Tonight we watched Lisa Campbell and Perry Collins, librarians at the University of Florida, present their recorded Open Ed 2021 session “Valentine Remix: Joy and Critical Making in OER.” Collins spoke about how students are involved in co-creation and even writing textbooks as part of courses. This is an opportunity to speak about copyright and attribution, and deciding what is and what isn’t protected by copyright can be very confusing for students and faculty. In late 2019, Collins joined with Lisa Campbell to develop an entertaining workshop. Their project “Valentine Remix” used paper cut-outs and stickers with quotes and information from the public domain. For students who didn’t have time to sit down, Collins and Campbell used public domain information to create and share cards. All attendees received a bookmark about the public domain and copyright information. Campbell spoke about the frame they wanted to convey to students: “information has value” and how they used active learning strategies by involving students in thinking and creating. Citing bell hooks and engaged pedagogy, they spoke about trust and commitment when genuine learning takes place. During the pandemic, Collins and colleagues created an informative website with resources. Along with digital valentines, the site has more information than it could fit in a workshop in person. Collins talked about including recent images that are in the public domain and representing diversity appropriately. Collins also spoke about materials that are out of copyright and in the public domain, yet contain wording or imagery that is inappropriate. Students are encouraged to consider the legal and cultural implications of the use of images and keep in mind “do no harm.” While the magic of creating Valentine’s cards and postcards may not have been possible, Campbell and Collins continued information to share and engage students in thinking carefully about the critical use of resources for OER. The collection of images from the site, for example, now includes more information about the source and the reason why the works are in the public domain. The public domain is historically and culturally situated was a phrase that Collins mentioned and resonated with me because it is an aspect I haven’t considered as much as I should… Importantly, Campbell and Collins have captured the interest of students and instructors to better understand the basics of copyright and criteria for reusing digital materials. This awareness is important to truly co-create with students in a way that is sustainable and models the behavior of scholars we wish to reflect.
