Blog Journal #3

      Copyright & Technology          Implementation Issues

When dealing with copyright issues as an educator, it's important to be aware of the platforms and resources you're using. It's within an educators best legal and moral interests not to pirate or steal materials that are meant to be purchased. It's also important to know how to copyright your own materials, especially if you intend to market them for use by other educators. As for the utilization of student's works, you must be considerate of the rights of your students, as ask for permission for the use or demonstration of a student's publication outside of the typical learning environment.  

As an educator, it's not surprising to find that your students may by unmotivated at times. If there appears to be a decrease in productivity with your students, it's wise to look into the content of your current lesson plan, as well as look into ways to further engage your students. It's also beneficial to ask your students why they are not meeting expectations, as this could provide clarity as well. With this, it's also helpful to assess and learn about your students' learning styles. 

I believe that generative AI is exceptionally harmful. Not only do these programs tend to assist students with academic dishonesty, but they also take away lots of creativity and individuality within a student's coursework. With this being said, I feel as if it's important to address this with your students and properly explain your concerns. I think it's also valuable as an educator to inform yourself how these programs work, as well as plan out a course of action if a student is caught using generative AI. 

For the Newsletter Design Assignment, I was excited to learn the basics of how to properly format a newsletter. In the future, I would like to take more time with the project, focusing on implementing more creative aspects. As someone who plans to go into a writing-focused field, this helps to offer insight into one form of publication. With this being said, I also feel as if this newsletter assignment was a good entryway to other editorial-based formats. 

 Blog Journal #8

During the web design assignment, I learned about the importance of attaching a Creative Commons License to a website, along with how to add buttons that lead to different pages on the website. I feel as if features such as these create a user-friendly experience for those who are visiting your website. For my website, I decided to prioritize contrast and proportion in order to create a visually appealing website. Knowing how to create your own website as an educator can enable you to display content in a professional and accessible manner. Link to my website: MS. STANFIELD'S 3RD GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS - Home Page (weebly.com)

As a student, I do not use AI often. Personally, I feel as if the use of AI can deteriorate your critical and creative thinking skills. I also feel that reliance and use of AI can present results that may not match the exact description and can lead to technological misuse. Currently, I am not motivated to use AI as it does not offer any positive aspects in regard to my education. 

When using ChatGPT to create prompts and lesson plans, I feel as it could be useful in regard to providing a brief outline. Personally, I don't feel that the "creative" aspects of ChatGPT are as good as one that an educator could come up with themselves. With this being said, I feel that AI such as this would provide benefits in terms of organization of assignments and lesson plans. After completing this exercise, I can say that my view of AI has become more positive than before. 

I do believe that AI can be used to increase productivity. Although this is true, the result of what is produced may not have the quality of something that is organically created. As I stated before, I feel that the best use of AI for productivity would be for organization. As a teacher, I would utilize it for creating an outline for a lesson plan or assignment. 

Blog Post #4

 Blog Journal #4: 

For the ELA Technology Standards, I choose to look at the 2nd grade standards. One of the standards requires educators to add audio and visual aspects to educational resources in order to encourage and stimulate different forms of learning. Based on my current skill set, I would say that I would be confident to implement this standard. I feel as if because this is directed to younger students, the subject matter and standards are rather simple. 

CPALMS is a great website for finding materials that can be utilized in the classroom, along with information regarding educational standards. For my example, I choose a lesson idea that could be used for a second-grade science class. The lesson idea proposed resources for educating students on how to prepare for a flood, and the reasons why it's important to plan for natural disasters. I feel that these resources could be used to create an entire lesson plan or could be used as supplemental material alongside a developed lesson plan. 

Internet searching as a teacher can enable you to find resources in an efficient and timely manner. Knowing exactly what type of materials you are looking for as an educator can also enable you to search for an item specifically. Out of the internet searching skills we have currently looked at, I enjoyed the ability to look through open lesson plans. Outside of this course, I would often utilize the google advanced search setting in order to verify I was using materials that weren't copyrighted.  With current technological advancements, educators must know how to utilize searching recourses in order to find the best materials for their lesson plans. 

Portfolio Item 6: Image Attribution

 

"Instagram - 8" by BrentOzar is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Blog Journal 10

                       

                          Blog Journal 10 

Working on assignment 5 gave me new insight into tools that can be utilized with PowerPoints. It showed me ways to make them not only interactive but engaging for my students. Something I think could be improved with the assignment is a stricter layout. Although I liked the freedom with the assignment, I think it would've been beneficial to have a structured layout for the first assignment of this nature. 

As for data collection tools, I feel that these would be beneficial in getting input and opinions from my students. For example, if I were teaching an 8th grade science class, I could use a survey collection website to see how many students were comfortable with the material on a previous test. This information can show me where the class is as a whole and gives students the opportunity to be honest in an anonymous setting. It could also be used in a more engaging format, such as with questions surrounding how students like learning in the class. 

Next, I would like to learn about preventative measures for artificial intelligence in the classroom. More specifically, I would like to learn how to use platforms such as Turnitin, which enable teachers to make sure their students work isn't plagiarized. I think this is a useful tool to learn since it limits a reliance on technology and promotes original thinking in the classroom. I could achieve this goal by teaching myself about these platforms, and how they are best utilized. 

 Blog Journal 9

What I appreciate most about the classroom environment is the opportunity for interactive learning, where discussions and group activities assist with team working capabilities. However, sometimes the pace of the course feels rushed, leaving little time for in-depth exploration of topics. As a future teacher, I believe incorporating more project-based learning activities and providing ample time for reflection could enhance the classroom experience, allowing students to engage more deeply with the material.

Open Educational Resources (OER) are educational materials freely available online for anyone to use, adapt, and share. These resources include textbooks, lesson plans, videos, and more, often released under licenses that permit their free use and modification. One excellent example of OER is the "OpenStax" initiative, which provides high-quality, peer-reviewed textbooks across various subjects. OpenStax textbooks are free to access and are continually updated to ensure relevance and accuracy. For more information about OER and its impact, you can visit this page: https://openstax.org/

 From working on Assignment 4: PowerPoint for Information Dissemination, I've acquired several new skills, including creating visually engaging presentations and effectively organizing information for maximum impact. I appreciate the hands-on approach of this assignment, as it allows me to apply theoretical knowledge in a practical setting. However, one aspect I find challenging is striking the right balance between visuals and textual content. To improve this assignment next time, I could provide more guidance on effective design principles and encourage students to focus on conveying key messages concisely.

 Blog Journal #7

I chose to look into the content provided for Panther Run Elementary School. On the website, there’s a variety of information provided regarding lesson plans, and how the school environment is designed. Overall, I find these recourses to be especially useful to parents as they provide an outline for their child’s learning experience. This in hand showcases the teacher’s academic skills and puts parents at ease. https://www.palmbeachschools.org/Page/1309 

In terms of using technology to enhance my professional responsibilities, I envision leveraging tools like Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, or Canvas to streamline communication, assignments, grading, and collaboration with students. These platforms allow for seamless integration of various resources, facilitate timely feedback, and enable interactive engagement with students both inside and outside the classroom. Additionally, I would utilize productivity tools such as Google Drive for document management, Trello for task organization, and communication apps like Slack or Remind to keep in touch with students and colleagues efficiently.

Regarding Assignment 2 using Canvas group, I appreciated the ease of collaboration and communication within the group. It was convenient to share files, discuss ideas, and coordinate tasks effectively. However, I found the interface slightly overwhelming at times, especially when trying to navigate between different sections or modules. If I were to recommend an alternative tool, I might suggest using platforms like Asana or Basecamp for project management, as they offer intuitive interfaces and robust features for organizing tasks, deadlines, and team communication.