The question that has recently plagued me is, who takes responsibility for the millions of 'digital orphans' who have noone to educate them about their citizenship or the digital laws that exist and will inevitably change throughout time? Horava (2010) directs the responsibility towards educational institutions, namely librarians and indicates the opinion that, "nobody in academia is in a better position to teach this than librarians who instruct patrons in classroom settings, online tutorials, and at service points like reference desks and reserve departments" (Horava, 2010, p. 4). I agree that librarians are in an ideal setting for the role of educating students and other educators about laws concerning copyright but what about those individuals who have not been in school since digital technology became main stream? Or those who don't actively participate or attend high school on a regular basis? And those who don't attend university?
And once responsibility has been established how do we ensure digital laws are properly understood and followed? Horava (2010) also noted that even in a well established and organized system like university "mobilization of organizational resources to support a coordinated, effective approach to communication is a major issue" (Horava, 2010, p.10). One of the representatives in Horava's (2010) study describes the evident confusion surrounding role responsibility and clarity of copyright in his quote, "The depth and breadth of understanding of copyright issues required to respond to some copyright questions and the lack of anyone on our campus with such responsibility" (Horava, 2010) p. 10). This study was done in 2010 and may not be as relevant in 2013 but I have to wonder if it is still possible for educational institutions to be unclear on who is responsible for learning and staying up to date on copyright laws?
We take for granted our knowledge of common laws in our own physical countries, jay-walking is illegal, stealing is illegal, it is illegal to inflict physical harm on others, etc. But what about when you're downloading music, film and other digital files from illegal websites? Current issues of copyright infringement and filesharing lawsuits are headlining online news websites. Do these scenarios count? Do they matter in relation to designating positions of educational responsibility? I think these problems can be addressed with the help of designating a role within educational environmets. Horava (2010) says that the "libraries should designate a staff position that will coordinate copyright activities and education with the library" (Horava, 2010, p. 28) But whether the institutions have the resources to designate a specific position is another question.
The internet is such a powerful tool but on the other side of the machine is a dynamic living being with a heart, a soul, a psyche; a varying degree of moral standard. It is too easy for some digital citizens to forget or turn a blind eye to the fact that copying someone else's work, be it music or an essay, without the permission of that author is stealing. And it goes beyond the basics of just copying. There is then the need to deconstruct copyright infringement even further in terms of quantity of copying, intention of copying, rewrites, parody, the list goes on (Reynolds, 2010). It is imperative that each digital citizen know that digital laws exist and what they mean in order to protect and empower digital users on both ends of the creator/user spectrum. Managing The Legal Risks of High-Tech Classrooms (Nynych 2011) was an essential guide that helped to clarify and streamline my understanding of copyright by providing "a clear set of laws and simple procedures...ensuring that creators are able to protect their creations, and receive economic benefit from them" (Nynych, 2011, p.2).
Copyright is a law that for the most part evaded my comprehension. After some discussion, direction, reading, and research I can confidently take my new knowledge of copyright and the amendments made in August 2012 to Bill C-11 (wikipedia 2013) which include new and modern digital mediums , apply it to my digital citizenship and practice it not just in my digital lifestyle but in my teaching practice with reference to fair dealing (CMEC 2012). I want to be a valuable member of my digital community which means I will take on some responsibility for teaching the 'digital orphans' what I have learned in addition to my own continued learning and digital growth.
References:
CMEC (2012). Copyright matters. Retrived from http://www.cmec.ca/139/Programs-and-Initiatives/Copyright/Overview/index.html
Horava, T. (2010). Copyright communication in Canadian academic libraries: a national survey. Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences, 34(1), 1-38.
Justice Laws Canada (2012). Copyright act. Retrieved from http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-42/FullText.html
Nenych, L. A. (2011). Managing the legal risks of high-tech classrooms. Contemporary Issues In Education Research, 4(3), 1-7.
Reynolds, G. (2010). The impact of the Canadian copyright act on the voices of marginalized groups. Alberta Law Review, 48(1), 35-53.
Wikipedia (2013). Copyright Act of Canada. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_Act_of_Canada
As you have demonstrated, the question of who should society designate responsible for educating citizens on copyright laws is a complex one.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of educating our young people, I think that Horava’s (2010) position "nobody in academia is in a better position to teach this than librarians" may well address the students in higher education on copyright laws, however I do not think that this would be the best model for a K-12 setting. Students at this level often have an intimate relationship with their teachers and I believe that this is where the best learning would take place. Teachers have a greater opportunity to impact their students on a daily basis and take advantage of the “teachable moments” that arise.
Your comment “But whether the institutions have the resources to designate a specific position is another question.” certainly reflects the reality of most school boards today. It is rare to see a school that has a teacher-librarian these days so relying on this solution would not meet the needs of most schools anyway. This implies that we as teachers will be at the front line of this education and documents like Copyright Matters! and websites like creativecommons.org will help with that.
As for the how the “digital orphans” will become educated, as stated by Horava (p.2) “While in decades past most Canadians viewed copyright as an abstract matter that did not affect them in their daily lives, this is no longer the case.” Education needs to become a personal responsibility supported by effective educational advertising and consumer friendly resources and as with many other issues the education of our young people is where the change will begin to move forward into the greater society.
References:
Creative Commons (n.d.) Retrieved from http://creativecommons.org/
Horava, T. (2010). Copyright communication in Canadian academic libraries: a national survey. Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences, 34(1), 1-38.
Noel, W. & Snel, J. (2012). Copyright Matters! Retrieved from:
http://cmec.ca/Publications/Lists/Publications/Attachments/291/Copyright_Matters.pdf
Trudi thank you so much for your reply. You have reinforced some great solutions to the questions of who takes responsibility for copyright education.
ReplyDeleteI have to be honest though, Horava's (2010, p. 2) statement regarding copyright as an abstract matter no longer being the case, isn't answering the question of how to educate the individuals who are not in the educational system. In the quote you have cited, he brings to our attention the fact that copyright has drastically changed in relation to the digital lifestyles that have been created by the "advent of the internet". This means that we as digital citizens are better equip to create new information, use new information, and to create and use information that is already created. In terms of how those who aren't in the education system will learn about copyright, I think your idea of educational advertising is bang on! I think perhaps main stream media needs to take this on as well. Perhaps it will be the educators and their students who infiltrate the media professions such as television and online news, and it is they who will begin to make copyright an issue to those outside of academic institutions.
Reference:
Horava, T. (2010). Copyright communication in Canadian academic libraries: a national survey. Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences, 34(1), 1-38.