Documents Contributed by ECAR and Policies: Teaching, Learning and Technology

The complex issues surrounding intellectual property rights for knowledge producers, institutions, publishers, and others continue to evolve and impact higher education in general and society at large. This research bulletin outlines a spectrum of some of the most pressing issues and discuses recent research on college and university IP policies. It complements broad EDUCAUSE efforts in this area by looking at how several leading institutions are addressing IP in the academy.

There are a variety of reasons for examining the ownership of online course material. Beyond legal and financial reasons, other issues involve the use of student material, as well as conflict of commitment and conflict of interest. This Research Bulletin describes the factors involved in determining ownership of online course materials. It also provides guidelines that institutions can use in crafting policies and guidelines.