Blog 3: Message and Copyright Info

What is taught in the classroom is ever changing. As stated in the K-12 Horizon Report (2013), our roles as educators are challenged because of these changes. The common trend today is that information is all around us. We do not have to look far for free information. Because of this easy accessibility, we must be able to determine the credibility of sources and teach our students to do the same. One challenge that was presented in this report is the the huge demand for adjusting what we teach to meet where each child is in his or her development. This is such an important part of being an educator, and technology would seem to be the perfect way to ensure that each child’s needs are met on an individual level. However, the tools for a technology that allows more opportunities for individualized instruction are not where they need to be yet in order to prove effective in the classroom. 

As I was investigating more about the role of the copyright in my classroom, I discovered several things. The first thing I learned from What is Copyright Protection? is that a copyright lasts 50 years after the author’s death.  This means that a copyrighted work still remains intact if the author is no longer living. My next discovery from 10 Big Myths about Copyright was that making up a story that is based on another story is an infringement upon the copyright of the original work. Although some authors do not mind the extra attention it brings to their works, a person must first gain permission to use the concepts from the original work.  The last thing I learned about copyrights was also from 10 Big Myths about Copyright . All emails that a person composes are copyrighted! This means that although quoting a line or two may not cause harm, emails are protected by copyright. Whoever composed the email should be contacted for permission to use the words in the message.

The importance of abiding by copyright laws is huge! As a teacher, I want to model for my students what is means to be a good steward of the information that is available for us to use.  My students will be taught to value and show respect for the works of others. When I model and encourage the obeying of copyrights laws, it can teach my students that integrity and honesty are important. It also teaches them that laws are in place for a reason, and by following them, we are being good citizens.