Copyright Elective

Scenario: A teacher in your school (who has a really rowdy bunch of monsters) makes an agreement with them that they learn how to make power point presentations on sports, war, hunting, rock music and such. She lets them get graphics from anywhere on the Internet. Sites such as Sports Illustrated, ESPN, DOD, Rock Music Hall of Fame. They make great presentations and become great kids. What are the copyright implications?

Under the Fair Use Guidelines the power point presentation is permissible since it is a multimedia project. The project must be used for educational purposes in that particular class. There are many guidelines and restrictions that apply to this multimedia project though. For example, students can only use up to 5 photographs or illustrations by one person. The teacher will need to clarify this during instruction. The limitations and restrictions can be stated further in a rubric. If the class however is sixth grade or lower, then the guidelines are not as strict. They would be permitted to use more than 5 photographs or illustrations by one person.

Scenario: Mrs. Urdvardy, a music teacher, downloads MP3 files from the Web and uses them to instruct her students in the various kinds of music. She allows students to copy the files and take them home, listen to them and complete a worksheet.

Use of the MP3 is allowable since it is for academic purposes under Fair Use, Guidelines for Educational Use of Music, Section 107 of HR223. A restriction of copying music is only 10% of the whole work can be copied. Therefore, the educator is permitted to make a copy from the Web. Students however are not permitted to make their own personal copy to take home. This would be considered broadcasting; transmitting the audiotape beyond the local building. The worksheet must be completed in school with use of the MP3. If students need to complete the worksheet at home, then they cannot take a copy of the MP3.