The Rights of Copyright

    After learning and reading about copyright laws over the past week I have learned a lot about the rules and regulations of using items which have been copyrighted, especially in the classroom.  There seems to be a grey area of what is allowed and what isn't when it comes to using copyrighted material in the classroom.  For instance I never knew the laws in regards to showing videos to students in the classroom.  Growing up I had watched many movies in the classroom over the years that had nothing to do with what we were learning.  It was more of a Friday/Snow Day/End of year event.  Knowing what I do now and how watching those movies without permission if against the law is a shock for how much I have seen it done in the school system.  They grey area of copyrights come into play when as a teacher you are able to show a movie that has something to do with what you are teaching and can be used as an aid in the classroom. 
    I have also noticed that a lot of times especially in college, professor's and teachers will copy journal articles to share with the classroom.  This is a copyright infringement unless you have called and have permission from the publisher to do so.  Teachers think that they are being helpful by sharing important information, but they are actually stealing work without permission.
    Outside of schools there are always copyright issues especially with today's technology.  The use of computers with copying Cd's and DVDs and sharing music online is all around us.  This is probably the most abused form of copyrighting that is done today.
    I think it is important to teach students the rules of copyright usage.  It would be great to set up a project for a class where in groups they had to create a movie or song and then learn how others in the class would be able to use the song or movie by coinciding with the copyright laws.
  
      I was surprised in my reading of the Educause text of how little students use technology in the classroom.  It seemed like the main use was for emailing of either professors or teachers about homework or class, which is actually an outside of class occurrence and falls into how many students only use technology for the classroom in communication.  With all the available websites that offer free support to teacher and students it's ashame that more technology is not used in the classroom.  It could have to do with the generational gap that the teachers are no comfortable enough to use the technology so therefore it is not brought into the general classroom.  I was also surprised that many traditional students would rather take a class face to face rather then online.  They feel they do not get the same out of it when it is online.  I would think in today's time the NetGen would be so used to technology that it would be easier for them to learning using something they are comfortable with rather then sitting and listening to a lecture. 
    If I was giving the survey I would ask students what level of technology they expect their teachers to use in the classroom.  What would be the most important use of technology in the classroom they would like to see incorporated other then email.  If they were the teacher or proffessor how would they use technology in the classroom.