Thing #10 Creative Commons

Creative Commons puts my mind to rest. I’ve wondered what I needed to do to reference all of the sites that I use for research in so many different projects. Frequently, I can’t find the original source. Even after teaching students about copyright, my students are always finding things to use without knowing where they got it. I have not yet noticed the CC logo anywhere. Maybe it’s because I’m a global thinker, I miss the details. I’ll be looking for it more in the future.

I think I’ll continue to put pressure on students to always site their sources even though Creative Commons may permit their uses. I want students to develop good habits of referencing their resources. It’s very easy to overlook referencing the author now. Things go so fast on the computer. I find what I want, I like it, and I use it. Sometimes I’m working in five pages at a time. To track back, I find myself in a maze wondering around looking for the original source. You can explain the importance to 9 year olds, have discussions, & bring it to their level comparing it with things they own. Still they don’t understand the relevance. It’s best to just keep them using good habits. I provide most sites for them so I know where they get their information. I’ll be extra cognizant in the future. I want them to be able to tell me where they get their information; and I want them to reference their resources regardless of protection from Creative Commons and the Code of Best Practices for Fair Use in Media Education.

I always use everything I can get my hands on when it comes to technology. I try to be careful and reference my information as much as I can. I share information that I get from the web with my colleagues and always thought it was OK because I always reference the source. I never considered that this behavior or even projecting anything in front of all the students in class could have been violating copyright if it weren’t for Creative Commons.

I have always wondered who owns what I create if I am working on a school laptop. I think the school owns it. It’s probably best to use my own computer for any of my personal work or anything I create that I may want to sell in the future. Or just accept that Creative Commons gives anyone the right to use my work as long as they give the author credit.

Potential negatives are that someone can use my work, take the credit, and make money. There are so many people out there I might never know. Overall, I’m happy to hear about Creative Commons. Otherwise, Looking back after more indepth learning & understanding, I'm careful yet I might have been unknowingly violating some copyright issues if it weren't for Creative Commons. I like being able to using what is out there without worrying about copyright violations. Thing 10 answered a lot of my on-going questions and concerns about copyright.