[A2k] Yes, You Can Use Copyrighted Materials in the Classroom

Cynthia Gayton cgayton@gwu.edu
Tue Nov 18 15:12:01 2008


People should be very careful with this information.  A code developed by e=
ducators is wonderful. However, the copyright owners are not a party to thi=
s code. There are exceptions under the fair use doctrine for education, but=
 I would strongly suggest that anyone who wants to use copyright protected =
 material work with their own academic institution because guidelines may d=
iffer.  In addition, pay attention to the language where educators and lear=
ners "can, under some circumstances."  IMHO, there is no new ground covered=
 here - other than perhaps just getting people on board with a best practic=
es approach to an ongoing and sometimes confusing issue.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeffrey A. Williams" <jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com>
Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 10:21 am
Subject: Re: [A2k] Yes, You Can Use Copyrighted Materials in the Classroom
To: Mike Palmedo <mpalmedo@wcl.american.edu>
Cc: a2k@lists.essential.org, Vint Cerf <vint@google.com>, IPC <info@ipconst=
ituency.org>, barrett@american.edu, pjaszi@wcl.american.edu, jazmyn.burton@=
temple.edu, Ray Beckerman <ray@beckermanlegal.com>


> Mike and all,
>
>    Thank you for sharing this information.  And it seems reasonable
>  as well as logical.  Yet one has to wonder how or if Google/YouTube
>  agrees with this?  Secondly given the MPAA's, the IPC's, and the
>  RIAA's recent legal activities if they also are in agreement?
>
>  Mike Palmedo wrote:
>
>  >
>  >
>  > Yes, You Can Use Copyrighted Material In the Classroom
>  > New Code Outlines Five Principles of Fair Use for Teachers, Students
>  >
>  > Contact: Maggie Barrett, AU Media Relations, barrett@american.edu or
>  > 202-885-5951
>  > Peter Jaszi, AU Washington College of Law, pjaszi@wcl.american.edu
> or
>  > 202-274-4216
>  > Jazmyn Burton, Temple University, jazmyn.burton@temple.edu or 215-204-=
7594
>  >
>  > WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 5, 2008)=97A national magazine tells a
>  > professor she needs hundreds of permissions to use its cover photos
> in
>  > her class, when in fact, she could claim fair use, which does not
>  > require payment or permission. Many teachers want to use YouTube as
> a
>  > teaching tool but aren=92t sure if it=92s legal, while others warn the=
ir
>  > students not to post their video assignments to YouTube. Under fair
> use,
>  > both actions are legal.
>  >
>  > All manner of content and media is now available online, but fear and
>  > misinformation have kept teachers and students from using this valuabl=
e
>  > material, including portions of films, TV coverage, photos, songs,
>  > articles, and audio, in the classroom.
>  >
>  > Now, thanks to a coordinated effort by the media literacy community,
>  > supported by experts at American University and Temple University,
>  > teachers and students have a guide that simplifies the legalities of
>  > using copyrighted materials in an academic setting: The Code of Best
>  > Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education.
>  >
>  > The code, which will be released on Tuesday, November 11, at the
>  > National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, was developed by the
>  > National Association for Media Literacy Education, the Action Coalitio=
n
>  > for Media Education, the National Council of Teachers of English, the
>  > Visual Communication Studies Division of the International Communicati=
on
>  > Association, and the Media Education Foundation. The code was
>  > facilitated by Peter Jaszi and Patricia Aufderheide of American
>  > University, and Renee Hobbs of Temple University. For information abou=
t
>  > the November 11 event, email Katie Donnelly at Temple,
>  > katie.donnelly@temple.edu.
>  >
>  > Educators use copyrighted materials from mass media and popular cultur=
e
>  > in building students=92 critical thinking and communication skills. Fo=
r
>  > example, a teacher might have a class analyze a website or a televisio=
n
>  > ad to identify purpose, point of view, and source credibility. With
> the
>  > rise of digital media tools for learning and sharing, it is more
>  > important than ever for educators to understand copyright and fair
> use.
>  >
>  > Fair use, a long-standing doctrine that was specifically written into
>  > Sec. 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allows the use of copyrighted
>  > material without permission or payment when the benefit to society
>  > outweighs the cost to the copyright owner.
>  >
>  > =93The fair-use doctrine was designed to help teachers and learners,
> among
>  > others,=94 said Peter Jaszi, director of the Program on Information
>  > Justice and Intellectual Property at American University=92s Washingto=
n
>  > College of Law. =93It's one of the best copyright tools teachers have.=
=94
>  >
>  > =93Finally, copyright confusion among educators will be a thing of the
>  > past,=94 said Hobbs, founder of Temple University=92s Media Education =
Lab
>  > and professor of broadcasting, telecommunications and mass media at
> the
>  > university=92s School of Communications and Theater. =93In an increasi=
ngly
>  > copyrighted world, the code of best practices clarifies copyright and
>  > fair use for educators and students.=94
>  >
>  > The code, which outlines basic principles for the application of fair
>  > use to media literacy education, articulates related limitations, and
>  > examines common myths about copyright and education, is a follow-up
> to a
>  > 2007 report, The Cost of Copyright Confusion for Media Literacy. The
>  > report found that teachers=92 lack of copyright understanding impairs
> the
>  > teaching of critical thinking and communication skills. Too many
>  > teachers, the report found, react by feigning ignorance, quietly defyi=
ng
>  > the rules, or vigilantly complying.
>  >
>  > The Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education
>  > outlines five principles, each with limitations:
>  >
>  > Educators can, under some circumstances:
>  >
>  > 1. Make copies of newspaper articles, TV shows, and other copyrighted
>  > works, and use them and keep them for educational use.
>  >
>  > 2. Create curriculum materials and scholarship with copyrighted
>  > materials embedded.
>  >
>  > 3. Share, sell, and distribute curriculum materials with copyrighted
>  > materials embedded.
>  >
>  > Learners can, under some circumstances:
>  >
>  > 4. Use copyrighted works in creating new material.
>  >
>  > 5. Distribute their works digitally if they meet the transformativenes=
s
>  > standard.
>  >
>  > As part of the project, American University=92s Center for Social Medi=
a
>  > produced a video to help teachers and students understand how they
> can
>  > use copyrighted materials. The code, video, and other curriculum
>  > materials for educators will be available at
>  > centerforsocialmedia.org/medialiteracy, and Mediaeducationlab.com.
>  >
>  > Media interested in receiving an embargoed (November 11) copy of the
>  > report, contact Micael Bogar at the Center for Social Media,
>  > bogar@american.edu. Although the full video will not be available for
>  > viewing until November 11, preview/teaser clips are online and
> ready for
>  > viewing.
>  >
>  > =93The best practices approach has worked superbly for other creative
>  > communities, such as documentary filmmakers,=94 said Aufderheide, dire=
ctor
>  > of the Center for Social Media, part of AU=92s School of Communication=
.
>  > =93The code will empower educators to work as creatively as they want
> to,
>  > with a much better understanding of their rights under the law.=94
>  >
>  > This project was funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
>  > Foundation, with additional funding from the Ford Foundation.
>  > ###
>  > Contact: Maggie Barrett
>  > Date: 11/05/2008
>  > Phone: 202-885-5951
>  >
>  > --
>  > Mike Palmedo
>  > Research Coordinator
>  > Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property
>  > American University, Washington College of Law
>  > 4910 Massachutsetts Ave., NW Washington, DC 20016
>  > T - 202-274-4442 | F 202-274-0659
>  > mpalmedo@wcl.american.edu
>  >
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>
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