Anonymity and Learning in Digitally Mediated Communications: Authenticity and Trust in Cyber Education Bobbe Baggio La Salle University, USA Yoany Beldarrain La Salle University, USA Senior Editorial Director: Kristin Klinger Director of Book Publications: Julia Mosemann Editorial Director: Lindsay Johnston Acquisitions Editor: Erika Carter Development Editor: Julia Mosemann Typesetters: Julia Mosemann & Milan Vracarich, Jr. Production Coordinator: Jamie Snavely Cover Design: Nick Newcomer Published in the United States of America by Information Science Reference (an imprint of IGI Global) 701 E. Chocolate Avenue Hershey PA 17033 Tel: 717-533-8845 Fax: 717-533-8661 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: http://www.igi-global.com/reference Copyright © 2011 by IGI Global. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro- duced, stored or distributed in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without written permission from the publisher. Product or company names used in this set are for identification purposes only. Inclusion of the names of the products or companies does not indicate a claim of ownership by IGI Global of the trademark or registered trademark. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Baggio, Bobbe. Anonymity and learning in digitally mediated communications : authenticity and trust in cyber education / by Bobbe Baggio and Yoany Beldarrain. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. Summary: “This book investigates the impact of anonymity and its effects on online identity and learning, and reveals issues of authenticity and trust, which are at the heart of online learning”--Provided by publisher. ISBN 978-1-60960-543-8 (hardcover) -- ISBN 978-1-60960-544-5 (ebook) 1. Education--Computer network resources. 2. Internet in education. 3. Online identities. 4. Internet--Safety measures. 5. Truthfulness and falsehood. I. Beldarrain, Yoany. II. Title. LB1044.87.B42 2011 371.33’44678--dc22 2010049831 British Cataloguing in Publication Data A Cataloguing in Publication record for this book is available from the British Library. All work contributed to this book is new, previously-unpublished material. The views expressed in this book are those of the authors, but not necessarily of the publisher. Table of Contents Foreword.............................................................................................................vii Preface..................................................................................................................ix Acknowledgment................................................................................................xx Section.1:. What.is.Anonymity.and.Why.Should.You.Be.Concerned? Chapter.1 The.Other.Side.of.Digitally.Mediated.Learning:.Anonymity.vs..Trust..........1 Objectives ..............................................................................................................1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................2 Background ...........................................................................................................2 A Different Perspective .........................................................................................6 Looking Ahead ....................................................................................................13 Conclusion ..........................................................................................................18 References ...........................................................................................................19 Chapter.2 A.Code.of.Ethical.Conduct.for.Global.Learning............................................22 Objectives ............................................................................................................22 Introduction .........................................................................................................23 Background .........................................................................................................23 Ethical Conduct in the Face of Inevitable Change .............................................27 Looking Ahead ....................................................................................................34 Conclusion ..........................................................................................................36 References ...........................................................................................................37 Chapter.3 Intellectual.Property.in.an.Age.of.Open.Source.and.Anonymity..................39 Objectives ............................................................................................................39 Introduction .........................................................................................................40 Background .........................................................................................................40 Changing Times and Far Reaching Impact ........................................................43 Changing Technologies, Changing Ideologies ...................................................46 Looking Ahead ....................................................................................................51 Conclusion ..........................................................................................................54 References ...........................................................................................................55 Chapter.4 E-Governance.on.a.Global.Campus.................................................................58 Objectives ............................................................................................................58 Introduction .........................................................................................................59 Background .........................................................................................................60 Going Global ......................................................................................................62 Looking Ahead ....................................................................................................69 Conclusion ..........................................................................................................76 References ...........................................................................................................78 Section.2:. What.is.Identity.and.How.Does.it.Impact.Learning? Chapter.5 How.Safe.is.Your.Identity?.Security.Threats,.Data.Mining.and. Digital.Fingerprints/Footprints........................................................................84 Objectives ............................................................................................................84 Introduction .........................................................................................................85 Background .........................................................................................................85 Security Threats ..................................................................................................87 Data Mining and Profiling ..................................................................................88 Digital Fingerprints and Footprints ...................................................................91 Looking Ahead ....................................................................................................97 Conclusion ........................................................................................................103 References .........................................................................................................104 Chapter.6 Emergence.of.a.New.Identity..........................................................................107 Objectives ..........................................................................................................107 Introduction .......................................................................................................108 Background .......................................................................................................108 Building the Virtual Community ........................................................................114 Looking Ahead ..................................................................................................123 Conclusion ........................................................................................................126 References .........................................................................................................127 Chapter.7 Academic.Integrity:.Ethics.and.Morality.in.the.21st.Century.....................131 Objectives ..........................................................................................................131 Introduction .......................................................................................................132 Background .......................................................................................................133 Challenges and Strategies for Quality Assurance ............................................138 Looking Ahead ..................................................................................................144 Conclusion ........................................................................................................149 References .........................................................................................................150 Chapter.8 The.Blending.of.Work,.Play.&.Learning.Online:.The.Pajama.Effect........155 Objectives ..........................................................................................................155 Introduction .......................................................................................................156 Background .......................................................................................................157 The Art of Getting Things Done ........................................................................162 Looking Ahead ..................................................................................................169 Conclusion ........................................................................................................175 References .........................................................................................................176 Section.3:. What.are.Some.Approaches.for.the.Future.of.Teaching.and.Learning.Using. Digitally.Mediated.Communications?. Chapter.9 What.was.Good.for.the.Goose.is.No.Longer.Good.for.the.Goslings...........181 Objectives ..........................................................................................................181 Introduction .......................................................................................................182 Background .......................................................................................................182 Creating a Learning-Centric Environment .......................................................188 Looking Ahead ..................................................................................................198 Conclusion ........................................................................................................204 References .........................................................................................................207 Chapter.10 Designing.for.Authenticity...............................................................................211 Objectives ...........................................................................................................211 Introduction .......................................................................................................212 Authenticity Issues in Online Learning Environments ......................................218 Looking Ahead ..................................................................................................226 Conclusion ........................................................................................................229 References .........................................................................................................230 Chapter.11 The.Use.of.Avatars.and.Virtual.Worlds.for.Learning..................................234 Objectives ..........................................................................................................234 Introduction .......................................................................................................235 Background .......................................................................................................236 Learning in Virtual Worlds................................................................................244 Looking Ahead ..................................................................................................253 Conclusion ........................................................................................................256 References .........................................................................................................257 Chapter.12 Groups,.Games.&.Community.......................................................................262 Objectives ..........................................................................................................262 Introduction .......................................................................................................263 Background .......................................................................................................264 Learning with Games ........................................................................................271 Looking Ahead ..................................................................................................278 Conclusion ........................................................................................................282 References .........................................................................................................283 About.the.Contributors...................................................................................287 Index..................................................................................................................289 vii Foreword The world of online or cyber education is approaching a cross-roads. In one direc- tion is the openness and flexibility of a networked, connected, and user-empowered ecology and in the other, an institutionally-based set of programs that harness the power of technology and control its use and distribution. In this book, co-authored by Bobbe Baggio and Yoany Beldarrain, three critical factors associated with this approaching threshold are addressed: anonymity, identity, and authenticity. In the first section, anonymity is approached from four different perspectives. The first chapter specifically focuses on the perennial question “who are we when we go online?” and addresses issues of collaboration, satisfaction, and learning as emergent outcomes from the level of trust of both the technology and people. The second factor considered is that of ethical behaviour in terms of our privacy, our integrity, and our right to free speech. Arguing for the responsibility of each and every stakeholder in ethical behaviour, the authors highlight the importance of un- derstanding the environment within which we interact. The third chapter continues the focus on ethics through an analysis of intellectual property, and whether the laws are good enough (or perhaps current enough) to deal with the interchange of information that arises through social networking, connectivity, and information access. Is it a case of more stringent controls on content ownership, or recognising the added-value that networked communities can add to existing content. The fourth chapter in this initial section examines e-governance and the effectiveness of gover- nance and management of online institutions in connected, networked environments. The second section examines identity, highlighting another four factors that impact on the way we teach and learning within digitally-mediated educational environments. The initial examination addresses the risks inherent with data-security and profiling, which appear to align with recent political moves to monitor as much personal data as possible. For the teacher and student, the question arises as to how much information is needed, how much should be stored, and who should have access. Is this informa- tion a threat to security, or a doorway to better understanding teaching and learning? Having focused on anonymity in Section 1, the second chapter addresses community and self – what personal and social attributes might positively influence the online communities that emerge from online encounters? Whether we can have both ano- viii nymity and community is a question that remains open to debate! The third chapter addresses a very contentious issue, academic integrity. Why do students supposedly cheat and plagiarise so much? Is it the responsibility of the educator to monitor and punish, or might the educational design look to strategies and assessment where cheat- ing becomes almost impossible. The identity section rounds out the second section, with the introduction of the pyjama effect, a valuable analysis of the blurring between work and play, and the options to study anytime, anywhere. Section 3 of the text examines the applications of digitally-mediated teaching and learning, and the directions needed if we are to fully realise the potential of the technol- ogy. Underlying each of the four chapters is the importance of a learner-centred ethos, where the design of educational environments and resources do not focus primarily on the content, but rather on the activities the student will need to do to make sense of that content. Not only does this approach shift the power-base form teacher to learner, but also the nature of courses – from information transmission to outcome-based. The first chapter addresses this paradigm shift through an analysis of the importance of ac- tive learning, which is extended in the second chapter by a detailed exposition of what makes learning authentic and the importance of creating learning environments where students are actively engaged with problems or issues situated within the context in which they are likely to apply their learning. The final two chapters address two emerging environments in which the potential of cyber education is likely to be realised – virtual worlds and games. Rather than classrooms where the students are asked to analyse a set piece of content, the alternative is to allow students to participate and engage in interactions with a range of peers and teachers to achieve their personal learning goals. When we reach the crossroads, we will have encountered each of the factors addressed in this diverse, yet focused text. What directional choices we make is yet to be seen. While taking account of anonymity, security, and identity, the value of cyber education is that the learning tasks can be structured to meet the individual and contextual needs of the learner, and through that, structuring the learners and teachers can engage in trustworthy, productive partnerships. Roderick Sims Capella University, USA December 2010 Rod Sims has worked in the technology and education field for over 30 years. During that period, he has seen significant change in the technology we use, and has written and presented about the design of learning environments to effectively integrate that technology. Rod has worked as both a consultant in educational technology as well as designing and implementing undergraduate and postgraduate programs at the University of Technology Sydney and Southern Cross University. Over the last six years, Rod has been working as an Adjunct Professor with the US-based Capella University, with responsibilities for online teaching, course development, and PhD supervision in the field of Instruc- tional Design for Online Learning. Currently, Rod is working with academic staff at the University of New England to enhance and revitalise a range of units through the implementation of innovative online strategies and resources. ix Preface Cyber education continues to expand globally and includes K-12, higher education, corporate training, and government programs. The topography of conventional teaching and learning is changing rapidly as educational budgets are decreasing. In the meantime, the demand for more digitally mediated forms of education is on the rise and is forever altering the silhouette of the average student and of the tradi- tional instructor. Once confined to physical classrooms, today’s learner connects globally for communication, entertainment, education, and information thus placing the individual in a new position that allows for the creation of an expanded iden- tity (New Media Consortium, 2007). Part of the new online learner identity is in- fluenced by the anonymity inherent in technology. Likewise, the identity of the instructor has changed, transforming the cyber educator’s role from a facilitator to a member of the learning community who is part of the reciprocal exchange of knowledge. Both the medium for delivery and the pedagogy for learning are changed by technologies in the digital age. Cyber education includes all online, mobile, and digitally mediated means of communication used to connect learners and engage them in the learning process. The increased demand for cyber education calls for a heightened sense of aware- ness among all stakeholders of online learning programs because digitally mediated communications afford benefits as well as constraints, especially as they relate to learning. Current literature generally discusses the benefits of such communications, yet the potential tradeoffs for learners and cyber educators are seldom explored. In this manuscript, such benefits and potential tradeoffs are discussed using the terms online learning, cyber education, and digitally mediated learning interchangeably. Technologies for mobile learning, virtual worlds, and social software among others, are providing new opportunities and increasing the options available to in- structional designers, cyber educators, and learners. New approaches to education means that concerns of anonymity, authenticity, identity, and trust will also be on the rise. In the report Learning on Demand: Online Education in the United States, 2009Allen and Seaman (2009) concluded that at least one in every four higher education students is taking one or more online courses. Over 4.6 million students