Blog Journal 2

When I think back on my assignments, dating back to Elementary school to now, I have always had to use a computer. And the reason is because of all the science fair projects, essays, and educational online games I have experienced. Microsoft word was a beast that needed tackling back then for me, but I quickly caught up and conquered it. It allowed me and still allows me to easily maneuver through each assignment. I have seen my teachers use Microsoft word to create all the quizzes, test, and worksheets. I believe technology makes the teaching process easier as lesson planning can be quite difficult without it.

My experience with copyright, right now is the knowledge that products that are copyrighted can not be used by anyone else but the company that created it. The company has the rights to distribute the product, but it's at a cost. I totally agree with fair use of the material within the classroom. It allows for educators and students to learn from the material, however that is how the company benefits from its product. Sometimes this might prove difficult for educators that want to use great material that is copyrighted and it results that they can't use it. I suppose I would research deeply if I want to use copyrighted material. If and when I can't use it I will just create my own. That will be tedious, but it is what I signed up for. Being unique as an educator makes your students remember you out of all their other teachers. I think having my students create their own work will inspire them to trust their creativity and in doing so it will their build confidence.

Digital divide:

• Incorporating technology within the classroom will cut some of the digital divide that is already set in stone.
• Using educational online websites will allow students to familiarize themselves with technology.
• I will make sure to announce that students that do not have technology at home are not at a lesser position than students with technology. Tackling those preconceived ideas will allow the students to easily allow technology to teach them even more.

Cyberbullying:

• Creating a safe space within technology is crucial. Presenting previous occasions that resulted in cyberbullying will notify the students that being polite counts within the walls of technology.
• Creating classroom norms when using technology will teach them how to treat their cyber friends.
• Setting an example of how to treat others during technology time will teach them how they want to be treated needs to reciprocated.

Academic honesty: 

• Presenting the consequences that can count against the students if they are not honest academically will set boundaries. 
• I will teach them the importance of using their own work. Setting classroom norms for academic honesty will also help. This could be a in class activity where they create the norms.
• Letting them know that if they aren't academically honest the only ones they are hurting are themselves.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.