Blog 2

As a student in the twenty-first century, I have been using Microsoft Word for about as long as I can remember. I recall experimenting with tools such as word art and clip as as a young child and being frustrated when a teacher requested we type an assignment rather than hand writing it--I was a very slow typer. But since then, creating an MLA-styled document has become almost second nature to me. In truth, I doubt any modern university student could make it through college without using some sort of word processor. My teachers and professors have frequently used MS Word to create their syllabi and to demonstrate certain stylistic paper preferences.

I would say my instructors make use of copyrighted material in the classroom virtually every day. To name a couple of examples: in the middle of a PowerPoint presentation, my History of the English Language professor played a clip from a Monty Python movie to demonstrate the highly inflection nature of Latin. My Literary Criticism professor would try to find songs that went along with whatever theorist we were discussing and would play those songs before class started each day. Not only did these materials help to highlight key points of a lecture or discussion, but they made those points more memorable. Since I am a firm believer that popular culture provides commentary on society and vice versa, and since I reference copyrighted works in my everyday discourse, I think that as an educator, I would take full advantage of the fair use right to support and enhance my teaching objectives. I would also encourage my students to use materials in a way that creates cultural, social, or educational discourse. For instance, in my Religion and Fantasy class, we were assigned a "cultural artifact" project in which we had to mash up two or more pieces of text--I wrote a short story that had Katniss Everdeen meet Hermione Granger. These sorts of tasks would not only improve students' media literacy, but I think they also support interest in classroom topics.

When it comes to using technology in the classroom, there are various issues of implementation, and for good reason. As technology becomes more accessible for students in education settings, it is important that educators not only ensure that all students are gaining equal access to the technology, but that it is being used appropriately. I believe that the effort to comply with legal issues like the ADA when using technology in the classroom is point that cannot be overlooked. Even though there are many things to consider when accommodating students with disabilities, there are small, simple things that teachers can do to make technology use more encompassing for all students. For instance, if I choose to play a video or film in class, I would make an effort to provide subtitles. I think it is imperative for both teachers and students to be educated on the kinds of technologies that can be used to accommodate students with disabilities. Another issue that implementing more and more technology in the classroom may pose is academic dishonesty. While cheating and plagiarism existed before the internet, it has become much easier to do with "copy and paste." I think the good news is that advancements in technology have also made this behavior easier to detect. As a teacher, I would take full advantage of programs that detect plagiarism and make sure that my students are aware of the seriousness and repercussions of the transgression. One issue I feel strongly about when it comes to wide-spread use of technology is that of cyber-bullying.  I think it is essential that students who witness or fall victim to cyber-bullying have a safe way of communicating this to teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors. I would want my students to know that talking with someone about a situation they are going through may help to prevent unfortunate cases of teen depression and suicide. This issue is not something to be taken lightly and it is important to educate students on the effects of bullying online.