Carlson, Laura; Wolk, Sanna --- "Virtual Teachers: A Copyright Paradox?" [2012] ELECD 205; in Rosén, Jan (ed), "Individualism and Collectiveness in Intellectual Property Law" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2012)

Book Title: Individualism and Collectiveness in Intellectual Property Law

Editor(s): Rosén, Jan

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9780857938978

Section: Chapter 14

Section Title: Virtual Teachers: A Copyright Paradox?

Author(s): Carlson, Laura; Wolk, Sanna

Number of pages: 9

Extract:

14. Virtual teachers: a copyright
paradox?
Laura Carlson and Sanna Wolk

Modern teaching methods and materials invoke IT to a significant extent,
with digital learning platforms and networks used by both teachers and
students in turn also affecting learning environments. The development
of e-learning has brought issues of the employer's prerogative, intellectual
property rights, as well as the protection of privacy, more and more into
the legal foreground. Many institutions of higher education today are
interested in creating digital and sound recordings of lectures ­ creating
quite simply a "virtual teacher." The recording of lectures naturally is
an invaluable tool for helping students master the knowledge conveyed
orally by teachers. However, the actual lecture often is encompassed by
copyright protection, and such forms of recordings facilitate an increased
dissemination and broadened use of the result of the intellectual work and
academic research; at the same time, this can be experienced as a violation
of privacy by many teachers. The modern methods for recording and dis-
seminating a teacher's oral performance can quite simply result in conflict-
ing interests, and alternative education methods involving virtual learning
have led to controversy among faculty and teachers. From the perspective
of teachers, the recording of lectures can both be disturbing for the actual
lecture as well as the fact that a teacher's future influence on the result
and its dissemination is decreased. From the perspective of the university
as employer, the recording can be seen as a good way through which ...