{"id":40053,"date":"2025-06-10T14:15:55","date_gmt":"2025-06-10T12:15:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/media-and-learning.eu\/?p=40053"},"modified":"2025-07-01T09:37:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T07:37:27","slug":"copyright-in-the-classroom-a-growing-challenge-we-cant-afford-to-ignore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/media-and-learning.eu\/subject\/higher-education\/copyright-in-the-classroom-a-growing-challenge-we-cant-afford-to-ignore\/","title":{"rendered":"Copyright in the Classroom | a growing challenge we can\u2019t afford to ignore"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Kathryn Tyler<\/strong>, Learning on Screen, UK. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you started working in education, copyright might have been something you assumed someone else would deal with. A librarian, perhaps. Or a policy tucked away in the staff handbook. But copyright is not a side issue, it\u2019s central to how we teach, especially in a digital-first world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Navigating copyright successfully has become a core skill with the shift to blended and online learning. Virtual Learning Environments like Moodle and Blackboard have made it easier \u2014 and more tempting \u2014 to embed rich, multimedia content into courses. Clips from Netflix or YouTube, recordings from TV, even podcasts and radio segments: they bring lectures to life, help students engage critically, and offer diverse perspectives beyond the textbook. But too often, the question of \u201cCan I use this?\u201d only comes after the content has been uploaded to the VLE, or included in a recorded lecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s where the problems start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The confidence gap<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Recent surveys tell a consistent story: educators lack confidence when it comes to copyright. The foundational UK Copyright Literacy Survey<\/a> revealed that over 70% of respondents felt unsure what they were legally allowed to use in teaching materials, and in 2023, the authors of the original survey launched a new Copyright Anxiety Study<\/a> which suggests that copyright anxiety is growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This isn\u2019t surprising. The rules feel complex. The language is legalistic. And exceptions like
\u2018illustration for instruction\u2019 or \u2018fair dealing\u2019 are notoriously open to interpretation. Add in the fact that what\u2019s legal to watch online isn\u2019t always legal to use in teaching, and you can see why so many educators simply cross their fingers and hope for the best.
But ignorance isn\u2019t a defense \u2014 and that\u2019s where the real risks lie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why it matters now<\/h3>\n\n\n\n


At a time when universities and colleges are under scrutiny for everything from value-for-money to digital accessibility, copyright compliance has become more than just a legal issue. It\u2019s a reputational one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve seen institutions forced to remove entire lecture libraries because they contained infringing material. We\u2019ve heard stories of rights holders issuing takedown requests or demanding compensation. And most worryingly, we\u2019ve seen staff lose confidence in using media at all \u2014 retreating from rich, audiovisual teaching for fear of \u2018getting it wrong\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a shame. Because used well, media can transform learning experiences and outcomes \u2014 especially for students with different learning needs. It can foster critical thinking, improve
engagement, and reflect the real world in ways that text alone cannot. But only if we empower educators to use it legally, ethically, and with confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What we\u2019re doing about it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why Learning on Screen have developed a free copyright compliance checklist and launched a new online, on-demand copyright course designed specifically for educators. It strips away the jargon, focuses on real-life teaching scenarios, and makes clear what\u2019s allowed under UK copyright law \u2014 and what isn\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It covers common questions like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n