Respect for copyright must be implemented from childhood. If there is no social awareness about the effort involved in creation and its protection is not encouraged, little will be able to evolve and dissuasive measures will be increasingly necessary Law tutors. In this article we propose 5 tips to apply in the school environment.
1.- RAISE AWARENESS OF RESPECT
The work of a teacher in the school environment is essential to instill values of respect and coexistence. From the stage of Early Childhood Education to Compulsory Secondary Education, even at higher levels of training, through dynamics and games values can be introduced that will be engraved in the little ones and a seed will be sown that will bear fruit later. At CEDRO every year the It’s a Book contest is organized that can help the teacher in this task. If it is done in other areas, why not do it in relation to copyright? We also have other initiatives, such as the advanced workshop on intellectual property for teachers, and we are working on the Copyright School, where these and others are collected initiatives to help the educational community implement good practices regarding intellectual property.
2.- PREACH BY EXAMPLE
If a teacher’s job is to teach, the first step is to be a reference model. In the daily activity of the educational center, and even more so in the classroom itself, we must lead by example and not disseminate content without prior authorization, whether in paper or digital format. It must always be clarified, in front of the students, that material is being used under authorization. CEDRO can help the teacher in this task and advise him if he has any doubts.
3.- CHECK THE LEGALITY
The Intellectual Property Law clearly indicates that authorization is required to use any work protected by intellectual property rights (a text, a song, a movie, etc.), except in those cases in which a limit or exception, which are included in articles 31 et seq. It wouldn’t hurt if educational centers periodically reminded their teachers of this and held training sessions or developed an easy-to-follow guide so that the concepts were clear. In addition to the recommendations of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office)1 and the Practical Guide to Licensing for Teachers2 of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, CEDRO also provides the possibility of requesting Teaching Licenses3 in educational centers and organize training courses for teachers.
4.- PROMOTE CREATIVITY
It is very hard for an author, who has spent months or years creating their work, to see it copied or shared without their consent. The author lives off his work and these fraudulent actions do not bring him any economic benefit with which to sustain himself in his day-to-day life. If he does not receive financial remuneration for his work, he will not be able to create and will have to look for another job to pay his expenses. Why don’t we transfer this feeling to the classroom? Let the students make a creation: a drawing, a story, a sculpture… Something that makes them feel creative, important, different, unique. They will appreciate the value of creation and will know why it is so important to respect and protect it.
5.- TEACH PRACTICE
We have already taught students the importance of creation and the need to protect it, but how is it protected in practice? What is the procedure? We must tell them, especially the older ones, how content can be used legally, either because it is freely accessible or because a license is needed for its use. Where and how do you request a license to use? We can also show them how they can act if others use their works without their consent. Consulting CEDRO is essential in these matters.