2- Technology Tools & Plagiarism

As a student I have used MS Word so often that I consider it a necessary tool for a successful education. I can’t even begin to estimate the number of papers and assignments that I have typed up for my classes. Now that I’m in college I even bring my laptop to class and type up lecture notes on a MS Word document. Aside from using it myself, I have seen almost all of my teachers use MS Word too. Most teachers type up assignment rubrics, instructions, class notes, and even the class syllabus.

I have had lots of experience with copyright and fair use of materials in an educational environment. Every year I have been in school, I have been required to take an English class. In each English class my teachers have gone into great detail about the repercussions of copyrighting and plagiarism. When I become a teacher I will need to pay careful respect to the intellectual property of others when developing my own instructional materials. I will also need to emphasis to my students the importance of citing their sources, and protecting their own work. From the very beginning of the school year, I will teach my students what plagiarism is and explain the serious consequences of stealing other people’s work.

After learning more about Twitter and personal learning networks, I have realized that social media can serve as more than just an online diary. Social media is a great outlet for communication and as the world becomes technologically based, will be an important tool to use in my future career. Using social media for educational purposes keeps things interesting for students, and encourages critical thinking.

1- Teaching with Technology

Computers are an important part of the educational experience because as teachers, it’s our job to give students the tools they need to be successful in their future. Our world is constantly evolving and society is starting to revolve around technology. Administrative, presentation, lesson preparation, communications, and teaching are the five main types of technology tools for teachers to use. If the teacher knows how to use these tools properly, it can not only be more efficient for them but beneficial for the students as well. Some concerns about technology in schools are the finances required, the time it takes to integrate the technology, culture bias, and adapting to the shift in instructional paradigm. Personally, I agree that technology is a necessary part in education because of how the world is conforming to technology. Our students are going to have to use some sort of technology in their future careers and we have to make sure that they are equipped with the necessary background knowledge to succeed.

There are five ISTE standards in place for teachers. The standard that really hit home with me was the first one: “Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity.” I’m excited to take on the challenge of engaging students to come up with creative ways to solve problems using technology. The standard that I will find most challenging is number five: “Engage in professional growth and leadership.” A component of meeting this standard is to keep up with current research about new technologies. I think this is the hardest standard for teachers because it requires constant growth since there are emerging technologies almost every day.

Digital native is a name used to describe people who have grown up using technology. I agree that it is appropriate to label today’s youth as digital natives. I have first-hand experience because I myself grew up with technology and would consider myself a digital native. In school, I have noticed that many of my teachers, who would be considered digital immigrants, use technology in different ways than I would. My teachers relied on their email accounts and digital gradebooks, but wouldn’t know the first thing about “the twitter.” As a digital native I have always been accustomed to having knowledge at my fingertips, so when a teacher would reply to an email the day after I asked them a question, it would be frustrating to me. Digital natives are used to getting answers in a matter of seconds and communicating with friends instantly through social media. I know that technology is only going to further in our world, and it’s hard to imagine what kind of differences to anticipate between me and my future students. Who knows what new technologies will be invented throughout my lifetime. I just hope that I will be able to keep up, and better relate to my students and the digital tools that they will be using. 

0- First Blog Post EVER

Like most college students, I have lots of experience with technology. Throughout high school I took a wide range of technology classes and became very involved in a technology based club called FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America). I applied everything that I learned throughout my school courses to get certifications in PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Adobe Dreamweaver. While all of this looks great on paper, I am pretty rusty in many of these areas because I don't use them in my day-to-day life. I use technology most often in the form of social media. I take great pride in my Instagram account, and like most other teenage girls, have put forth hours of effort to come up with cute and clever captions. I also don't know how I would survive without my Facebook account because all of the information I need to know for my sorority is posted on the AOII Facebook group. I use technology daily, and maybe even too much, because of the numerous social media apps at my fingertips (literally).

I'm most excited about this class and I'm looking forward to all of the technology tools that I will learn. I never pictured myself as a teacher that would heavily implement technology in the classroom, but like it or not that is how education, and the world as a whole, is evolving. I'm excited to learn how I can incorporate all of the super cool technology tools in the classroom effectively.

Today I learned a little more about my learning style. I was very surprised that I was well-balanced between being an active learner and a reflective learner, because I have always seen myself as being very reflective. The results below have given me a new perspective on my learning styles and have shown me that my learning style has changed a lot since becoming a college student,