Copyright and Fair use

           Copyright and Fair use laws are very important to know, especially as a teacher who references other’s ideas and works often. There are consequences for those who do not abide by these laws. A website from the University of Maryland University College provides great insight into what copyright and fair use laws are and breaks down how we can make sure to follow them. 

Copyright

            Copyright protects the right of the creator of a piece of work or idea to control how it is used. According to the United States Copyright Office there are three different requirements for something to be considered copyrighted: fixation, originality, and minimal creativity. I think that originality and minimal creativity are not necessary to go into detail on, but fixation means that the work is in a set location, like in a book or stored on a computer. Copyright assures that work is not copied, sold, or performed by those who did not create the work.

Fair Use

            The website provides in-depth explanations of what is and is not considered fair use, which is particularly helpful for teachers. Fair use is basically a limitation in the copyright law where if the work is being used for certain uses, like instructional, there are many exceptions and the work can be used. Teachers are able to make copies of work or books, so long as they do not use those copies repeatedly. If you want to use a copyrighted work you should consider the nature of the work, the purpose and character of the use, the amount used, and the effect of use on the market for the work. After considering these four guidelines, you can make a decision on whether or not it is considered fair use and you can use it in the classroom. Permission is still required when using a work in its entirety, it is being used for commercial purposes, or like I said previously being used repeatedly.

This video from Common Sense Media does a great job of explaining copyright, fair use, and giving examples of each.