Fair use Can Be Foggy for Teachers & Students

Fair use when used for educational purposes is usually okay.  However, the guidelines for fair use are written very loosely and are very vague.  They are intentionally written this way to cover a variety of subjects (Media Education Lab, 2013).  Sometimes as teachers and students, when doing the work in education, we tend to borrow from text and written materials for the sake of learning.  As media specialists, it is vital for us to educate our teachers and students on the importance of following copyright and fair use guidelines.  Copying and using materials inappropriately is not an option.  I encourage the use of technology to avoid breaking laws.  Using technology, you can share information and teacher book resources on using the LCD projector.  You can also use sharing applications such as "my big campus" to share items with students without printing them.  Also, students must learn this skill over and over.  They must learn fair use.

It becomes real once they graduate and go to college and even when they work on the job.  I work for a company and recently had to complete an e-learning on intellectual property.  When completing the course, we were sharing various examples of trademarks, copyrighted material, patented materials, etc.  Employees had to categorize the items based on the content they had received in the course.  I asked to use other company logos and products to illustrate that other employees should not use them.  I was told by the legal department that I could not use other logos...even for educational purposes.  We were covered by fair use but because of the room for interpretation, they do not take a chance that it will be misinterpreted by someone else.  Companies do not want a lawsuit.  So, even though we are usually safe in education, it is vital to make sure that our students and teachers understand the policies and guidelines that govern copyrights and fair use of information.

http://mediaeducationlab.com/sites/mediaeducationlab.com/files/CodeofBestPracticesinFairUse_0.pdf

FAIR USE IN LIBRARY MEDIA- WHAT’S THE SITUATION?

Neiketa Johnson

What is Fair Use?

“Fair use is a defense to an allegation of infringement under the U.S. copyright law that excuses otherwise infringing limited use of portions of a copyrighted work without the copyright owner’s permission for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research."  In an increasingly copyrighted world, educators must be able to navigate the fair use policy to teach children. Also educators must teach children how to manipulate fair use policies in and out of our classrooms. The Fair Use law provides copyright protection to creative works in an effort to protect owners’ rights while allowing borrowers' usage for educational purposes. The owners and borrowers of culturally creative material must be able to meet at the bargaining table to foster flexibility of sharing copyrighted material. Some believe, society gives limited property rights to creators to produce culture while allowing other creators to use that same material without permission or payment. Without both sides our society may suffer at the hands of copyright laws and fair use policies. The question remains: how can we meet in the middle of the road and allow both sides to agree about the sharing of material?

A major concern is the unlicensed fair use of copyrighted materials for education, not the way those materials were acquired. Owners of copyrighted material desire the right to give permission for using their material. Another issue with fair use of material is whether or not the unlicensed use transforms the material from its original use to a different purpose than that of the original or did it just repeat the work for the same value as the original? Courts will consider this fair use because the borrower is recreating the copyrighted work. Although most Fair Use cases do not enter into a courtroom, educators who borrow others’ works should be made aware of potential infringement. The bottom line; if you borrow someone’s copyrighted work use it “fairly”. Fair use has a wide range of meanings depending on who you ask. There are no black or white rules for determining whether a particular activity may be considered a permissible fair use.

Destroying the Myths

MYTH: EDUCATORS CAN RELY ON “RULES OF THUMB” FOR FAIR USE GUIDANCE.

The truth is that there are no specific set of rules that govern if you are abiding by Fair Use policies. There is no specific amount of material quoted, video shared, or number of music lines borrowed that indicate you are abiding by Fair use policies. Fair use is situational, and context is critical. Because it is a tool to balance the rights of users with the rights of owners, educators need to apply reason to govern actions. In my school district the Copyright Laws are posted in the media center to make patrons aware of the law and not for the media specialist to enforce. Our district purchases downloadable items and place items on the hard drive of our county-owned laptops for educational purposes. The licenses for such items are given to the county and teachers and staff  have access to use these items. Some licensed software is only accessible via the county’s network and not available for home use. Perhaps this is one way of avoiding copyright infringement. The goal in our district is to provide  the resources to support the academic curriculum. Managing copyright laws is not top on the priority list, although educators and students are made aware of these laws and policies.

Check out this link for rules governing copyright rule enforcement at Immaculata University, Immaculata, PA. There have a very strict bottom line policy in which fees are charged for piracy and unlawful distribution of copyright material.

http://www.immaculata.edu/sites/default/files/file/Administration/policies/Immaculata-%20File-Sharing%20Policy%20and%20QA.pdf

Reference:

Code of best practices in fair use for media literacy eduation. (2012). Retrieved from http://mediaeducationlab.com/code-best-practices-fair-use-media-literacy-education-0 

The Bottom line on information technology use and, in particular, file-sharing at immaculata university. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.immaculata.edu/sites/default/files/file/Administration/policies/Immaculata-%20File-Sharing%20Policy%20and%20QA.pdf

SCHOOL TV NEWS WITH PAMELA HURST

SCHOOL TV NEWS

While my current school does not have a school TV program, my old school briefly had a school news broadcast program that I really enjoyed. It was a 10 minute monthly broadcast with news and topics which were written primarily by the media specialist. As well, the media specialist chose the news anchors and other student participants. Most of the students worked on the broadcast for the entire year.  The broadcast included reading the Pledge, Moment of Silence, Announcements, news, lunch menu, “Today in the News”, and features such as Black History trivia during National Black History Month.

The Orenco Elementary school TV news was quite good. There are many segments that highlighted and recognized students by calling their names out on air. The”Gotcha” and “Happy Birthday” segments in particular were good way to spotlight students. I also noticed the broadcast rarely showed adults- it was truly a show that featured the students. Even when there was news and announcements written by teachers; they were read by the student news anchors.

The Eisenhower Middle School ETV featured a variety of students, not just students who are comfortable and seemed born to be in front of the camera but also those students who seemed a little scared and less comfortable. As well, I liked the “ETV Goes Wireless” segment which included an interview with and demonstration by a teacher.

I think school TV news is a good technology tool for schools and teachers to explore. At my current school, I am sure my principal would not be open to having a TV news program because he feels like such activities take the focus away from the goal of improving academics at a struggling inner city school. However, I think that with a little effort schools can make school TV news programs a win-win for students and administration. It could be as simple as incorporating a segment that reviewed general classrooms lessons and/or skills.

Announcments, Announcements, Watch All About It!

School TV news is a great way for the school to manage announcements and import information going on around the school community. It’s a great way to get students engaged in public speaking. Some pre-record their announcements, while others record live each morning. Eight grade students at Eisenhower Middle school produce a morning show each morning which includes, morning announcements, upcoming activities and events, pledge, day in history, joke of the day, and skits. They have been broadcasting since 2001 and have progressed from just a website of their videos, to a YouTube channel. Their work is engaging, and I was quite surprised at how well put together their news show is. You can tell students really enjoy the chance at being on TV.

I currently volunteer at Belmont Hills Elementary, who before January received their morning announcements over the intercom. Now they broadcast most mornings, however, it is heavily controlled by the principal. Students in all grades are able to participate in being an announcer, and is based on behavior.  It’s still in its early stages and includes, lunch for the day, breakfast menu for the following day, pledge of allegiance, important activities and updates of events at the school, and student signing. What I have noticed is that, since the announcements are pre-recorded, teachers have the option of watching or listening to it.  Because it is so new to the school they have had many problems, as the media specialist is new to the school and to using the video distribution system.

My children attend Russell Elementary. I was not able to talk to the media specialist, however, I asked my 1^st and 3^rd grader boys about the announcements. Here is what they told me. The School News is watched on the promethean boards in the classroom each morning. It is hosted by 4^th and 5^th grade students. The news announcements include pledge of allegiance, weather, special activities at the school, student interviews, word of the day, sometimes there are games and/or videos about the rules of the library, Russell Moms and Dads club will get on sometimes and say hi to their son or daughter occasionally, and Mr. Manson the principal also speaks on the morning news.

Both schools are using a video distribution system to broadcast the news and is facilitated by the media specialist.  I believe schools need to look at School TV news as an opportunity to create teachable moments for students outside the classroom and for students to use their own personality and creativity to make great feature stories and segments. Having students demonstrate “how to” and showing what they, know builds self-esteem and pride in work. Principals should also consider possibly utilizing it as a reward system for improved behavior for some students that are on a behavior plan. Depending on the student this may be a great incentive to keep up “good behavior”.

Social Networking in Schools-To Be or Not To Be….That Is The Question

Social networks represent the collective body of people that we know (Courtney, p. 75).  Online social networking has several tools that can be utilized:  individual messaging, friending, groups, announcements, individual message boards, photos, blogs, and more.  As educators, part of our responsibility is to make sure our content remains current and fresh.  Social media is trending right now.  Should it be used in the classroom to facilitate learning?  I feel that it definitely can, however, it will require some classroom management from the teacher.  By law, we are required to inform our students about the dangers of online predators, cyberbullying, etc.  We are required to share with student how to use the Internet responsibly.  So, again, if a teacher is diligent enough to tie in social media to the curriculum to facilitate learning, I think it would be excellent.  The teacher must be diligent and be sure to monitor activities and give clear instructions on the assignment to avoid students being off task.

I have worked for two school districts in Georgia and they did not allow access to social media sites.  In fact, it was frowned upon.  To a certain extent, I understood because with the growing popularity of social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, students were tempted to communicate about non-school related things during instructional time.  Again, my stance is that the use of social media to facilitate learning is not impossible, but will require planning and management on the end of the teacher.  Also the teacher must be knowledgeable of the site.  As mentioned in the TeacherLibrarianNing article, many Media Specialists were negligent towards social media because they didn’t know exactly how to use it and setup the proper privacy controls to monitor student activity.  A good idea would be to train teachers on social media sites that are acceptable to use with students.  The training should also model a lesson using social media to address a common core standard.  I definitely thing the students will enjoy integrating something that they use socially with their curriculum to spice things up a bit.

The use of blogs is definitely a great way to have students communicate.  When I used to inform students about using the Internet responsibly, I would always stress that everything that they place on the Internet is there and can forever be found.  I would love to have a Facebook page for the media center.  I could use it to showcase the book club meetings, the latest books, winners of reading bowl awards.  I can also have a blog for book club reading reports.  To encourage reading, you could also come up with engaging questions to get students to read to respond to the blog.  The network can grow and libraries can friend each other to share resources.  So, while social networking has it’s dangers, it also has it’s advantages.  Just like anything, if used improperly, it becomes a problem.  However, there are several ways that it can keep the interest of students to aid learning.

Courtney, N. (2007). Library 2.0 and beyond. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Fiehn, B. (2008). Social Networking And Your Library OPAC!.TeacherLibrarianNing, Retrieved from http://www.mmischools.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=59618

Social Networking: Who Do You Know? By: Neiketa Johnson

Online Social Networking

The overall goal of the School Library Media Center is to increase circulation of books and other resource offerings.  Increasing the appeal of the SLMC to students by utilizing social media is one step in the right direction. K-12 students are social media savvy and would love the opportunity to access these websites at will. Media centers must be able to respond to the needs of its users by staying abreast of current web tool trends that engage its users. Social networking is an influential tool and media centers should embrace the opportunity to engage its users in a Library Media Center social networking site. The patrons SLMC’s serve are those that are actively engaging in social media. And if we are to garner the attention of the youth we serve, then we must participate in the activities that interest them in order to be relevant.

Target Your Audience

Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, KIK, Instagram, Google Hangouts, Pinterest, and Flickr are a few of the most popular social networking websites with which most of us are familiar. Adults and children alike utilize one or more of these most popular social networks. Most social networking websites strive to reach a target audience while some seek wide mainstream appeal and others focus on attracting a niche group. Media centers enhance the content instruction by providing additional resources and social media tools can prove to be a current tool to aid in this endeavor. Group collaboration and discussion is significant to the learning model in most classes and social networking sites can facilitate such encounters for students. One such example is the educational counterpart to Facebook called Edmodo. This is a tool that allows teachers to create a page and students are invited to join by creating a profile and teachers can post documents, links, audio/video, information to the site for students. Surveys, discussions, quizzes, and tests can be arranged via Edmodo.  I have found Edmodo to be the most efficient tool I have used this school year. I post assignments, initiate discussion, give quizzes/tests, engage parents, and share and learn from other content area teachers.

Social Networking with OPAC

Social networking sites have been integrated into library automation systems. These systems provide “user tagging, user comments, reviews, ratings, added subjects and keywords, and other information to provide peer input to library collections, as well as many other user-centered applications”.  As we approach this topic with an open mind we will find that offering patrons the most current means of information gathering is the right step in the digital direction in which we all should be heading. Most schools are slowly getting on board with the digital trends. My school has blocked access to all the popular social networks- although students find ways around the filters. I support the filtering of the social networks for personal networking purposes. We have access to Edmodo and most teachers have replaced webpages for Edmodo.

Media specialists must be engaged in what’s going on in our digital society in order to be current and make our media centers relevant. We must participate in educational social networks to assist with hosting social media for the students we serve. According to Library 2.0 and Beyond: Innovative Technologies and Tomorrow’s Users, there are six steps to follow to help guide your library’s entrance into the social networking environment.

Step 1: Explore- Create a personal account and explore the capabilities of the website.

Step 2:  Set the Ground Rules- Decide who will maintain the SLMC’s presence on the social networking site.

Step 3:  Add Content- Emphasize celebrating the media center.

Step 4:  Advertise- Identify and invite potential patrons into your networking community.

Step 5: Update Regularly- As your community grows, continue to provide new content.

Step 6:  Have Fun with It! The social networking experience is what you make it. Show the personality of your media center and encourage conversation with patrons.

Notable Educational Social Networking Websites

Edmodo.com

Moodle.org

Twiducate.com

Diipo.com

Notable OPAC Social Networking Website links

http://maisonbisson.com/blog/post/10956

http://www.librarytechnology.org/?SID=20080826919311523&Username=&timeout=1219790620

http://www4.auto-graphics.com/solutions/libraries.htm

http://fish4info.org/gofish

References:

Courtney, N. (2007). Library 2.0 and beyond. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.

               Seven things you should know about wikis. (2005, July). Retrieved from                http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7004.pdf

Fiehn, B. (2008, September 01). Social networking and your library OPAC. Retrieved from http://www.mmischools.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=59618

Valenza, J. (2014, March 03). Teacherlibrarianning. Retrieved from http://teacherlibrarian.ning.com/