Blog #2

I never used Twitter before this class, so I have learned a lot about how the system works. I think learning about Twitter can be helpful in a future educational career. I am planning on working with families of special needs students individually. I could use Twitter as a way to communicate with the students’ family members, and with the students themselves. Twitter would allow me to show them different news articles and updated studies that could be useful. It might help the student communicate as well. Some people find it easier to communicate through writing than face to face discussion. Although this is not ideal, some communication is better than none.

As a student I have, and currently do, use MS Word very frequently. I make study guides, write essays, and use it to write out every assignment I turn in. I do almost all my typing in Word, with PowerPoint being the only exception. My teachers use Word to write out instructions for assignments. They use it when creating tests, quizzes and any worksheets they need to print out. Word can also be used to write out instructions for a substitute teacher, or for creating a weekly news letter for your students’ parents.

I learned about copyright and fair use in high school. Our English teacher took us to the library and gave a presentation about how to correctly use images from the internet, and how to cite our sources. We also talked about the qualities that make a source reliable, and which sources to avoid (Wikipedia). As a teacher, I would make sure my students understand the copyright rules and how they can protect their own intellectual property. The podcast said that the copyright laws are especially important for professionals in education because teachers frequently, and should by nature of the profession, use the works of others in the classrooms. I agree with this and I think setting clear boundaries for students, and role modeling the proper fair use guidelines, is vital in creating successful students in this digital age.