Copyright for Educators & Librarians from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Welcome to Copyright Law

Thank you for joining Copyright for Educators and Librarians! Our goal is to provide participants with a practical framework for analyzing copyright issues that they encounter in their professional work. We use a lot of real life examples—some of them quite complex and amusing—to help participants get used to the systematic analysis of copyright problems. This course is intentionally a first step toward bridging the gulf that is often perceived between desirable educational practice and legal permissible activities. We very much hope that this course will be a service to the library and education community, and that it provides a relatively fun and painless way to go deeper into copyright than the average presentation or short workshop allows. If you enjoy this course and would like to learn more about copyright in multimedia, that course will soon be available!

A Framework for Thinking about Copyright

In the U.S., copyright is first and foremost a federal law passed by Congress under authority given it by the Constitution, where it says that Congress is allowed to pass laws to (among other things) promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited time to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writing and discoveries. This authorization allows Congress to adopt both copyright laws which protect creative expression, and patent laws, which are very different and provide exclusive rights in inventions. In this unit we will examine what is copyright and how it happens.

Owning Rights

For this module, we will discuss copyright ownership and what it means in an educational context. We will also discuss the public domain, the first sale doctrine, and the idea/expression dichotomy. This last concept—that creative expression can be copyrighted, but that the ideas behind it cannot—is one of Anne’s favorite topics in copyright law. As you’ll see in the video, the concept is applicable to many subjects and situations.

Specific Exceptions for Teachers and Librarians

This module will cover specific exceptions in copyright law for libraries and educational instruction as outlined in Section 110(1) of the U.S. Copyright Law. The module will examine how this law applies to in-class and online instruction as well as library lending. Additionally, it will explore different licenses for those working in educational institutions and libraries, including the specifics of Creative Commons. Finally, we discuss identifying and requesting permissions for use of copyrighted material.

Understanding and Using Fair Use

Fair Use is one of the most powerful aspects of U.S. copyright law for educators and librarians. In this module, we help students define Fair Use and understand where and in what contexts the law applies. We also address international aspects of copyright.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Provides a framework for comprehending copyright law, particularly for an educational context

Led by instructors with expertise in copyright law and its applications in libraries and education

Practical and scenario-based approach to learning copyright law, making it applicable to real-world situations

Covers crucial exceptions and limitations for teachers and librarians under US copyright law (Section 110(1))

Discusses fair use and its significance in educational and library settings

Reviews summary

Copyright for the classroom

According to students, learners say this course is helpful in understanding the basics of copyright law. Librarians, educators, authors, researchers, and publishers will especially benefit from this course.

Course is well-designed for people working in academic libraries and education

"This course was very comprehensive and geared very much toward working with people in the academic library and education setting"

Quizzes contextualize the course concepts using real-world examples.

"I liked that they positioned their quiz questions by referencing a real world situation - it helped to apply the concepts to future issues that you may encounter."

Learners gain useful knowledge about copyright laws.

"Every educators and Librarians should enroll for this course."

"it is use full to student, researcher and newly writer for the report and article writing"

"Every educators and Librarians should enroll for this course."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Copyright for Educators & Librarians with these activities:

Volunteer at a local library or school to assist with copyright-related tasks

Show steps

Gain practical experience in applying copyright law and contribute to the community.

Show steps

Contact a local library or school
Inquire about volunteer opportunities
Assist with tasks such as copyright research, compliance training, or public education

Read 'Copyright for K-12 Teachers' by Carrie Russell

Show steps

Gain a comprehensive understanding of copyright law as it applies to K-12 education, ensuring that you are using copyrighted materials appropriately.

Show steps

Complete practice questions on copyright law

Show steps

Reinforce your understanding of copyright law by completing exercises and quizzes.

Show steps

Find practice questions online or in textbooks
Answer the questions to the best of your ability
Review your answers and identify areas for improvement

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Follow tutorials on using Creative Commons licenses

Show steps

Gain proficiency in using Creative Commons licenses to share and reuse copyrighted materials appropriately.

Browse courses on Creative Commons

Show steps

Explore the Creative Commons website
Choose the appropriate license for your needs
Apply the license to your work

Create a presentation or infographic on fair use

Show steps

Deepen your understanding of fair use by creating a resource that explains the concept and its application in educational settings.

Browse courses on Fair Use

Show steps

Research fair use and its four factors
Gather examples of fair use in education
Create a presentation or infographic that clearly explains fair use

Attend a workshop on copyright law for educators

Show steps

Engage with experts and fellow educators to gain a deeper understanding of copyright law and its implications for your work.

Show steps

Develop a copyright compliance plan for your school or library

Show steps

Develop a comprehensive plan to ensure that your institution is in compliance with copyright law, protecting both the institution and its users.

Browse courses on Copyright Law

Show steps

Research copyright law and best practices
Identify areas of risk and develop strategies to mitigate them
Create a written copyright policy
Train staff and students on copyright compliance
Monitor compliance and make adjustments as needed

Compile a collection of resources on copyright law for educators and librarians

Show steps

Create a valuable resource that provides easy access to essential information on copyright law for your professional community.

Show steps

Gather resources from reliable sources
Organize the resources into a logical structure
Create a user-friendly format for easy access

Career center

Learners who complete Copyright for Educators & Librarians will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Publishing Lawyer

Publishing lawyers provide legal services to clients in the publishing industry, including authors, publishers, and agents. The course can provide you with a solid understanding of copyright law, including the specific provisions that apply to the publishing industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Publishing Lawyer

Copyright officers advise and assist their organizations on copyright matters. The course can help you develop a strong foundation in copyright law and gain the skills necessary to succeed in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Copyright Officer

Intellectual Property Lawyer

Intellectual property lawyers advise clients on copyright, patent, and trademark law. The course can provide you with a solid understanding of copyright law and the legal framework surrounding intellectual property.

See salaries and explore the career path for Intellectual Property Lawyer

Journalist

Journalists write and report on news and current events. The course can help you better understand copyright law and the legal framework surrounding the media industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Journalist

Video Game Producer

Video game producers oversee the production of video games. The course can help you better understand copyright law and the legal framework surrounding the video game industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Video Game Producer

Museum curator

Museum curators plan and organize museum exhibitions and programs. The course can help you develop a better understanding of copyright law and the use of copyrighted materials in museum exhibitions and programs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Museum curator

Film Producer

Film producers oversee the production of films. The course can help you better understand copyright law and the legal framework surrounding the film industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Film Producer

Music Producer

Music producers oversee the recording and production of music. The course can help you better understand copyright law and the legal framework surrounding the music industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Producer

Archivist

Archivists appraise, acquire, preserve, and provide access to historical materials, such as documents, photographs, and audiovisual materials. The course can help you better understand copyright law and the application of fair use in your work.

See salaries and explore the career path for Archivist

Television Producer

Television producers oversee the production of television shows. The course can help you better understand copyright law and the legal framework surrounding the television industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Television Producer

Entertainment Lawyer

Entertainment lawyers provide legal services to clients in the entertainment industry, including musicians, actors, and writers. As the course can provide you with a solid understanding of copyright law and the legal framework surrounding intellectual property, it may be useful in your practice.

See salaries and explore the career path for Entertainment Lawyer

Blogger

Bloggers write and publish content on blogs. The course can help you better understand copyright law and the best practices for using copyrighted materials in your blog posts.

See salaries and explore the career path for Blogger

Librarian

Librarians assist library patrons, manage the library's collection, and may also conduct research. Because the course can help you better understand copyright law and the exceptions that apply to libraries, thus enabling you to fulfill your duties, it may be useful for you.

See salaries and explore the career path for Librarian

Content Creator

Content creators develop and publish content for websites, social media, and other platforms. The course can help you better understand copyright law and the best practices for using copyrighted materials in your content.

See salaries and explore the career path for Content Creator

Teacher

Teachers create lesson plans, instruct their students, and grade assignments. As the course can help you better understand copyright law and avoid copyright infringement when creating lesson plans and using multimedia, such as videos and images, in your instruction, it may be useful for you.

See salaries and explore the career path for Teacher