Thing #22 Copyright and Creative Commons

With so much free information available online, it is important that copyright law be respected by teachers and students alike. This Disney video is an entertaining and informative discussion of what could be a dry topic. I think it could be used with students to spark a discussion on why copyright law exists. Here is another informative article titled 10 Big Myths about copyright . This would also be a useful article to share with students to clear up confusion about copyrights. For teachers, this website, Copyright Laws for Teachers, is very comprehensive in answering questions related to materials and educational use. Here's a blog that discusses Creative Commons, a way for creators of materials to choose to share it with others. In teaching about copyright law or other ethical issues, it is important to provide accurate materials to give students background information. As a teacher it is also important to be prepared to ask and answer difficult questions. Students should be encouraged to develop opinions that have solid reasoning behind them and to address the weaker points of their position as well.