Copyright Infringement

The Threat
Copyright infringement is a common problem that happens in
school settings and in other settings.
The fear of legal action affects what can and cannot be used in
the classroom.
In a world where we share anything and everything, teachers
often fear using materials they did not create themselves
because of the possible repercussions of copyright infringement.
Copyright infringement occurs when any intellectual property
owned by one person or group is used without the owners
permission.
Intellectual property- materials such as works of art, books,
magazine articles, audio or video recordings.
Misconceptions
Copyright holders (creators) fear that they will not profit from
their creations if they are used without their permission.
The medias portrayal of copyright lawsuits causes educators to
be concerned about using copyrighted materials.
Teachers and administrators fear that they may be involved in
expensive and public lawsuits over copyright infringement.
Many teachers feel that as long as copyrighted material is being
used in an educational setting, they are exempt from copyright
infringement laws - FALSE!
Facts
Copyright is NOT transferred by purchasing a copy of the work.
buying a piece of clipart online does not mean you own the
copyright for that piece of clipart.
Copyright does not last forever. Copyright expires for one of the
following reasons: (1) 70 years have passed after the creators

death, (2) 95 years have passed since publication of an item that

was made for hire or published pseudonymously or anonymously,
or (3) 120 years have passed since the creation of the work.
Once the copyright expires, the work is considered public domain
and may be copied and shared by anyone.
Items NOT protected by copyright (cannot be copyrighted):
NON WRITTEN OR RECORDED speeches or performances
Titles, names, short phrases, and slogans
Familiar symbols
Listings of ingredients or contents
Ideas, procedures, methods, systems, processes, concepts,
principles
Works that only contain common property and have no original
authorship
Standard calendars, height and weight charts, tape
measures/rulers, etc.
Recommendations
Get permission to use someone elses work by asking for it if
possible.
Use similar works in the public domain (items not protected by
copyright)
Use Royalty-Free materials
Dont ignore copyright and copyright laws. BE CAUTIOUS when
using materials that are not yours.

Robinson, LeAnne K.; Brown, Abbie H.; Green, Tim D. (2010-11-10). Security
vs. Access: Balancing Safety and Productivity in the Digital School (p.
82). International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Kindle
Edition.