COPYRIGHT not COPYCAT

Hi everyone, so today I'm going to bring up a HUGE topic of discussion in the academic world, copyright. Copyright laws all around the world are put in place to protect individual pieces of work. Copyright laws are put in place so that the original author of the work is the only one allowed to use their piece of work in any way they want. For example the author can distribute, display or adapt their work any which way they want. However, if another individual wants that piece of work they must obtain permission from the author. Anyone who takes a piece of work whether it's from a book, the internet, a tv show, youtube video, even an image without permission of the author is infringing on the copyright laws put in place. Nevertheless, copyright laws do provide fair dealing within Canada and fair use in the US which allows for the sharing of materials when used for "studying, research, criticism, reviews and news reports" (Guide to Canadian Copyright, http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cipointernet-internetopic.nsf/eng/Home#6 ) Therefore, in our digital age with tech savy learners we must educate students about the dangers online in regards to copyright infringements.

From my academic career and previous experience I have learned that when it comes to copyright it is no joking matter. I believe as a future teacher it is extremely important to teach your students how to cite appropriately and when. Students need to understand the importance of academic integrity and honour. If words, sentences, paragraphs or an idea is not yours you must CITE where you got the information from. Even if you put a thought or a piece of writing into your own words you should still cite the source. Appropriate citation is key to success for students in all fields of education.


Cheers, Courtney

Reference. itsabreeze photograph/ Moment/ Getty Images. "Daisy Flowers" [Online Image]. Retrieved from https://www.reference.com/home-garden/meaning-behind-daisy-flowers-a4fc2a05779a6a6b

Oatsy40 Flowers. (February 20 2015). Flowers. [Online Image]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/oatsy40/16426367108/