Copyright Part IV: Applying Best Practicesof Fair Use

Open Video Conference (19-20 Junio) - cc licensed ( BY NC SA ) flickr photo shared by Rocío Lara

Objectives

• Recognize the Code of Best Practices, which offers a model for upholding fair use in education
• Apply the Code of Best Practices, strengthening reasoning skills. as well as increasing confidence when using copyrighted materials, while advancing critical thinking and communication skills
• Evaluate case studies, videos, and other tools to guide the process learning and applying fair use, based on the Code of Best Practices, in specific contexts

Rationale

All student deserve and need a well-founded understanding of copyright and fair use, as a matter of free speech, as well as its impact on our daily activity. People are continually gathering, sharing, creating, and using intellectual property and copyrighted material as part of our increasingly digital culture.

Additionally, all communities of practice benefit from codes of best practices, which establish the context and social norms for what is appropriate fair use of copyrighted materials. These best practices frame the concepts and techniques for interpreting fair use, as it relates to the rights of copyright owners and users. Additionally, a creative community's best practices help to advocate and strengthen their rights as users in a relevant way that is recognized by law.

Challenge

Your challenge is to differentiate the four factors and five principles of fair use, interpret the Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education, and synthesize their application in both hypothetical and practical contexts. Ultimately, you must be able to identify transformativeness and evaluate appropriate fair use claims regarding copyrighted materials.

Instructions

Please complete the following activities in preparation for class.

Required Viewing

Watch the video Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education from the Media Education Lab, now located at University of Rhode Island.


After watching the video, consider how the Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education helps educators use their Fair Use rights.

Required Reading

Read Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education, paying particular attention to the five principles and their explanation, as well as the myths about fair use.

Also read the six "Hypothetical Scenarios" and be ready to discuss the merits of each in class.

Required Writing

Draft an outline of the five principles from the Code, including a description, a justification or reason why it is included, and potential limitations to consider and the rationale provided for why educators can benefit from the Code. Make sure students can (2) explain why each of the five principles has a description, a justification and a set of limitations to consider.

Draft a couple of paragraphs in answer to the question: How and why does education benefit from using a code of best practices?

Legal

All copyright lessons are inspired by and adapted from the Copyright And Fair Use: Lesson Plans for High School, College and Graduate Education work of Media Education Lab Professor Renee Hobbs at the University of Rhode Island's Harrington School of Communication and Media.