Copyright in teaching materials - checking Brightspace

In some cases you might not know that you've used (too much) copyrighted material in your material. Did you know that we sample Brightspace each semester to check if the university is following the rules and policies on copyright? When possible, we will support teachers or coordinators who are using too much copyrighted material by providing hyperlinks to replace the material.

We are currently checking the use of copyright protected material after they are published in Brightspace. In the future, however, materials need to be checked before being published on Brightspace. WUR Library, with several partners, is developing a new copyright tool to automatically check materials before publication on Brightspace. The tool will support and advise teachers about the possible copyright issues. Until the tool is ready, we will regularly check Brightspace.

What are the policies about using copyright protected materials in teaching materials?

Dutch universities (VSNU) and Stichting UvO (formally known as Stichting PRO) have an agreement on using copyright protected material in readers and on Learning Management Systems (LMS), such as Brightspace. You may use without permission up to a maximum of 50 pages and not more than 25% of the complete book or journal issue. However, university policy requires instructors to provide hyperlinks to documents instead of using the full text when possible. Using a hyperlink is always free of charge. This policy helps to reduce the annual fee that the university pays for copyrighted material.

More information?

Check our website for more information about copyright in teaching materials or email us if you have specific questions.