Most teachers know what I'm talking about when I say sometimes we feel sneaky, guilty, or have to keep it on the hush hush when we show videos in class because we might be breaking some law. Or, teachers who post YouTube videos on Schoology or include a copyrighted image on their TeachersPayTeachers curriculum. But, have no fear! I've come to assure you that FAIR USE supports teachers. In fact, it's said that Fair Use is our ally (E.D. & K.L., 2019). Educators can make copies, create, share, sell, and distribute curriculum, as long as it's for educational purposes ONLY. There's definitely case-by-case situations, especially for other contexts, but posting on Schoology, TeachersPayTeachers, presenting at professional development or conferences, all supported under Fair Use. We need educators to understand and not be afraid to use media to enhance and transform our curriculum to meet modern day student needs.
A few other key terms come to mind when we consider this concept in the classroom:
Copyright - Common Sense
Attribution - Creative Commons
Creative Commons - Creative Commons
Transformative - Renee Hobbs, Copyright Clarity
Public Domain - Creative Commons
These might seem intimidating and easier to avoid than explore, but learning about copyright laws, especially considering our audience and classroom environment, we should, instead, feel empowered using these words. I created a "Remix" of an old video shown to new marketing and advertising businessmen and turned it into an explanation for my colleagues about Fair Use. Enjoy!
While this was my final and submitted product for MAET CEP 811, I did create a remix of my favorite show, Schitt's Creek, with a few voiceovers helping David, too, understand the importance of Fair Use and both the legal and ethical expectations of (re)using media.
Resources:
D. E. & L. K. (2019). Selecting Digital Media for Your Website: Understanding Copyright, Fair Use, and Creative Commons. In T. Trust (Ed.), Web Design Basics for Educators. EdTech Books. https://edtechbooks.org/webdesign/sel