Professional Development - Copyright, Fair Use and Constituents
As I continue to research copyright issues, especially the most recent links via weblink regarding this course, I have come to the realization that I was in a serious state of ignorance as it relates to intellectual property. I would also venture to state that a large percentage of educators across the globe are in this stage of “ Unconscious Incompetence”. I have been using the Internet for several years and although I was made aware that there was a possibility of privacy violation with regard to the use of search engines, I felt that it did not apply to me. It is my view that this is exactly the position held by most educators. I have read with great interest the information presented by Declan McCullagh “FAQ: When Google Is Not Your Friend”. The issues presented relating to our own privacy does require us to be more informed even when we carry out what seems to be a simple activity like a Google search.
All educational institutions should have an Acceptable Use Policy (ACU) that deals specifically with copyright and promotes an awareness of issues as it relates to the protection of online privacy and fair use. It is imperative that all constituents be informed and empowered to reach the acceptable stage of “Conscious Competence” on the issues of achieving information literacy.
Administrators all have the responsibility to ensure that ACUs are not only current but that they are understood and practiced by their staff. They should be familiar with the major issues themselves, which will empower them to create an atmosphere that fosters knowledge on copyright issues. They should set up a framework to ensure that students, parents and the community understand the policy of the school as it relates to copyright and fair use. Teachers in this environment will be motivated to follow through as they prepare lessons and questioning that inhibit the practice of copying and pasting and encourage the students to credit sources in their projects .
These issues are of such significance that they should be on the agenda at parent meetings and conferences. Parents need to be made aware of such issues in order to reinforce what teachers at the school are doing. The school also has a responsibility to reach out to the community on these issues through ‘open days’ or school magazines, brochures or pamphlets. Community members will understand better why they should provide financial assistance for appropriate licenses for software rather than believing that the school should copy software indiscriminately.
The issues of copyright and fair use in this digital age can become so complex that it should not be confined to an individual or an institution. In my view the only way we can bring about change as it relates to respect for intellectual property in our society is for all stakeholders/constituents to be informed and work together as a cohesive unit as we endeavor to achieve information literacy.
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