Educating Teachers and Students

Many would agree, that in order to encourage learning there are several guidelines to follow.  These include, meeting the student where they are, providing purpose, engaging students in the subject, and providing resources for learning.  The article in Tech&Learning (http://www.techlearning.com/article/right-to-copy/43232) reminded me that these same guidelines will apply when keeping others aware of copyright laws.  The article gave quite a few practical tips and guidelines for promoting copyright awareness in the school.  It was especially nice that tips were given for educating teachers on the subject, but also ways to help motivate teachers to pass on their new knowledge about copyright onto their students.

Just as collaboration between the SLMS and the teacher can result in engaging lessons, the pairing on the SLMS and teacher can result in making all students more conscientious of their use of information because teachers will be informed and can reinforce the importance of obeying copyright laws.  The SLMS has an important task when it comes to educating both students and teachers on copyright and how they can use information and technology while still obeying the law.

The Intellectual Property Bus

“Many states once had segregation laws that required African Americans to sit at the back of the bus. More than 50 years ago, a brave woman named Rosa Parks defied the law and changed the course of history. Are our current copyright laws requiring students and teachers to sit at the back of the intellectual property bus? … As librarians and educators in the information age, there are times we need to have the courage to stand up for freedom” (Johnson, 2008).

The laws of copyright and fair use can be complex and confusing.   Things may become more complicated as educators since there are separate guidelines to use that are meant to give more freedom, but in some cases might lead to more confusion.  So, what happens when in doubt? Often, teachers decide to stick to safer routes as to avoid breaking copyright law.  As Doug Johnson encourages in the article, we need to step out of the comfort zone and be willing to be willing to take chances with our projects (without intentionally breaking copyright laws).  Being better educated is one step toward moving beyond the ‘safe methods’.  However, if it seems as though there is nothing written in the law, let’s not assume that it cannot be legally done, but instead move forward.

Education is always an important factor.  Copyright and fair use guidelines are two topics that people could benefit from better understanding.  This would help educators and students move beyond traditional, safe projects.  However, students often do not take into consideration these laws.  With the invention of the internet, there seems to be a new mindset that everything found online is free for everyone.  Teaching students to think about copyright and consider whether their actions are following copyright laws can help move people forward.  The more familiar a topic is, the less daunting and confusing it will be.  Hopefully, through our work as librarians, we can help people begin to think about copyright, learn to work with it instead of avoiding it, and give people the courage to move to the front of the intellectual property bus!

Johnson, Doug. “Whose afraid of the big bad ©” School Library Journal October 2008 44-48.