About the Course
Overview
This course, MA 697, is a graduate directed study proposed by Colin Rhinesmith for the fall semester 2007 at Emerson College to explore the challenges facing educators and students in sharing access to teaching and learning resources in the digital age.
Description
The intersection of digital media, the Internet, and copyright law present growing challenges to educators and academic institutions working to share access to teaching and learning resources inside and outside the classroom. But what is a classroom in the digital age? Where does the classroom begin and end? Are these boundaries defined by fair use? This course will examine these and other questions, including:
- What does it mean to be fair?
- What are recommended fair use guidelines and best practices for educators and students in the digital age?
- What software platforms are being used and developed to encourage online sharing of educational materials while balancing the rights of copyright owners and concerns of academic institutions?
The course will explore the philosophical, political, economic, legal, and cultural roots of the term “fairness” in order to better understand its context within present day applications of digital media technology use inside and outside the classroom.
The final project will result in a 25 page research paper. In conducting research for this study, the course will include this blog, a wiki and a podcast series to allow the instructor and the public at-large to participate in a collaborative learning environment.
