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Peer Review

U.S. Copyright Basics Tutorial

Reviewed:

Oct 12, 2020 by Library and Information Services
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Ratings

Overall Rating: 5.0 stars
Content Quality: 5.0 stars
Effectiveness: 5.0 stars
Ease of Use: 4.8 stars
Overview:

This self-paced tutorial defines the basic terms and limits of copyright in the United States, includes external links for further reading on concepts discussed, and offers optional quizzes and activities for learner self-assessment. The tutorial could function as an individual homework assignment that introduces students (high school, undergraduate, or graduate) to the purpose, cultural significance, and mechanics of copyright. Educators and instructional designers could also use this tutorial for the purposes of professional development or training with regards to the legally and ethically acceptable methods of both incorporating various 3rd party resources into courses, and sharing them with students.

Type of Material:

Tutorial

Recommended Uses:

This tutorial walks user through a step-bystep approach to copyright, what it is and why it is important.  Hence, it can be used in the classroom, for lectures, or as a springboard for discussions.

Technical Requirements:

Material displays nicely on any electronic device, including handheld ones.  With respect to smartphones, however, it isn’t really possible to navigate as easily as one would like.  Using Chrome, Firefox and IE, however, there were no noticeable differences. 

Identify Major Learning Goals:

  • Explain the purpose of copyright.
  • Articulate the rights of copyright holders.
  • Distinguish between what qualifies for copyright and what does not.
  • Define basic copyright terms.
Target Student Population:

  • Undergraduate students (all levels)
  • Graduate students
  • Educational Professionals
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

No prerequisitie skills are needed other than the most elementary navigation skills using browsers. 

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:

  • This is a very versatile resource. The language is clear and accessible to learners from any discipline at the high school level or above; and the further readings provided at the end of the tutorial offer learners the opportunity to expand upon the introductory knowledge they’ve gained.
  • The content is divided into very manageable segments, minimizing the potential for information overload.
  • The information sources referenced or quoted in this tutorial are reputable and authoritative; and are clearly and accurately cited within the content.
Concerns:

The only caveat to be mentioned is that this is a very basic guide.  The authors make this clear from the first page but it should also be mentioned closer to the end.  Users should not go away thinking this short tutorial is "all" there is to the very complicated and complex subject of copyright.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:

  • The content sections are labeled in way which denotes clear alignment with the learning outcomes listed at the start of the tutorial.
  • The assessments are meaningfully distributed throughout the content, and address the key concepts introduced in the corresponding sections.
  • Easy forward and backward navigation, as well as the ability to retake assessments affords learners the opportunity to process and re-read content at individually appropriate paces.
Concerns:

Not much is made about copyright with respect to various popular uses, such as in the classroom or, for example, using phones to record movies.  But this is more a desire for a more extensive, and in-depth look at copyright, not the basic guide this tutorial purports to be.  The resources page that appears at the end of the tutorial partially solves this problme with links to other copyright issues.  Partially, because novice users may not know what they should check next.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:

  • The structure of this tutorial is linear, intuitive, and easy to navigate.
  • All instructions and descriptions are stated clearly and concisely, and appear in logical page locations.
Concerns:

My only concern is the occasional issue with images and media not responding to changes in screen size. This isn’t an app marketed to mobile devices, though; and all of the essential content is still viewable, so this is definitely not a deal breaker. Nevertheless, the prevalence of mobile device usage for internet access is making fully responsive content a growing necessity.

Other Issues and Comments:

  • The tutorial layout is completely tab-navigable, allowing for greater accessibility amongst diverse learner abilities.
  • This is a well-organized resource that provides a strong introduction to the purpose and mechanics of copyright.
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