It is imperative for teachers to be aware of copyright laws that protect the authors’ original works. Teachers also need to educate their students about the possibilities and consequences of plagiarism. According to the article titled “What Faculty Need to Know about Copyright for Teaching,” copyright laws protect literary works, dramatic works, musical works, motion pictures and other audiovisual works among others. In general, copyright laws affect what teachers can and cannot use in the classroom. Copyright laws affect what printed material, music, images and computer software teachers can use in their classroom. If students use outside works for a classroom project, for example, they must be able to provide a reference page where they cite their sources.
However, copyright does have an exception to the
rule that one must obtain permission from the copyright owner if the work is
being used for educational purposes. For example, many educators hand out
copies of worksheets or play videos in their classrooms without asking the
original authors for permission. A few examples of works that can be used in
the classroom without permission include works for which the copyright has expired,
facts, articles in journals that allow non-profit educational use without
permission and works that are covered by a license and or contract that allows
classroom use.
Overall, copyright laws affect what materials and
technologies teachers can use in the classroom learning environment. It is
important for teachers to be cautious and certain that the learning materials
or sources they are using in their classrooms do not go against copyright laws.
Teachers must also educate their students about the importance of copyright
laws and remind them that they must include a reference page if they are using
outside sources for their classroom projects or assignments.
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