Copyright Infringment

[jhutch1]

Hello,

I am a first grade teacher and have been working on my Master’s Degree. Sometimes for both the students I am teaching and the classes I am taking I have used Google Images. I am not blogging the images or using them in any way to make a profit but to provide visual supports for my English Language Learners and other students. I have confessed this before but am often unsure if this would be a sin? As a teacher there are lots of fair use laws out there. Do you think this is sinful? Sometimes the images that would best support the students are not the “free” ones. I always attempt to go to these sites first but sometimes there isn’t a visual for what I need on these royalty and copyright free sights.

Just checking if you think I’m over analyzing this… I know my intentions are good and I am just left confused a lot of the time.

Thanks!

 

[Lou2U]

Hi, OP. You say in other posts that you struggle with scrupulosity. For that reason, I recommend you talk to your Priest about these worries. CAF won’t be able to provide the help that you need for them.

 

[1ke]

I have confessed this before but am often unsure if this would be a sin?

You should be modeling appropriate use of images for your students. At the first grade level they aren’t going to understand attribution and copyright, but if I had older students I would make sure they understood when they can and cannot use images that they find on the Internet. They can use them in an academic setting, but not in other contexts. I would make sure they were learning about fair use, attribution, Creative Commons, and copyright.

There are ways to legally use images.

Search using Creative Commons licensing in your Google search.

Use images from Wikimedia.

Look for public domain images.

Write to the owner and ask permission to use the photos.

Go to the website containing the photos during class instead of putting them in your own material.

Here’s a blog that has links to image sites you can use that don’t violate copyright:

The Educator’s Guide to Copyright, Fair Use, and Creative Commons

Copyright is important for all teachers, students, and bloggers to know about and it doesn't have to be as complicated as you think. In our ultimate guide, Dexter the cat helps us break down the basics of copyright, Creative Commons, and fair use....

www.theedublogger.com

Here’s an article on fair use and images:

Using copyrighted content | Scholarly Communications - MIT Libraries

Copyright is a bundle of rights that includes copying, adapting, or sharing someone else’s work. You need permission from the copyright owner to do any of these things, unless fair use or another exception applies. Is it covered by copyright? Copyright exists as soon as an original work is...

libraries.mit.edu

As a teacher there are lots of fair use laws out there. Do you think this is sinful?

I suggest you ask school administration what their fair use policies are. It’s a complex law. Some usage of images is covered by fair use, some isn’t.

If you are following fair use guidelines, then you are not doing anything wrong.

 

[jhutch1]

This is good info.! Thanks for these sites!