Copyright Author

Copyright Author

We Need Your Help

Congratulations on the publication of your creative lessons on integrating technology into the curriculum! Your exciting work combines the best of Web pages, original artwork, text, and videos. Unfortunately, we’ve heard reports that your work has been copied and is being used in Idaho and Washington Schools . You need to get a mental picture on how key copyright issues relate to helping other teachers understand copyright law.

You’ll be guided to look closely at three main issues and to find examples (facts, statistics, quotations, or any other inputs) that you think provide important insights on the issues. After you’ve collected three examples for each issue, your job will be to put the information together into one statement that shares your understanding as a “Truth” about that particular key issue related to protecting your copyright. You’ll do this three times.

Exploring Examples to Discover the Truth

Work your way through each of the three questions targeting key issues. Use the links to help you find examples to support your truth. Record your answers on this worksheet.

Issue #1: What is Copyright?

http://www.timestream.com/stuff/neatstuff/mmlaw.html

http://www.goehner.com/copyright/lytle.htm

http://www.fplc.edu/tfield/cOpyNet.htm

Based on the information you have examined, write a “Truth” or response to the question above.

Issue #2: How may schools use your copyrighted work without violating copyright?

http://www.libraries.psu.edu/mtss/fairuse/dalziel.html

http://www.cetus.org/fair6.html

http://www.copyright.com/

Based on the information you have examined, write a “Truth” or response to the question above.

Issue #3: How can you help teachers sort out copyright?

http://www.nolo.com/lawcenter/ency/article.cfm/objectID/94F1539D-B61C-415B-BE3ED4F8BFE7F1F3

http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr280.shtml

http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr280a.shtml

Based on the information you have examined, write a “Truth” or response to the question above.

Focusing your Argument: an Action Plan

By looking at the copyright situation from the perspective of a copyright author, you have become an expert on copyright issues. Your team (and the WWW community) needs your expert advice. In your opinion, what would be the most effective plan of action to protect copyright in schools? In other words, what do we need to do to “make it happen”? Use the truths you have learned to make sure we tap into goldmines that could help everyone and avoid landmines that could threaten us all.

Your action plan should be a clear statement about what should be done to encourage teachers to protect copyright in Internet-connected schools. It does not have to be long, but it should be thoughtful.