A blog for students on the FDLT and BALT courses at the University of Northampton

at Leicester and UN

Respecting intellectual property

| 0 comments

Over the last few weeks I have been talking with Y1 students about using images to support learning and with Y2 students about choosing and using images to make a ThingLink. One important aspect of this has been to consider the need to respect the intellectual property of others – the artists, designers and photographers who make images that we might use in teaching and learning.

In academic work we have ways of recognising the ideas and intellectual property of others through citation and referencing. In the School of Education at the University of Northampton we used the Harvard Guide in our work. Examples of how to cite and reference images are in the guide for students to use in their assignments. Here’s an example:

“Online images
Example: in text citation
The above image highlights the role of religious orders in fighting racism across the world (Colombage, 2013).
Example: reference
Colombage, D. [2013] Clergy in support. Flickr [online]. Available from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dinouk/8691920424/ [Accessed 23 March 2013].”

(Library and Learning Services, 2013, p26)

But what about the resources used in school? It’s all to easy to find and save images from the Internet, take screenshots or use the snipping tool without thinking about whether this is moral, ethical or legal. April 26th was World Intellectual Property Day and the issues of respecting intellectual property and valuing copyright with young people are explored here.on the Into Film blog. The author, Rooney (2016, screen 1) reminds us that we have a role in preparing pupils for the responsible use of digital content. Anderson (2015) also explores this issue from the perspective of teachers’ use of the images of others. You can read his blog post here:

I worry about teachers who blog

It contains some very useful advice and resources.

One of the aims of the programme of Study for computing in the national curriculum requires that we teach pupils to be: “responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology” (DfE, 2014, p217).

In key Stage 1:

“use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies” (DfE, 2014, p218).

In Key Stage 2:

“use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact” (DfE, 2014, p218).

In Key Stage 3:

“understand a range of ways to use technology safely, respectfully, responsibly and securely, including protecting their online identity and privacy; recognise inappropriate content, contact and conduct and know how to report concerns” (DfE, 2014, p219).

We need to be modelling the responsible use of the material we take from the internet and use to support learning and teaching for ourselves and for our pupils.

Reference list:

Anderson, M. 92015) I worry about teachers who blog. ICT Evangelist. [online] Available from: http://ictevangelist.com/i-worry-about-teachers-who-blog/ [Accessed: 27/04/16].

DfE (2014) National curriculum in England: complete framework for key stages 1 to 4 – for teaching from 1 September 2015 to 31 August 2016. [online] Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-framework-for-key-stages-1-to-4 [Accessed: 27/04/16].

Library and Learning Services. (2013) Harvard Referencing Guide. 5th ed. Northampton: University of Northampton.

Rooney, L. (2016) Respect for IP: Teaching the value of creativity. IntoFilm. [online] Available from:https://www.intofilm.org/news-and-views/articles/respect-for-ip-teaching-value-of-creativity [Accessed: 27/04/16]

Author: Jean

Senior Lecturer, Education at the University of Northampton. Admissions Tutor for the Foundation Degree Learning and Teaching.

Leave a Reply

Required fields are marked *.