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Learning Resources for teaching

For teaching staff: managing content for your Learning Resources List

What can I use in Moodle?

Open access, free access, freely available

What do these terms mean when it comes to using the material in Learning Resources? Just because material is freely available on the internet, does not mean that you are free to use it for teaching purposes (without using the Learning Resources List). Even material this is marked as Open Access may not be able to be reused in any way. There are important things to look out for:

  • Creative Commons Licensing - Certain creative commons licenses allow for re-sharing and the creation of derivative works. This means that these works can generally be uploaded into Moodle, screen-captured and altered/adapted/marked-up without breaching copyright and without needing to use a Learning Resources List. For more information about Creative Commons Licenses see https://creativecommons.org/about/cclicenses/.
  • In Australia, copyright is automatically assigned on the creation of a work. Therefore, material does not have to bear the copyright symbol for the work to be protected by copyright. You MUST assume all work is protected by copyright unless there is a visible license that distinctly sets out a variation of the normal copyright terms.

Using PDFs of articles, chapters, reports in Moodle

You will need to make the following assessment:

  • Is there a license attached to the work which allows you to use it in the way in which you want to i.e. a Creative Commons license or similar? If not, you will need to use a Learning Resources List or link directly to the material if the website T&Cs allow it.
  • Can you rely on an exception such as if the material is out of copyright, fair dealing or obtaining the permission of the copyright owner? These are complex areas and you are best to seek specific advise from the Learning Resources team or the Copyright Coordinator.

What if the Library subscribes to the article you want to use, can you download the PDF and upload it to your Moodle unit?

  • No. This would breach the University's contract with the subscription vendor. You may only link to the article. When linking to articles that the library subscribes to, don't forget to include the authentication protocol so that students can access when studying off-campus. Alternatively, use a Learning Resources List for continued maintenance of all links.

Linking to Library content

  • Links must include Open Athens authentication protocol for students to be able to access when studying off-campus https://federation.edu.au/library/teach/learning-resources/linking-to-resources/linking-to-articles
  • With Proquest and Ebsco eBooks you can link directly to a chapter or page.
  • Always test your links from both on campus and off campus (while disconnected from Global Protect or using a non-university device so as to replicate the student experience)
  • Test the links again at the beginning of each teaching period
  • Or let the Learning Resources team do the work for you and add these readings to your Learning Resources list

Linking to Non-Library content

  • Do not link to content that is behind a paywall (i.e. website offers 1-3 free articles a month then requires an account to view). To ensure students can access readings please request to have these articles added to your Learning Resources list and the Learning Resources team will source Copyright compliant copies of these resources for you. Examples include: NYT, Harvard Business Review, Forbes etc.
  • Check the T&Cs of the website to ensure that linking is allowed, especially if you are going to embed the link in an iFrame
  • Check that what you are linking to is not copyright breaching content i.e. ResearchGate, Academia, Slideshare, CourseHero, and some YouTube videos etc.
  • If you are not sure, check with the University's Copyright Officer or ask the Learning Resources team to add the content to your Learning Resources list.

For more information on copyright for teaching, please refer to the Federation University Copyright Website.

Copyright is a complex area to negotiate and this advice is general in nature. If you are in doubt please consult with the Learning Resources team or the Copyright Coordinator with regard to your specific circumstances.

What to look for

Creative Commons

Creative Commons License Identifiers:

Creative Commons Icons, Creative Commons & The Noun Project, https://creativecommons.org/about/cclicenses/, CC-BY 4.0

Websites

Always check the Terms of Use, Terms & Conditions, or Copyright sections on a website for information on how you can use the material:

Terms of Use, Education Services Australia, https://www.esa.edu.au/other/terms-of-use, CC-BY 4.0

How to find Creative Commons licensed images

Google search engine, Google Inc., google.com.au, s.113p Copyright Act 1968

How to find Creative Commons licensed YouTube videos

YouTube filters, YouTube, youtube.com, s113p Copyright Act 1968

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