As a student, I have used Microsoft Word to write essays for the most part in schools. Last fall semester, I took the computer competency class, and through there I learned how to get the most from MS Word. I have had to make flyers and such for clubs and other projects, as well as placing pictures and other images before printing them. I can only assume that may teachers used MS Word to make quizzes and tests and other assignments. I also remember a teachers I had using MS Word to write notes on the board, and organize notes from powerpoint outlines.
Throughout my school, I have only had one issue with copyright and fair use. In the seventh grade, I had a project in my English class and I was given a zero for the project because my teacher believed had been plagiarized. However, my teacher never gave me the reasons why or showed me how I could fix the paper and from there I have always been very afraid of making a mistake and making it seem as though I am trying to use someones work as my own. Otherwise, since I have come to college, I have come to realize the importance of citing sources, knowing now how hard people work to get their information. As an educator I would make sure to give my students clear instructions and maybe do some activities to make sure they understand the importance of citing and fair use, as well as how they should do it.
A problem discussed in the textbook was integrity and academics. Personally, I remember using my phone for assignments whether I was allowed to or not, but in this day and age, this is becoming more of a problem. When assignments are done online, it can be difficult to not cheat on assignments with the internet. However, to combat this in my classroom, I would try to make most assignments on my own, so it won’t be possible to find the worksheet answers online, but also try to encourage people to use their tech to find help, now that we are in an age where all information is a fingertip away.
In the future, I want my classroom to be a safe place for everyone, of all races, genders, and even ages. Freedom of speech is something I heard a lot about while in school, that people can say whatever they want and not get in trouble because of Freedom of Speech, but I feel like this isn’t the way to go about things. Students should be able to speak their mind, until they are intending to hurt someone else. An example of this is when a friend of mine would talk about their teacher, saying mean things and making rumors that may not be true, but they said they could say them because of Freedom of Speech. The rumors ended up being so mean and ruining the teachers reputation and they ended up leaving their job. While this may be a constitutional right, somethings need to be monitored in order to have a safe environment. In order to avoid these problems, having clear rules and expectations fort the classroom and respect. This leads me to the next idea, which is cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is becoming an even bigger problem now that technology is becoming more prominent in classrooms. With classrooms becoming more and more online, having a space for students to talk and discuss material can cause problems where kids will make mean comments to each other. In order to keep this low, having instructors in the loop by being able to see all comments and activities in school work online.
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