Blog Post #3

    As a teacher, understanding copyright and fair use is essential when developing instructional materials and guiding students in creating work on their own. For me personally, I would make it a priority to ensure that any resources I use fall within fair use guidelines or have proper licensing such as Creative Commons. Additionally, I would emphasize the importance of teaching students about proper citation strategies, plagiarism, and respecting digital property (images, videos, music, etc.). Throughout the process of learning about copyright and fair use, I personally have learned how crucial it is for educators to balance accessibility with legal and ethical considerations. This has led me to question how schools can provide clearer guidelines on copyright rules, especially with technology becoming increasingly common in classrooms.

    As technology becomes more prevalent in our schools, academic dishonesty has become a growing concern. Many students use online resources, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), to complete assignments dishonestly. This is an important issue to discuss as not doing your own work can impact learning and critical thinking. In order to address this I would implement structures assignments that focus on key concepts, such as personal reflection, that make it harder to use AI generated responses. Stressing academic integrity by having meaningful conversations about AI may also be helpful for students to truly understand what they are doing. By doing this, I hope to create an environment that values learning over grades and minimizes the temptation of engaging in dishonest practices.

    While there are some downsides to Generative AI, such as academic dishonesty, there are also some ways it can benefit student learning. For example, Artificial Intelligence platforms such as ChatGPT, can enhance brainstorming, writing skills, and research if used properly. Using AI to generate practice questions or receive feedback on already completed work can help students grow. Learning to use AI responsibly, and not as a shortcut, is key. This raises questions about how teachers and other educators can establish clear guidelines for AI use while still fostering creativity.

    Switching gears, the Newsletter Design assignment helped me develop skills in layout design, effective communication, and visual hierarchy. While completing this assignment I was able to learn about new features in Word, such as making the text wrap around images and creating borders. I also learned how to create a visually pleasing, while still professional looking, document. In the future, I could improve my newsletter by changing the alignment and making it more engaging. These design skills that I have acquired will be valuable in my future career as a school psychologist. While working I may have to create informational materials for parents, teachers, and students. Being able to communicate these crucial psychological concepts in an accessible and visually appealing way will be influential in engaging my audience. Screenshots of my newsletter can be found below!