Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Help students explicitly address issues of uncertainty in judgmentmaking and to examine their assumptions about knowledge and how it
is gained.
Students need to learn as much as they can about the Internet - The World Wide Web
before they can truly understand it. It is only after acquiring some of the general
knowledge about the Internet that a student can truly understand intellectual property,
learn what copyright is, and that plagiarism is wrong. When students use the works of
others, it is also important that they use the guidelines of the "fair use doctrine" of
copyright law.
When searching the Internet for information it is often easy to focus in on the ideas
and not cite the sources of the ideas. Backtracking to find the source can be difficult.
It is important that teachers help students to understand this difficulty and help them
in using a system to keep track and cite their sources. Students also need to be taught
that when they are "surfing" the Web, that it is not easy tell which sites are reliable
with accurate information. It is easy for students to loose their focus and become
distracted by the vast amount of information and ideas and forget to note the sources
from which they have obtained the information. Since evaluating and backtracking are
very difficult, it is imperative that students understand this and that they have
assistance in developing some efficient approaches to both.
The ABC Guidelines for Intellectual Property
The essence of the fair use doctrine is that a person is not using the work in such a
manner that is, or has, the potential of diverting income from the creator. One of the
rationales for the fair use doctrine is the immediacy of the need for the use of the
material and the difficulty in contacting the owner of the copyright for permission.
However, the ease with which one can communicate directly with the owner of a
work on the Internet may begin to restrict the use of the fair use doctrine.
Today, copying written material is quick and easy. Using a browser, file transfer,
copying and even publishing a web page requires little technological expertise. This
can be done by many K-12 students from sources all over the Internet. Technology is
very exciting, but with this excitement must come an understanding of not only the
laws but also the rights and obligations when dealing with copyright materials. As
technology continues to develop we need to be reminded that the generally held but
erroneous belief that any copying "for educational purposes" is permissible. As noted
throughout this paper this is definitely not true.
Internet material includes such things as e-mail, bulletin boards, gopher files, and web
pages. Intellectual Property is an idea or innovation that is created or discovered by a
person. These include things that are written, designed, invented, sung, spoken,
drawn, and sculptured. These "works" are at times grouped by categories, such as:
literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, film, sound recording, broadcast, and published
editions. Computer programs and software qualify as "literary works" too. Certain
exclusive rights are granted to the copyright owner in each of these categories. To
Copy or Not to Copy - That is the Question Intellectual property can be created by
you or you can pay someone to create it for you. Intellectual property is something
that cost someone some effort to bring into existence, and it often isn't something the
creator wants to give away for free. Different forms of protection for intellectual
property include trade secrets, patents, trademarks and copyright laws. Each of these
laws covers a specific type of intellectual property. These things are just as protected
by copyright as printed books.
Copyright laws are based on the premise that people should have the right to
compensation for their creative works because compensation encourages more
creative works. A creative work is automatically protected by copyright from the
moment of creation. No copyright notice or registration is required. There are some
materials which are not protected by copyright, either because the copyright has
expired or because the author has expressly stated that he or she wishes to place the
material in the "public domain". "Public domain" is the status of a work that is not
protected by copyright because the creator has clearly given up all copyright rights or
the copyright has expired. Since a notice is not required, publishing a work without a
notice is not a relinquishment of copyright rights.
The owner of a copyright has the right to copy, modify, distribute, display and
perform the work. The owner can grant other people permission, called a license, to
use any of these rights. Permission to copy and distribut does not mean permission to
modify or sell. Transferring a work in the form of digital data from one computer
system to another is copying and distributing that work.
The "fair use doctrine" allows a limited way in which people can use a copyrighted
work without getting permission from the creator. The basis of the fair use doctrine is
that a person is not using the work in such a manner that is diverting income from the
creator. One of the rationales for the fair use doctrine is the immediacy of the need for
the use of the material and the difficulty in contacting the owner of the copyright for
permission.
Sometimes people assume that using a small quantity of a work for any purpose is
"fair use" and that they can thus include the small quantity in something that they are
writing. Once you copy any of it you do infringe the copyright in that work. When
using the "fair use" clauses, which permit users to copy limited amounts of a work for
their own personal research or study, it is important to understand that "fair use" is
based on the type of use rather than the amount copied. Only the courts can decide
whether a particular use of a copyrighted work falls within the fair use exemption.
The application of fair use of copyrighted works as teaching methods are in part
already being adapted to these new learning environments. Educators have
traditionally brought copyrighted books, videos, slides, sound recordings and other
media into the classroom, along with accompanying projection and playback
equipment. Multimedia creators integrated these individual instructional resources
with their own original works in a meaningful way, providing compact educational
tools that allow great flexibility in teaching and learning.
the new guidelines as well as the use of copyrighted information obtained from the
Internet.
Springfield Public School District 186 is in the process of writing their new policy
with the first part being a student piece that will be put into place at the beginning of
1999-2000 school year. This will include a policy for the use of computing and
networking resources. The district will be using the FAIR USE GUIDELINES FOR
EDUCATIONAL MULTIMEDIA to help formulate needed changes in their
Administrative Rules and Regulations documents for District 186.
The district policy will also states that if the intellectual property is developed with
school resources (both time and equipment) it is the property of the School District
and any copyright or revenues will come to the district. The District has used this
policy with several projects that they have developed and sold commercially.
If any of the 38 district sites were to be suspected of copyright violations, action
would be taken immediately. This action would start by notifying the
administrator/principal. They would then be asked to speak to the personnel/students
involved. The Director of Technology for Springfield Public School would be present,
if needed , to provide guidance. The problem would then be corrected through the
existing system. If students were involved then we would work with the principal,
teacher and parents to insure compliance. All necessary steps would be taken to
remove the illegal product from the system. As a last resort there would be a
consultation with the district's attorney.
Communication of this information will be shared with students and parents through
the Student Discipline Handbook. New Teachers' Workshops, teacher inservices &
meetings lead by the administrators and the computer facilitators will provide
informational classes & handouts for all district staff. Professional Development &
Training Programs such as Project LINCOL'N are also made available for interested
teachers.
Districts and schools should keep in mind that all educators and students should have
guidelines and policies and should be aware of the fact that there are existing
copyright laws which are always in effect. In the area of Intellectual Property, the
responsibility begins with educating ourselves and others. Education is a crucial
component of efforts to enforce copyright law on-line just as with written materials.
The best advice that can be given is, when anyone is in doubt about what they can or
can not do, the person should look for guidance and help from administrators, the
Director of Technology, and/or technology facilitators. The Educator's Copyright
Survival Guide is also an excellent resource.
Fair Use
Fair use is a legal principle that defines the limitations on the exclusive rights of
copyright holders. The purpose of these guidelines is to provide guidance on the
application of fair use principles by educators, scholars and students. For the purpose
of these guidelines educators include faculty, teachers, instructors, and others who
engage in scholarly, research and instructional activities for educational institutions.
Fair use (used according to the Copyright Act of 1976) is not considered an
infringement of copyright. Fair use includes copying for purposes such as news
reporting, teaching, research, and comments and criticisms. While copyright gives the
owner exclusive rights to their work, the Copyright Act of 1976 sets forth several
important exceptions to those rights. One such exception is the fair use statute.
The full text of the fair-use statute from the U.S. Copyright Act:
Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. Limitations on exclusive rights:
Fair use
Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a
copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phono records or
by any other means specified in that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment,
news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or
research, is not an infringement of copyright.
In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the
factors to be considered shall include -1. the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial
nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
2. the nature of the copyrighted work;
3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted
work as a whole; and
4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such
finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.
The purpose of the following guidelines is to state the minimum and not maximum
standards of educational fair use under Section 107 of H.R. 2223. The parties agree
that the conditions determining the extent of permissible copying for educational
purposes may change in the future: that certain types of copying permitted under these
guidelines may not be permissible in the future; and conversely that in the future other
types of copying not permitted under these guidelines may be permissible under
revised guidelines. There may be instances in which copying which does not fall
within the guidelines stated below may nonetheless be permitted under the criteria of
fair use. Guidelines from Reproduction of Copyrighted Works by Educators and
Librarians,The Copyright Act of October 19, 1976 ,
[http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/circs/circ21]
GUIDELINES
I. Single Copying for Teachers
A single copy may be made of any of the following by or for a teacher at his or her
individual request for his or her scholarly research or use in teaching or preparation to
teach a class
A. A chapter from a book;
B. An article from a periodical or newspaper;
C. A short story, short essay or short poem, whether or not from a collective work;
D. A chart, graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon or picture from a book, periodical, or
newspaper;
II. Multiple Copies for Classroom Use
Multiple copies (not to exceed in any event more than one copy per pupil in a course)
may be made by or for the teacher giving the course for classroom use or discussion;
provided that:
A. The copying meets the tests of brevity and spontaneity as defined below; and,
B. Meets the cumulative effect test as defined below; and,
C. Each copy includes a notice of copyright
Definitions
Brevity
(i) Poetry: (a) A complete poem if less than 250 words and if printed on not more than
two pages or, (b) from a longer poem, an excerpt of not more than 250 words.
(ii) Prose: (a) Either a complete article, story or essay of less than 2,500 words, or (b)
an excerpt from any prose work of not more than 1,000 words or 10% of the work,
whichever is less, but in any event a minimum of 500 words.
[Each of the numerical limits stated in "i" and "ii" above may be expanded to permit
the completion of an unfinished line of a poem or of an unfinished prose paragraph.]
(iii) Illustration: One chart, graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon or picture per book or
per periodical issue.
(iv) "Special" works: Certain works in poetry, prose or in "poetic prose" which often
combine language with illustrations and which are intended sometimes for children
and at other times for a more general audience fall short of 2,500 words in their
entirety. Paragraph "ii" above notwithstanding such "special works" may not be
reproduced in their entirety; however, an excerpt comprising not more than two of the
published pages of such special work and containing not more than 10% of the words
found in the text thereof, may be reproduced.
Spontaneity
(i) The copying is at the instance and inspiration of the individual teacher, and
(ii) The inspiration and decision to use the work and the moment of its use for
maximum teaching effectiveness are so close in time that it would be unreasonable to
expect a timely reply to a request for permission.
Cumulative Effect
(i) The copying of the material is for only one course in the school in which the copies
are made.
(ii) Not more than one short poem, article, story, essay or two excerpts may be copied
from the same author, nor more than three from the same collective work or periodical
volume during one class term.
(iii) There shall not be more than nine instances of such multiple copying for one
course during one class term.
[The limitations stated in "ii" and "iii" above shall not apply to current news
periodicals and newspapers and current news sections of other periodicals.]