Current Data Usage: Accessing the Turnitin (Tii) Platform - No Zero Rating

Current Data Usage: Accessing the Turnitin (Tii) Platform - No Zero Rating

Thursday, April 2, 2020

The CIECT team is continuously monitoring and testing data usage with regards to the Turnitin (Tii) Platform. 

What is Turnitin (Tii)?

Traditional text review methods would require lecturers to copy-paste text into Google or Google Scholar search engines. Lecturers would repeat this process for each student submission. The search engines would generate a list of links which indicate where the searched text could have been sourced from. This method is cumbersome and is unable to access soft copies within paid websites. The Turnitin search engine locates sourced text from multiple submissions. This process is executed by the Turnitin database as soon as assignments are uploaded by students. Reports are generated within a one to twenty-four (1-24) hour window period. All students’ submissions are checked against the UWC local repository, online submissions as well as journals and publications (including paid sites). 

What is ‘Zero-Rated’?

Zero-rating is the practice of providing Internet access without financial cost under certain conditions.

Access to Tii via iKamva

It should be noted, no cost for data usage will be charged when accessing Turnitin via the UWC learning management system iKamva (LMS). Hence all users within iKamva will be able to freely access and navigate Turnitin without having an active data bundle. Instructors/lecturers will be able to set up assignments and link to the assignment tool within iKamva. 

NB: However, costs will be incurred for the following, even though the student has accessed via the iKamva platform:

• Uploading of assignments; and
•  Downloading a feedback report.

Access to Tii directly via the Turnitin website [turnitin.com]

The Turnitin platform is hosted on the World Wide Web (WWW), which allows users to access the Turnitin platform from any geographical space where internet connectivity is available. Accessing Turnitin directly from the host website [turnitin.com] - will incur costs for the user.

• Accessing the site; navigation; uploading and downloading; setting up classrooms; etc.

**NB: At this stage, Zero-rating has not been applied to iKamva by all the Internet Service Providers. 

  

The following table shows the current costs of UWC staff and students will have to pay for data usage. The costs are aligned to in bundle data prices across Internet Service Providers (ISP’s).

Contact the CIECT Team at: ictstafftraining@uwc.ac.za