Blog #7 Implication of Copyright for Edcuators

The implications of copyright issues for educators are numerous. The use of traditional text material for educational purpose has been always subject to the scrutiny under the copyright law. Educators using traditional resources know the guidelines for the use of these materials and have instructed their students in the concept of plagiarism. Some school systems and educators disregard this copyright provision due to lack of knowledge or convenience. In doing so, they have exposed the school and their career to copyright infringement charges. Now, copyright issues have escalated to another level with the use of technology in the classroom as a teaching resource and as research tool for students. Sadly, there is a legal concept that says the not knowing about a law do not excuse us of complying with it. Educators need to be trained by the school about the implications of violating the Copyright laws and not following the copyright guidelines. Educators need to be trained not only in the scope and application of the law but also in the many resources available to use without infringing the law. This information should be transfer to all students using technology or written work of others as part of a classroom lesson plan. Instruction in this area should be delivered by the teacher classroom with the assistance of the school media specialist. Both educational opportunities should take place at the beginning of every school year. In education repetition is a great strategy. This approach allows the school system to include any update in copyrights provision each year. The existence of a Copyright Law and guidelines should not become a deterrent of technology use but a safe path for it successful use and integration to the educational process. Our goal should be to be fully inform so next time teachers have a DVD of the class school year with student’s picture and background songs they explicitly knows which specific guidelines to follow and why. To sum up, copyright issues have diverse implications for educators, however it can be properly address with proper training promoting an effective and legal use of technology in the classroom.