Blog #2

As a student I've used Microsoft Word for almost every assignment that has to be typed or turned in electronically. I'm fairly certain that I have been using it since elementary school. It has almost become a staple for the classroom. Specifically, I use it to write essays, customize projects, and even to make flyers. In my high school Introduction to Information Technology class I got my certificate in Microsoft Word. I also notice that my teachers use Microsoft Word. They use it to write their syllabus, make study guides,  and handouts.

In my experience I have never run into any problems with copy right and fair use. I always try my best to cite my sources and give credit where its due. However, I know that I still need to be cautious when using other people's work to enhance my own rather than to steal their ideas. The best way to stay away from plagiarism is to always cite your source. As a teacher, I would distinguish what is considered fair use. For instance, if I was making a profit from someone else's intellectual property I would be violating the principle of fair use. According to the Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education using certain copyrighted material can be acceptable due to the fact that it was used "in the educational setting."

I gained new skills by creating my Twitter account. It allowed me to connect with my instructor and classmates through an easy to use and innovative medium. I think that my new knowledge on personal learning networks can help me in my future career as a teacher. It is a great way to communicate and share ideas. Also, it is very helpful when it comes to critiquing and collaborating on assignments.

Blog #1

Computers are an important part of the educational experience because they present the student with a means of being constantly able to interact with and receive feedback from their instructor. Also computers provide the student with an almost limitless access to important data for research and studying. I agree that it will have some negative effects on students such as their ability to properly spell words. Furthermore, they might have trouble learning new vocabulary because they feel that they can always just look a word up. However, this can be avoided by assigning work using paper rather than the computer. 

The ISTE standards are very helpful to get all students on track and make sure that they have certain skills to survive in this digital age. One of the standards that I found interesting was the one about Digital Citizenship. It stated that, "Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior". This standard is particularly important because it acts as a safeguard against cyber-bullying and teaches students to be responsible for what they put online. I think that the Technology operations and concepts standard falls out of my current skill set because I don't know everything about operating certain functions of a computer so I would need to develop my skills before attempting to help someone else.

I do not agree that the term digital native should be used to label my entire generation. Not only are there economical factors that lead to differences in technological proficiency, but there are individual factors that contribute to whether a person is digitally experienced. However, I think that it is easier to use technology as a digital native because it becomes almost second nature. For digital immigrants they often times have to put in more effort to acquire some of the same skills, but I think that most teachers do a good job of adapting to new technological skills. I think that my future students will definitely be more proficient than me but I will just have to work harder to reach a level to where I could equal or surpass them. 

Twitter Username

@cdj15b

Blog #0

My prior experience with technology is slightly above average. I took an Information Technology class and got  certified in Microsoft Word and Excel but other than that I have the basic knowledge of how to use common computer programs as well as the internet. I use my laptop and phone on a regular basis. I usually use PowerPoint or Publisher for class presentations.

In this class I hope to learn more about different ways to present information in a creative and engaging fashion. I also want to become more familiar with creating blogs and designing information. Additionally, I want to learn how to look up data more efficiently.

I found out that I am well-balanced when it comes to being a reflective versus an active learner. I'm more of an intuitive learner. Also, I'm neither a visual nor verbal learner. Lastly, I am in between a sequential learner and a global learner.