Blog Post #5

    Prior to my experience in this course, I did not frequently utilize Twitter or understand why my peers were such avid supporters of the platform. After making my account for a participation portfolio item, I spent an afternoon exploring Twitter where I followed accounts belonging to my friends, role models, organizations, and various news sources. I have come to realize the multiple benefits of using Twitter which include staying connected to friends as well as family, being informed of current events, and researching purposes. Therefore, I am able to search for anything by simply typing in any subject matter, making the possibilities endless. In addition, Twitter allows users to interact with others in real-time and via any mobile device. Also, this social media platform is international with the ability to connect users in other countries and continents. This means that individuals can expand their personal knowledge and relationships by finding out what people across the globe feel as well as think. In terms of my future career, I believe Twitter gives me the opportunity to advertise my personal brand as an attorney. Thus, I am able to display my credentials and skills while providing a "micro-blog" format with posts about my current projects as well as legal news and advice. Finally, Twitter is an extremely useful tool in the legal field where one can network but also reach their past, present, and potential clients. 

    About two years ago, a global pandemic dramatically changed all learning environments where children and adults were required to depend completely on remote schooling. For most digital learning was a non-brainer, but not everyone has computers or internet access at their homes. Thus, some students are at a clear disadvantage and unable to engage with their teachers as well as peers but also could not curate a stable learning environment. The students who have readily available computer and internet access can complete a given digital assignment while amassing technological skills. Today, our world is dependent upon technology and the internet to exist.The digital divide is present in all developed and developing countries which is caused by socioeconomic differences, generation gaps, and location of residence. As a result, those who are living in less affluent communities as well as rural areas are less likely to have internet and a computer. Also, younger generations are more likely to be utilize technology in a greater context while older ones refine their usage to the basics. To address this disparity, teachers need to always remember that not all students have access to technology outside of school. As an educator, I would only employ technology in the classroom and not assign homework that would require the usage of the internet. Every week I would allocate time for my class to work on their technology and information processing skills by using the school-owned computers or tablets. 

    As a teacher, my curriculum would only utilize technology inside the classroom with an emphasis on ensuring students literacy in Microsoft Word and Goggle Scholar. In my opinion, an adequate understanding of Microsoft Word is imperative to a student's future success as this software is widely used in higher education as well as in the workforce. Microsoft Word is a word-processing software that allows users to create, format, share, and organize documents. If I were teaching high school, I could use Microsoft Word to educate students on how to create professional documents such as resumes, brochures, and business cards. Another software that I would implement in my future classroom is Google Scholar. One of the most important skills throughout ones life is the ability to be a productive and quality researcher. For many using the normal search engine of Google, they become overwhelmed with the quantity of search results, each of which needs to be vetted for its credibility. However, Google Scholar provides scholarly articles, library links, open access journals, and legal documents that provide substantive information that will bolster any academic paper. In addition, this software has a "cited by" feature where students can accurately cite their sources in the correct format. As a result, Google Scholar helps academic users to stay organized, verify their information, take advantage of library sources, and spend more time focusing on compiling their papers.