4.2 Follow intellectual property guidelines

What to do?

Effective online instructors understand intellectual property guidelines for teaching online.

How to do it?

• Follow your institution's Intellectual Property and TEACHAct Policies – (For Examples of policies - see Penn State's Intellectual Property/TEACH Act policies, list of university copyright policies , and North Carolina State's TEACH Act Toolkit ).
• Post readings in Electronic Reserves (do not upload directly into the Course Management System).
• Investigate the process of reactivating reserves from previous semesters.
• Link to online readings or text rather than copying them and posting them directly in the Course Management System.
• Use public domain images in course materials.
• Make sure the students follow copyright law when posting materials from other sources to the course Web site or their own Web pages.
• If you need to show your online course publicly, remove student data, such as name, address, major, telephone, email, assignment submissions, or course discussion forum postings to avoid violating students’ rights.

Why do it?

"Because electronic information is volatile and easily reproduced, respect for the work and personal expression of others is especially critical in computer environments" (Penn State Policy Manual).

"The new law offers many improvements over the previous version of Section 110(2), but in order to enjoy its advantages, colleges, universities, and other qualified educational institutions will need to meet the law's rigorous requirements. Educators will not be able to comply by either accidental circumstances or well-meaning intention. Instead, the law calls on each educational institution to undertake numerous procedures and involve the active participation of many individuals" (Crews, 2002).

References:

Penn State Policy Manual. (n.d.) Policy AD20: Computer and Network Security. Retrieved July 10, 2006, from Penn State University, Guru General University Reference Utility Web site: (External Link)

Crews, K.D. (2002). New copyright law for distance education: The meaning and importance of the TEACH Act. Retrieved July 26, 2006, from American Library Association Web site: (External Link)