Writing No evidence in groups A,B Highlight the importance of originality (C) Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

21. 3 Case Studies: What we found Supporting Student Writing No evidence in groups A,B Highlight the importance of originality (C) “…to see more clearly the students that are shining!” Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

22. 3 Case Studies: What we found Supporting Student Writing No evidence in groups A,B Highlight the importance of originality (C) “…to see more clearly the students that are shining!” Makes the assessment “fairer for students” (C) Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

23. “…the students that are shining” Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

24. D: Political Science and Sociology (2009-2010)950 students Existing assessment practice New assessment practice and access to originality reports Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

25. Student feedback (comments or concerns) • It's good as it gives you your originality report • Was afraid of it at first but once I got the hang of it it's very convenient • Good resource for learning about citing • Sometimes inaccurate but useful • Explain what the percentage we get from Turnitin means • Shows up too much even things likely in this essay is in colour • I don’t think it is good. The %s seem to be inaccurate + it includes the bibliography as part of the % Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

26. Student feedback (helping learning) • It shows how good a student is getting on at referencing • Not to plagiarism [sic] + to reference everything • it teaches you not to plagiarise or copy other people's work • promotes originality / Showing your own ideas • more aware of the need for originality in assignments • it encourages you not to copy • do more reading instead of internet • I think Turnitin is useless at analysing whether we've copied or not Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

27. Conclusions Can be used to support academic staff in teaching and assessment. Can be used in a formative way to support student writing in very large groups. Can be used to raise awareness of issues of academic integrity in the classroom. There is an administrative overload. Role of the teaching team is vital. Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

28. Thanks to… Maureen Maloney Briege Glynn & Pschology staff and tutors Róisín Healy and Aileen Fyfe Ros Dixon, Patrick Longergan & English staff and tutors Anne Byrne & Soc&Pol staff and tutors (All references are in the paper) Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching