Hi everyone, my name is Tra’Vaysha Lanae’ Green, and I am a recent graduate of The Ohio State Moritz College of Law. During my time in law school, I focused a lot of my studies on copyright and intellectual property. I am now closing out on my tenure as Copyright Review Assistant for Copyright Services at OSU. I want to extend a special thanks to my supervisor, Maria Scheid, Head of Copyright Services. This would not have been possible without your encouragement and guidance. Also, thank you to everyone who took part in these conversations and everyone reading.

Business was such an exciting stop to our exploration of copyright through different disciplines. For this series installment, I will offer a two-for-one perspective on copyright in Instructional Design and Engineering. I decided to take this approach because, in my mind, there is a building and practical application of engineering and the academic innovative powerhouse that is also engineering. They may not differ for you reading this, but work with me.

I will start with the Instructional Design aspect because it was the most different of conversations I have had. I had the opportunity to speak with Instructional Design Specialists Austin Cush and Andrew Vogel with Engineering Technology Services here at Ohio State University. Instructional designers design instructional materials and courses; they support the efforts of faculty, administration, IT, and others to achieve better student learning and teach instructors to leverage pedagogy and andragogy effectively. They also assist instructors when they run into technical or instructional challenges.

Through this role, Austin Cush and Andrew Vogel have faced many copyright issues, and it is no   surprise why. The reason is understandable, faculty want to design their classrooms to be the pinnacle of everything they need to teach students how they see fit, but that does not mean copyright is at the top of their minds when they envision their ideal classroom. Wanting to use photos, videos, and other copyrighted material is widespread. Luckily enough, Ohio State University does have licenses for specific materials. Ensure you are going through proper channels because you can get in trouble, and so can the university, if licenses aren’t followed.

Another big copyright concept to think about in this space is fair use. They informed me that fair use is a term they often hear when people want to use copyrighted material, and I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but fair use is never that easy. While use of materials for educational purposes is a favored use under the first factor of fair use (purpose and character), it is never the end of a fair use analysis.[1] It is a nuanced balancing test that must consider the purpose of your use, the nature of the copyrighted works being used, the amount of the work used, and the potential impact on markets for the work. Educational uses are not automatically fair use. So, to be safe when building your courses, consult with the Instructional Designers.

For the second stop on our exploration of Copyright in Engineering, we shift to the academic and innovative side of things. Through my conversation with Engineering Librarian Patricia Verdines, I learned a ton in this space.

First, there are so many different areas under the umbrella of engineering: computer, chemical, civil, industrial, biomedical, mechanical, electrical, and so many more. These are all very different spaces, but they all have similar copyright issues that students and faculty should be aware of.

Of course, a common theme through academia is ownership of your work. In Engineering, it is essential that you understand this. I learned that students and faculty work with many outside commercial corporations to develop and innovate, such as the Honda program. Those companies usually own the work you do through a contract you signed, so always make sure to read those and ask those questions. However, in no way is this a bad thing. Patricia Verdines informed me that it is a commonplace and a great way to balance the experience, freedom, and recognition you get as a creator in this collaborative and innovative field. These collaborations are similar to what you work on for the school, so always be aware of the Intellectual Property Policy at Ohio State as well.

As engineers, you all may want to work on your projects with your resources, which is fantastic, but you must still protect your work. Patricia Verdines, Ash Faulkner, and Florian Diekmann are representatives of the Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) at Ohio State University. Students, staff, faculty, and the general public alike can receive information and resources regarding patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets from the PTRC. So, if you’re working on creating your own code or design and are thinking of patents and trademarks, make sure you’re considering and protecting your copyright as well.

I have learned so much about the intersection of copyright in engineering and instructional design, and I haven’t even scratched the surface. If you have more questions, I highly recommend that you reach out to Austin Cush and Andrew Vogel for instructional design questions and Patricia Verdines for engineering questions. They would be a great resource to talk to. And for more copyright information, you may visit the Copyright Services website.

[1] For more information on fair use, visit the Copyright Services’ Fair Use page at https://library.osu.edu/copyright/fair-use.