Copyright Law: What Music Teachers Need to Know
By Ken Schlager Intellectual property has emerged from the legal backwater to become major news, with frequent high-profile cases of individuals and companies being prosecuted for the illegal use and distribution of copyrighted material. While teachers enjoy many exemptions under copyright law, the classroom does not shelter all uses.
Exceptions & Limitations: Classroom Use, Fair Use, and more
If copyright gave creators the ability to completely control all uses of their works, creativity and culture would soon grind to a halt. No work is created in a vacuum; all new works build on, are influenced by, and make reference to works that have gone before. Moreover, since copyright has some fundamental public interest purposes, it's important that the public be able to do some kinds of things with all works. Copyright law places a high value on educational uses. The Classroom Use Exemption (17 U.S.C. §110(1)) only applies in very limited situations, but where it does apply, it gives some pretty clear rights.
TeachersFirst's Copyright and Fair Use Resources
This is a tool that explains everything you need to know about copyright, and then some! Learn what copyright is and is not, what it protects, what Public Domain is, what the difference is between Copyright and Plagiarism, and a LOT more. Do you remember what the acronym DMCA stands for? Click on the twelfth item in the Table of Contents to find a link to The Ultimate DMCA Guide for Students. Hint: Copyright Infringement Consequences. There are several other pertinent links and resources listed under Table of Contents item twelve.
Can You Show Netflix in Class? Copyright for Teachers Made Simple
Can I show a video from Netflix in my classroom? Can I make 25 copies from my favorite math workbook? I just need three more copies of our book, can I make those?
Fair Use in a Nutshell
Fair Use in a Nutshell: A Practical Guide to Fair Use By Attorney Lloyd J.
The Right Stuff: Teaching Kids About Copyright
Help kids learn how to find and use other people's creative works legally and ethically. We (rightfully) spend significant time and energy teaching kids to be aware of their digital footprints. Stories abound about momentary lapses of judgment leading to loss of employment or scholarships. Students tend to embrace these lessons because they care about reputation. Obviously, we must continue these important lessons; however, we must realize that digital citizenship encompasses other online behavior, too.
Copyright in the classroom
United States copyright law provides important exceptions to the rights of copyright holders that are specifically aimed at nonprofit educational institutions and libraries. Three provisions of the copyright statute are of particular importance to teachers and researchers: Teachers and students have certain rights to publicly display and perform copyrighted works in the classroom (Section 110 of U.S. Copyright Law).Libraries and archives have special exemptions for the reproduction of copyrighted works in some circumstances (Section 108 of US Copyright Law).The "fair use" allows limited copying of copyrighted works without the permission of the owner for certain purposes, including teaching and research (Section 107 of US Copyright Law).
Students and Copyright
| Next Page What is copyright? A simple definition of copyright is that it is a bunch of rights in certain creative works (literary works, artistic works, musical works, computer programs, sound recordings, films and broadcasts) which can be used to stop others from copying the creative works without permission. At its most basic, copyright is simply the exclusive right to copy. The rights are granted exclusively to the copyright owner to reproduce (copy, scan, print) and communicate (email, put on Internet) the material, and for some material, the right to perform or show the work to the public. Copyright owners can prevent others from reproducing or communicating their work without their permission.
Measuring Fair Use: The Four Factors
Unfortunately, the only way to get a definitive answer on whether a particular use is a fair use is to have it resolved in federal court. Judges use four factors to resolve fair use disputes, as discussed in detail below. It’s important to understand that these factors are only guidelines that courts are free to adapt to particular situations on a case‑by‑case basis.
5 Things That Can't Be Copyrighted
Modern copyright law can feel extremely broad at times. Every creative work made, whether it is a doodle on a napkin, a photograph or a poem, once it is fixed into a tangible medium of expression, the creator holds the copyright to it. No notice nor any further action is required (though registration with the U.S. Copyright Office has many added benefits).
