Ethics 101. I get this question a lot from teachers, and it’s something we cover in an ethics class I lead online each year.
Can I show a video I own (or rented) to my class? Is that legal?
DVDs (and formerly VHS tapes) are easy to come by. For a relatively cheap cost, you can have a feature film or documentary in your hands, and some contain great instructional value. There’s a few things educators need to know.
1. Long presentations of video, like showing a movie, can be less effective than showing shorter clips of video. The purpose behind the video presentation is not entertainment, but hopefully critical thinking. By showing short, focused clips, we can prepare students for what to see, and then later discuss what was seen.
2. The prices set on DVDs and videos are set with several assumptions. They are “licensed” for in-home, private viewing. Because the content on DVDs is protected by copyright, owned by the studio who produced the film, they can set the parameters for how that content is used. Whether or not we like it, the cost they have accepted for each unit is based on the assumption that the audience is at most a household.
3. Public performance is one of the 5 copy rights. Many DVDs are available with education licensing attached, at a higher cost, which accommodates a wider audience. Instead of a family of 4, the assumption is that over 100 students may view the content at a given time. When available, our media centers only buy video materials with educational licensing.
Therefore, personal DVDs you have purchased for in-home use, or rented for the same scenario, are not acceptable for viewing in the classroom. You may instead look for copies that are digitized online for promotion, or contact your media specialist about obtaining the show/movie in question that includes educational-use rights.
For more information, consult this resource.