How can we handle IPR?

[Simon Thomson]

As already mentioned in the meeting IPR is an area for consideration for the project. Initially we need to gauge exactly how big the problem is. Once we have quality checked the first batch of OER materials we should be able to ascertain what processes need to be implemented.

We already have a repository policy for content ownership and IPR but would be useful to discuss how it might relate specifically to OER materials.

Firstly we can encourage all staff to use Creative Commons (CC) materials - link below to the Creative Commons website which has some excellent info.

http://creativecommons.org/about/

In my latest blog post I have listed a range of CC resources for you to look at. I will also be preparing a staff development session on creative licenses and the search tools available.

[Nick Sheppard]

Hi Simon

Can I just clarify who I should be ascribing Copyright to for OER material? I'm just adding two interprofessional workbooks provided by Meg Soosay - am I right in thinking that the Copyright is retained by the author(s) rather than by Leeds Met?

Cheers

Nick

[Meg Soosay]

Hi Nick,
Unicycle has the agreement that contributing staff are the original owners of their material, and are able to maintain access of their contributions even if they move to another institution.

Regards,
Meg

[Simon Thomson]

Attribution should remain with the member of staff who created the item.
Copyright should not necessarily remain with anyone as it should be released with an open license. My preference is to go for the creative commons license that can be used and modified by anyone with attribution.

This could be set as the default license with people requiring to change to another if they wish to.

Simon

[Nick Sheppard]

Meg and Simon

Thanks for clarity. I've been using CC Attribution, Non-commercial, ShareAlike and attributing to individual authors. The situation will be slightly different with Skills for Learning material I think as it is generally not attributed to an individual author for historical reasons - for these I have been setting attribution as Leeds Met.

[Lou McGill]

Hi all

just to clarify the creator usually owns the Copyright and continues to do so unless they sign this away. So for example some academic staff do not own the Copyright of learning & teaching material created whist at an educational institution (in fact many academics have been unaware that their institution owns the Copyright to their resources as part of their contract). This depends on the policy of the institution. Student created conent tends to be owned by the students unless they sign this right away.

Assuming that your academics do own Copyright to the materials they have created then even if they deposit them and make them available through one of the CC licences they remain the Copyright owner - they have just given others permission to use under that licence and can ask to be attributed as the original creator.

Hope this makes sense. Copyright always sounds more complicated than it actually is (useful rule to remember)
Lou

[Simon Thomson]

Currently the copyright remains with Leeds Met (but with the OER project materials can be released under a creative commons license) but authorship and attribution remains with the academic staff member.

Simon

[Nick Sheppard]

Maybe a useful link from Heather:

http://www.wikieducator.org/Otago_Polytechnic:_An_IP_policy_for_the...