Teach, Use Fairly, and Obey (the copyright laws)
To answer the Copyright Question, “Can I use the chart I found on a website in a worksheet for my students?” I have the following details, based on the Fair Use doctrine.
The areas of reproduction, adaptation, and display are the most difficult areas a school and/or teacher must deal with.
The adaptation of a graphic is unauthorized when the artwork is enlarged, modified or converted into another medium without the permission of the copyright holder.
Some examples of unauthorized adaptation include:
- Photocopies of an image are used to create a worksheet or handout, or
- Artwork is scanned from a magazine to use in a newsletter.
However, the following is allowed.
A teacher may make a single copy of a photo or chart for personal research or for use in teaching. A teacher may make multiple copies of a single graphic for a class if the following criteria must be met:
- Copying must be for immediate use. There is no time to request and receive permission to use the graphic because it is so close in time when the teacher is inspired to use it.
- The copies are for only one course per teacher in the school.
- Only one graphic is copied per book or periodical.
This explains how quality teaching is affected by the issue of copyright regulations these days, especially in view of the above question.
November 2nd, 2007 at 6:19 pm
Do you think the average teacher is even aware they may be violating a law when they go to the copy machine with protected material?
November 2nd, 2007 at 6:20 pm
Has technology made it too easy to break the law?
November 3rd, 2007 at 9:04 am
Well, yes and no as answer for both of your questions!!
Yes, our district’s teachers are very aware of the copyright issues and most are conscientious when it comes to copying materials of any kind these days.
And NO, because there are some that reminds me of ‘aggressive drivers’- they will copy anything anyway with the excuse that they are helping children learn.
The same is the case with the advent of technology access-I feel it is more of a personal conviction, what ever the individual’s belief is, the use of tools are backed with that!