Exploration of the ethical use of information

Why is an exploration of the ethical use of information relevant in a course on reference materials and research? A better question, I think, is why on earth would it not be. We live in the heart of the Digital Age, where information - and, sadly, disinformation - is easier to get than ever. A mere moment on Google calls up countless sources of all kinds on any given topic, and this does not even touch the rise of AI which has opened up and scrambled a host of new questions regarding ownership, copyright, and ethics. In such a world as this the exploration of the ethical use of information is not unlike studying the moral compass and rules - both written and otherwise - that govern the wild west. Rules/laws which all ages must learn.

So, what are the copyright issues in k-12 schools? Primarily, I think, a lack of focus both on them specifically and on creative work generally. As Karen Lagola says in her article How to Teach Copyright and Fair Use to Students, “students often best understand the importance of copyright and fair use if you contextualize it. Celebrate them as creators who produce original work every day; emphasize that they own their work and that it is deserving of respect and protection.” This sounds obvious, but so often students are taught simply to seek, learn, and memorize the Right Answer. Educators teach them to reflexively avoid plagiarism with phrases like "write/say it in your own words" coupled with, in middle school and above, "remember to cite your sources" alongside stern copyright lectures about the trouble you get in for plagiarism - but the latter two, again, are typically primarily experienced once one reaches middle school; K-4 teachers tend to neglect it. Yet many teachers, I think, also neglect celebrating students as creators. This hidden issue is critical because if we put a little less emphasis on the Right Answer gilded with "write/say it in your own words" and more on encouraging students to develop their own original, creative opinions and works, the better they will understand and appreciate the importance of copyright and the ethical use of information because, if nothing else, teachers can ask how they would feel if someone else used and claimed ownership over their original creative works.

Works Cited:

Lagola, Karen. “How to Teach Copyright and Fair Use to Students.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 9 April. 2021, https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-teach-copyright-and-fair-use-students. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.