Citation Creators

I LOVE citation creators. They helped me soooo much in high school. I used easybib.com for every paper to help with citations. Citations take forever to do and are extremely time consuming on top of doing everything else for a big paper. Also, for many projects there are multiple sources therefore multiple citations. With all of the different rules for MLA and APA formats it is difficult to get everything correct. In my classroom I intend to teach students the proper way to cite materials without using a citation creator. Once they have mastered that skill and are using multiple sources I would encourage them to use citation creators. They are easier, faster and just make much more sense to use!

Copyright in the Classroom

I had not known that copyright was such an issue in the classroom prior to this class. I had always used images in my powerpoints and projects not even considering whether or not they were copyrighted. I always gave credit to the source but was never cognizant that my actions could be deemed illegal. Now as a student and future teacher I know that I have to check the copyright of images in order to use them in a lesson. I always knew that written information needs to be cited otherwise it is plagarism but I never truly considered that an image should be held in the same regard. Copyright is extremely important to bring into the classroom so students know that they need to give credit where credit is due.

Email in the classroom

Email has become a major part of our society. It is also a crucial part of the classroom. It allows students to bring work from home into the classroom by emailing the project to themselves. Email helped me a lot as a student because when my printer would break or I needed to work on something in class I would email it to myself. It is easy way for parents and teachers to communicate. It also allows students to ask questions about homework while they are doing it if the teacher frequently checks their email. Teachers can also create an Instant Messenger screen name in order to communicate with students outside of the classroom if they have homework questions. Overall, email can be a crucial part of the classroom and I plan to use it in many ways in my class.

Educational Websites

I have found several different free educational websites that could definitely benefit elementary school students. They further what is being learned in the classroom. Parents should encourage their children to use these websites as opposed to playing mindless games or watching t.v. The games are fun and entertaining but still have some form of educational substance. I would use these in my classroom or leave them as an option for students during snack time or free time. Children's computer and internet skills can be further developed and they can practice their math or reading skills as well. I have also found a website that has storybooks online so students can use this to practice reading at home if they do not have access to new books or are sick of reading the ones they already have. There are a multitude of websites kids can use to help further their education inside and outside of the classroom.

Internet Safety

Internet safety is so important in a classroom. It is my main concern when my children are using computers in the classroom. There are so many scary people and things out in the world that my students do not need to be exposed to. I would hope that my school has protective software installed in all of its computers. I will definitely make sure that I monitor my students computer use and what sites they are going to. I also will make sure filters are used on the school computers so students will not have the option to go to inappropriate websites. I think internet safety is crucial in the classroom. I will absolutely ensure that my students are safe when they out onto the web and know what sites are safe and which ones are not. Safety is my number one concern and I will go to all measures to ensure my students' safety

Excel

I never realized what a useful program excel can be. I knew teachers used it for gradebooks but did not realize all of its different functions. I still find it somewhat confusing to use because I do not know all of the formulas. I wish not so many formulas were necessary making its use a lot easier. If my school that I work in does not have an online gradebook system I definitely intend on using Excel for my grades. It is a great way to keep organized. It also does all the math for you saving a lot of time! I really like excel and definitely plan on using it in my classroom not only for my student's grades but in projects too. The kids can use the program for projects in different subjects such as science and math. Overall, today's class helped me realize how important excel can be in my career and I definitely plan on using it!

Search Engines

Search engines are a difficult thing to use in the classroom. There is so much false information out there and it is difficult to sort out what is true and what is false. The kids may have difficulty knowing what sites are useful and what sites are not. Search engines can be helpful for research projects and other activities in the classroom. I will use them in my class but will absolutely teach my kids the proper ways to use them and make sure they know how to sift through information. Search engines can be useful but at the same a danger zone. I have to use caution with them because I do not want to lead my kids in the wrong direction. Overall, search engines have their faults and advantages.

Microsoft Office

I absolutely love Microsoft Office. I find all of its tools to be helpful and engaging and absolutely intend on using it in my future classroom. I think powerpoint is an extremely helpful program. It adds a visual element to learning which helps engage both audio and visual learners. A lecture can be boring and difficult to follow but paired with a powerpoint presentation it can be engaging and interesting. Excel can help students with data projects. Excel can be applied to math lessons and other subjects as well. Word helps in reading and writing. Overall, I am a big fan of Microsoft Office and will absolutely use it in my classroom in the future.