Teaching

Any time you use someone else's copyrighted material for teaching, presentations, and class work, you must consider whether your use might constitute copyright infringement.. This includes the traditional classroom, the web enhanced classroom and the online class.

A copyright gives the owner the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, perform, display, or license his or her expressions. The owner also receives the exclusive right to produce or license derivatives of his or her expressions. However, the law includes a number of exemptions to these rights which allow non-infringing uses in educational settings.

First, Section 110(1) of the Copyright Law allows for performances and displays of copyrighted material in face-to-face teaching.

Second, the doctrine of Fair Use allows users of copyrighted works the right to exercise without permission some of the rights normally exclusively reserved for the copyright holder. This encourages socially beneficial uses of copyrighted works for teaching, learning, and scholarship. NOTE: The fact that a use is for educational purposes does not automatically make it Fair Use. For each use you must consider the "Four Factors" and make a determination whether the use is fair or not.

Use of copyrighted digital materials in distance learning is covered by the Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization ("TEACH") Act. Distance education uses not specifically addressed in the TEACH Act may be permissible under Fair Use.

For information on assembling "Course Packs" (collections of articles or other materials to be sold to students in a course), see WSU Wright Copy's copyright clearance service for course packs.

For information on placing materials on reserve at the Libraries, in print or electronically, see Reserves.

Resources: