Copyright in the Classroom

Can I include other people’s images and materials in my PowerPoint presentations?

Generally, you may include other people's works in your classroom presentations without having to get permission or pay a fee, provided that there is no commercial version available of such works. Under the educational exceptions within the Copyright Act, you may make copies of works to project or display in class on the University’s premises for educational and training purposes, provided that the work is not already available in a commercial format.

However, the exception only covers projections or display in class on campus (when you are acting under the authority of an educational institution). If you want to include works in a PowerPoint presentation outside of the University campus, for example, to a community forum, you may only do so if you fall within the fair dealing exception or have permission from the copyright owner.

Can I play music in class?

Yes! The Copyright Act allows you to play a sound recording or live radio broadcasts in class as long as it is for educational purposes, not for profit, on University premises, before an audience consisting primarily of students. However, if you want to use music for non-educational purposes, for example, for background music at a conference or in an athletic facility, a licence must be obtained from the copyright collectives SOCAN and Re:Sound.

Can I play videos in class?

You may play videos in class in the following circumstances:

• You may show a film or other cinematographic work in the classroom as long as the work is not an infringing copy, the film or work was legally obtained, and you do not circumvent a digital lock to access the film or work.
• If you want to show a television news program in the classroom, under the Copyright Act, educational institutions (or those acting under their authority) may copy television news programs or news commentaries and play them in class.
• You may perform a work available through the Internet, e.g. YouTube, videos, except under the following circumstances:
  • The work is protected by digital locks preventing their performance.
  • A clearly visible notice prohibiting educational use is posted on the website or on the work itself.
  • You have reason to believe that the work available on the internet is in violation of the copyright owner’s rights.

I want to display someone else’s work in my classroom during one of my lectures. Isn’t there some sort of exception for that?

The Copyright Act permits an educational institution or a person acting under its authority for the purposes of education or training on its premises to reproduce a work, or do any other necessary act, in order to display it, provided the work is not already commercially available in that format.

Can students include copyright materials in their assignments and presentations?

Generally yes. The fair dealing exception allows students to use works for the purpose of research, private study, criticism or review, news reporting, education, parody or satire. So provided the student is including the work for one of these purposes and the use could be characterized as fair, bearing in mind the fair dealing factors outline above, it will likely be covered by the fair dealing exception.

Can I copy portions of materials for the purpose of creating tests and examinations?

The Copyright Act permits an educational institution or a person acting under its authority for the purposes of education or training on its premises to reproduce (perform, translate, etc.) a work, as required for a test or examination, provided the work is not already commercially available in that format.

Is it okay to use images or other material from the Internet for educational purposes?

It depends on what you want to do. Materials on the Internet are treated the same under copyright law as any other copyright materials, so if you want to use them, they have to either fall within one of the Act’s exceptions (such as fair dealing or the educational use of the Internet exception), or be open access or in the public domain. If what you want to use isn’t from an open access or public domain source and does not fall into one of the Act’s exceptions you will have to obtain permission from the copyright owner. You should check the website’s ‘Terms of Use’, or ‘Legal Notices’ section to confirm what conditions apply to use of the website’s material, including whether educational use is explicitly prohibited. Many websites will allow non-commercial educational use of their materials.