Meet TurnItIn

Turn It In is a site meant to help teachers recognize plagiarism, programming that can analyze student writing and match it to previously written text by another source, helping teachers to sort out students who have not been ethical digital citizens. The platform is known for helping teachers catch “culprits” of plagiarism, yet it can be so much more. There is an extension to TurnIt In called Feedback Studio. This is a place that teachers, librarians and students can share work and more importantly feedback. It is a platform that fosters collaboration between all three parties in helping the student to grow as a writer. It enables the teacher and librarian to, as the website states, “Track and analyze student progress to inform instruction and support strategic initiatives throughout your institution.” Teachers and librarians can share the development of and final assessment through common rubrics and other grading tools, giving immediate and collaborative feedback. Turn It In is particularly savy on the data end, and would be the most useful in collecting data as evidence of student performance on a research or inquiry project. Probably most usable at the high school level, this program would benefit teachers across curriculum areas, fostering collaboration with the librarian who would have shared access to data regarding information literacy skills from more core subject areas. At the end of the school year, a librarian can pull data from Turn It In, for example, on a variety of skills and reflect on successful lessons, modifying and adjusting as necessary. Though I haven’t personally used TurnIt In, specifically Feedback Studio, I would seriously consider researching it further and requesting it from any district I worked in, especially if money was not an issue and it you could get your entire team of librarians on board. It would come at a cost that would vary based on enrollment and usage. I have seen it used very effectively when I have visited other districts. It’s worth checking out. https://www.turnitin.com/products/feedback-studio