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| The United States has had a copyright law to protect intellectual property since the late 1700's. While the law protects the rights of the owner of the material, it also serves to promote learning and the advancement of science. Classroom teachers need to be aware of the parameters of the law as they show videos, load software, make copies from magazines & books, or have students develop web sites. In particular, the Fair Use portion of the law helps teachers find out what is legal or illegal. Good teachers model ethical behavior for their students and adhering to the copyright law is one of those behaviors, especially important when apparently free materials are so easy to access on the Web. |
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The following link is to Regents Guide to Understanding Copyright & Educational Fair Use. This link provides some information about fair use. It includes several scenarios that educators might encounter such as the desire to photocopy a journal article for classroom usage and discusses whether or not this is appropriate under act. Scroll down near the bottom of the page to read the scenarios. |
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This link takes you to the Copyright Website. This site includes the basics of copyright law. It also provides examples of some of the legal cases involving copyright. Educators might find the section on the issues involved in using the Web helpful. |
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The following link will take you to the United States Copyright Office website. At this site, you can read the copyright law or review copyright basics. The application forms used to obtain copyrights are also found at this site. |
| Read the following article, Copyright in a Digital World, by Caroline McCullen, Instructional Technologist, SAS inSchool and Mary Musacchia, Legal Counsel, SAS Institute Inc. which is a list of frequently asked questions that can be used as a guide by teachers and students. But the authors do suggest, "because lawyers cannot agree on these issues, we will take the conservative approach here. But you should always check your district policy, however, and/or seek the advice of your school district's legal counsel before publishing anything outside your classroom." |
| The Web contains a wealth of information. Having an awareness of the copyright law and the fair use act will enable educators and students alike to use information from the web in an appropriate manner. |
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Additional Resources:
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All rights reserved.
URL: http://www.ncsu.edu/sciencejunction/route/usetech/useweb/copyright/index.html
Last updated 02/08/02
| Using the Web | Learning to Use Technology | Teaching With Technology |