Blog Journal 4: February 13, 2019
          So far, I have enjoyed using Twitter, and it has enhanced my experience in EME 2040. I mostly interact with other students in the class and the EME 2040 course account. I like interacting with my peers on Twitter because we follow up on what we discuss in class. About a week ago, some of us chose to write about the digital divide in our journals, and then we also discussed it on Twitter later. It was nice to continue the conversation outside of class. In my future career, I can see myself using Twitter to connect with other people in my field and share my ideas like how my class shares ideas on Twitter. I can also follow accounts that share articles and interesting news about my field.
          Because of the digital divide, some students have more access to technology than others. Those who have computers and internet connection at home may feel more comfortable with technology and do better on assignments relating to technology because of their ease in access to it. However, not all students have technology at home, so they may have a harder time completing online assignments. Students that grow up without a lot of exposure and access to technology in their homes and school may be less equipped to use technology in the workforce. The digital divide is caused by differences in socioeconomic status. Students from wealthier families will probably have more access to technology. Additionally, students in rural areas may have less access to technology than students in urban areas and may have to travel farther in order to use a computer like at a public library. As a teacher, I may teach a class where students have differing levels of access to technology at home. I will adjust my teaching strategy to make sure that students are given in-class time to complete online assignments. Additionally, the students may be more likely to have smartphones, so if they do I can assign apps for them to use.
          I think it is important for students to learn through academic software in school because the skills they develop will help them throughout their education and in their careers. I would definitely implement MS Word and teach students how to use it. MS Word allows students to format text. It is crucial for them to learn how to use it because they may be required to use it to write assignments for courses and to write documents in their future jobs. I would also like to teach some general Photoshop skills. Photoshop is an image editing software. Using Photoshop would allow students to develop valuable graphic design skills while being able to get creative.