Copyright issues are an important part of planning being a teacher. There is never a time that either working with my students or working with a cohort that I don't have to wonder about whether it is copyright infringement. Usually I have to stress the written portion of plagiarism, but now that we are becoming more project based and rich with technology, I have to think about music, photos, and film as well. I find it easier at the middle school level to verify if they are using other peoples work as their own. The problem is that a large percentage of my students think that using another person's words, music, photos, or movies are okay because it's online. They found it on the Internet without a link to a real person's face so therefor it is okay to steal it from them.
How do you make them aware that it is not okay to steal because it's on the Internet? How do make them realize that just because it is easy or available that it is not okay to just take it? One issue I have in class is that I know at home parents, siblings and other family members at home are doing it, so how do you ask them to stop or tell them that what your dad is doing is illegal?
One of the questions that I thought about right away is why do we "give credit" to authors that we use in writing our own literary pieces, but when it comes to other media we have to "pay royalties"? I have always found the music industry to be greedy and quite antiquated. They are always behind the real creative geniuses on the streets. What about them? I have heard of several cases where the media (music and film) industry has taken ideas, likeness, beats, etc. from up and coming creative artist without giving credit or shamming them out of their rights. Again, what about them?
There is always two sides to a coin. And I believe in the statement that I heard during the documentary "Good Copy Bad Copy" that how could you make creative music that still introduces to the masses music they may never had encountered if you are to pay each and every sample you use. The amount that it would cost would be ridiculous. I think that the industry needs to find new and improved ways to produce media. The ways of the disc or DVD are archaic forms. It's like those who still held onto their eight tracks, microfiche, tapes, albums, etc., it is time to move into the digital age and make a new form that still connects the consumer to the product. Because ultimately we buy the artist and not the industry. And when we hear and see less of them the better chances we have again of wanting to support the artist. It is the market genius such as Steve Jobs that made buying media cool again.
People buy media from iTunes. It is probably the most widely used form for buying music and movies. If other companies would follow suit more people would use the service and not pirating sites to buy their media. No one wants to have a hard copy anymore. It is not easy to house or transport. We created the fast food generation and now we have to live up it.
Copyright is an all encompassing control method that needs to change with the advanced technology. It is up to those that want to control it to find ways to share, because the people will continue to do so with or without them.
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ReplyDeleteNancy Madrigal’s Response:
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Education has become an intense profession. As previously stated, it now consists of trying to avoid breaking the law by utilizing the acceptable music, images and film. Copyright laws have now become stricter and as we try to bring the 21st century in our lessons, educators are finding out that they must be careful.
I agree with your comment about being able to control middle school students’ works. I have also worked in that arena for over a decade and this is my first year teaching high school students. I can honestly say, that this is the hardest I’ve ever graded any projects. In fact, I have had to search their works more in-depth; in order to make sure that plagiarism has not infected my classroom.
You also emphasized the issue of trying to educate our students as to what is piracy or not. They are having a hard time deciphering the difference, especially since taking works from the Internet is done back at home. How many times have I heard students comment about having a copy of the latest film (that is still in the theaters)? Often.
I enjoyed your blog and I find that we both share many of the same concerns when it comes to the Internet and our students. Fortunately, many of our questions were answered throughout the lesson of videos on copyright, fair use and creative commons.
Knowledge is Power and I appreciate Sir Frances Bacon for enlightening us with that reality.
@Tria,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you the way that copyright is implemented has to change, but it is well known that fact that the media industries tend to drag their feet when there is any sort of huge technological leap forward. Did you know that when Sony came out with Betamax (the pre-cursor to VHS,) That some of the major studios sued them for copyright infringement. All because they were worried about protecting their gigantic piece of the money pie. So,What changes do you think need to be made to make copyright work in the digital age?
great overview of the copyright issues.
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