Why Copyright Matters to Educators

Copyright is crucial to educators in Canadian postsecondary institutions because it balances the legal, ethical, and practical necessity of using, sharing, and creating academic content. It defines how instructors can share materials with students without violating the law, protects the rights of researchers and creators, and ensures the affordability and accessibility of education.

Facilitating “Fair Dealing” in teaching and learning

The Canadian Copyright Act provides “fair dealing” exceptions that allow educators to use, reproduce, and distribute short, copyrighted excerpts (e.g., a book chapter or journal article) for educational purposes without paying royalties. Proper use of fair dealing makes education more affordable by reducing the need for costly, mandatory, and expensive copyrighted, third-party materials. Universities Canada news; Protecting a Balanced Approach to Copyright and Preserving Choice; Protecting fair dealing for education

Protecting academic creators

Academics are prolific creators of scholarly knowledge e.g., books, articles, data, or presentations. Copyright gives them the right to control how their work is used, ensuring their intellectual property is respected. It helps determine who owns the work created by instructors, which is crucial in academic settings. Copyright protects the “integrity” of an author’s work, ensuring it cannot be modified in a way that damages their reputation.

Sources: What does copyright protect?; UM Copyright Guidelines; Understanding copyright for journal authors

Compliance and avoiding liability

Postsecondary institutions in Manitoba must ensure that the copying and communication of material are compliant with the law to avoid lawsuits. Universities and colleges have, as a result, developed clear, mandatory, and strict fair-dealing policies for faculty and students. Protecting fair dealing for education

Supporting digital transformation and access

Libraries spend hundreds of millions annually on digital content, and copyright helps define the legal, contractual, and permitted uses of these licensed digital resources. Additionally, understanding copyright allows educators to utilize open educational resources (OER) and Creative Commons, facilitating free, accessible learning materials. The Facts about Education and Copyright

Fostering innovation in research

For universities and colleges, copyright is crucial for conducting applied research, ensuring that new, creative products can be developed and shared without legal barriers. A balanced copyright framework ensures researchers have access to a rich, diverse range of materials necessary for creating new knowledge. Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) – May 27, 2021