Copyright Q&A

by Jeanne Leader, Dean of Arts & Learning Resources at EvCC

The following is a brief Q&A from a previous 5 Star Consortium event regarding copyright. Please note, each faculty member should refer to their campus' policies & procedures regarding copyright information and regulations, as institutions may vary in specifics.

Q: If we do a project, and the students make a powerpoint using pictures & text from the same book or website and it goes over the 1000 word limit & 15 image limit, what should we report on?

A: This is a great example of how faculty can help by reviewing fair use guidelines with students early and often!  Rather than reporting a copyright infringement, I think the most appropriate course of action is for the project to be re-done (including citing all sources).

Q: When presenting lectures in class, can you use images from internet for presentation only? (Not for handouts)

Use the same fair use guidelines to determine if you should use the image.  Repeated use of any image is never a good idea; one time use may be ok.  It is always a good practice to first look for images that are labeled for noncommercial use.

Q: Copyright – how much on videos, pictures; text?

Most of the time, the answer to any copyright question is likely to be “maybe!”  Always consider the four factors of fair use:

• What is your purpose in using the material? Are you going to use the material for monetary gain or for education or research purposes?
• What is the characteristic nature of work – is it fact or fiction; has it been published or not?
• How much of the work are you going to use? Small amount or large? Is it the significant or central part of the work?
• How will your use of the work effect the author’s or the publisher’s ability to sell the material? If your purpose is for research or education, your effect on the market value may be difficult to prove. However, if your purpose is commercial gain, then you are not following fair use.
• Fair use for educational purposes – I had always thought that the rules were guidelines pending the ability to demonstrate fair use, not hard and fast limits

These are indeed guidelines to consider carefully before using any material to which you do not own the copyright or have not be granted permission.  There is no guarantee that what you might consider to be fair use is not a copyright violation.  Click here to consider some scenarios.

The copyright info – What if I just have an article from an electronic journal that I want to create a PDF of and send to students. Is this ok?

If the journal allows you to save the article as a PDF, you may be within fair use guidelines to provide the article to students in one class and on a one time basis.  If you want to continue to use the article in subsequent courses, you should seek permission.  Check with your library about e-reserves as this might be another option for a specific journal.

Copyright – Who owns copyright for lecture slides & questions that I have developed for the course to share with the students? Am I allowed to use the same slides/questions at another institution without seeking permission?

If you developed the materials on your own time and with your own equipment, your ownership of the copyright should be clear.  If you were compensated for the development, the institution may own all or partial rights.  Check your faculty contract and any college policies about creative works. 

Want to Attend a Conference?

By Peg Balachowski, Associate Dean for Teaching & Learning at EvCC

I recently returned from a national conference (League for Innovation) and am still thinking about the amazing presentations I attended and the incredible networking opportunities. I have a notebook full of ideas that I want to share with our faculty, and am already thinking about next year’s conference and the possibilities for my own professional growth.

I believe that attending conferences is important for all levels of our profession. We can not only learn about the most recent trends and best practices in teaching, but we can also see common issues that all colleges share through the eyes of others. Building community with teachers from not just your discipline but other areas (and not just teachers but administrators and students as well) is always good for getting perspective and helping us to understand everyone’s role in moving students to success and completion! And what’s not to love about visiting a new city?

Different colleges have different ways of funding travel to conferences. If you are at an institution that has an application process, consider writing a letter to those who hold the purse strings to explain why a particular conference is important for you to attend. Here is a modified sample letter that comes from http://www.magnapubs.com/.

Good luck in securing funds for travel – I hope you are successful in attending a conference where you learn and grow in your profession!


Dear (Dean/Department Chair):
To ensure that (your institution’s name) continues to be on the cutting-edge of the best pedagogical practices, I would like to attend (name of conference with description, such as how many days, location, dates – as an example, The Assessment, Teaching and Learning Conference, Spokane WA, May 3-5 2017).
This conference features plenary sessions, workshops and non-stop networking through which I will discover research-based techniques on how to connect with today’s students, use new technology, and apply active-learning strategies from recognized experts.
By attending this conference, I will learn theoretically sound ideas covering topics such as:

• Course design
• Grading and feedback
• Student participation
• Learner-centered teaching
• Active learning techniques
• Assessment strategies

My participation at this conference will equip me with the new skills and strategies that will augment my strengths as a teacher. I will return reinvigorated and ready to share my new knowledge with colleagues.
Please consider supporting my attendance at this conference. To learn more, please visit (link to conference website).
Sincerely,
(Your name)

You may also want to include comments from colleagues who have attended this conference. There may be quotes that you can grab from the conference website, things like “This is the best conference I have ever attended!” Is there other information about the conference that would convince someone to support this travel? Are the plenary speakers nationally known (maybe include info about them) or are there specific topics on the conference agenda that are of particular interest to your campus (social justice, diversity and equity, assessment, etc.).