Blog post #3

As teachers, it’s extremely important to know when it’s appropriate to use online resources for in-class activities and when it’s best to create our own instructional material due to copyright laws. The best way to prevent issues with copyright and fair use is by getting educated on the topic. If, as teachers, we prioritize understanding these restrictions, we can help our students understand them as well. By having the initiative of adding a copyright-related poster in the classroom, we can make sure students feel comfortable asking related questions, which will allow teachers to help them have no issues when creating their work. One new thing I recently learned from this topic is that paying the author to use their creation is sometimes not enough and that many factors can affect how and when we can use copyrighted content.

One of the main technology implementation issues that have emerged is academic dishonesty, which includes cheating and plagiarism. Even though resources like Google and AI have made it easier for students to engage in academic dishonesty, it is also easier for teachers to detect these behaviors. The best solution for this issue is to foster a learning environment with open communication.  As teachers, it’s important to explicitly share class expectations, including following academic honesty guidelines. In addition, if students trust teachers, they will be more likely to communicate when they are facing issues with submitting an assignment on time, which is one reason why many students turn to plagiarism to finish assignments faster. In addition, if the teacher takes into consideration students’ interests, they can create assignments that will be fun and educational for students, which will reduce their desire to cheat to finish the assignment faster.