Group+Work+Online

Pick a topic we have not already covered that would be of interest to anyone wanting more information to enhance and/or better manage their Web-based classes. Topics can include (but are not limited to): Email your instructor the topic you will research by the due date listed on the Due Dates page. The topic can only appear on the wiki once.
 * Using copyrighted items in a Web-based courses
 * Plagiarism
 * Intellectual property rights of students and instructors
 * Podcasting
 * Vodcasting
 * Webinars
 * Blogs
 * Skype
 * Second Life
 * Mobile Learning
 * Illuminate

Be creative, topical, and relevant to the topic you chose. Provide enough information on the topic but not too much to where the audience will be overwhelmed.

Copyright law and fair use
 * Using copyrighted items in a Web-based course **

To fully understand copyright in terms of education and a web-based course, we must first understand the original law that was enacted in 1976. Below is the actual subject matter of the law.

Copyright Act of 1976

"//Subject matter of copyright: In general// //(a) Copyright protection subsists, in accordance with this title, in original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression//  //PUBLIC LAW 94-553-0CT. 19, 197690 STAT. 2545//  //sion, now known or later developed, from which they can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device. Works of authorship include the following//  //categories://  //1) literary works;//  //2) musical works, including any accompanying words;//  //3) dramatic works, including any accompanying music;//  //(4) pantomimes and choreographic works;//  //5) pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works;//  //6) motion pictures and other audiovisual works; and//  //7) sound recordings.//  //(b) In no case does copyright protection for an original work of authorship extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the form in which it is described, explained, illustrated, or embodied in such work//" (http://www.copyright.gov/history/pl94-553.pdf).

If an educator explicitly followed the above law, permission would need to be sought for ALL works that were being used in an online class. The key for educators is to understand another term or section of the law, fair use. Below is an excerpt from the www.copyright.gov website defining fair use:

"//One of the rights accorded to the owner of copyright is the right to reproduce or to authorize others to reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords. This right is subject to certain limitations found in sections 107 through 118 of the copyright law ( [|title 17, U. S. Code] ). One of the more important limitations is the doctrine of “fair use.” The doctrine of fair use has developed through a substantial number of court decisions over the years and has been codified in section 107 of the copyright law.// //Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Section 107 also sets out four factors to be considered in determining whether or not a particular use is fair:// //The distinction between fair use and infringement may be unclear and not easily defined. There is no specific number of words, lines, or notes that may safely be taken without permission. Acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material does not substitute for obtaining permission.//
 * 1) //The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes//
 * 2) //The nature of the copyrighted work//
 * 3) //The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole//
 * 4) //The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work//

//The 1961 Report of the Register of Copyrights on the General Revision of the U.S. Copyright Law cites examples of activities that courts have regarded as fair use: “quotation of excerpts in a review or criticism for purposes of illustration or comment; quotation of short passages in a scholarly or technical work, for illustration or clarification of the author’s observations; use in a parody of some of the content of the work parodied; summary of an address or article, with brief quotations, in a news report; reproduction by a library of a portion of a work to replace part of a damaged copy; reproduction by a teacher or student of a small part of a work to illustrate a lesson; reproduction of a work in legislative or judicial proceedings or reports; incidental and fortuitous reproduction, in a newsreel or broadcast, of a work located in the scene of an event being reported.”//

//Copyright protects the particular way authors have expressed themselves. It does not extend to any ideas, systems, or factual information conveyed in a work.//

//The safest course is always to get permission from the copyright owner before using copyrighted material. The Copyright Office cannot give this permission.//

//When it is impracticable to obtain permission, use of copyrighted material should be avoided unless the doctrine of fair use would clearly apply to the situation. The Copyright Office can neither determine if a certain use may be considered fair nor advise on possible copyright violations. If there is any doubt, it is advisable to consult an attorney.//" (http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html) <span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">**The best advice in this definition of fair use is the acquisition of permission. When in doubt seek permission.**

<span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Many educators may ask what copyright infringement is, the U.S. Copyright Office defines copyright infringement as "copyright infringement occurs when a copyrighted work is reproduced, distributed, performed, publicly displayed, or made into a derivative work without the permission of the copyright owner" (http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-definitions.html#infringement)

<span style="color: #a800ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;"> <span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Open Courseware <span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Fortunately, most educational endeavors, in the classroom or online are covered under fair use. One option of an online educator is to use open courseware. Open courseware can be used without permission. Several institutions have developed open courseware to be used by instructors across the country. Some excellent examples are MIT (http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm) <span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">and the Khan Academy (http://www.khanacademy.org/).

<span style="color: #a800ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 29px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">

<span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">What an educator should do:

<span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">The educator should decide whether or not permission needs to be granted. According to Ko and Rossen (2010), the following questions should be addressed: <span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">1. What is the character of use? Is it for commercial (for profit) or non commercial use (not for profit)? (p. 229) <span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">2. What is the nature of the work to be used? Is the work factual (less likely to need permission) or creative (more likely to need permission) in nature? Is it in the public domain (out of copyright)? (p. 229) <span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">3. How much of the work will you use? (Large amounts or entire works do not fall under fair use.) (p. 229) <span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">4. What effect would the use have on the market for the original work? Would the use of this work affect the sale of the work? (p. 229)

<span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Based on the answers to these questions the educator can determine if permission needs to be obtained.

<span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Ko and Rossen (2010) also give these three tips: <span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">"1. Limit amount--do not attempt to make available an entire work. <span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">2. Limit time--do not make the work available for an entire semester. <span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">3. Limit access--make available only to enrolled students in your class; use a password-protected site such as your course management system" (p. 231).

<span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">The article attached to this wiki gives the following advice for the use of copyright material in an online class and how to avoid copyright infringement: <span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">"1. Are all quoted materials or resources cited correctly? <span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">2. Has permission been obtained to use copyrighted material such as articles, text, images, illustrations, music and/or sound? <span style="color: #b100ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">3. Has permission been obtained to link to videos and animations including those on YouTube?" (p. 10)



<span style="color: #00b7ff; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%;">Intellectual Property

<span style="color: #00b7ff; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%;">I couldn't resist posted the following two articles while I was researching copyright. Some food for thought: Who owns the course material? Who owns your PowerPoint YOU created? Does your institution own it?

<span style="color: #00b7ff; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%;"><span style="color: #a800ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">