Week 11 - Legal Matters

In reading about about accessibility, the TEACH Act, and learning about the legal matters from a speaker in our AHE 602/644 class. I must say these are sensitive issues but important ones for the public to know and be aware of these issues.

• Accessibility - I like how the website explains this subject and not only being limited to those that are handicap/disabilities
• The TEACH Act - the checklist that guides users to comply with rules and regulations of legal property using internet
• Fair use -  the speaker from Dr. Major's course explaining that the use of intellectual property is tricky and you have to treat each case differently.  The guest speaker did a great job of explaining the fair use guidelines and providing concrete examples uses various scenarios and actual legal cases.

The legal aspect is improtant for the public to understand and the guidelines when it comes to intellectual property. The explanations of patents to copyright is valuable in the business world as well as the higher education realm where students/professors must know the boundaries and know how they are protected in this particular arena. 

Week 10 - Writing to Connect

 From the reading and looking at the resources on the Pedagogy First website, I see the purpose of and various ways that blogging is used in and outside the classroom. Blogging is a neat tool and unique how the experts define this tool and its use.

What might be the advantages and disadvantages of using a class blog or student blogs for your class?

Advantages

• Creates a forum where you can comment on a topic and share your opinion on a particular subject.
• An ongoing log for you and the class to refer to time and time again
• It is available and immediate for the class to access and share ideas as well as give each other feedback on a particular subject matter  
• Another outlet of communication and a possible way to create community

 Disadvantages

• Getting everyone on board to participate
• Tracking the use of blogging and how some professors may use it as participation 
• Is there a sense of community actually created through the use of blogging 
• Possible barriers of communication (informal vs formal or required vs resource/outlet of communication)

Google Site or web page make a good welcome for students?

I believe Google Site would serve as a great welcome to students. I would view a well developed web page as a solid foundation/introduction to the course with the syllabus, overview, assignments, and other tools that students could refer to throughout the course like an electronic syllabus especially with a video attached to the site. In a different setting for my RA staff, I used and presented a Google Site for my staff to access, use, and update information throughout the year. I believe explaining the purpose of the site and going through each tool really benefited the staff long-term and this site was a success in my eyes.