Technology background

Prior to making the choice of becoming a secondary educator, I worked quite a bit with computers. My undergraduate major is in Geography and a minor in Math. In the past years, Geography has taken a big technological step with the introduction of Geographaphic Informational Systems/Science, better known as GIS or GI Science. This program allows to view and understand as well as question data. You can interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts. Data is usually collected with Global Positioning System or better known as GPS Units ( yes, like the ones you can find in your car) or even manually. As long as data is entered into the computers, GIS can generate maps that can associate it with other data. I specifically worked with with satellite images and then i digitized them using the tools that GIS have to offer. Once all that was done, it was easier to convert it into maps. I worked with various towns using their satellites images then digitizing their manholes, water and gas lines, as well as parcels and crops. Eventually, if a town wanted to know how much land a person could be taxed for, it was as easy as pulling up the parcel "shapefile" and adding it to the map of the town and then they would see how much property that person owned according to the town hall records as well as the digitized image. There were many times that discrepancies were found when a person was taxed for more land that they owned. With the use of this technology many mistakes were corrected.
I spent quite a bit of time in concept mapping as well as data organizing. Also I was responsible for keeping the company's website updated with new information and images through frontpage application. It was a very hands on experience and i enjoyed it very much, however, i felt that the best way for people to understand this technology is by hopefully introducing it at a earlier age such as grade school rather than just in college. This is the link to the company I still work from time to time. If you're interested in GIS you may go ahead and look at one of the uses of it! www.ne-geo.com

Copyright

I think all teachers should be aware about copyright issues and laws. As an educator one should set an example to students about using or citing other's work. How can we expect students to not plagiarize or copy someone's one if a foundation is not instilled in them from their own educators. Perhaps they might not know what copyright infringement is if they have not have the chance of being taught first hand by their own Educators. Although it is hard as a educator to keep up with making up lesson plans and include someone's work without abusing the "fair use" advantage, one should know what's reasonable and what's not.
I know that students will have a better understanding about this issue if indeed they see a set example from thier educator and the use that the educator have with the material that's being distributed. It makes no sense to tell someone not to do something when that him or herself is not exercising the same objective.