What is “fair use” as it relates to copyrighted materials in higher education?

What information about copyright laws has surprised you in this course?

What is one of the most important things that an educational institution should have in place when it comes to copyright issues?

How does learning about the U.S. Copyright Law of 1976 help instructors?

What are some of the most important definitions to understand when dealing with copyright issues?

What items or materials are protected under the copyright law?

Is it safe to use information posted on You Tube?

How many learning objectives should an Instructor include in each course?

Should you allow the guest speaker to gage student learning or login an assess the discussion activity?

How do you ensure that you're reaching each type of learner in an online environment?

Working with computers, tablets, the internet , etc. is great and keeps the students interacting with the course at multiple levels. It is wonderful. But, what I see is degrading the basic things we were taught when we first enter school. Spelling and grammar are just not there if a student doesn't have spellcheck. I may be seeing it wrong, but, I still see this, and how a lot of people don't care.

The current model of information processing is a continuous cycle. It allows for constant learning, interaction, production, output, and input. It is no longer linear as it used to be before current technologies and there is no beginning or end to the cycle. This model makes it possible for learners to really expand on every topic, assignment, etc. The linear model was very directional and limited. The overall outcome on society is a learning opportunity that through time and evolution will make the human race much more intelligent than we would have otherwise been. We are inadvertently learning more which surely has a positive effect on business and society in general.

I receive mixed opinions from students who have taken online courses. Many do not like them for a number of reasons. For those who really like online courses and do well it seems that they are often times better on campus students as well. The students who fail online courses and have negative comments are often times the same students who do not do well on campus. The reasons vary greatly and there is no rhyme or reason. I believe that online or even hybrid learners have to realize that it is really up to them to focus on the class work and most importantly to communicate with their instructors especially if there is something they do not understand.

Assessing my students really involves making the effort to understand their learning process. A study noted implications for the necessity to emphasize increased strategies to improve motivation and participation in online discussions (part of process of learning in the e-environment) (Changiz, Haghani, & Nowroozi, 2013) Reference Changiz T, Haghani F, Nowroozi N. (2013). Are postgraduate students in distance medical education program ready for e-learning? A survey in Iran. J Educ Health Promot. 2013 Oct 30;2:61. doi: 10.4103/2277-9531.120862. eCollection 2013.

Hybrid courses sound wonderful --- as the module pointed out: benefit is getting the best of both in class and online situations. Although my online courses so far have been solely online this hybrid scenario make so much sense. Medical professionals are benefiting from online hybrid simulation education (Daniel & Wilfong, 2014). Reference Daniel L1, N-Wilfong D.Empowering interprofessional teams to perform effective handoffs through online hybrid simulation education. Crit Care Nurs Q. 2014 Apr-Jun;37(2):225-9. doi: 10.1097/CNQ.0000000000000023.

I find it interesting that many faculty members believe that anything they do in education can be justified as not needing copyright clearance because it is educational usage. If faculty just thought about textbooks, they could see that this was not the case. We must purchase textbooks and not just make copies of them. They have a copyright and are, for the most part, purely intended for educational usage. Would someone write a textbook if they would never receive payment because it was for educational usage? Obviously there are many things that have copyrights attached to them that still require obtaining the rights to them when used in an educational setting. I see faculty using music in online chat rooms without proper copyright clearance. There are specific laws that govern that and rights must be obtained. The university I work with now has a license to use certain music and I am fine to use as long as I make sure the music is from approved lists based on the license agreements. Similar rights are needed for graphics too. It is always best to find out what your university licenses are available and how you must proceed. I have even been in in-service training when the person training mentions that copyrights are not something we must worry about because we are in education. Not true! Craig

Using graphics in my lectures brings the subject matter alive. A study noted the use of graphics was helpful for online learners to visualize the complexity of a given topic that would have been otherwise more difficult to put the graphical concept into words (Longmuir, 2014). Reference Longumuir, K. J. (2014). Interactive computer-assisted instruction in acid-base physiology for mobile computer platforms. Adv Physiol Educ. 38(1):34-41. doi: 10.1152/advan.00083.2013.

Chats in online sessions can be invaluable. Of course, it is also important to be cognizant of the potential drawbacks to chat sessions such as slower typists not being 'heard' as quickly. However, chats can be very helpful; chat discussions have proven to be very valuable in clinical online learning environments (Silva, Furegato, & Godoy, 2008.) Reference Silva, E. C., Furegato, A. R., Godoy, Sd. (2008). Clinical case studies in mental health by means of the on-line discussion. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 16(3):425-31.

Lecturing in an online environment needs consideration for the target audience and technology capabilities. When I present healthcare related topics, integrating problem-based learning within the lecture is a wonderful way to optimally reach my audience. I also must understand the limitations of the technology I'm working with. Al-Azri and Ratnapalan (2014) noted that online problem-base learning is a great means of presenting continuing medical education. Reference Al-Azri, H., & Ratnapalan, S.(2014). Problem-based learning in continuing medical education: Review of randomized controlled trials. Can Fam Physician. 60(2):157-65.

Navigation ease is very crucial for well developed online course. It is very necessary to assess the most optimal way for students to be able to easily navigate through courses. This module was great to point out the need for students to be able to find their way through the online environment. Formative assessment methods were noted are a means of providing essential information to course developers, emphasizing the necessity to maintain user friendly navigation techniques (Skye, Wimsatt, Master-Hunter, & Locke, 2011). Reference Skye, E. P., Wimsatt, L. A., Master-Hunter, T. A.,& Locke, A. B. (2011). Developing online learning modules in a family medicine residency. Fam Med. 43(3):185-192.