Copyright – What you should know!

Matthew Mayo and Martha Nixon

EDTC 6149

Why Care?

• Ethics, Curriculum, and Policy

• What are we teaching?– “They’re just kids.”

– Modeling behavior

Curriculum - NCSCOS

• Copyright objectives can be found in the:– Computer Skills Curriculum– Information Skills Curriculum– Language Arts Curriculum

Policies

• Copyright laws and guidelines can be found in the:– State Board Policy– State Guidelines –Impact: Guidelines for Media and

Technology Programs

– State Technology Plan– Local Technology Plan– Local School Board Policy– Local Acceptable Use Policy

It’s Our Job

• MCPAI/TFPAI Practice 2.6:– Adheres to and communicates copyright as

well as other laws and guidelines pertaining to the distribution and ethical use of all resources

• TPAI:– Adheres to established laws, policies, rules,

and regulations

What is Copyright?

• Reproduction –reproducing copies

• Adaptation – adapting or changing

• Publication – publishing (web pages)

• Performance – performing (school programs)

• Display – displaying works around school (Disney characters)

Copyright Infringement

– unauthorized or unlicensed copying of work subject to copyright

What is Fair Use?

• A legal principal that defines the limitations on exclusive rights of copyright holders that applies to only no-profit educational institutions and homebound instruction.

• Agreement between Congress, producers, and users

Fair Use Conditions

• Non-profit educational institutions or homebound instruction

• Face to face instruction – students to teachers

• Support Curricular objectives

• Legally obtained

Think about This

• A third grade teacher copies a worksheet for all of her students from a workbook that she purchased at a conference last month.

Has she violated copyright?

You should not:

• copy consumable materials –workbooks, exercises, standardized tests, test booklets, or answer sheets

• substitute copies for purchase

• make copies over and over

• be directed by higher authority

Think About This

• A teacher photocopies a short picture book for each student to use in a classroom activity.

Has she violated copyright?

Yes,

• No more than two pages of picture books with less than 2,500 words

• Copy may not contain more than 10% of total words

Photocopying

• A teacher can make a single copy of:– A book chapter– Magazine or newspaper article– Picture from a book, magazine, or newspaper

• A teacher can make multiple copies foe the classroom of:– Poem of less than 250 words– Complete article, story, or essay less than 2,500 words– 10% of larger works– One graphic per book

Broadcast Television Programs – Fair Use Guidelines

• Show may be recorded and retained for 45 days from date recorded

• Recordings may be used once by individual teachers when relevant to teaching activities

• Recording must be used with students only during the first 10 days

*Commercial television programs may not be regularly recorded and recordings may not be altered from their original content

Guidelines for Computer Software

• Unauthorized duplication constitutes infringement whether done for sale, free distribution, or copier’s own use– Up to 5 years in prison and $250,000 fine for

each violation– Liability usually falls on party owning the

computer

Fair Use

• Making copies of software is not allowed under fair use except:– To only make a backup for archival purposes

which cannot be used unless your original copy is destroyed

– For the copy that is created on the computer’s hard drive in order to make the program operate properly

Fair use ends when the multimedia creator loses control of the product’s use such as when it is accessed by others over the Internet.

Fair Use

Multimedia Guidelines

• Video, music and photographs– May use up to 10% of copyrighted works or 3

minutes whichever is less– The video or photograph cannot be altered in

any way – must use in its entirety – No more than 5 images from one artist– Up to 10% of copyrighted musical

composition, but no more than 30 seconds– Cannot alter the music

Multimedia Presentations

• Do not post multimedia projects claiming fair use on an unsecured web site

• Educators and students must credit sources, giving full bibliographic information available and display the copyright notice

• Copyright information for images may be sown in a separate bibliographic section

Roles of Media and Technology Staff

• They are not the copyright police.

• They are the most knowledgeable people on staff.

• They are responsible for educating and making staff aware of laws.

Roles of Principal

• Administrator is the most at risk

• Principal should make policies known.

• Principal should support the media and technology staff

• Model and support appropriate behavior

• Principal should be aware and monitor classrooms, after-school activities, etc.

Roles of Teachers and Students

• Teachers should understand fair use.

• Teachers should abide by copyright laws and policies.

• Teachers should model appropriate behavior.

• Students should learn and follow the rules.

• Students should understand citations and learn how to use them daily.

More Information

• Simpson, Carol. Copyright for Schools: A Practical Guide for Schools, Fourth Edition. Worthington: Linworth, 2005

• DVD – Copyright or Wrong