development of an education license or license option for Creative Commons

["Sean Rugge" <RUGGESM AT pwcs.edu>]

Through creating http://www.esolpc.com/teacherhost (using ccHost) a site where teachers can share educational materials online with one another and utilize Creative Commons licensing http://creativecommons.org as a means of protecting/sharing their creative works...I have run across an issue I hadn't fully considered regarding schools claiming ownership over educational materials...

 

Should Public School Systems be able to claim copyright ownership over lesson plans or other educational materials created by teachers (why or why not)?

 

Are there examples of schools/school systems (public or private) which do this contractually (in contractual language)?

 

It is widely known that teachers share educational materials at conferences nationwide...some of it in digital format...What would a school system hope to accomplish by prohibiting this? or prohibiting the creative teacher/teachers from distibution of such materials online? or dividing this and saying that paper copies are ok (keep killing trees?)...but no electronic copies??

 

I am having a hard time understanding the mentality or desire of a Public School system to own the copyright over a teacher's creative educational materials.

 

Could a school district sell such materials if it so desired?

 

If so what incentive is their for a teacher to be creative and 'invent' new lesson plans at all?

 

Any discussion on this is greatly appreciated...

 

 

 

Sean Rugge
Instructional Technology Resource Teacher
Saunders Middle School
(703)-670-9188 x289
ruggesm AT pwcs.edu

 

Sharing educational materials online at
http://www.esolpc.com/teacherhost