I’ve been using MS Word for as long
as I could remember. This first time I
used it was in Elementary School, when I would have small essays to write or
had to print out words and/or phrases for projects. Then in middle and high
school, I used MS Word to write papers, print images, and in creating any kind
of document. In college, I’ve even used MS Word to take notes during class. I’m
using MS Word right now while writing this blog, so I have a saved copy of my
work on my computer. I’ve seen my teachers use MS Word for similar reasons. In
addition, my teachers have created documents in order to aid their students
such as study guides, assignment explanations and calendars, and syllabi.
I remember noticing the little “c”
inside a circle on many things as a child and wondering what that was. None of
my teachers ever explained to me the laws of copyright and/or fair use. Having
copyright means you have exclusive rights to use or distribute it. These laws govern
what teachers can or cannot use in their classroom. Furthermore, fair use
guidelines allow people to use copyright material for nonprofit educational
purposes. I learned how to properly cite scholarly journals, websites,
textbooks, and other education tools I would use during research projects in
high school, but I never quite understood the severity of the copyright laws in
place. As a teacher, I should consider all material copyrighted. I will educate
my students at an appropriate age the important aspects of these laws and
regulations so they use material more safely.
Twitter is a great way for teachers
around the country to communicate everything from helpful tips to serious
curriculum problems. Using the search bar, you can search a popular “hashtag”
to see what other people are saying about the same topic. When I found an
interesting article related to education, I was able to instantly share it with
my entire class and teacher via Twitter. This social media and others could be
a great way to communicate with your students and your students’ parents.
