Do you understand these copyrights as they have been read to you

The C word. The Big Scary C word. COPYRIGHT!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Copyright-uncertain.png

Ever since I was in elementary school, there was a strong emphasis on copyright, copyrighted items, and using copyrights.  But what does it all mean? What makes something copyrighted and why are they copyrighted?  These are questions that still go through my head today as I push my way through the maze of copyrights.

When I was in school, I learned that something was copyrighted if it had the copyright symbol on it.  However, since then, the Copyright Act of 1976 was amended to include any new idea, picture, song, etc.  Basically, as soon as something new is created it is copyrighted with or without the copyright symbol.  The basic goal of this new amendment was to make new items easier to copyright and protect the owner from other people using their work to make money or distribute without permission.  

Based on this definition, you either need to know a lot of people in order to get permission to use their work or produce sub par work as the tools you need, such as music and pictures, are unable to be used.  This is where "Fair Use" fits in.  In the amendment, an exception to the rule, "Fair Use", was implemented as well. The "Fair Use" amendment, however, is not as clear as some would like.  The list of factors that the law states to be used when determining was is fair and what is not is as follows

1. The purpose of character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes 
2. The nature of the copyrighted work
3. The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
4. The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work

The law also states that the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.  

This amendment isn't exactly cut and dry.  There are several rules and exceptions to rules that seem to be constantly changing. As a pre-service teacher, protecting my students and the works that they are learning from is my top priority.  However, it seems as if the ever-changing copy-right laws are slowing me down.  On the brighter side, while the copyright laws seem to be always updating, so do the options that educators have for working with copyrighted items.  One of the most influential websites that educators have on hand is Creative Commons. 

http://www.argazkiak.org/photo/creative-commons/

This website is full of "free to use" copyrighted works that students, educators, and the common public can use without worrying about infringing copyright. Several teachers have adapted this website, encouraging their students to either use this  website for all new media or an advanced google search, allowing students to filter their searches to show only free to use images and works.  As I continue school, I will try to keep up with the copyright rules, as of right now though, I think I will follow suit of those educators before me: teaching kids to always cite their work, use media from creative commons, and use advanced google searches.