Copyright and Plagiarism Reflection

It is really quite amazing how frequent and pervasive copyright infringement and plagiarism are in the educational system, especially when you consider how a majority of it is unintentional. In learning about these topics, it was equally surprising to realize how little I knew on the subject. For example, I was unaware that it is considered copyright infringement to use more than 10% or 3 minutes of a song in a multimedia project. I had always assumed, like most people, if you purchased the song, you can use it, at least for educational purposes, without it being against the law.

Understanding copyrights are extremely important for students. In the real world and in the business world it is expected that people will know and abide by the law. Unfortunately, many people fail to educate themselves resulting in a lapse of communication. In addition, it's important to convey to the students that copyright laws are not just about preventing the unlawful use of materials protected by others, but also about protecting their materials as well. By educating students on copyrights, you are helping them to be law abiding citizens, people who value the work of others, but also value their own work.

Although the issue of fair use and copyrighted materials are important issues to cover, students will find the topic of plagiarism to be far more relevant to their academic careers. Many students understand that copying words out of a book and passing them off as their own is wrong. However, many students may not realize the potential plagiarizing pitfalls that await if the they don't understand how to properly cite their sources, fail to adequately use their own words, or even misuse quotations. It's scary, but unintentional plagiarism is still plagiarism and potentially grounds for expulsion.

By properly shining a light on these topics I can further ensure my own understanding, but also ensure the success of my students in the mastery of these concepts. Glogster is a fantastic means of sharing this information and kicking of a more involved discussion. By providing my students with an interactive learning experience like, Glogster posters provide, I take a potentially scary and dull drum topic and make it more approachable and fun.