As you begin researching multimedia topics in preparation for the web portfolios you are creating for this course, think about the role of information in our society. Just consider
the impact of information available via the World Wide Web (invented in 1989),
the rise of dot com companies, and
how many jobs are generated by the need to process, organize and disseminate information in today's society.
As you work with information, it is important to understand the legal, economic and social issues surrounding the access and use of information. Some of the issues are
In order to gain an understanding of these issues, you will engage in required readings and answer questions through threaded discussions throughout this week.
Did you find yourself automatically clicking on the link World Wide Web in the opening paragraph above? If not, do so now. Do you think it was ok for your instructor to include a link to this website within this online course? See what that website's administrator told your instructor by clicking here.
Questions will be posted to the Discussion Board on the dates indicated below. Prior to entering the threaded discussion with your classmates and instructors, you should carefully read the required reading and consider the assigned question. You are required to be an active participant in all of the threaded discussions.
Required Readings and Questions Related to Intellectual
Property and Fair Use of Copyrighted Materials
Read Ann Okerson's Who
Owns Digital Works? and Esther Dyson's Intellectual
Value.
Go to the Discussion Board on Tuesday, September 11 and
begin participating in the class discussion regarding these questions:
Required Reading and Questions Related to Free Access to Information, Libraries and Censorship - try to complete the reading by Wednesday, September 12
Read Elisabeth Werby's The
Cyber-Library: Legal and Policy Issues Facing Public Libraries in the High-Tech
Era.
Go to the Discussion Board on Wednesday, September 12 and
begin participating in the class discussion regarding these questions:
Required Readings and Questions Related to Free
vs. Fee-based Access to Information -
try to complete the readings by Thursday, September 13
Read the VCU Libraries' Is the Internet the first place to start looking for information on a topic? and the APSU Libraries' How to Search the Internet, including the two links, Which search tool is best for your research? and List & description of search tools. Be sure to check out the UC Berkeley Library's Recommended Search Strategy.
Go to the Discussion Board on Thursday, September 13 and begin participating in the class discussion regarding these questions:
Required Reading and Questions Related to Plagiarism - try
to complete the reading by Friday, September 14
Read the Indiana University Writing Tutorial Services' Plagiarism:
What It is and How to Recognize and How to Avoid It.
Go to the Discussion Board on Friday, September 14 and begin to participate in the class discussion regarding these questions:
1) the student
2) the author of the plagiarized work
Additional References -(if you want to
explore the issues further)
Property
Rights in the Electronic Dawn
Copyright Law and Electronic Access to Information
Is Information Property? (Legally Speaking)
Copyright
in the Digital Networked Environment
Copyright
for Computer Authors
Copyright
in the Digital Age
Federal Trade Commission Privacy
Initiatives
Web Builders' and Multimedia Resources
An Intellectual Property Law Primer for Multimedia and Web Developers
Privacy and Security on the Internet
Consumer
Guide to Internet Safety, Privacy and Security
Copyright & Fair Use
(Stanford University Libraries)