Time to SYNTHESIZE!

            I appreciated everyone’s comments on my To Use or Not to Use blog post.  It seems like we all share some sort of disbelief about the fact that more formal copyright education and professional development for teachers isn’t in place.  Maybe it is because of the speed at which technology has taken over our lives.  Sometimes it feels like in the last few years technology resources have developed so quickly that we don’t know what hit us, and maybe the whole copyright and fair use ideas are just lagging behind.  Until teachers are educated on understanding fair use, it seems we are stuck in this fearful, ignorant spot.  

            Even over lunch today when I was talking about our class and fair use, teachers were defensive over the whole thing.  Teachers who are smart and effective were SURE what I was saying was wrong.  They were SURE that we would all get in trouble…there was a lot of “YOU JUST CAN’T DO THAT!”  It had me dismayed because it felt like we were talking about politics.  It is so interesting how emotional this topic is!  It’s as if we have been conditioned with improper knowledge into a fearful state that is paralyzing and stifling.  I watched the clip Angie sent to the group.  My favorite few seconds was the FBI warning.  It is such a familiar sight, and it equates to fear.  I am glad she highlighted it so we could read it.  I would have just blankly stared at it assuming I knew what it said:  COPY THIS AND YOU ARE DOOMED!!!

I would LOVE for my colleagues to read Copyright Clarity.  It probably isn’t going to happen because there are tons of other topics our school is focusing on right now and I get it, who has time to read another book?  If we can have some conversations at our own schools though, it’s certainly a start.