Teaching Your Students the Essentials of Using Web Content Legally

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As a teacher, you have a responsibility to introduce your students to the concept of digital citizenship. They will certainly embrace these lessons, since they are interested in the Internet and they want to learn how to use its full potential. When teachers are explaining digital citizenship, they tend to focus on the fact that everything an Internet user shares online becomes a digital footprint. That's important, but we have to realize that digital citizenship encompasses other aspects of Internet use, too.

Today, we'll talk about one of those aspects: copyright.

When you assign a project, your students rely on online resources to collect the information they need and write the assignment. They don't care where that information comes from and they won't bother referencing it if you don't teach them about the importance of using web content legally.

Why Should You and Your Students Care about Copyright?

Copyright rules prevent people from copying other people's work without giving credit. Think about it this way: you ask your students to write an essay on World War 2. They find such an essay online and they copy it. If you don't check and you just assume it's their work, you'll give them a good grade. A grade they don't deserve. Another student, who did their best to write their own essay, won't get such a good grade.

From the aspect of a teacher, that's what you're most worried about: you don't want your students to submit plagiarized assignments.

However, there's another important element: the authors of those online resources do not want their work to be copied. They own the rights to their work. If someone wants to use, they have to do it the right way and provide a proper reference.

That's why it's important to teach your students about copyright infringement. Anyone who presents plagiarized work as their own or uses someone else's work without the owner's permission is guilty of it.

Which works are protected?

Sometimes you read a blog post on World War 2 and it inspires you to write about the fashion of that era. If you're not stealing any of the ideas and premises of that post, you don't have to reference it as a source of your idea.

There are specific types of works protected by copyright:

1. Literary works
2. Dramatic works
3. Musical works
4. Pictorial, sculptural, and graphic works

There are more types of works in the list, but these are those your students will usually use. They will rely on written content from the web, music for their presentations and choreographies, dramatic works for their plays, and graphics and images for their academic assignments.

Whenever they use such content, they must reference it.

Teaching Fair Use of Web Content

It's definitely not easy to teach students how to provide references. Referencing is not the most enjoyable process. That's why you have to make it as approachable as possible to your students. We'll suggest a few strategies that work.

1. Rely on the Right Resources


You may use plenty of resources to teach about copyright. The Internet is full of tutorials that will make that easier for you. However, you should also provide resources for your students.


1. When it comes to using photos, it's okay to recommend platforms like Flickr, Unsplash, and Pexels. However, you must teach them how to find the copyright notices and provide a proper attribution to each image they use.
2. Teach them how to use Google Scholar. It's important for them to realize that not all information they find online is true. They cannot use unreliable sources in the papers or presentations they create. Google Scholar will lead them to reliable sources, which they can reference in their content.
3. If you're teaching really young students, then a YouTube video will certainly go to your advantage. Show them a video that teaches copyright and plagiarism for kids.
   
   


2. Be the Role Model


"Do you know why most students fail to provide proper references in their essays? No one showed them how. The teachers just expect them to include references in the right format, so they are left on their own. We need to change that. As a teacher, you must prove that you are a good digital citizen. Then, you may expect your students to follow your example," explains Mike Hanson, a professional writer at Best Essays.

That's a smart tip, don't you think? Teach not by telling, but by showing!



1. Provide your own essay for them to review. Tell them what referencing format you used and how exactly you used the online resources in your text.
   
2. Whenever you use images, videos, or music in your lessons, tell them where it comes from. Include the references in your lessons, so they will realize that it's never okay to use someone else's work without giving credits. Even when you're using a Creative Commons-licensed image, check the copyright notices and credit the author.
   
3. Show them how to format the references! Pick a specific citation style and stick to it, so your students won't be confused by the differences between APA, MLA, Chicago, or another format.



3. Let Them Create Their Own Online Content


This is possibly the most effective way to teach students about fair use of online resources. Create a blog for the class and encourage them to write content for it. You can create such a blog on a safe platform like Edublogs.

Teach them how to include links and references in the content. Explain what images they can use and how they can credit the authors. Most of all, make it clear that plagiarism is not allowed under any circumstances. Whenever they use a statement from an online source, they must reference it. Run the content through Copyscape to detect the level of plagiarism in it and make corrections before publishing it.

How does this help? When your students make an effort to create their own online content, they will certainly want it to be protected. Ask them: "Would you mind if someone else took this and published it as their own work?" Of course they would mind. With this approach, they realize how important authorship protection is. Plus, they get to exercise fair use of web content through a fun project.

Are You Ready for This Lesson?

Ready or not, you can't skip it. You cannot send your students off to college or to work without making them aware of copyright infringement issues. Whenever you ask them to complete a project, you need them to do their best. The last thing you want is copied work with no references.

Teaching students about fair use of online resources is challenging, but fun at the same time. With the tips we provided above, the process will be easy. Just set the ball rolling.


Our Guest Blogger : Lynn Adamsen is a freelance writer and editor from Edinburgh who helps individuals and businesses with their writing challenges. Apart from that, she is taking full advantage of the web copywriting course now. Feel free to get in touch @lynn_adamsen.