Introducing Copyrights

A brief history of copyrights and how to usecopyrighted materials as an educator.

Introduction

There are a tremendous amount of materials in various forms of media that are copyrighted. As educators, we use many of these materials in lesson plans, research, and activities. Are we properly using the works of previous authors, musicians, film makers, and other media creation entities?

Are we properly giving them credit for their work?

What is a Copyright?

Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States for original works of authorship, including literary, dramatic, musical, architectural, cartographic, choreographic, pantomimic, pictorial, graphic, sculptural, and audiovisual creations.

Source: United States Copyright Office

Works Protected

Books Maps Charts Dramatic Compositions Prints Photographs and photographic negatives Music Motion Pictures Computer Programs

Only Fourteen

In the beginning of copyright law, the limited term for a work or material was 14 years. After the initial 14 years, the renewal period was for every 14 years thereafter. This was the standard from 1790 to 1998.

Copyright Time-line

The copyright laws have evolved to meet the needs of society. For this exercise, we will highlight the main changes over the last twenty years as the role of technology and the internet has greatly influenced the delivery of instruction and utilization of copyrighted materials.

Time-line circa 1790 -1900

May 31, 1790 - First copyright law enacted under the new U.S. Constitution. Term of 14 years with privilege of renewal for term of 14 years. Books, maps, and charts protected. Copyright registration made in the U.S. District Court where the author or proprietor resided.

April 29, 1802 - Prints added to protected works.

February 3, 1831 - First general revision of the copyright law. Music added to works protected against unauthorized printing and vending. First term of copyright extended to 28 years with privilege of renewal for term of 14 years.

August 18, 1856 - Dramatic compositions added to protected works.

Time-line Continued

March 3, 1865 - Photographs and photographic negatives added to protected works.

July 8, 1870 - Second general revision of the copyright law. Copyright activities, including deposit and registration, centralized in the Library of Congress. Works of art added to protected works. Act reserved to authors the right to create certain derivative works including translations and dramatizations. Indexing of the record of registrations began.

March 3, 1891 - First U.S. copyright law authorizing establishment of copyright relations with foreign countries. Records of works registered, now called the Catalog of Copyright Entries, published in book form for the first time in July 1891.

The 70+ Rule

When the producer of a work is deceased, the copyright protection of the work lasts for seventy years after the death. The copyright on many of the Web 2.0 applications we use today will outlive us.

What is Fair Use? Fair use is a concept embedded in U.S. law that

recognizes that certain uses of copyright-protected works do not require permission from the copyright holder or its agent. These include instances of minimal use that do not interfere with the copyright holder's exclusive rights to reproduce and reuse the work.

To learn more please got the URL http://www.copyright.com/Services/copyrightoncampus/basics/fairuse.html

Source: Copyright.com

TEACH Act

The Technology, Education, and Copyright Harmonization (TEACH) Act provided for the use of copyrighted works by accredited nonprofit educational institutions in distance education. To learn more, then please go to the URL below for a more comprehensive understanding of the TEACH Act.

http://www.copyright.com/Services/copyrightoncampus/basics/teach.html

Resources are plentiful. There are many free and limited use tools that

are available to you in repositories, such as Wikimedia, Creative Commons, and Classroomclips.org. As a courtesy, it is always good to give credit when credit is due.

Create great instructional technology tools that promote knowledge acquisition within acceptable fair use guidelines.

Pop Quiz

Is the graphic on the current page protected by copyright?

True/False

Questions?

I hope that the presentation provided you with a snapshot about copyright law and how it affects education.

Questions/Comments

Jean-Michel Basquiat The image on the title

slide is credited to Jean-Michel Basquiat. He started his works as a graffiti artist in New York. The photographer that photographed his likeness receives the credit for the picture in the current slide.

December 22, 1960 – August 12, 1988