I will be perfectly honest, understanding copyright and fair
use can be quite confusing to most educators including myself! The increase in
technology has only added to the confusion and fear of using material without
permission. My rule of thumb has been if it is available in the media center
and a resource that was purchased with school funds you are safe! However,
after reading the article “Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media
Literacy Education” guidelines for using material for instructional purposes
must be approved and follow appropriate rules and mandates of the Copyright
Act. I gathered that most copyright concerns are handled case by case. There is
not a “one size fits all” policy for using material. It is imperative that
print-images, websites, and other types of media are used for educational
purposes and this permits a bit of leniency for using hard or digital copies of
materials. It still doesn’t provide full permission to quote or copy material
but the resources can be used for instructional purposes.
Although, it is not the easiest to understand, as a media
specialist or teacher there is no way of avoiding the importance of Copyright. When I began my teaching career 14 years ago, I remember viewing
books that were labeled in large print DO NOT COPY! It is not that simple
anymore because there is an increase in the amount and type of material that is
available to enhance instruction. We now
have numerous websites, print-images, sound media, and so much more that we
must have permission to use. The article was very helpful and informative on
what the current guidelines are and how to avoid copyright infringement.
The article listed quite a few myths, but the one that
addressed fair use and a possible lawsuit reminded me of Mrs. Taylor, my high
school media specialist who constantly threatened us that this would be the
case if we copied material. This
definitely instilled fear in me and I have always avoided copying material or
text from published works because of her consistent spills on copyright! Although
it is possible, the author stated that many will prefer to ask one to “cease
and desist” to avoid any further legal action. Fortunately, my school district
does a really good job of ensuring that material and media have the appropriate
licenses and that teachers are aware that resources must be approved before
they can be utilized in the classroom.
You are right, Stacie. It's very confusing when considering copyright laws within our new information age. We keep many handbooks on it in our library and I have to consult it every now and then. I work at a college library and we had a case a while back when nursing students posted a youtube video for their class study group and they were contacted by a publishing agency who said they had used their book quotations in their video. You don't think these things are checked out but they definitely are. They meant nothing by it, were only trying to study the material but had to take the video down immediately before further action from the publishing company could be taken.
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ReplyDeleteI really liked your blog post, Stacie. I can agree that the internet makes the lines on copyright and fair use blurred at times. There are so many resources out there that can be used to aid in instruction that copyright infringement is something that I am paranoid about when using anything to help supplement my lessons. I believe it is important for every MS and teacher alike to brush up on their copyright and fair use laws, especially when helping students perform research as well as find sources. In this day and age, it is so important to make sure all teachers ensure they follow these laws since there are so many sources out there in this digital age.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your blog post, Stacie. I can agree that the internet makes the lines on copyright and fair use blurred at times. There are so many resources out there that can be used to aid in instruction that copyright infringement is something that I am paranoid about when using anything to help supplement my lessons. I believe it is important for every MS and teacher alike to brush up on their copyright and fair use laws, especially when helping students perform research as well as find sources. In this day and age, it is so important to make sure all teachers ensure they follow these laws since there are so many sources out there in this digital age.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your blog post. Copyright laws and issues are a very tricky and can be quite confusing at times. With technology trends steadily inclining and becoming more prevalent in the classroom and library, having an understanding of copyright and fair use policies and laws is important. You are right Stacie, there is not a “one size fits all” policy for using media resources, however; teachers and librarians should have resources such as the “Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education” article that are easily accessible to them. This is important for in the event a situation occurs, all stakeholders can ensure that they are in compliance with the law. At one of my previous schools, there was an issue with teachers wanting to show movies in the library but the librarian informed them that the school had not purchased the license to show non-instructional movies. This situation was a reality check for everyone as it reminded us all of just how serious and prevalent laws are in the classroom and library. Current and aspiring teachers and librarians should all be aware of and brush up on copyright and fair use laws for their protection and the protection of the students they serve.
ReplyDeleteYour blog was very informative and I think that you are so right about how confusing policies are for copyright and fair use. I feel like things will have to change with how much information can be found online using technology. I wonder what that change will look like or how keeping up with where information is coming from will be tracked. I like what Katie said about teachers and media specialists needing to keep up with copyright and fair use laws. The way your high school media specialist memory is ingrained in your mind as a fear of copyright mistakes shows the importance of it.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, the copyrighting laws and situations that can lead to infringement can be very convoluted. As a teacher for the past ten years, I definitely have habitually relied heavily on my fellow Media Specialist to help me with gaining knowledge about what resources were available for reproduction and also about the ones that are prohibited without certain permission or licenses. As we shift roles to become Media Specialists, we will certainly find value in articles and discussions like this in order to remain abreast of the copyrighting laws and also any new changes that occur over them. This is very relevant and important to our position as we make resources available to our students and stakeholders.
ReplyDeleteI remember the fear of plagiarism as a student. The fear was made so real that today I still stress when writing papers. Now I find myself in a position where I'm teaching my young second graders to be aware of plagiarism. They are just learning to research and write reports, but I want to start them early with respect for others' work. While they seem to grasp the idea of plagiarism, it isn't always easy for them to find a way to restate the information in their own words. This seems easier to explain when looking at a print resource. My students seem to struggle more with the use of electronic sources. With the confusion that surrounds copyright and fair use, it is only natural students would have difficulty understanding. In order for educators to not only give proper credit in lessons, but to also instruct students in their work, knowing the law for copyright and fair use is of the utmost importance.
ReplyDeleteCopyright is just confusing - bottom line. I still feel like those DO NOT COPY stickers are every where, but educators just roll the dice and use the resources anyway. I remember years ago when I was working as a para hearing stories about Disney coming into a school and suing them for broadcasting a Disney movie on the CCTV system in their building. I am not sure how true that was, but it apparently got the attention of the media specialist because she would never show the movies from the media center, no matter how much the teachers begged.
ReplyDeleteI will check out the Best Practices article you mentioned... copyright scares me and at some point, I will be the one who needs to be the expert on the subject in my school.
Thanks again for a great blog post!
Thank you so much for expressing what most of us have assumed to be true. As a teacher, we oftentimes assume that if we have purchased one copy that we can make 30 of it or use it and share it with others. As the “touchiness” of piracy and copyright violations comes to the forefront in our digital age, it becomes increasingly more difficult to say who is who and what is what and if it’s ok. While there is leniency in the educational domain, it is still a frightening thought that we could be violating copyright even in the name of education and helping our kids. As media specialists, it is important to make the rules and myths known to staff and students alike and do our best to protect the rights of others through paying heed to fair use.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you all. Dealing with copyright issues is something that can be very frustrating and very scary when you feel like you are supposed to be the "source of knowledge" for your school. I know at the beginning of the year I have to make sure the entire staff watches the county supplied copyright video and each faculty and staff member signs off saying they viewed and understand the video. I have to do that so that if they do things on their own and ignore the risks - they don't take me down with them. Teachers come to me all the time asking if this or that is ok - my response is - always walk on the side of caution. Make sure you give credit for anything that is not yours and double check what any restrictions say on the resource itself. Most online resources and things like that give explicit copyright directions somewhere on the site.
ReplyDeleteI also like to encourage teachers and students to make their own stuff, usually it turns out better that way.
Doesn't it all come back to money? If we're taking away from someone's potential income, then we're infringing. If not, I would still think that most people would want their material read and utilized for posterity and progress. However, I know this is in our realm of work and I just oversimplified it. I like to make sure that credit is given where credit is due to err on the cautious side. Mass copying material because you do not have or want to buy more is blatantly wrong - but I'm sure it's done. I believe in individual accountability and hope that it is too expensive (back to money) for someone to want to sue for an unintended violation, but instead just ask for the "cease and desist" as stated. IF intended, then fair game.
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ReplyDeleteStacie,
I too have found that copyright laws can be difficult to navigate. With the advent of more and more complex technology comes more complex laws in terms of copyright. What makes the issue even more multifaceted is the fact that most copyright concerns are handled on a case to case basis. I believe that educators need to err on the side of caution in terms of copyright lest they get in some serious trouble. My school has very little copyright or fair use issues because we are really not allowed to make many copies, and the copy machine is usually broken or out of paper. Maybe the principal does this to avoid copyright issues. I think more school districts need better training when it comes to copyright laws and fair use. I have worked in the classroom for twenty years and have had no training in this area.
I agree with your rule of thumb – it is mine as well. Multimedia resources have to be approved by the media committee at my school. Not all teachers follow this rule – including me sometimes when I decide I need to use a You Tube clip in my lesson the next day and media approval takes a month. The ‘myth’ that speaks to me the loudest is that school system rules are the last word on Fair Use – but the truth is that the school system needs to be responsive to teacher input if board policy doesn’t fit with what’s needed. That said, I’m very careful in what I choose to use – and make sure I comply with what the school board and my administration deems acceptable to show in my classroom. The appropriateness of content is more important to the administration (and parents) than copyright infringement.
ReplyDeleteI think transformativeness is a very powerful guideline. Why else would teachers use a piece of media? Using the movie to teach a lesson is fine – and it should include ‘transforming’ the piece in an instructional way. Showing movies to kids for entertainment is a serious waste of instructional time. We are asked at our local school level to use pieces of videos – to not use the majority of the period to screen videos but to choose a portion to use. I usually limit myself to less than 10 minutes of video at a time and embed it in my lesson somewhere. This year, I’m emphasizing attribution as a way to be ‘fair.’ I always cite my sources to the kids – just like I make them do when they use another person’s intellectual property.
I agree that copyright laws can be very unclear. I think many teachers, including me, often times use materials found on the internet with the purpose of education in mind but don't pay close attention to copyright laws. I don't think it's something most teachers do intentionally, but they will often share accounts to avoid paying multiple memberships. Our system doesn't do very much to address copyright laws, but they do ensure that all licensed products and materials are used correctly.
ReplyDeleteTeam 5 Amanda Hollomon’s Response to Blog 5 by Stacie Thompson
ReplyDeleteStacie I think you hit it right off that teachers are in fear of using copyrighted material improperly and as a result have stopped using it as a credible source due to the lack of clearly stated laws specifying what is and what is not suitable to copy. The DO NOT COPY stickers sure were helpful in the old days to know what was not to be copied and what could be copied and distributed. Things are not as simple anymore and it seems that teachers are having to spend more time covering themselves and their useful practices rather than teaching. Media Specialist do a fantastic job of helping teachers weed through this mountain of stuff to provide links to websites and information that can be reproduced, shown, or distributed to students. All teachers should be certain to check with the library to be aware of what materials in the library can and cannot be copied. Teachers should work with their school media specialist to alleviate those issues and to teach students to respect copyright laws and practice it in their daily lives.
To be honest, I still do not think that I truly fully understand copyright and fair use. Does fair use mean that as long as the item in question is being used for an educational purpose that it is okay to use it without having permission or paying a fee? If the idea of fair use only “permits a bit of leniency” and most “copyright concerns are handled case by case”, then how safe are you as an educator by claiming fair use when you use a piece of copyrighted material? I think that I will have to continue to educate myself on what exactly constitutes “fair use” of copyrighted materials because I am still very confused.
ReplyDeleteI am in agreement with you Stacie I have trouble figuring out what is safe and what is not when using materials for the classroom. I also agree that most educators are. Your suggestion that all materials in the media center are safe is a good guideline for teachers but I am not sure how much that applies to all materials. Textbooks and teaching materials for sure but how safe are when talking about story books, videos, and software in the media center. How safe are those to copy? I am asking not being critical in any way, I am asking because I am seeking this information as well. It has been my experience that most times teachers totally disregard copyright rules no matter how much information has been presented to them to show the correct way to stay within the guidelines of the Fair Use Policies.
ReplyDeleteStacie, thank you for you post regarding copyright and mulitmedia and fair use policy. As a current classroom teacher, I too struggle with being able to wrap my head around this issue. With SOOO many resources available to us via the internet, one has to be extremely cautious with what we choose to utilize in the classroom. I too had a school librarian who was very strict and serious about the not copying directly from the text, as this was plagiarism and copyright infringement and illegal, etc, so I can definitely relate to your Mrs. Taylor. I was very lucky this year to get to spend some time talking with my current media specialist about copyright at the beginning of the year, and she provided us with a cheatsheet to help us understand the issue a little more. The cheatsheet can be found at https://www.ocps.net/lc/east/htc/mediacenter/Documents/FairUse.pdf.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Stacie! I completely agree with you that it's not as easy as it used to be. That's coming from a student perspective as well so I can only imagine what everyone has witnessed from a teacher's perspective. Like you said there are so many ways to violate copyrights now. It's no longer as simple as a so not copy sign. While technology can be a great thing, it can also get us in trouble! I also had the fear of copyright violation instilled in me early so I completely understand!
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