Through
this week’s assignment, I learned quite a bit about copyrights, fair use, cyber-bullying, and netiquette. I have actually studied this information before
in my law classes, but I really liked the way that the Copyright and Fair Use Guideline
for Teachers “cheat sheet” broke it
all down and simplified it. The fine print was extremely specific with regard
to how many copies can be made by whom, and how often. It also stated that
workbook pages could not be copied, and that a copyright symbol must be visible
on the copies. I doubt that a lot of these details are well known, and a lot of
teachers are probably routinely violating them without realizing it. Online
classes have exploded in popularity, and I think that 2002’s TEACH Act,
allowing the use of copyrighted material for teaching in an online forum was an
important part of that. I hadn’t heard of the act before, but in limiting the
liability of educational institutions with regard to what students may do with
the material used by a school for lessons via computers, it
essentially opened the doors for on-line learning.
The
way that I feel about the laws protecting printed, recorded, and artistic
material is that they are justified and necessary. The creators of the works
used their time and energy, and likely make their livings from their craft. It
is unfair for them not to be compensated for their efforts, just as we would
expect to be compensated for our work. Prosecution is necessary in some
instances, not only to penalize, but also to set an example to those who would
attempt to unlawfully use, steal, or attempt to profit from another’s work. I
think that the Fair Use Law has provided some generous exemptions for the
educational community. It’s great that copyrighted materials can still be used
in an educational context, as long as the right is not abused. Clear boundaries
have been set regarding how and how much of various works can be used, and it
is important as educators that we not only stay within those boundaries, but
also teach our students to respect them. Equally important is teaching our
children and students about online safety, netiquette, and what exactly constitutes
cyberbullying. The more information we provide children with, the less likely
that they are to become either a perpetrators or victims online.
http://dwb.unl.edu/dwb/courses/CURR880/copyright_chart.pdf
http://www.wtvi.com/teks/02_03_articles/copyright.html
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