Post #2: MS Word, Fair Use and Twitter

Word

I have used Microsoft Word constantly as a student. I use it almost daily to take notes in class and to write papers at home. I expect to use Word as a teacher to make the assignments, tests and handouts for my students.

Fair Use

I have to admit, as a student I often do not think about where the material that my teachers use comes from. I find myself assuming that everything they use comes from a credible source and is used in a way that respects copyright and fair use policies. As a teacher I need to be more mindful of this issue and make sure that I follow fair use policies when making my own instructional materials for my students. I can do this by making sure that I do not use anything that is not my own without giving proper credit by citing my sources.

Twitter

I had never used Twitter before last week, and I still have a lot to learn before I can be comfortable using it. I think that social media is a good way for prospective teachers to connect with each other and also learn from current educators. I am a little concerned about using Twitter in my own career because I want to teach high school and I worry about the potential risks of interacting with my students online. 

Post #1: ITSE Standards and Digital Natives

Computers 

Computers are a very important part of the educational experience today. The internet gives students and teachers the opportunity to research practically anything with the click of a mouse. As technology continues to improve, teachers must also learn how to effectively utilize this technology in the classroom. While computers and the Internet can be very helpful resources for learning and research, there is also the risk of technology being a distraction in the classroom as students can easily use this technology for entertainment and social media.

ITSE Standards

The standard that gladdened my heart was the first standard, which was: "Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity." I think that technology can be such an good tool to spark student's imaginations, and the generation after mine is even more native to technology than I am. Since my future students will likely be even more tech-savvy than I am, I am concerned about the standard on designing digital-age learning experiences and assessments.

Digital Natives

I would agree with the term digital native for today's youth. A digital native is someone who grew up with technology such as personal computers, cellphones, and the internet. I have definitely noticed throughout my education that my teachers have often been uncomfortable using technology. Many of my teachers avoided technology entirely, or had trouble using technology and often asked students for help. I feel that as technology continues to evolve today's digital natives will have to continue to learn new things as we will eventually become digital immigrants.

(clip art  photos from clipartpanda.com)

Post #0

#0 Welcome! Technology and Learning Styles

About Me

I have some experience with Word, Excel and Powerpoint from assignments I had to do in high school and college. I feel the most comfortable with Word because it is something I use almost every day. I feel the least comfortable with Excel because I have not had to use it often.
Last year, I started learning HTML for fun, though I still only know how to do some very basic web design. While I enjoy working with computers, I would not consider myself very tech savvy and often find myself asking friends (or Google) for help.

What I Hope To Learn

In this course, I hope to become more proficient in the programs I already know, as well as learn some new skills and programs. I am a prospective education major, so I am excited to take what I learn here into the classroom with me in the future.

Learning Styles

These learning style test results show that I am more of a reflective learner than an active learner, which I would agree with. I definitely need time to think about and process new information, and I prefer studying and working individually.
I also have a strong preference towards intuitive learning, which means that I like to look at the bigger picture and try to understand concepts instead of memorizing facts.