Blog Journal #4

     I chose the standard for first grade. The LAFS.1.W.2.6 standard implies that teachers implement technology in the first-grade classroom through hands-on activities where the students can interact with the technology. The standard emphasizes that students use technology for class assignments with the teacher's assistance if needed. I feel prepared to implement this standard with my current skill set. The standard provides some ways I can implement the technology also I think I know a decent amount about how to work technology in schools and I think by the end of EME2040 I will have more experience with technology in the classroom so implementing the standard would not be a problem.

    The CPALMS standard I chose was for first grade ELA about identifying and describing the main story elements in a story. I think I can use these resources to help teach the standard ways. The resources provide lesson plans and tutorials that I can implement in the class. For instance, one of the lesson plans provides examples of some questions to ask the students to make them think through Model Eliciting Activities. So, I can use these resources to assist me in making sure that the students develop the standards and maybe take some inspiration from the resources and create my own classroom activities. 

    It is important to be a proficient internet searcher as a teacher because being a proficient internet searcher can help when trying to look up ideas for lesson plans or class activities in a narrow search. I think I will be using the google advanced search for an exact match, combining searches and narrowing down google image searches. I will use these internet searching skills the most in the future because I think they will help and make it easier for me to find what I specifically want to search for. There weren't any internet searching skills that weren't introduced in the course material this week. 

Blog Journal #3

     Copyright is someone's protection and rights they have for their work. Copyright can be creative or intellectual and is supposed to assist with protecting one's work when wanting to distribute the work. Fair use is how far someone can go by using another person's copyrighted work without permission and they won't get in trouble. Different situations can be considered fair use, like when the copyrighted work is used for educational reasons, not all of it is used, the use of the work is not harmful, and the way the work is used all are important factors in determining if something is fair use or not. As a teacher, I would make sure that my own instructional materials are protected and won't be taken advantage of or stolen. So, I would become informed about the difference between fair use and public domain. I would ensure that whatever I or my students create is safe or that it is protected by copyright. 

    In my future classroom, I would solve technology implementation issues such as lack of funding and decreased productivity. To solve the lack of funding schools have to implement technology in classrooms, in school I would help hold fundraisers or ask that the principal reorganize funding so that we could have technology in the classroom. Also, I would protest for the state to better fund schools rather than spend money on less important issues or for the school to reconsider where the money is going. For example, we can cut on things we do not need in the school like a new paint job or other superficial wants. Regarding the supposed decreased productivity problem with implementing technology, in my future classroom, I will only allow students to be on tablets for a short period and not use them all the time so they can be focused while in class and engaged. Also the technological devices they will be using in my future classroom will most likely not have anything distracting, only educational items to ensure that the students are productive in class. 

    I learned a lot of new skills from working on the Newsletter Design assignment. For instance, I learned how to create a shaded object like the permission slip and how to format the newsletter with two columns. I think I would make my newsletter more concise and colorful in the future. Also, I would probably include more information about what the lessons for the month will be about. I can use the skills I learned from the assignment to make more newsletters for my future students when I become an elementary teacher. I would use the skills to create other visual and informative papers I need to make for my students.

Blog Journal #2

         Good afternoon, I have had a good amount of experience with Microsoft Word (MS Word) throughout my school life, especially during high school and now in college. In school, I mainly used MS word for essays or when I was younger, I used it to type up whatever notes I needed or for group projects. At FSU I mainly use MS Word for assignments for classes like essay questions or when I need to submit a paper. I do not have another preference for word processing software besides MS Word. Since I grew up using MS Word and have used it longer than any other software, I feel more comfortable utilizing MS Word for whatever I need compared to other softwares like Google Docs despite them being easier or better for completing schoolwork. 

    The most meaningful standard to me is the 2.5 Designer standard. I think for most educators, being adaptable and making sure to teach in a way where every student feels included and can learn is important. Not every student learns the same so I think the designer standard emphasizes how educators should implement technology into the classroom in different ways and perhaps even step away from technology at times during lessons. Also, I think making classwork and activities interactive with technology can improve the efficiency of teaching lessons and make the information transferred to the students in a way where it is fun and engaging.

    I agree with the label digital native because there is a difference between people who grew up with technology. To be a digital native means that someone is experienced in technology and knowledgeable about it where it seems natural to them because either they grew up with technology or have just been well versed in electronics. However, the assumptions about digital natives and immigrants are too generalized and there are exceptions to the concept of digital natives and immigrants. I have seen differences between how I use technology as a digital native versus digital immigrants like my teachers. For example, there have been moments where the teacher is having technical difficulties that seem like a simple fix to me or my classmates but the teacher has trouble figuring out how to fix their technological issues. Also while in school, some of my teachers have tried implementing new ways to do assignments through a new website or software but do not know enough about the new technology that trying to incorporate it into lessons is difficult and the students eventually end up teaching the teacher how the software works. These experiences have made me lose focus while in class and then become frustrated with the new technology because my teacher did not set it up properly or we are just both clueless about how to work the technology. I think when I become a teacher there will be a difference between what I know about technology and what my students will know. I like to think that I know a decent amount of how to work electronics, but as technology is constantly changing, I think in the future I will use it differently than my students. 

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