Legal Environment of Business

Unit: Advancements in Computer Technology

Introduction

Our selected classroom is found within Coffee County school system and is located in rural

Douglas, Georgia. The county itself has approximately 48,700 residents and consists of nine

elementary schools, one middle school, a freshmen campus and one high school. Coffee County

Schools employ over 400 teachers and are currently educating over 8,000 students. The learning

environment serving as primary context for our learner analysis is best described as rurally

driven, public, and secondary level classroom that consists of 28 students. Most importantly,

classroom instruction is held in a computer lab, giving all users access to the internet and basic

Microsoft Office applications.

The standard we will be using for our Legal Environment of Business class is as follows: BCS-

LEB-11: The student explains how advances in computer technology impact business law. Our

main goal is to educate our students in regard to both ethical and unethical behaviors regarding

technology, thus giving them the tools necessary to protect themselves in both a personal and

professional regard.

Demographics

Students vary in terms of age, gender, race and socio-economic backgrounds. This particular

class consists of 8 seniors, 17 juniors and 3 sophomores. There are 11 males and 17 females in

the classroom. Infinite Campus, Coffee High School’s administrative software, identify 46% of

the students as African-American, 28% as Caucasian, and the remaining 26% as being of

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Hispanic or Latino descent. According to school documentation, 13 of the 28 students are

recipients of Free and Reduced Price Meals, thus determining that approximately 48% of

students possibly come from low-income households. Clearly, this diverse classroom is a prime

example of a heterogeneous group of students.

Variety continues in terms of student achievement levels and preferred learning styles. Please

refer to the following charts for information in terms of current grade point averages and

individual learning style preferences. Grade point averages were collected via Infinite Campus

and learning style preferences are reported in response to an electronic classroom survey

completed by each student during their first week of enrollment.

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Additionally, 4 students have IEPs for specific learning disabilities and 3 students are within the

top 5% of the current senior class. Therefore, instruction is best designed for multilevel students

and various types of learning styles. Every student should be made as part of the lesson; however

students must be reinforced for completing tasks at their own pace.

Entry Skills and Prior Knowledge

Legal Environment of Business is the second requirement in the Career, Technical, and

Agricultural Education pathway of Small Business Development. All students must complete the

introductory course requirements within the prerequisite Business Essentials class prior to

enrolling in this course.

It is evident that students are exposed to technology from an early age. The use of research sites,

social networking sites and file sharing sites are accessed daily by our students. But do our

students possess the knowledge they need to ethically downloading files, share programs or

using another’s work? Are they motivated to learn the proper way to conduct their selves in

regard to technology and business law?

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A pretest in regard to the standard “BCS-LEB-11: The student explains how advances in

computer technology impact business law” was administered to our group of students prior to

beginning the unit. This pretest was used to measure both prior knowledge and identify academic

motivation toward our standard and goals. Results let us know that although students were highly

motivated toward using technology over more traditional resources, they didn’t quite understand

why some of the more common unethical issues is regard to copyrights, technology and

plagiarism were wrong.

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Academic Motivation

A survey (Appendix B) was administered to this population of students and overwhelmingly

indicates that these students are actively utilizing technology in their day-to-day lives, whether it

is for academic purposes or personal/social activities. The survey indications also reveal that as

a whole these students are not always mindful of the ethical or legal ramifications of their

technology activities in regards to copyright.

These students embrace technology and it is an integral part of their daily lives which indicates

that incorporating activities merging technology with classroom learning will enhance and

encourage the students to gain a further understanding of the lessons that are promoting the

standard being addressed.

“Even though one clings to the romantic notion that education provides the building blocks in a

straight line to a meaningful future, the reality is that mixed goals and instructional messages

prevail. A much richer vision of comprehension and literacy is necessary for students to succeed

for the here and now and for their future, one that incorporates all of the changing options and

demands for education and the workplace,” Mark W. Conley and Antoinette Wise.

In their journal article “Comprehension for What? Preparing Students for Their Meaningful

Future,” Conley and Wise of The University of Memphis’ College of Education discuss their

findings and studies on the connection of IPad’s and other mobile tablet technologies in the

classroom. They find links between increased classroom participation and student confidence

through observations and surveys. Their recommendation is for teachers to introduce a “multiple

literacies” approach to their classrooms.

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“Multiple literacies involve the many different ways readers interact with texts (including print,

graphic, and digital), as well as many different ways of comprehending (including reading,

writing, speaking, listening, viewing, drawing, word processing, and using PowerPoint

presentations and database programs to represent information; no longer get their news in paper

form, preferring, instead, electronic media sent through electronic tablets. Books and magazines

are widely available on electronic tablets like the iPad and the Kindle. With social media

networks, blogs, and wikis, adolescents are experiencing whole new worlds of textual

representations.

Motivational Strategies

There are several motivational strategies that may be implemented into the curriculum to achieve

the desired results – which is this student population strengthening their understanding of

technology use and how to properly (ethically, professionally, etc.) utilize it.

According to Keller there are four types of complimentary motivational strategies that are

effective when used together to meet a particular learning objective: Attention (gets and holds

the student’s attention), Relevance (correlates practical examples to the particular objective),

Confidence (keeps the student engaged while providing positive feedback) and Satisfaction

(encourages the student to continue learning about the subject matter beyond the classroom).

The three motivational strategies targeted (entailed below) are all a reflection of Keller’s ARCS

Model of Motivational Design, as well as incorporating the multiple literacies approach to

instruction to appeal to this generation’s learner.

Motivational Strategy #1: Access to Technology

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Grant supervised student access to advanced technological resources in the classroom setting.

Not all students are products of homes with ample access to advanced technologies. In their

home environments, many students have very basic computers/technology or a single computer

that they must share with family members. Furthermore, they often do not have personal access

to mobile technologies, such as iPods (or other portable digital music players), iPads, Kindles,

Nooks, etc.

Students will work individually or in small groups to complete assigned activities using iPad’s

(or any of the above mentioned mobile technology resources based on the teacher’s access or on

the nature of the lesson for the day). This will provide the students with a feeling of pride that

they are being entrusted with the privilege of using high-tech devices which will instill

confidence in their approach to the subject matter. The students will be enticed to work on the

assigned activities as this involves hands on exposure to cutting edge technologies that they may

not have had the opportunity to experiment with at home. This will also provide them with the

confidence and foundational knowledge of using and caring for these types of technologies

should they attend a university or technical college after high school graduation – where they

will be expected to complete independent work in technology resource labs that implement

MACs, laptops or iPad and iPod check-out stations.

Before these supplemental technology teaching aids will be introduced into the classroom, the

teacher will provide the students with a lesson on how to use the particular device, how to

properly care for the device and any other basics. Additionally, each student will sign a contract

outlining the expectations of using the technology and the repercussions based on any misuse,

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i.e. accessing inappropriate content or intentionally defacing the product would revoke the

individual’s access. Students who master using the new technology while properly caring for the

device will receive encouragement and positive feedback for doing so.

Students who consistently exhibit superior skills and care of the handling of the device may be

granted special access to check out the iPad to work on a homework assignment or class project

outside of the classroom.

Motivational Strategy #2: Music Mondays

Students may listen to music on Mondays while completing individual work after meeting certain

criteria the previous week.

Students who complete their assignments in a timely manner and achieve a score of 75% or

higher on each of their weekly assignments will be allowed to listen to their digital music player

while completing individual work on the following Mondays.

Students who do not possess a personal music player but who meet the weekly criteria will be

entered into a raffle at the beginning of class on Music Mondays to allow use of the class iPod

for that class period.

Motivational Strategy #3: Social Networking Initiative

Social networking tools will be utilized to generate an increased interest in keeping up with

assignments and class activities.

Students will have access to a class networking page (or other similar site that can be decided on

by the teacher and her students based on the class’ social networking preferences) that outlines

class objectives and materials while keeping the students abreast of assignments, activities and

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projects. The teacher will create and monitor the page daily. The teacher will periodically post

questions at the beginning of the week that the students will have until the end of the week to

read and comment on in 2-3 sentences with their own reflections to the question or statement.

The students will not be graded on the content of their posting, but it will be included in their

class participation score at the end of the term. Occasionally the teacher may post a bonus

question at a random time and the first student to respond with the correct answer receives a

bonus point or other incentive. This measure will encourage the students to interact on the page

at times outside of their class period. Students may also post questions about the content on the

page that the teacher or classmates can respond to in order to encourage classroom discussion.

As stated above, the teacher will monitor the page daily to verify that any misinformation is

corrected or any spam posting is deleted.

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Educational and Ability Levels

The student population and ethnicity are both identified in the two graphs within the

demographics section. The graphs show the diversity of the population is a heterogeneous

group. Additional research suggests that cultural differences can have a negative effect on

students’ participation if the lesson is scud towards one ethnic background. This factor and the

student’s education and ability levels charted in the graphs, provide a better picture how to

design the classroom lessons for a multilevel diverse group.

Collis (1999) and Henderson (1996) proposed the “flexible” approach, which suggests that the

courses should be flexible enough to cater to diverse cultural perspectives, rather than simply

containing pre-determined content. The central notion of the flexible approach is that the key

aspects of course design should be contingent on the cultural dimension of the course, and should

be flexible enough to allow the students and instructors to choose their own learning and

teaching styles as the course progresses.

Children’s ethnic background and cultures influence the manner in which they learn concepts

and process information. Curricular and instructional methodologies, therefore, must be adapted

to accommodate alternative learning styles (Clark, 1999). In addition, students today do not have

technology barriers which impede accessing technology in their daily lives. The major point for

this lesson will be to help them to “understand” the ethnical implementations of how to use

technology properly. The need to cover the ethnical practices in this setting is not only necessary

but will only make the students better technology citizens.

Learner Characteristics

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Two of the most valuable components in the learning process are the individuality of the teacher

and the individuality of each student. Yet those individual differences often interfere with

academic achievement unless teachers attempt to understand the implications of learning style

research and incorporate students' learning style preferences into their lesson planning

(Campbell, B.J., 1991). Differences in teaching styles may also impact on areas such as

classroom arrangements, the organization and assessment of activities, teacher interactions with

students and pedagogical approaches, such as the use of questioning (Evans, 2004). In order to

move from a “pedagogy of poverty” to a “pedagogy of plenty” (Tomlinson, 2005) and to cater to

the increasing diversity of student learning needs, effective teachers need to be aware of and use

a variety of teaching styles (Kulinna & Cothran, 2003).

Next identify what the learner characteristics are in the classroom for each student. The students

were given a learning style survey to assist the teacher in planning for differential instruction.

The data provided from the survey allows her to modify her instruction and classroom to meet

the student’s needs. The survey results are listed in Entry Skills and Prior Knowledge section.

In the graph the learner styles show the majority of the students were higher in visual and

kinesthetic styles, verses the auditory and combination of the styles. Therefore, the lesson needs

to be directed not to just these learning styles but for all learning styles so each student will

master the lesson.

Gardner Learning characteristics are excellent guide to formulate and meet the diverse learners

in this setting. Howard Gardner initially formulated a list of seven intelligences. His listing was

provisional. The first two have been typically valued in schools; the next three are usually associated with

the arts; and the final two are what Howard Gardner called 'personal intelligences' (Gardner 1999: 41-43).

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Linguistic intelligence involves sensitivity to spoken and written language, the ability to learn languages,

and the capacity to use language to accomplish certain goals. This intelligence includes the ability to

effectively use language to express oneself rhetorically or poetically; and language as a means to

remember information. Writers, poets, lawyers and speakers are among those that Howard Gardner sees

as having high linguistic intelligence.

Logical-mathematical intelligence consists of the capacity to analyze problems logically, carry out

mathematical operations, and investigate issues scientifically. In Howard Gardner's words, it entails the

ability to detect patterns, reason deductively and think logically. This intelligence is most often associated

with scientific and mathematical thinking.

Musical intelligence involves skill in the performance, composition, and appreciation of musical

patterns. It encompasses the capacity to recognize and compose musical pitches, tones, and rhythms.

According to Howard Gardner musical intelligence runs in an almost structural parallel to linguistic

intelligence.

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence entails the potential of using one's whole body or parts of the body to

solve problems. It is the ability to use mental abilities to coordinate bodily movements. Howard Gardner

sees mental and physical activity as related.

Spatial intelligence involves the potential to recognize and use the patterns of wide space and more

confined areas.

Interpersonal intelligence is concerned with the capacity to understand the intentions, motivations and

desires of other people. It allows people to work effectively with others. Educators, salespeople, religious

and political leaders and counselors all need a well-developed interpersonal intelligence.

Intrapersonal intelligence entails the capacity to understand oneself, to appreciate one's feelings, fears

and motivations. In Howard Gardner's view it involves having an effective working model of ourselves,

and to be able to use such information to regulate our lives.

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In Gardner's view, learning is both a social and psychological process. When students understand

the balance of their own multiple intelligences they begin

To manage their own learning

To value their individual strengths

In this view, as Gardner (1999: 24) puts it, 'intelligence is better thought of as "distributed" in the world

rather than "in the head"'. Some of those advocating the importance of distributed cognition place a

stronger focus on distribution than others. They argue that while the individual is significant,

psychological analysis should focus on the joint, socially mediated activity in a cultural context (see

Salomon 1993: xv for a discussion).

Many steps can be taken to begin a learning style approach to teaching depending upon the

subject being taught. The following is a list of strategies that can be successful in most business

classes (Campbell, B.J., 1991).

1. Allow students to select their own seats--front or back, near the windows or the door, or

near friends.

2. Make some short-term assignments (due at the next class meeting) and some long-term

assignments (due in 2, 3, 4 weeks).

3. Combine individual assignments with some group assignments.

4. Give step-by-step instructions when they are needed, but encourage students to

experiment on their own when that is appropriate.

5. Vary written feedback on papers with verbal comments to individual students.

6. Allow students to help each other learn and work together when possible.

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7. Give at least one major oral assignment.

8. Allow students to talk to each other while they are working at their individual

assignments, when it is appropriate to do so.

9. Allow extra credit for special creative endeavors.

10. Use a game or crossword puzzle for review.

11. Give many chances to earn grade points other than paper-and-pencil tests.

12. Give some directions orally, some in writing.

13. Provide constant encouragement for students who are slow in understanding or

performing or who have trouble expressing themselves in writing

14. Allow students to complete some assignments outside of class.

15. Make class assignments as relevant as possible. Show how readings and projects fit into

real-life situations.

Based on the lessons for Legal Environment of Business, the ISTE's NETS for Students (2007)

should be incorporated in the lesson to help students prepare to work, live, and contribute to the

social and civic fabric of their communities. The new ISTE (2007) standards identified several

higher-order thinking skills and digital citizenship as critical for students to learn effectively for a

lifetime and live productively in our emerging global society. These areas include the ability to:

Demonstrate creativity and innovation-

Communicate and collaborate

Conduct research and use information

Think critically, solve problems, and make decisions

Use technology effectively and productively

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In addition, given the groups learning styles, ability levels, and ethnic diversity by implementing into the

lesson the suggested classroom strategies’ above will create a learner driver lesson. The learners analyzed

in this study can then walk away with a better “understanding” of copyright use and laws.

Accommodations The IEP’s provided students with the following Learning Disabilities. The students were in the

tenth, eleventh or twelfth grades. One student failed Environmental Science twice and had a

GPA of 1.70 in which the overall GPA should be 2.5. The student reading fluency and

comprehension were at the 8th

grade level. The student was three grades levels below peers in

the class. Student does not have needed vocabulary to meet 11th

grade GPS standard-listening,

speaking, and reviewing skills. Additionally, work was needed in the area of auditory skills.

Accommodations-

1. Assistive Technology device/services (computer software)

2. Alternative format for instructional material

3. Read-along techniques

4. Tape lessons, video tapes, DVD’s, captioned TV programs

5. Educational videos and films/talking books

6. Student developed file of vocabulary words, word webs, visual organizer

7. Sufficient “wait time”

8. Utilizing dictionary for building vocabulary, spelling and reading comprehension

9. Audio versions of the text in English and Science-Read test questions orally

10. Extended time to complete reading assignments

11. Extra help with word problems

12. Small group settings

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13. Visual Representations

14. Peer Tutoring

The areas of deficiency for these students were sequential processing (short term memory),

simultaneous processing and fluid reasoning. The cognitive processing skills are deficient and

severely impact one’s ability to achieve in the areas of reading, written expression and math.

There were areas of discrepancy between achievement in the areas of math, language arts and

written expression and intellectual ability. The student did not meet the graduation requirements

in Writing, English and Mathematics.

Accommodations-

l. Assistive Technology Devices (computer software)

2. Preview of New Concepts

3. Extra time to complete assignments

4. Should be allowed to volunteer answers

5. A table of facts or calculator

6. To develop listening skills and memory- poetry, rhymes, songs, audiotape material,

and mnemonics

7. Multi-sensory approach-spelling aloud and writing words

8. “Hands-on” concrete material

9. Draw illustrations and representations

10. Small group work

11. Self- Instruction

12. Peer Tutoring

13. Visual Representations

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References

Campbell, B.J. 1991. Planning for a student learning style, Journal of Education for

Business; Jul/Aug91, Vol. 66 Issue 6, p356, 4p.

Clark, J. (1999). Minorities in science and math, Columbus, OH; Clearinghouse for

Science Mathematics and Environmental Education, (ERIC Documentation Reproduction

Service No. ED 433 216).

Collis, B. (1999). Designing for differences: Cultural issues in the design of WWW-

based course-support sites. British Journal of Educational Technology, 30(3), 201-215.

Conley, M., & Wise, A (2011). Comprehension for what? Preparing students for their

meaningful future. Theory Info Practice. 50:93–99

Cunningham, Patricia and Allington, Richard (1998). Classrooms That Work,

Addison-Wesley.

Evans, C. (2004). Exploring the relationship between cognitive style and teaching

style. Educational Psychology, 24(4), 509-530

Foundation for Success: The final Report of the National mathematics Advisory Panel,

http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/report/final-report.pdf

Gardner, H. 1999. Multiple Intelligences and Education,

http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm

Henderson, L. (1996). Instructional design of interactive multimedia. Educational

Technology Research and Development, 44(4), 85-104.

ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education, 2007. NETS for Students

(2007), Journal of Research on Technology in Education.

Kilpatrick, et.al. (2001). Understanding and Procedural Fluency.

Kulinna, P. H., & Cothran, D. J. (2003). Physical education teachers’ self reported

use and perceptions of various teaching styles. Learning and

Instruction, 31(6), 597-609.

Nace, T. & Kathy, A. (1993). Rethinking the basic of Public Speaking Course for African

American Students and Other Students of Color. The Journal of Negro Education, 62,

448-457.

National Commission on Mathematics and Science teaching for the 21st Century-Before

It’s Too Late, http://www2.ed.gov/inits/math/glenn/toc.html

National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century-Before

It’s Too Late, http://www2.ed.gov/inits/Math/glenn/toc.html

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National Research Council-Adding It Up: Helping Children Learn Mathematics,

http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=9822

RAND Mathematics Study Panel-Mathematical Proficiency for All Students,

http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph-reports/MR1643/index.html

Salomon, G. (ed.) (1993) Distributed Cognitions. Psychological and educational considerations,

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Steedly, Kathlyn, Dragoo, Kyrie, Arefeh, Sousan & Luke, Stephen (2008). Effective

Mathematics Instruction. “What Students Need to Know and We Need To Teach: How

Disabilities Can Affect Mathematics.” Evidence for Education. Volume III.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2005). Differentiated instruction as way to achieve equity and

excellence in today’s schools. Building inclusive schools: A search for

solutions. Conference Report Canadian Teachers’ Federation Conference

(19-21). Ottawa, Ontario.

Therrien, W. J. (2004). Fluency and Comprehension Gains as a Result of Repeated

Reading. Remedial and Special Education. 25 (4), 252-261.

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Appendix A

DISCOVER YOUR

PREFERRED LEARNING

STYLE

This questionnaire will help you discover what kind of learner you are.

Read each row and click the ONE option that is most like you.

I prefer lessons

where we can

discuss things.

I prefer lessons

where there is

something to look

at (like a picture,

chart, diagram or

video) or

something to

draw.

I prefer lessons

where we can do

something

practical – or at

least move

around.

I often fiddle with

things in class (a

pen, paper clip or

rubber band.)

I often sing or hum

to myself in class. I often doodle in

class.

When learning a

new skill, I prefer

to just get on with

it.

When learning a

new skill, I prefer

someone to

explain to me

how to do it.

When learning a

new skill, I prefer

to watch someone

else show me how

to do it.

When the

advertisements

come on the

television – I like

to watch them.

When the

advertisements

come on the

television– I get up

and do something.

When the

advertisements

come on the

television – I like

to sing along with

them.

I would prefer

to listen to a

story.

I would prefer

to see a comic

strip of a story.

I would prefer

to act out a

story.

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I am good at

learning physical

skills.

I have a good

memory for

people’s names.

I have a good

memory for faces.

I prefer teachers

who use diagrams

to show us things.

I prefer teachers

who get us to do

something.

I prefer teachers

who explain things

to us.

If I get in trouble

in class, it’s for

talking.

If I get in trouble

in class, it’s for

drawing on the

desk or all over my

books.

If I get in trouble

in class it’s for

fidgeting.

On a long

journey I like to

look at the

scenery or read a

book.

On a long

journey I can’t

wait until we stop

so I can walk

around.

On a long

journey I like to

listen to music or

talk to the other

travelers.

I use my hands a

lot when I am

talking.

When I am

discussing

something, I

sometimes use

words my friends

don’t know.

When I am

discussing

something, I like to

doodle.

If I could be

famous, I would

be a sports-

person (or

dancer).

If I could be

famous, I would

be a film-star.

If I could be

famous, I would

be a singer.

I would rather go

outside and play. I would rather

watch my favorite

TV program.

I would rather

listen to my

favorite music.

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I get distracted in

class if I can see

something

outside the

window.

I get distracted in

class if I can hear

something

happening

outside.

I lose

concentration if I

have to sit still

for a long time.

I am good at

drawing. I am good at

making things. I am a good

listener.

Out of these 3 jobs

- I would prefer to

be a radio DJ (or

presenter)

Out of these 3 jobs

- I would prefer to

be a mechanic.

Out of these 3 jobs

- I would prefer to

be an artist (or

designer).

In my spare time I

would prefer to do

something

physical, such as

sport or dancing.

In my spare time I

would prefer to

watch TV or a

video.

In my spare time I

would prefer to

listen to music or

chat with friends.

The type of puzzle

I would prefer is

"Spot the

difference".

The type of puzzle

I would prefer is

"Name that tune".

The type of puzzle

I would prefer is

"Rubik's cube".

If I needed to build

a Lego model, I

would get someone

to explain how or

to read the

instructions to me.

If I needed to build

a Lego model, I

would try to work

out which bits fit

together.

If I needed to build

a Lego model, I

would follow the

diagram or the

picture on the

packet.

When you have clicked one option in each row, count up how many buttons

of each color you scored.

If you scored mainly buttons, you are a VISUAL learner.

If you scored mainly buttons, you are an AUDITORY learner.

If you scored mainly buttons, you are a TACTILE learner.

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Appendix B

Technology Use Survey

1. Today is your friend’s birthday. How do you first congratulate her?

a. Make a unique birthday card to give her before school.

b. Leave a comment on her Facebook page.

c. Call and sing “Happy Birthday” to her over the phone.

2. You made the track team! As a reward, your mom has offered to buy a new pair of

running shoes to replace your old pair. She gives you a budget on how much she is

willing to spend. She cannot go with you to purchase the shoes until Saturday. Today is

Monday, what do you do in the meantime?

a. Go online to check out the latest styles of running shoes, read reviews and print a

couple pictures of your top choices to show mom what you want.

b. Find the Sunday newspaper ads and look through the pages to see what is on sale

this week at the stores.

c. During the week, go to the mall with your friends after school to look at the

selection in all of the shoe stores and get their opinions.

3. You most often listen to music:

a. On the radio (at home, in your car, at work, etc.).

b. On your IPod or another portable device.

c. Online through sites such as YouTube or MySpace Music.

4. You are on summer break and your grandmother asks you to drive her to her doctor’s

appointment. Afterwards, she will take you to lunch at your favorite restaurant. You know

you will have to sit forever in the waiting room. You…

a. Bring your new magazine and your summer reading book with you.

b. Take your laptop, because you know there has to be a WIFI connection that you

can pick up in the area.

c. A pillow. This will be a great time to take a powernap.

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5. For your end of the year project in Biology class, you have to make a presentation to

your class on an assigned biological topic.

a. You make a beautiful poster detailing the structure of a flower that you drew from

hand and colored with magic markers.

b. You create a PowerPoint presentation with slides filled with graphs and awesome

pictures from National Geographic to educate the class on Bengal Tigers.

c. You wing it with note cards. You review some websites the night before on the

subject and write down a few keys words. When it’s your turn, you tell the class

about your topic and refer to your notes.

6. Do you use social media every day? How much time do you spend on an average day

connecting with friends and family online?

a. 0 hours

b. 1-2 hours / day

c. 3-4 hours / day

d. 4+ hours / day

7. When you watch TV, you most often are:

a. On the computer at the same time doing homework and chatting with friends

through social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter.

b. Sitting on the couch eating dinner with your brothers or sisters.

c. Lying on your bed doing as little as possible.

8. You are adding new tunes to your music collection. You are most likely to…

a. Buy the CD format at Wal-Mart or a local music store.

b. Purchase the song or album through your ITunes account.

c. Download the album from a file sharing site, like Napster or LimeWire.

d. Copy it from a friend or sibling’s music collection.

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9. You are working on a class assignment on the Civil War. Your chosen topic is “Clothing

Styles of the Civil War Era,” but there is almost no information in your textbook or class

handouts. What you do?

a. Go to the school media center or public library for help finding resources through

online databases and reference books.

b. Google the topic and print the first few articles that adequately cover the

information.

c. Google the topic and select articles that are from academic sources or have an

.edu address.

d. Use an encyclopedia or book you find on your parent’s bookshelf.

10. The movie everyone is talking about opens in theaters this weekend.

a. You buy your advance ticket now so that you can be sure to make the midnight

showing before it sells out.

b. You don’t want to spend the cash on the ticket right now. You will wait until it

comes out on video and pick it up at a video store or Redbox.

c. You won’t make the midnight showing but will stream it next week online even if

the quality is not the best.

d. Who cares about the movie? The books are always better and you have it on

reserve at the library.

11. If you read a book or magazine for fun, you:

a. Check it out at the school media center or public library. Or buy it at a store.

b. Download it to either your Kindle or Nook, or your computer or IPad, etc.

c. Reading for fun? That’s not fun!

d. Borrow it from a friend or family member.

12. You completely forgot that your English essay is due tomorrow! You really want to watch

the season finale of American Idol with your friends tonight. Your best friend’s mom has

even planned an Idol party and is ordering pizzas for everybody. What now?!?

a. You’ve got this! You use your free period to get organized and print a few literary

critiques online. After school you lock yourself in your room and write for the

next 3 hours…and still make the finale.

b. You search online for topic ideas but come across a site with free essays. You find

the perfect one. You copy and paste the entire text into a Word document, change

up a few words here and there and add your name and the date to it.

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c. You go home after school and start writing. You knock out a few paragraphs, but

time is ticking! You realize a couple paragraphs from your reference articles will

blend nicely with your own words. You copy and paste a few sentences from each

article and add it to your own work. You click save and are out the door.

d. You text your sister at college. She owes you a favor. You explain your dilemma

and ask her to e-mail a copy of one of her freshman comp papers. Your teacher

will never know the difference anyway, since it can’t be traced on the internet.