Blog Journal #3

I first learned how to use MS word when I was in first grade. I was taught how to make pictures and then how to use word art. Throughout middle and high school, I learned how to use MS word for papers and documents and eventually learned how to customize my work using headings and other features of the program. Once I got to FSU, I started using word in almost every class and i have learned new features even just this week in this course.

I was taught about copyright and plagiarism in my early writing years. I was taught that you can use other people's thoughts and ideas in your own work as long as you give them credit for their contribution to your work. Once I got to high school, I learned about different citation formats (APA, MLA) and when to apply them. I studied psychology here at FSU so I have become nearly pro at APA papers and citation format. I think that it's important for teachers to teach students about copyright and plagiarism early on and teach them the importance of citations. Once students get to high school and college level plagiarism can become the reason they fail a class or even get expelled from a school. I also think it's important for teachers to encourage their students to create their own and help them feel confident in their own writing skills.

Cyberbullying is real problem in our society today and it has lead to many unfortunate situations with young children and adolescents. The amount of technology used in schools today has both positive and negative effects. It has created many opportunities for learning at your fingertips but it has also spiked an issue with cyberbullying. Teaching kids very early on about the seriousness of cyberbullying can help change the course of this issue. Parental monitoring is very important for young children using technology. Teachers especially can help create scenarios for their students to learn from in a fun and hands on environment. Decreased productivity is also an issue in many schools. I think that the rise in technology has somewhat contributed to this issue in that teachers are spending more time finding lessons on the computer rather than creatively developing fun and unique lessons on their own. Especially for young students, productivity can be hard so teachers can think out of the box and try to come up with fun, hands on activities to engage their students and create a more productive classroom.