There sometimes can be a very thin line between what is okay to use and what is not. You can sometimes find yourself at fault for doing something that seems completely fine, but this is not entirely your fault because fair use is not a science, and there are no universally accepted guidelines set forth about it. Although this may be the case, it is still important to keep yourself informed of the rules, especially if you’re someone going into the education field.
+ Viewing a video used for the purpose of entertainment instead of educational.
+ Receiving worksheets copied from a workbook which are not supposed to be copied and distributed.
+ Viewing a recorded broadcast from a cable channel that had been used for educational purposes, but retained on tape for several years, instead of only the approximate 10-60 days it is permitted.
Most of the things I brought up above probably seem not be that big of a deal, but in all reality each one violated what is considered fair use. In fact, you may have experienced at least one of the events I listed above at your own schools. The issue with copyright laws in education is there are some many resources at the tip of our fingers these days that we think we can use everything, but sometimes we can’t. This is why copyright and fair use is such an important topic to know about.
When using material make sure it is one of the following:
- Original / Created by You
- Under Public Domain
- Covered in the Guidelines for Fair Use
- Permission Has Been Granted to Use It
If you are still interested in finding out more about copyright laws and what is considered fair use feel free to visit some of the links below.
http://sites.umuc.edu/library/libhow/copyright.cfm
http://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/fair-use/what-is-fair-use/
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech121.shtml
I really liked how you addressed the issue of copyright infringement in your blog post. It was presented in a manner that was very clear and to the point. I like how you talked about fair us, because this is a term that is very important when talking about copyright. Without understanding fair use in the educational realm, teachers won't properly know what work and to what degree they can use material within the classroom. I also really liked your paragraph that talked about the thin line that exists between what is right and wrong. This is very true and not many people know what they can and can't do legally and I think this is attributed to the fact that the laws can be unclear and misleading, and is a topic that not many people aren't even aware of. The examples you included that your teachers did in violation of the law, are very similar to what my own teachers did, and at the time really did not seem like a big deal, but now I understand how serious copyright infringement is. As a future educator, I now understand just how important it is to be aware of how I can use various materials within my lessons and will try to follow those laws. I believe that it is the role of the teacher to make their own students aware of these rules because I was never formally made aware of them and I wish I was for my own good. Overall, I really enjoyed your blog and liked how you provided links for extra information.
ReplyDeleteI think you did a great job explaining the thin line between what you can or cannot use. I have also experienced the experiences with copyright that you have inside the classroom. When reading your blog post an individual will feel very informed on how to use information without going against the law. It was a great idea to provide readers with extra links for more information!
ReplyDeleteGood job explaining copyright!! And it is very true, most people have experienced one of the events you talked about in your post in their own schools! I know I have. I also like how you gave us links to look further into copyright laws and fair use
ReplyDeleteYou did a very good job explaining copyright issues! The personal experiences you gave were very helpful and I'm sure many readers can relate. You were very informative and I liked how at the end you gave more links to educate the reader even more.
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