I really enjoyed this week’s module about internet resources and how to simplify your Google searches. There are so many little tricks you can use to refine your Google searches that I was unaware of until now. For example, when you use an asterisk as a placeholder for an unknown term, Google will try to fill it in with a word that best matches the phrase you have typed. I feel like the Google search tips are ones that I will continue to use from this point forward and if I ever become a teacher I will tell them to my students.
Another important piece of information we learned was the difference between creative commons licenses and copyright. Creative commons is an alternative to copyright and it allows an individual to customize the conditions of the sharing and use of their intellectual property. It is less restrictive than copyright and there are several different kinds that one can use, with the simplest one being attribution. Attribution is a component used in all creative commons licenses.
Blog #4
Open content and open software programs are extremely useful tools for teachers. These programs help teachers create personal learning environments for students and are free to download. They contain items such as: presentation software, word processors, spreadsheets, and diagram building tools. I am not much of a tech savvy person; however, these programs make using the latest technologies in the field of education easy. Examples of these kinds of programs are Moodle and Apache OpenOffice. I strongly advise teachers to look into open content and open software programs to assist them in teaching their students at any grade level.
Blog #3
As students, it is important that we know the difference between copyright and fair use. For example, if you are doing a research paper and take information from various websites to place into your paper, you must cite your sources. If you do not do this it is considered plagiarism, because you are essentially stealing/ copying other peoples’ work. Plagiarism can result in serious consequences for us students and is not taken lightly. Students can be fined or kicked out of their University for engaging in it.
I have never had a problem with plagiarism luckily;however, I have had students in some of my other classes who were punished for it. One girl in a class I had last semester got in trouble for selling her class and personal notes on chapters in the book to fellow students. I felt bad for her though because I do not think that she meant to violate University rules and was just trying to help others in the class. Although it is a common mistake for college students, teachers also need to be careful.
Teachers need to be aware of what types of learning materials are considered fair use in the classroom and know when it is required of them to reference other people’s work. The rules for copyright and fair use in the classroom are pretty tricky, so one guide that I found to be useful was one that our teacher posted on blackboard. The link is https://campus.fsu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-7101627-dt-content-rid-40652863_2/courses/EME2040-0007.sp15/Copyright%20and%20Fair%20Use%20Guidelines%20for%20Teachers%281%29.pdf. It is definitely worth taking a look at, especially if you are a new teacher or a student who is interested in becoming one.
Blog #2 PLN
PLNs, or Personal Learning Networks, are basically communities of people that are used to share information, socialize, or network. An example of a PLN that most people from our generation use is Facebook. We use Facebook to stay connected with family and friends or to even create new friendships with people worldwide. I myself am an active Facebook user and find it to be a great way to interact with friends. Also, I travel often, so it is an easy way for me to stay in touch with people.
Most people already have a PLN and do not realize it. If you do not have one; however, you can create one by joining internet programs such as: Twitter, LinkedIn, WordPress, or Google Reader. These kinds of programs can help you get answers to problems you are having, meet professionals to build work relationships, or just express your own ideas and feelings with others through blogs. In this day and age, I feel that joining a PLN is a MUST. Although I strongly encourage participating in PLNs, I will say that one should proceed with caution and practice internet safety.
One way that a person can practice internet safety is by not revealing too much information about themselves online. For example, avoid telling people your address or your debit or credit card number. Revealing too much can lead to you becoming a victim of identity theft or worse. Also, if you are a parent and have children participating in online PLNs, I recommend that you warn your children of the dangers of online interactions and monitor these interactions in anyway possible if they are young.
intro
Hello Everyone!
My name is Erin and this is my first time using a blogging website or anything similar to one. I am a Criminology Major at Florida State University and, other than the required Computer Fluency class for my major, I have not had to use any kind of technology like this in the past. It is a little uncomfortable and foreign to me, but I hope that this class will change that. Unlike most people of my generation, I am not up to speed on the latest technologies. For example, I just got a smart phone last week! Crazy, I know.
I hope that this class will further my understanding of today’s technology and get me up to speed with it. Although I am not pursuing a degree in Education, I think that I will benefit greatly from this course. I might have to give a presentation at some point in my career or I may not even end up in a job that pertains to my degree in the future. It is possible that I may use the information I gather from this course more often than I anticipated. I think that as the weeks go by in this course I will learn to embrace the technology available to me rather than be afraid of using it.
The learning style questionnaire that we were required to take was really interesting. After reviewing my scores on the scales and seeing what each of the scales mean, I was able to find out ways to improve my studying habits and see what the best ways for me to learn new information are. For example, I found out that I am more of a reflective learner. Since I am a reflective learner, I should periodically stop to review information that I have read and possibly write short summaries of what I have learned to help me memorize it.
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