User:Vtaylor/Computers and Society/3. Intellectual Property


 * Intellectual Property rights - what they are, who has them, and what can be protected. With computers and particularly with web technology, there has been a significant increase in attention to intellectual property. Because of the ease of access to information and the ability to duplicate and store vast amounts of data, more people have concerns about their rights to it.

Instructors are very concerned about students doing original research and writing for the assignments they submit. Of course you want to get a good grade, but learning something will more important to you in the long term.

Learning outcomes


 * understand concepts of plagiarism
 * develop and understanding of the issues through discussion participation
 * support discussion points based on reading and research
 * use the wiki formatting and editing functions

Keywords


 * copyright, technology, DMCA, Fair Use, sharing, piracy, open source, free, Creative Commons

Study notes


 * What is intellectual property? Do you have any? What about your solutions to homework assignments? Essays for other courses?
 * Do you respect other people's copyrights? Have you copied music or videos? Software? Is that ok?
 * Do you understand the "fair-use" doctrine and when it applies?
 * How big a problem is software piracy? In the US? Elsewhere in the world? Is piracy a disincentive for software developers? What can be done about piracy?
 * Do you agree with Nicholas Negroponte that copyright law will disintegrate? Or do you agree that a balanced solution can be found as Pamela Samuelson suggests?
 * Is Open Source the way of the future? Can this software development model survive? Or will people spoil the idea of sharing for their personal gain?

== Selected media==

== Assignments==


 * 1) Before you start the reading and the assignments, take a few minutes to think about what you already know about the topic - Intellectual Property. Write a sentence or two about this in the I know... discussion.


 * 1) Read the Study notes for an overview for the topics that will be covered.


 * 1) Read, view, listen to the selections in the Selected media list.


 * 1) Choose 3 words from the Keywords list. Find a web article or other online media that provides information about the words and how they relates to the course. Post the words, links to your selected web articles or online media, and a brief description about your selection for each, to the discussion 'Intellectual Property keywords. Follow links provided by 3 other students, review their suggested articles and media, and write a brief reply to the author for each.


 * 1) Using a wiki is another way to work collaboratively. The wiki technology at WikiEducator.org (like Wikipedia) allows many people to write to the same "documents" at any time. This way, everyone can contribute, fix errors, add information, even delete information if necessary. There is a history kept that records all the changes, so there is always backup for any modifications. You will be working in groups on WikiEducator pages later in the course. This is to get you started.

Create your own WikiEducator account - link in the top right corner of the screen. You have to have an account and log in to edit WikiEducator pages. http://wikieducator.org You will automatically get your own User page. Make sure it is open in edit mode - check the indicator near the top of the page. Add a sentence or two about yourself and indicate that you are a student in CIS2. Then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Save page button. Editing help is available - there is a link to the Editing help page at the bottom of the Edit page.


 * 1) Facilitate a discussion in the Forum topic Intellectual Property based on your reading, viewing, listening to Selected media. Write a critical-thinking question. Include the web address and quote that is the basis for your critical thinking question. What questions are raised for society?

Read other students' posts and comment on Intellectual Property discussion. Provide another viewpoint or add additional information. Your responses should be 2-3 sentences. Conclude YOUR post with a question that needs more than a yes-or-no answer. The objective is to get a real discussion going on several of these topics.


 * 1) Do you understand the concepts of plagiarism and how to properly handle quotes and references? Test your knowledge and learn more about academic citations at What is Plagiarism at Indiana University? A Short Quiz and Concept Lesson by Ted Frick http://education.indiana.edu/~frick/plagiarism/index2.html


 * 1) Academic Integrity is an important concept in education. It covers many issues including plagiarism, cheating, and copyright violations. Find a web site that addresses these issues and write a short description of the information provided by the web site you chose. Don't be guilty of plagiarism - write an original description. Is academic integrity an issue at DeAnza? In your experience, what steps are being taking to ensure academic integrity in classes that you are taking at DeAnza and elsewhere? Post your notes and the web address of the site you selected to the discussion Academic Integrity. Read the posts of others and comment on two.

Read the responses of survey participants to the most recent survey of more than 1,000 technology stakeholders who shared their visions for the next decade of development.
 * 1) The Imagining the Internet Predictions Database examines the potential future of the Internet while simultaneously providing a peek back into its history. http://www.elon.edu/predictions

Choose a topic that interests you. Each topic is a link to participant responses. Follow the link and review the survey summary for that topic. Write a discussion question for this topic of the survey to the Internet Predictions Database discussion topic. Read the questions already posted, and do not repeat a question asked by another student. Your question should relate directly to an issue discussed in the text, and should require a thoughtful response. Don't ask a question which can be answered by looking the answer up. Attitude, opinion, and application questions usually get thoughtful responses.


 * 1) Art and computers - Many artists are finding that computers and the internet help can their art and their income, as well create problems. Search for a site that talk about these issues for artists. Post your site and a description of the social impact for the artist in the discussion Art and Computers. Respond to 2-3 discussions.


 * 1) Reflection - Are you making use of the Study Notes in each course Module? Do these questions help you while you are reading the text? Is there other information that would help you? What was ONE important thing you learned this week? What was ONE point that was not clear? Your response should be two or three paragraphs. Submit to I Think... assignment.

== Academic Integrity and Plagiarism==

Here is a sample statement from a community college instructor.

"Plagiarism is not acceptable. Plagiarism refers to using other peoples' words and ideas as your own, either verbatim or by close paraphrasing without providing necessary quotation marks and/or citations. If you quote or closely paraphrase material from the textbook, Internet or other material, you must use quotation marks if appropriate and cite the source. You may cite the source by embedding it in the text of the paper. Do this by listing, in parentheses and immediately after the quoted or paraphrased material, either the text and pertinent page number(s) or the Internet URL. If you use a different source, then it needs to be cited in the content of your paper, and you must include a works cited page at the end of your paper."

DO NOT PLAGIARIZE; PLAGIARISM MERITS AN AUTOMATIC "F" OR "0" ON THE ASSIGNMENT. CONTINUED PLAGIARISM MERITS AN "F" GRADE IN THE COURSE. If you are not clear on what plagiarism is, I recommend this short essay with examples written by sociologist Earl Babbie and found at the following site: http://sociology.camden.rutgers.edu/curriculum/plagiarism.htm