Copyright and Fair Use
Target learners - This lesson is designed to give teachers and other education staff a
refresher on copyright and fair use in the educational setting.
Educational Objective – As our use of technology increases, teachers need to be reminded
about “the rules of engagement” with various available technologies in order to be good role
models for our students and not to accidentally get in trouble for using copyrighted material
inappropriately.
Primary teaching strategies – This lesson takes an inductive approach to learning. Staff will
be provided with a framework and resources for reviewing and learning the material. They will
work at their own pace within each of the three activities with opportunities for conversing with
the presenter and other staff. To keep an appropriate pace, staff will be asked by the
presenter to move on to the next session at appropriate time intervals.
Assessment – As with most professional development in our district, there is not a formal
assessment. There is, however, an informal quiz that teachers will go through with a partner
and check their answers as they go so they are provided with instant feedback. I found that
taking the entire quiz and then reviewing the answers left me confused over some of the
topics, but checking the answers as I went solidified my learning and was less confusing.
Time and Resources – Teachers will receive refresher course as part of professional
development during a staff meeting – approximately 50 minutes required. It will take place in
the computer lab with one teacher/computer. Other than Kentwood’s Intranet, the staff will
access the resources needed through my Wikispaces page in the Copyright section
(http://telfordtribune.wikispaces.com/)
Learning Activities
1. The first activity will be for teachers to access the Intranet (Kentwood’s internal resource
site for teaching staff) and open the School Board Policy. The focus will be on reviewing policy
regarding copyright and acceptable use. The document is a PDF file and the information is
found on the following pages:
General copyright: pages 195-200
Internet safety: page 226
Acceptable Use policy: pages 227 – 230
Participants will read/review the material at their own pace. If anyone finishes early, they can
explore some of the additional resources that were found on copyright.
2. The second activity has teachers look at the Question and Answer section of the Copyright
for Teachers and Librarians website created by Adventure of the American Mind for the
purpose of teaching educators about copyright. While the entire site has useful information,
the Q & A section gives brief answers to commonly asked questions.
Copyright Q&A
http://users.mhc.edu/facultystaff/awalter/Brim%20site/FAQ_page_2.htm
3. The third activity is an informal assessment of sorts. For this teachers pair up with the
person next to them to do the Hall Davidson Quiz together. One teacher will open the quiz on
her computer and the partner will open the answers to the quiz on his computer. The teachers
will read the quiz question together, decide on an answer, check the answer on the second
computer, and discuss as necessary. This quiz gives scenarios that might be encountered
related to copyright.
Hall Davidson Quiz and answers
http://www.halldavidson.net/quiz1.pdf
http://www.halldavidson.net/answ1.pdf
Copyright resources
Fair use for teachers chart
http://home.earthlink.net/~cnew/research.htm#Fair%20Use%20Matrix%20for%20Teachers
Copyright myths
http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html
Government site dedicated to copyright
http://www.copyright.gov/
Copyright for Educators and Librarians, government circular
http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ21.pdf
University of Maryland University College site on copyright
http://www.umuc.edu/library/copy.shtml#copyright
Lesson created by S. Telford, February 2010