In the News Assignment

Copyright, Fair Use, Creative Commons and the public domain are issues that are important as we move toward becoming producer and consumers of content on the web. In reading different articles, blogs, and websites, it is evident that digital citizenship must become a priority as we become greater integrators of technology in the classroom. My thoughts about digital citizenship and our responsibility as educators went into "overdrive" after seeing an example of a well-intentioned teacher's site clearly violating copyright. This particular site stood out for me because it was showcased as an example of an educational wiki at this wiki site. The teacher's intention of motivating her learners with a video of Mexico is fine. The show itself, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, is also a great show for anyone interested in cultural immersions. The problem is that the video she used from YouTube is not a legal recording. The video was created with material that was originally copyrighted for The Travel Channel, L.L.C..

There are a wealth of resources on the internet that have the potential to enhance our instructional strategies. I believe that as instructors and students are encouraged to move toward a greater production on the internet, there is a greater chance of producing content that violates copyright. Mia Garlick (2005), general counsel at Creative Commons, also agrees: "with the widespread adoption of digital technologies and the commercial phase of the Internet in the late 1990s came the empowerment of individuals to copy and redistribute content' (p.78)

This issue is important in education because teachers have an ethical responsibility to model acceptable behavior. Leaders, I believe, have a greater responsibility of ensuring they are resources to their faculty's professional growth. Overall, we should work toward producing work that is congruent with the ethical standards of our profession. We need to evaluate our lessons and content using guidelines that enforce Fair Use and responsible digital citizenship. Understanding, modeling, and teaching this concept is important for our digital natives.

So what do teachers need to know?

Copyright protection is automatic once the work has been created and it lasts a long time – the life of the creator plus seventy years! In addition, since March 1989, the law no longer requires that a copyright symbol, date, and copyright holder's name be placed on the work in order to claim copyright protection. (Russell)

Not all creative work is copyrighted. There is content available in what is called the public domain. Public domain material is not protected by copyright and is available for use.

There is also material that is licensed under Creative Commons. Creative Commons was founded in 2001 and is led by a Board of Directors that includes experts on internet and intellectual property law. Creative Commons provides licenses that allow users to control the permissions they would like and creates an easy way to share content with other users without having to ask for permission directly.

Creative Commons is working towards balancing two extremes, total control and none at all. "Creative Commons defines the spectrum of possibilities between full copyright — all rights reserved — and the public domain — no rights reserved. Our licenses help you keep your copyright while inviting certain uses of your work — a "some rights reserved" copyright. "(creativecommons.org)

How does this affect me as an Internet Miner?

Having an understanding of the legal issues for the use of content from the Internet contributes to becoming an effective "Internet Miner". Educators are not exempt from practicing Fair Use policies on copyrighted material - limitations do exist. http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html

An additional consideration educators need to focus on while mining is to search for content licensed under Creative Commons or in the public domain. Mining can begin at sites similar to creativecommons.org and we can also use keywords such as "creative commons" in our searches.

How does this affect me as an Internet Integrator?

Having a better understanding of my legal and ethical responsibilities toward content on the internet will better align my teaching with ethical standards. It may not have a direct effect on the content learned, but it will hopefully model the type of digital citizenship I expect from our students.

How does this affect me as an Internet Policy Advisor?

As part of modeling, I will ensure that the course syllabus and assignments addresses the issue of copyright, fair use, and the options available through the creative commons licenses. For those students (or teachers) that need additional guidance, I could provide support with some examples that clearly delineate the appropriate and inappropriate uses of content.

How does this affect me as an Internet Producer?

This concept applies to more than just than just a lesson. It is about using content legally and knowing about the alternatives. As a result, using Creative Commons licensed material can be associated with different projects. Student success for producing within the legal realm will require have a good collection of databases, a clear understanding of the law, and clear policy of what is acceptable and not acceptable.

References

Didden, C. (n.d.). Podcasting Music - The legal implications - CBI. Retrieved June 10, 2008, from http://www.collegebroadcasters.org/podcast.shtml.

Eunjung Cha, A. (2005, March 15). Creative Commons Is Rewriting Rules of Copyright. Washington Post. Retrieved June 5, 2008, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A35297-2005Mar14?language=printer.

Friedman, P. (n.d.). What is Fair Use?. Retrieved June 10, 2008, from http://whatisfairuse.blogspot.com/.

Garlick, M. (2005). A Review of Creative Commons and Science Commons. Educause, 40(5), 78-79. Retrieved June 5, 2008, from the Eric database.

Gross, G. (2007, December 1). Lawsuit Against Creative Commons Dropped. PC World. Retrieved June 5, 2008, from https://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/140189/lawsuit_against_creative_commons_dropped.html.

Main Page - CC Wiki. (2008, May 19). Retrieved June 11, 2008, from http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Main_Page.

NEA: Code of Ethics of the Education Profession. (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2008, from http://www.nea.org/aboutnea/code.html.

Russell, C. (2003). Understanding the Public Domain. Knowledge Quest, 31(4), 19 - 21. Retrieved June 5, 2008, from the Eric database.

U.S. Copyright Office - Fair Use. (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2008, from http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html.