Blog 2

In school, I've been using Microsoft Word since I learned how to type. In grade school, my computer teachers would have us open up a word document on our computers, place (unused) large mens' boxers around the keyboard (so we could not see the keys), and stick our hands in and type. This was my introduction to Microsoft Word. Overtime, we graduated from arbitrary sentences to actual papers and lost the boxers (thankfully). From then on, I used Microsoft Word until 8th grade when I got a MacBook and switched to Google docs. Most of my teachers have used Microsoft Word for typing up worksheets and tests. They have also used other Microsoft programs in class like Powerpoint and Excel. 

In grade school, when we started writing research-based papers, our teachers taught us about citing work and giving credit to other sources. Since then, I have understood the necessity of giving credit where it is due. As a teacher I will stress the importance of citing sources in their works. I will teach my students how they can be active and respectful online. 

Academic honesty, privacy, and cyberbullying are each important matters that must be addressed. Academic honesty is an issue that many teachers have attempted to communicate to students especially with the rise of technology. Certain programs such as turnitin.com have been created to judge the originality of written work. As a teacher, I will stress the importance of students creating authentic work and I will use programs to enforce my teaching such as turnitin.com. Privacy in the online world is also an issue that has grown recently. I think it is important that individuals who wish to partake in social media online should understand the value in keeping certain aspects of their lives out of the public. Small acts such as putting online profiles to private and picking who can and cannot see certain internet accounts will help maintain privacy. Finally, cyberbullying is an issue that has grown immensely since the start of the internet. As a teacher, I will impress on my students the need for respect in every instance, whether that be in person or in the online world. I believe that if more students learn the value of respect, it will show in the online world through a decrease in harmful comments and social media posts.