Blog Journal #2

    I have used Microsoft Word extensively in both High School and College. I have used Microsoft Word to write papers in both MLA and APA formats, which are hard formats to use in any other type of word processing software. I think Microsoft Word is a very valuable source but I do prefer to use Google Docs instead of word, because Docs is a lot easier to understand how to use than Word. I also prefer how Google Docs autosaves your work, and that it can be used on any computer without having to send my work to that computer, like I would have to do with Microsoft Word.

    The ISTE standard that I believe is the most important is the standard of learner. This is the idea that educators are not just teaching, but that they are also learning. This standard is that teachers stay relevant on information especially related to technology. Staying relevant on technology can add to any classroom for K-12 because these technologies can help learning, and if the teachers are not open to trying these technologies then the students may be at a disadvantage. Besides keeping up to date with technology learners also keep up with recent information about learning strategies, having this information can help improve the students understanding. 

       Digital Natives are the young people who are the native speakers of technology. Digital natives do not remember a time outside of having digital technology whereas adults had to learn the language of the internet, because they did not grow up around it like those referred to as digital natives. I think it is very obvious who would be considered a digital native or a digital immigrant when I think of us compared to our teachers and professors. Most FSU students grew up having laptops readily available so we know how to use most of the programs on them, whereas teachers tend to need help using technology especially a lot of my teachers because they had to learn how to use them. This is especially evident on Canvas and Zoom during the pandemic, lots of students easily navigated how to use Canvas for assignments and how to use zoom, but most of my professors struggled with how to use these programs. This technological difference made it hard to always have the information I needed to be able to learn but the difference became less and less obvious the more my teachers used technology. I do think since we are digital natives, the difference between how we use technology compared to our future students will be lower than the current difference between digital natives and digital immigrants.

    For my newsletter I am writing it from the perspective of teaching 9th grade English. The content I am going to include is four articles, a parents section, college advice section, what we are reading section and a how we are using technology section. Some of the tips I am going to use for my newsletter is making the information detailed but concise so that it can be informative. I also will be trying to make it visually appealing but keeping in mind the readability. For example, I will use a big enough font that the information is easy readable and that the font simple. Some of the ways I am going to make it visually pleasing is having a simple and cute banner, and having images break apart some of the articles making it easy to read. Lastly, I will put the college section in a shaded box to add color and make that section stand out since it is very important.