What I've Learned about Copyright

Firstly, the most important thing I learned about copyright is that it is everywhere. As 21^st century teachers it is our duty to help mould 21^st century learners, and in order to be a successful and effective 21^st century learner a student needs to be aware of the importance of copyright, especially in such a digital age. Through Creative Commons licenses, you may use images and media with proper citation, however there is a lot of content out there that you must obtain permission to use it, and most content within the Creative Commons required the user to cite their image/media. When addressing the importance of copyright in the classroom, my first step will be to ensure my students know where to look to find copyright information. In my opinion, the biggest mistake one can make when it comes to copyright is simply not knowing. A student who hasn’t been taught the necessary skills and information will likely unknowingly infringe on copyright agreements which can lead to problems online in the future. Another important step I will take as a teacher is to provide my students to work hands-on with copyrighted content, much like I did for this blog. One of the best ways to learn is through inquiry, and by requiring my students to navigate the web on their own and use someone’s content appropriately they are more likely to recall and store their new knowledge.