Blog Post 3

Throughout my academic career, I have used Microsoft Word to construct countless essays. I am willing to wager that I've written hundreds of essays on Word, covering every topic imaginable. I have been using it since I was a child in sixth grade English class. Now, at twenty, not much has changed. I use Word to make lists, to outline essays, and to later write them. I have also used Word to take notes during lectures or do quick assignments online. My teachers and professors have used Microsoft Word throughout the years as well; they would be lost without it, truly. Professors construct exams, form syllabuses, make study guides, and design lesson plans on this program. It is efficient, effective, and easy to use.

The most notable example of students navigating copyright in the postsecondary realm is through citations and sourcing. Often, students need to include the opinions of other intellectuals to make their arguments sound, or to provide a counterargument. If one did not quote, source, or cite that material, it would be like claiming that the words of others are their own. Students can avoid plagiarism by taking these measures; or by citing whenever they're in doubt. Teachers have more difficulty with copyright laws because they'd like to provide supplemental materials like music and videos for their students, yet there is a chance that the information they're presenting information in an illegitimate way. Fair use, however, broadens educators' options for choosing materials to present in class.

To maintain privacy among students, I would encourage them to avoid using easy, guessable passwords. I would also urge them to change them often and to not tell anyone their passwords. Students need to be encouraged to keep security and identity information private, and not release personal information to the public. I would also ask that students log out of shared computers and tablets when they are done using them so that they do not find their information deleted or stolen. To encourage academic honesty, I would explain to students various ways one can be academically dishonest. Plagiarism and cheating are sometimes not as black and white as they seem, and students need to realize that the gray area could get them in trouble as well. I would make them aware of the consequences of academic dishonesty, and convey that the other options, like turning in an assignment late or getting a C on an essay, are much better than the initial punishment.

I left comments today on Bailey's and Margaux's blogs! They had some really interesting things to say.