EDU 2001 Technology Blog

Ethics Blog: What teacher should keep in mind when using digital content in the classroom

A landscape image

Educators use various technological resources in the modern classroom to go beyond conventional teaching techniques and establish a vibrant, stimulating learning environment. Teachers use interactive learning platforms with features like simulations and quizzes in addition to digital textbooks and online resources to create dynamic and tailored student involvement. Adaptive learning technology guarantees a unique and flexible learning environment by customizing information to each student's performance. In other words, by enhancing traditional materials and changing the educational environment, this technological integration gives students access to a more engaging, tailored, and productive learning experience. But with the new form of delivering educational content to the students, questions are rising, such as how would educators ensure that the digital content they use in the classroom complies with copyright laws and regulations? How will educators help students understand the correct use of digital-based content and materials in the classroom? As an educator, how will they ensure that the students in your class comply with copyright laws and regulations when using digital content?


How would you use digital content in your classroom in a way that complies with copyright laws and regulations?

When developing curricula that require teachers to incorporate copyrighted materials into lesson plans, they frequently struggle to comprehend how copyright law applies to their work. To navigate copyright law in these situations, consider the 4 Tips to Navigating Copyright Law for Educators by Copyright Alliance.

Use Licensed or Lawfully Purchased Copies for Classroom Use; Otherwise Use Public Domain Works

Teachers can navigate copyright laws using licensed or lawfully purchased materials catering to classroom needs. Various licenses from copyright owners and authorized retailers enable activities like incorporating articles into course packs or using works in testing materials. Schools and public libraries often secure licenses, providing access to diverse digital copyrighted works. Materials in the public domain or authored by the U.S. government don't require licenses. Teachers can also share links to publicly accessible articles or copyrighted materials, ensuring legal digital copies from credible sources. This ensures copyright compliance and guarantees students learn from reliable and verifiable sources. It's crucial for teachers to know the origin of classroom materials, as certain copyright exceptions may not apply to unlawfully obtained copies. Using legal copies not only protects teachers but also enhances the credibility and trustworthiness of learning materials. 

Performance and Display of Copyrighted Works in Digital Transmissions Require Further Care 

The Copyright Act lays out exceptions like the first sale doctrine, educational exemptions, and the TEACH Act (sections 107, 109, 110, and 112), allowing the use of copyrighted works in education. The TEACH Act expanded these allowances for digital transmissions (via the Internet) for teaching purposes. Digital displays and performances have specific considerations, including supervision, relevance to teaching content, and restrictions on the type of work. Additional considerations come into play when using digital displays or performances of copyrighted works, such as limitations on the types of works used. Teachers need to ensure that the display or performance is supervised, directly related to teaching content, and not a typical product for digital teaching activities. The works used shouldn't be textbooks, course packs, or materials for independent student use. Furthermore, any transmission should be limited to officially enrolled students, and the transmitting school must be an accredited, nonprofit educational institution. The school needs to establish copyright policies, inform students about potential copyright protection, and, for digital transmission, implement measures preventing permanent downloads. Significantly, the school must not interfere with technological measures used by copyright owners to prevent unauthorized dissemination. 

Fair Use Guidelines for Teachers: It’s a Balancing Act

While many teachers are familiar with the fair use exception in copyright law, its application is often misunderstood. Fair use, outlined in section 107 of the Copyright Act, excuses certain uses of copyrighted works for purposes like teaching. However, the fair use provision does not automatically grant exceptions to all teaching-related uses; instead, a nuanced analysis involves balancing four factors: the purpose and character of the use, the nature of the copyrighted work, the amount used in relation to the whole, and the effect on the potential market or value of the copyrighted work. These factors contribute to determining whether a specific use qualifies as fair. 

Educating Students About the Difference Between Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement 

At the start of the academic year, educating students about using copyrighted materials in their assignments is beneficial, highlighting the distinction between plagiarism and copyright infringement. Understanding these differences enhances the learning process and equips students with valuable knowledge applicable beyond the classroom. While plagiarism is an ethical concern, emphasizing proper citation and crediting of external sources, copyright infringement is a legal matter involving the unauthorized reproduction, display, or preparation of derivative works without permission from the copyright owner. Though plagiarism and copyright infringement may seem similar, they have distinct aspects. Plagiarism is an ethical obligation to maintain academic integrity, while copyright infringement involves potential legal consequences for violating a copyright owner's rights. Instances can arise where there is copyright infringement without plagiarism, plagiarism without copyright infringement, or both, depending on how students use and credit material. For example, copying an entire news article with proper attribution constitutes copyright infringement but not plagiarism, while incorporating a few sentences without credit may be plagiarism but not copyright infringement. Failing to credit and copy the entire article amounts to copyright infringement and plagiarism. 


How will you help your students understand the correct use of digital based content and materials in the classroom?

To enhance the school curriculum and keep pupils interested, educators frequently look for digital materials, according to Nicole Bixler (2021) of the website Hapara. It's crucial to assist students in understanding how to use digital resources and content appropriately in the classroom as a teacher who assigns material. The following are some strategies for assisting learners in understanding how to properly use digital-based products and content in the classroom.  

First, help learners navigate resources. Teachers can boost students' grasp of digital learning resources by modeling usage in class or through short screencast videos. They should also be available for questions as students explore websites, simulations, maps, or online assessments, creating a supportive environment for using digital tools. 

Second, help learners manage resources. As teachers keep sharing materials throughout the school year, students require a method to organize and keep track of those links, documents, and files. It's crucial for students to easily locate resources and understand how they relate to different units and lessons. When teachers proactively organize resources, it empowers students to manage their content efficiently and make the most of it for their learning journey. 

Third, explain why the resources are important. Teachers should explain to students and families the value of digital resources, how they align with lessons, and why they're preferable. Students are more likely to embrace digital tools when everyone understands and supports the teacher's choice. 

Lastly, make sure the instructions are clear. Set clear expectations for using digital learning materials by incorporating lessons on digital citizenship. Communicate instructions in multiple ways, both verbally and online, especially during transitions between in-person and remote learning. This ensures that learners understand what is required. 


How will you ensure that your students are complying with copyright laws and regulations when they use digital content?

In education, it's vital to equip students with a solid grasp of copyright laws, fair use, and the value of respecting intellectual property. By including an integrated approach to digital literacy into the curriculum, this help students develop an instinctive awareness of how to utilize digital resources ethically. This entails ensuring that students not only comprehend the creative potential but also grasp the potential consequences of copyright infringement. In other words, ensuring pupils understand the potential consequences of copyright infringement and the creative potential is necessary.

To ensure that students are complying with copyright laws and regulations when they use digital content, work assignments must be carefully designed to naturally promote the use of lawfully obtained and correctly credited digital content, strengthening the importance of compliance in academic pursuits. Teachers take on the role of mentors, leading students toward providing the right credit to original artists and establishing an ethical practice of using digital resources- this places a strong emphasis on the art of proper citation. Additionally, through consistent monitoring, guidance, and the active promotion of ethical digital behavior, educators contribute to the creation of a learning environment where students instinctively incorporate practices of copyright compliance and ethical utilization of digital content into the students' academic pursuits.





Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Communications Blog