Copyright Law

How does Copyright Law Affect Your Use of Technology in the Classroom?

Copyright is the exclusive legal right, given to originator or assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literacy, artistic, or musical material. A major limitation if copyright is it can be for a limited time, and does not cover the underlying ideas of something. However, the copyright law protects the creator for as long as the copyright is active.

            Given the fact that educators are teaching children of the 21^st century, curriculum is often used along with the internet in many ways. For example, teachers may incorporate a website, internet games, and research in their lesson plans. The Fair Use law is the part of the U.S. copyright law which says that parts of the media cab be used without breaking any copyright laws. Special circumstances, like research, teachers are using because they are protected by Fair Use. Copy right laws affect teachers use of technology in the classroom, because they must be mindful of if they are breaking this Copyright law. Teachers have so much on with curriculum, activities, and classroom management, so it becomes very difficult to first clarify if these technology tools and sites can be used. I think the only way around these difficulties is to research the websites you plan to use prior when developing the curriculum. This is where you can search the websites that protects teachers under the Fair Use law. Educators also make sure to site the PowerPoints they create, which are research based, before presenting their lessons to the classroom. In the end teachers, will continue to use the technology in their lessons, because children are growing up in a world that heavily uses technology. It is only logical to incorporate this technology when instructing in the classroom.