tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574479.post5719715682541350408..comments2024-03-28T16:45:51.051+00:00Comments on The IPKat: Can a Course Syllabus Really Be University Property?Verónica Rodríguez Arguijohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05763207846940036921noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574479.post-13673434956746563662013-03-19T13:17:02.587+00:002013-03-19T13:17:02.587+00:00The treatment of syllabi as a institutional asset ...The treatment of syllabi as a institutional asset is becoming more and more prevalent. Polices about syllabus ownership are hitting the faculty handbooks, they are used throughout the assessment process, and more specifically, the content of syllabi (e.g. description, outcomes, etc.) is being centrally managed. <br /><br />What's important here though is to separate IP from transparency. Most institutions are simply looking for the latter, though the two are often confused. Take the books case, if you buy the book (or even more similarly, it is offered as a free education resource) users can view the content but the IP itself remains with its creator. The same generally holds true for syllabi. In fact there are court cases that have come forth in the last year that reassert this direction: <a href="http://syllabusinstitute.org/568/the-national-council-on-teacher-quality-may-be-coming-to-a-school-near-you/" rel="nofollow">Schools sued for withholding syllabi</a>.<br /><br />The community colleges and for-profit institutions are taking syllabus IP even further, often asserting that it is in fact a part of a professors duties and therefore a work product that can be owned (though in practice most schools do not assert the exclusivity right). Their notion of a consistent curricula and having a high percentages of faculty members are the primary drivers behind these decisions.<br /><br />I think the <a href="http://syllabusinstitute.org/" rel="nofollow">Syllabus Institute</a> says it best when they say "Syllabi, while still intellectual property, will simply need be more transparent and accessible."<br /><br />-Judd Rattner, <a href="http://syllabusgeeks.com/" rel="nofollow">The Syllabus Geeks</a><br />Judd Rattnerhttp://syllabusgeeks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574479.post-17803798853178493252013-03-19T13:16:10.035+00:002013-03-19T13:16:10.035+00:00The treatment of syllabi as a institutional asset ...The treatment of syllabi as a institutional asset is becoming more and more prevalent. Polices about syllabus ownership are hitting the faculty handbooks, they are used throughout the assessment process, and more specifically, the content of syllabi (e.g. description, outcomes, etc.) is being centrally managed. <br /><br />What's important here though is to separate IP from transparency. Most institutions are simply looking for the latter, though the two are often confused. Take the books case, if you buy the book (or even more similarly, it is offered as a free education resource) users can view the content but the IP itself remains with its creator. The same generally holds true for syllabi. In fact there are court cases that have come forth in the last year that reassert this direction: <a href="http://syllabusinstitute.org/568/the-national-council-on-teacher-quality-may-be-coming-to-a-school-near-you/" rel="nofollow">Schools sued for withholding syllabi</a>.<br /><br />The community colleges and for-profit institutions are taking syllabus IP even further, often asserting that it is in fact a part of a professors duties and therefore a work product that can be owned (though in practice most schools do not assert the exclusivity right). Their notion of a consistent curricula and having a high percentages of faculty members are the primary drivers behind these decisions.<br /><br />I think the <a href="http://syllabusinstitute.org/" rel="nofollow">Syllabus Institute</a> says it best when they say "Syllabi, while still intellectual property, will simply need be more transparent and accessible."<br /><br />-Judd Rattner, <a href="http://syllabusgeeks.com/" rel="nofollow">The Syllabus Geeks</a>Judd Rattnerhttp://syllabusgeeks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574479.post-1711670673871741422013-03-17T19:33:23.169+00:002013-03-17T19:33:23.169+00:00I don't think I know of any institution that c...I don't think I know of any institution that claims copyright in an employee/academic's book.<br /><br />But a book isn't a syllabus..... <br /><br />At the risk of being boring - a book doesn't usually include all the elements of a syllabus that contain the blueprint of how to deliver a course (lectures, guest lectures, tutorial questions, assessments etc).<br /><br />A question might be - what would be the expected response of a university that discovered its employee/academic intended publishing a book that contain his lecture notes, tutorial questions, assesssments etc etc? <br /><br />Such a publishing venture seems to be counter the general trend of academics. When virtual learning enviromments and online teaching first began, academic were far more vocal, via unions and professional organisations, about hoping to secure their employability by NOT making their syllabus/teaching materials available to their university for the university to share.Ruth Soetendorpnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574479.post-58327104543893079662013-03-16T09:24:42.123+00:002013-03-16T09:24:42.123+00:00It sounds a little like a restaurant claimimg the ...It sounds a little like a restaurant claimimg the intellectual property in its menu, and saying a diner can only view it after signing an NDA.Andy Jnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574479.post-87618677232691058962013-03-15T20:58:38.132+00:002013-03-15T20:58:38.132+00:00I'm unclear what is the intellectual differenc...I'm unclear what is the intellectual difference between a University owning a syllabus and a fixture list owned by the Football League? (well, actually...) <br /><br />Moreover, if you disagree with the argument "...generic domains in private hands is plainly anticompetitive, allowing already dominant, well-capitalized companies to expand and entrench their market power,” as quoted in your later article - what's the problem here?Gentoohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05063939954837162413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574479.post-23379371255564543182013-03-15T19:35:54.352+00:002013-03-15T19:35:54.352+00:00That seems absurd. My husband is a professor and ...That seems absurd. My husband is a professor and they would revolt if the expensive private institution he taught at would ever try such a thing. Ever consider that she might have just been unwilling to share? Like one of those people in law school who wouldn't allow you to borrow their notes? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12023310886433949839noreply@blogger.com