Teaching Copyright | Electronic Frontier Foundation
In 2006, California passed a law requiring schools that accept technology funding to educate students about copyright, plagiarism, and the basics of Internet safety. Other states have since considered similar laws. We saw this as an opportunity to help teach students their rights and responsibilities when using technology.
But when we surveyed existing digital education resources related to copyright, we were dismayed to find that much of the available material relied on inaccurate generalizations about technology and law. Rather than presenting unbiased facts and encouraging inquiry, the materials focused on drilling students on the prohibitions of copyright. As avid users of technology ourselves, we could not stand by and let this educational opportunity become an excuse to scare young people away from making full and fair use of the digital technologies that will continue to affect virtually every aspect of their lives.
We decided to fill in the gap by developing an honest, accurate, and balanced curriculum that would help students understand and exercise their digital rights and responsibilities. Working with educators from around the country, we aimed to design a fun and flexible plan that would not just provide information, but also help foster basic skills in research, writing, and critical thinking.
