Ethical Issues Reflection

I really learned a lot from the mini-lessons about technology-related ethical issues. At first I thought it was really not worth my time to learn about all of these things. I new some about copyrights and such. However, I never realized that there was so much more as I listened to the other members of omy group share what they learned about their specific topic and how it fit in with copyrights, along with methods of cheating. I am just so amazed at what seems to get left out or forgotten.

It was a really good idea to have this. I learned how copyright pertains to teachers and classrooms more. This is good because I am going to be a teacher here shortly and I will need to know what I can and cannot do in my lessons. I also did not realize that so many materials are under copyright and that the method for copyrighting is so simple. I will have to pay closer attention to the materials I will use in my teaching. I had never heard of Fair Use before this assignment, so it was good that the group I was in was assigned to it. I am now starting to understand that in many ways Fair use makes life a lot easier for educators especially. It is important to understand every aspect of it and not try and twist it and get away with more than is allowed. It is also important for all educators to learn what the boundaries of Fair Use and abide by them, they are allowed to use much material that would otherwise not be for their use. It is such a great benefit to have and so we should honor it completely. It seems that the laws of copyright and fair use could be simplified and made more understandable to the public, especially when it comes to the grey areas of "public domain" and such.

One thing that really stood out was the issue about music. It is so easy to step over the lines of ethinical behavior. In the past I have seen so many copies and unlawful use of music used. I will now remember what the rules are and abide by them in my future classroom. I will teach my students about copyright and all that it includes so they will learn sooner than I did.

Probably the most useful information for me was what I helped research and that was about the Fair use issue. I will need to know this like I said earlier. I don't want to cross over where I should not be. Through fair use all educators can understand what they can legally do with certain materials in their classrooms.

I am going to be a Home Economics Education teacher (now known as Family and Consumer Science Education). I will now remember when I go and teach my cooking, sewing, interior design, money management, child development and other classes the importance of copyright and will apply it in my classroom. I know there will be times when things come up and I may use a magazine/journal or other materials in my lessons and I will use them correctly. I will also watch out for my students and their work and projects that they use. I will help them to learn how to do things without cheating, especially since it is so easy to cheat these days. I am just amazed at what people do to cheat these days. It makes me disappointed and I hope that my students will be better than that. I want my students to get a good education and learn now about ethnical issues. so they will not get into trouble later on. Through being an example I will do the best I can to follow and teach them what I know about copyright and other ethincal issues..