In my experience, I am very familiar with Microsoft Word and other Microsoft programs (PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook) for classroom use. We often used Word in High School and Middle School for essays and group projects. We used iPads often so Microsoft Word was great for submitting online assignments. Almost everything that I do now in college is through Microsoft Word: notes, assignments, study guides, etc. Without Word, I wouldn't know how to be organized in school. Looking back to my High School years, teachers used Microsoft Word and other programs for Bell Work and presentations throughout class. They also used Word to create exams and instructional worksheets.
As a photographer, I am quite familiar with how copyrights work. All of my photos, videos, and documents are already copyrighted prior to my client receiving the product. In a classroom setting, I know that teachers are not allowed to fully use other's copyrighted material for their benefit without giving proper credit or permission when appropriate. As a prospective teacher, I would encourage all students to complete their own genuine work. I think that teaching about plagiarism at a young age is crucial to prevent plagiarism in their future. This includes providing citations and references throughout assignments when not using your own thoughts or words to complete. I would use my own material or give credit where needed to prevent plagiarism as a teacher.
Technology can be beneficial for classroom education, yet comes with many issues that can be negative to the learning process. Academic Honesty and plagiarism are aspects very crucial for all levels of education. As a child, I had to sign a prompt prior to taking a test or completing an assignment that was our "Academic Honesty Policy." This policy included that we are not allowed to distribute any information regarding the topic nor receive information. This was a reminder to be honest and to prevent plagiarism. This is a solution that I would be willing to implement in my own classroom as I feel it worked well in my own education. Another issue is Cyberbullying, very common in all scenarios. To combat cyberbullying, I would do a presentation on the effects of cyberbullying and then implement a zero tolerance policy for cyberbullying. Furthermore, the issue of digital divide is common in classrooms as people come from different backgrounds and SES. To combat this issue, I would be sure that my students have access to technology both in and after school to complete assignments. Although they may not have a computer/iPad at home, the school library or classroom can make completion easier.
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