What do students need to know about publishing their work, and how can it be incorporated into the K-12 curriculum?
Intellectual property is actually a topic I was quite interested in learning more about since the beginning of this course because it is something I deal with daily as a classroom teacher. We teach our students from early on that plagiarism is not okay, but I find that they rarely have any idea about copyright laws. They take images from google without a hint of concern and are surprised when they are asked to use royalty free images, most students don’t have any concept of what these are. And despite what students believe, “acknowledging or citing the material, while good practice, does not grant you permission to use a copyrighted work” (What educators, 2017).
As a teacher, I was taught that I fell under the fair use laws because I only use material for educational purposes and do not profit from someone else’s work. However, with the turn to online platforms and the constant sharing or resources I am worried this may no longer apply.
Much to my surprise there are actually several laws that protect teachers. “United States copyright law includes numerous exceptions that relate specifically to classroom use of copyrighted material, including
(1) the first sale doctrine,
(2) academic guidelines for photocopying,
(3) fair use,
(4) public performances and displays in face-to-face teaching, and
(5) the Technology, Education, and Copyrights Harmonization Act of 2002 (TEACH Act)” (Wilson, 2008).
The first sale doctrine allows teachers to lend a book, CD, or computer software to a student. The academic guidelines for photocopying make it so that photocopying for educational purposes does not constitute copyright infringement. Fair use gives permission to use copyrighted materials for teaching purposes, including multiple copies for classroom use. Public performances and displays in face-to-face teaching allow schools to show motion pictures and play/sing copyrighted music. “The TEACH Act, an amendment to existing federal copyright law, is designed to provide copyright exemptions for online teaching and digital distance education (“DDE”), and it redefines the terms and conditions under which educators may use copyright protected materials in online education” (Wilson, 2008).
“Intellectual property rights are complex, overlapping, and varied. In the educational context, the issues are further complicated by the addition of specific laws” (Brennan, 2010). So while this topic may be less interesting than some of the others we dig into during this course, it is just as important to understand. “Schools should maintain a copyright policy and train both staff and students on the appropriate use of copyrighted works, both in and out of the classroom” (Wilson, 2008).
Resources:
Brennan, V. (2010). Creations of the Mind: Understanding Your School's Intellectual Property Rights. Retrieved October 29, 2020, from http://www.nais.org/Articles/SiteAssets/Pages/Creations-of-the-Mind-3a-Understanding-Your-School's-Intellectual-Property-Rights-154228/Intellectual%20Property%20Schools%202010.pdf
What educators should know about intellectual property. (2017, November 22). Retrieved October 30, 2020, from https://etopics.missouri.edu/support/solutions/articles/1000196500-what-educators-should-know-about-intellectual-property
Wilson, D. (2008, February). Copyright in the Classroom: What Every School Administrator and Teacher Should Know. Retrieved October 29, 2020, from http://www.nais.org/Articles/Documents/Copyright-Classroom-2008.pdf
While teachers have quite a bit of leeway when using materials for educational purposes, students don't. It makes it difficult for many because they see teachers use anything they want, but then complain when they, the students, do the same.
ReplyDeleteI think the only way to keep students from plagiarism is to show them exactly how and when to cite sources. I know I am guilty of not giving my students enough examples of how to properly cite sources. Nice entry.
Dr. Fredenberg's response points out the inequity between fair use laws for teachers and for students, and how students are influenced by watching how teachers do it. I had never considered that point as one of the reasons it was confusing for students. I was glad to learn that "fair use gives permission to use copyrighted materials for teaching purposes, including multiple copies for classroom use". Not being a teacher, I did not realize all of the permissions teachers had for copying and intellectual property rights.
ReplyDelete