Saturday, February 25, 2017

Webpage Thematic Collection: Copyright, Fair Use & Creative Commons in Education

It is no secret that education is a field where copyright law is widely misunderstood. Many educators and students are under the misconception that they can do or use anything they find if they claim it is for "educational purposes." Copyright law has a place in education just as it does in the workforce. The internet makes it easier than ever to plagiarize information and use copyrighted materials inappropriately, so it is important that we provide students with the right information so they can make informed decisions.
 
The following websites provide resources that will help educators teach their students about copyright law and how to adhere to it as they write and create. Some of the resources can also be used by administration to educate teachers on following copyright law.
 
Edutopia is a website and online community that "increases knowledge, sharing, and adoption of what works in K-12 education." The site is sponsored by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit organization that focuses on improving student learning. Edutopia places an emphasis on the following core strategies: project-based learning, comprehensive assessment, integrated studies, social and emotional learning, educational leadership and teacher development, and technology integration. 
"Five-Minute Film Festival: Copyright and Fair Use for Educators" is a compilation of videos that can help educators explain and teach copyright law and fair use to their students in a way that makes sense to them. Check out Mike Rugnetta's video titled, Should "Happy Birthday" be Protected by Copyright? It is sure to catch the attention of your students and get them thinking about copyright law! 

The Copyright Clearance Center is an organization whose goal is to make it easy for businesses and academic institutions get the licensing they need in order to adhere to copyright law. In addition, they provide some wonderful resources that teachers and managers can use to educate their students on different aspects of copyright law.  
This page contains many videos that can be used to teach about copyright law. Administrators can use the videos during staff development and teachers can use them to supplement their curriculum. The videos make a very complicated law much easier to understand. 

The Purdue Online Writing Lab is a free source that can be used by teachers and students for help with research writing. From finding credible sources to using proper formatting, this site can help answer any research question you may have.   
This page explains how to determine whether or not a resource is a credible source. Students often times operate under the false assumption that if it is on the internet, is must be true. This page will help them analyze sources before using information for their research. 

FlickrCC is a portion of Flickr that contains works that are under Creative Commons Licensing. It is no secret that using images without permission is a huge issue that students and teachers face on a daily basis. This site will help them find images that they can use legally for their work. This page explains the different types of Creative Commons Licensing. Each artist may choose different rules for his/her work, so it is important to understand these options.  
https://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/

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