1 Matt Hession , Kari Kiddle, Joe Klepac, Cy Maughmer Dr.

Copeland EDMT 330 2/12/14 Plagiarism, Copyright & Fair Use Plagiarism, copyright & fair use are very controversial in the academic setting. With the internet at our fingertips, its easier than ever to copy somebody elses ideas and use them as our own. Students are the obvious culprits in this, but teachers also have the duty of knowing how to use materials that are not theirs. Instructors and students alike have the somewhat new responsibility to prevent and detect plagiarism on an individual basis There are varying opinions and perspectives about copyright and plagiarism and its relationship to the pedagogical process. One thing that most writers (at least the ones researched for this page) tend to agree upon, however, is that it is easier than ever for students and teachers to break copyright standards and laws using the internet and the ubiquitous nature of information in todays society. Although the Fair Use Act gives more freedom to educators and students to incorporate copyrighted material into lessons and assignments, it does not justify copying a consumable work. There are many legitimate reasons that copyright exists. The most obvious purpose is to protect the work of authors and creators of original works. These people depend upon the novelty of their ideas and creations to earn a living; certain uses of creative work can compromise the uniqueness of it and render it less valuable. Additionally, plagiarism and copyright infringement cheapen education as a whole. If students and teachers are allowed to essentially steal other peoples work and pass it off as their own, how can it be determined that they actually know the content required for their degrees and diplomas? Further, copyright is a federal law that protects the original works of individuals. Teachers can be fired and students can be punished for these

2 violations; it is also important to note that an individual does not have to be a profit seeking entity to be charged with a copyright violation. There is a whole host of legal and ethical issues associated with copyright, and just because the Fair Use Act allows more freedom for students and teachers to utilize protected materials, it does not mean that there are not limitations to this freedom, and ramifications if the freedom is abused. It is the duty of teachers and administrators to ensure that copyrighted materials are used legally and morally; therefore, it is imperative that they have an accurate knowledge about the purpose, limitations, and consequences of copyright law. The number one reason students and teachers violate copyright law is because they are ignorant of citation rules and practices. Administrators can and should provide teachers in a district with a simple list of guidelines for the use of materials. This simple step can go a long way toward preventing copyright violations in the classroom. Other reasons for copyright violations include, but are not limited to: disorganization, information overload, laziness, and fear of failure. All of these reasons can be addressed in the classroom through instruction, but only if the teacher truly understands copyright and the importance of its existence in the pedagogical process. If teachers understand the importance and the inter-working of copyright and plagiarism, they can better prevent it by showing students how to use templates for organization of research and images, demonstrating the process of breaking down large chunks of information into smaller and more manageable units of information, and by decreasing the fear of failure by instilling confidence in research and incorporative abilities. There are many lessons and integrated activities that teachers can use to demonstrate anticopyright and plagiarism instruction that would be effective across all age groups and subjects. They range from simply practicing incorporating research and creating bibliographies, to giving

3 students timelines of the various stages and developments of copyright over centuries. These techniques ought to be implemented in the curriculum of every school to educate students about copyright, its rules and regulations, and its connections to real world consequences. One specific activity from KayleesKlass has students of all ages paraphrase specific sentences and cite their sources. Although this is meant for 3rd grade students, any age can participate. In fact, the simplicity of it helps students to break copyright rules down to their simplest formensuring that they start with a strong foundation of what correct usage looks like. Another example of a way to incorporate anti-copyright and plagiarism into the classroom is a fun activity that can be found on readthinkwrite.org. In this specific lesson students are provided a timeline of the advancement of technology and are then asked to put these advancements in chronological order. From there, students are then shown a timeline of anti-copyright legislation that has been passed over the years (also in chronological order). This helps the students to understand that copyright and plagiarism is an evolving issue that rapidly changes over time, and evolves with the shifting world of technology. Finally, a very interesting activity from The Art Teacher "features bright pictures and clear graphics and text to encourage discussion during your lecture on plagiarism. This minilesson features two well known art plagiarism cases. It has the benefit of teaching students about plagiarism and copyright infringement, allowing an open discussion, and giving them real world examples of the consequences of stealing anothers work. In each of these implementations, copyright is presented in a way that educates students and teachers about its rules and regulations and allows them to take responsibility for the proper incorporation of outside work. By allowing students to see the development of copyright over a period of time, teachers are allowing them to understand that this is a real law and it has a

4 substantial presence in our society outside of the classroom. This is critical because if kids do not learn things that correlate with the outside world, they may not fully understand the implication of their actions in a real setting. A presentation of the development of copyright in the real world over time allows students to recognize its authenticity and its real world application. This technique is valuable because it can be utilized for students, teachers, business people, and anyone that utilizes outside work for an educational benefit. One activity that teachers can implement using real world examples of protecting a copyright is Fun with Copyright Traps. In this activity, students are shown things like hoax definitions in dictionaries and paper towns on maps that creators used to determine originality (Crezo). It is evident that administrators, teachers and students alike share responsibility for upholding the integrity of copyright and fair use within the classroom. We have provided numerous examples of ways to incorporate this knowledge into the curriculum of our classrooms. Whichever way you put it, this issue will continue to grow in importance with the ever evolving landscape of technology, putting an increased burden on educators to assure that knowledge of copyright and plagiarism is a focal point of our curriculum.

Works Cited Crezo, Adrienne. "Fun With Copyright Traps: 10 Hoax Definitions, Paper Towns, and Other Things That Dont Exist." Mentalfloss.com. N.p., 19 June 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2014. <http://mentalfloss.com/article/30957/fun-copyright-traps-10-hoax-definitions-papertowns-and-other-things-don%E2%80%99t-exist>.

Findingdulcinea.com. "Plagiarism In The Classroom." Teaching Students About Plagiarism. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2014. <http://www.findingdulcinea.com/guides/Education/InThe-Classroom/Plagiarism-In-The-Classroom.xa_1.html>.

KayleesKlass. "Spotting Plagiarism." Teachers Pay Teachers. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2014. <http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Spotting-Plagiarism-482925>.

Love, Cassandra. "Technology and Copyright Law: A Futurespective." Readwritethink.org. NCTE, n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2014. <http://www.readwritethink.org/classroomresources/lesson-plans/technology-copyright-futurespective-1075.html?tab=4#tabs>.

Martin, David F. "Plagiarism and Technology: A Tool for Coping with Plagiarism."Journal of Education for Business 80.3 (2005): 149-52. ProQuest. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.

Nitterhouse, Denise. "Plagiarism - Not just an ''Academic'' Problem." Teaching Business Ethics 7.3 (2003): 215. ProQuest. 11 Feb. 2014 .

The Art Teacher. "Middle School Visual Arts: Mini-Presentation about Plagiarism." Teachers Pay Teachers. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2014. <http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Middle-School-Visual-Arts-MiniPresentation-about-Plagiarism-277782>.