Confusion Over Copyright In Education

Many educators are shying away from using copyrighted material in class. In most cases, they are being too cautious because they're not aware that they have more rights.

Hoping to clear up the confusion over the "fair use" of digital materials in teaching and learning, a panel of university professors has developed a "Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education."

The document clarifies how fair use applies to the most common situations where media-literacy educators make use of copyrighted materials in their work. It offers guidance for instructors so they can make informed fair-use judgments (including the use of music in education).