How to use technology as an educator

I think out of 8 ELA technology standards I feel prepared to teach them with my existing knowledge except for LAFS.4.SL.2.5, which is the ability to add audio recording and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes. This is something that I cannot do with my existing knowledge, it is still a skill that I am trying to develop throughout my education because I haven't come across many free online programs that allow one to add audio and visual displays to presentations. But with the help of my EME2040 professor, myself along with the students in my class we are now aware of a website called, VoiceMemo, It is an online website where you are able to add your voice to a presentation. I will remember this website as an educator in the future. 

Using the CPALMS Educator Toolkit, HE.4.C.1.3, is a standard that describes ways a safe, healthy school environment can promote personal health. This is essential to an educational environment because students need to feel comfortable, because the more comfortable you feel in an education setting the easier it is to educate these students. Not only would this help with the physical healthiness of the classroom, but it can also help with the mental health of the students in the classroom as well. This is something that I wish some of my teachers were conscious of when I was younger, so it is something that I will be aware of in the future. 


From working on the Newsletter Design Assignment I learned to really enjoy the process. Designing things based off of aesthetic was something that I was not accustomed to do in an educational setting, but I understand that it is something that I would need to be aware and knowledgeable of when I am making Newsletters and/or making other Designs on a Word Document. One of the ways that I would improve my Newsletter Design in the future, I would add more detail to my design and make it more intricate. In the future, I would definitely use the skills that I acquired in this assignment to further educate my students. Here is a look at my Newsletter Design Assignment:

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Microsoft Word, Academic Honesty, Cyberbullying, and the Digital Divide

As a student Microsoft Word is something that I use on a daily basis. It is what I use to take notes during class, work on my papers, and plan out my future on. Microsoft Word is my main source of my academic success as a student at Florida State University and without it I would probably be very unorganized. Along with the many ways that I use Microsoft Word, my teachers also use it very often. My teachers use it to make Newsletters, Rubrics, Outlines, and to make other educational resources for us students to use. These things have helped me throughout my education. 

My experience with copyright and fair use of material in an educational environment is very brief and recent. It wasn't until my EME2040 class that I learned how important it is to copyright your work so that others don't take credit for your material and hardworking. Mainly, the experience that I have with copyright and fair use of material is learning about plagiarism during my high school and college classes. One of the ways that I could implement these things as an educator in the future is to make sure that my students know how important it is to use your own work and how important it is to give others credit when it is necessary and appropriate. 

Academic honesty, Cyberbulling, and Digital divide are technology implementations that must be spoken about in all classrooms. Especially classes that implement the use of technology. Academic honesty is something that must be spoken about because it is imperative that all students use their own work and give credit when they are using or referring to someone else's work. Cyberbullying is something very important to talk about because it is something so common that occurs. Cyberbullying is something that is common because people can hide behind a screen and say whatever they want without feeling the need to think twice about what they say. The digital divide is something that needs to be thoroughly spoken about because it can be a very sensitive topic. Digital divide is something that is circumstantial based off of culture and socioeconomic status of the student and their family. 

ITSE Standards

One of the things that influence teachers and students to use technology in the classroom is the fact that technology is extremely involved throughout society and it is something that we need to be comfortable with. Teachers mostly use technology within their classrooms because students tend to be more comfortable with computers and other forms of technology, so having the student feel comfortable throughout an activity is crucial to the classroom's learning environment.

ITSE standards are very important to be implemented within the classroom setting. Specifically, ITSE standard 3a which states, "Create experiences for learners to make positive, socially responsible contributions and exhibit empathetic behavior online that build relationships and community". Being aware of the way that one speaks and interacts with other individuals is crucial. Working together as one unit will not only decrease the pressure on you having to do things alone but knowing that you have the support of others is always a good thing. One of the ITSE standards that is a little outside of my skill set might be ITSE standard 5b which states, "Design authentic learning activities that align with content area standards and use digital tools and resources to maximize active deep learning." One of the reasons why this might be difficult for me is because at times it is difficult for me to come up with certain ideas on my own an I sometimes rely on other people's feedback to formulate my own idea.

I agree with the labeling of today's youth as being "Digital Natives" to a certain extent. Within the United States today's youth are very advance in the technological field, but we need to remember that there are children and individuals all over the world that do not have access and the resources to the same technology as others. Being a Digital Native means that you were born in a time where technology was at its peak and it is very easy for you to understand how the technology works. I have seen many differences between Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants' use of technology because whenever I observe one of my professors struggling to open up a Powerpoint and/or a simple Word Document I sit back and reflect on how grateful I am to be educated on these technological subjects. I feel as if my generation and newer generations will continue to have a gap in how to understand technology. Technology will continue to advance and I think the older you get the harder it is for you to stay up-to-date with recent technology that is of the time.


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