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| Retrieved from Flickr Creative Commons Franz Patzig-from A. Diez Herrero |
As I watched the documentary Good Copy Bad Copy, one particular comment in the film struck my as pertinent, as we are all so bombarded with media we’ve been almost forced to use it as a form of art and that if someone stood on the side of the street handing out paint we would have a lot more paintings out there. I find it so difficult and ambiguous to clearly define what is considered being inspired by versus what is stealing or plagiarizing.
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| Retrieved from Fickr Creative Commons Creative Commonsfrom karindalziel When I consider these issues of copyright, creative commons, and how they effect my instruction in the classroom, it is so scary and complicated. I want to provide my students with as much knowledge and as many opportunities to truly comprehend the world around them. On the other hand, I know for a fact that I take many chances and many liberties within the four walls of my classroom to do that. It is scary to think that much of what I do is not necessarily legal but in the long run those that would be on the other end of any lawsuit are the same that I would be provide a spotlight for or enlightening my students about. Creative commons is interesting to me in that the artist in fact have the control, not some legislator or some lawyer. The artist is given the right to pick and choose what uses their work can have by others. I can’t help but wonder and worry about where the future of copyright will lead this next generation of artist coming up. I hope for this sake we do find a happy and manageable medium ground in which we continue to foster creativity. |
I can’t help but consider that this idea of ownership is a much deeper and much more complicated issues than most have ever considered. Who truly owns anything? I suppose this is more philosophical than anything else. But is there such a need to profit financially off of every person or situation that directly links to us in any way. I find this idea fascinating and it affects us each more than we realize. I began in a new district last year and I teach four separate courses at a high school level. When I asked where in the building or within the district I could find shared materials, such as handouts, lesson plans, assessment materials regarding subjects or units that we must all be teaching as it is part of the state and district approved and agreed upon curriculum, I was shocked to find out that one does not exist. More over I was laughed at.
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| Retrieved from Flickr Creative Commons CC swag Ifrom BotheredByBees |
What a silly thing. Teachers are unwilling to share their ideas for some strange need to claim it and own it. Why would we not want to share our ideas, allow others to expand upon and better those ideas, in turn inspiring the original creator but most importantly for the benefit of our learners. In my opinion we are allowing our greed to strip our learners of the most developed the most creative and the most beneficial learning experiences that we collectively have to offer!
I really appreciated the connections you make in your blog to the content we have explored on copyright and the sharing of ideas amongst teachers. Each and every time I have been given an inside preview to someones teaching practice I have come away more creative and inspired. I too wish more teachers were willing to share. I have found that those teachers who are actually somewhat aware of copyright are actually the most willing to share.
ReplyDeleteCreative Commons has very much benefited my instruction and sparks of creativity. In fact, I can't think of a time when I didn't find exactly what I needed through Creative Commons.
I agree Elijah, my teaching has only benefited by not only creative commons but also by my colleagues. What is that saying?... "Imitation is the highest form of flattery". I think that there is a reason that as teachers, and in most professions there is some form of student teaching or direct training where as the learner it is our job to observe and walk away inspired by the instructors practices. I believe that in any situation where you are not looking to benefit (especially financially) by the use of or inspiration by the work of another person, there should just be an implied and understood creative commons type protection.
ReplyDeleteIn most cases, whether it be my teaching materials or my artwork I would be flattered to have someone want to use it.
@Danielle - I'm amazed that there is not a centralized process in place to share teaching materials, especially as there are state and district-level requirements for approved curriculum. Seems risky to leave it to the individual instructors to meet the requirements, and unnecessarily laborious and time-consuming have each of them re-invent the wheel.
ReplyDeleteI saw an article published yesterday at edweek.org about shared curriculum guidelines and setting common standards, possibly at a national level. Sounds that this would be beneficial, so it was surprising to me how dramatic and contentious this suggestion seemed to be. The article pointed out that with the nation’s history of state and local control over education, “the very idea of common curriculum guidance will strike many as overly controversial.”
By emphasizing that this would not be a "straightjacket" and would not include "strict pedagogical prescriptions" the article frames this suggestion as potentially having a lot of resistance. Not being involved in the school systems, I was not aware that this kind of coordination would be considered problematic.
Here's a link to the article, let me know what you think:
Leaders Call for Shared Curriculum Guidelines
March 09, 2011 by Catherine Gewertz
A diverse group of education, business, and government leaders say the guidelines are needed to help interpret the new common standards.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/03/09/23curriculum.h30.html?tkn=LRRFmlPcoO2K3qK10Ikgt2Fl%2FsUHvxPPZnI%2B&intc=es
Wow, great observations and reflections on how copyright pertains to your day to day duties. That your request for shared resources was met with ridicule is damning. Sad.
ReplyDelete