Reading #5: Code of Best Practice in Fair Use for Media Literacy

Are there limitations to the amount of pictures, length of music, or video that can be used in a multimedia project?


The copyright and fair use laws don't really have limitations on the amount of stuff you use. There are some exceptions and you must give credit to the author or creator to all works used. But mostly as long as you are not copying work or using it in a public forum there are not a ton of limitations.


Do you need to request permission from the original creator in order to use copyrighted material in a multimedia project for a school related assignment?


No you do not need to ask the original creator to use copyrighted material. As long as you cite you sources to give them credit for their work and your not taking credit for creating the work it is okay to use it in a school related project. 


What are the general principles educators need to follow to ensure their digital story projects fall under Fair Use Guidelines?


Educators need to understand the Fair use and Copyright laws. They need to make sure that there students understand these laws and that they must cite and give credit to all works they use in the video story projects. The article lists these 5 principles for and educator to follow: 


1)     Under fair use, educators using the concepts and techniques of media literacy can choose illustrative material from the full range of copyrighted sources 
and make them available to learners, in class, in workshops, in informal mentoring 
and teaching settings, and on school-related Web sites. 


2)     Under fair use, educators using the concepts and techniques of media 
literacy can integrate copyrighted material into curriculum materials, including 
books, workbooks, podcasts, DVD compilations, videos, Web sites, and other 
materials designed for learning


3)    Educators using concepts and techniques of media literacy should be able 
to share effective examples of teaching about media and meaning with one another, 
including lessons and resource materials. If curriculum developers are making sound 
11Code of Best PraCtiCes in fair Use for Media LiteraCy edUCation
12 decisions on fair use when they create their materials, then their work should be able 
to be seen, used, and even purchased by anyone—since fair use applies to commercial 
materials as well as those produced outside the marketplace model.


4)    Because media literacy education cannot thrive unless learners themselves 
have the opportunity to learn about how media functions at the most practical 
level, educators using concepts and techniques of media literacy should be free to 
enable learners to incorporate, modify, and re-present existing media objects in their 
own classroom work. Media production can foster and deepen awareness of the 
constructed nature of all media, one of the key concepts of media literacy. The basis 
for fair use here is embedded in good pedagogy. 


5)    Educators should work with learners to make a reasoned decision 
about distribution that reflects sound pedagogy and ethical values. In some 
cases, widespread distribution of students’ work (via the Internet, for example) is 
appropriate. If student work that incorporates, modifies, and re-presents existing 
media content meets the transformativeness standard, it can be distributed to wide 
audiences under the doctrine of fair use.


Have you heard any of the eight myths listed in the reading, if so, are you surprised with the truth?


I had never actually heard any of the fair use myths. Other then being told to cite my sources i have never really got into the fair use and copyright laws before. 


Citation
Media education lab. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://mediaeducationlab.com/sites/mediaeducationlab.com/files/CodeofBestPracticesinFairUse_0.pdf