I have collected a lot of fantastic resources.  Now…what do I do with them?  I would like to eventually start outlining a small unit plan that would take students through an in depth discussion to a MEANINGFUL understanding of intellectual property and just why it is so darn important that we protect our ideas!  I have found some amazing TED talks and discussion threads.  I have found resources that clearly support copyright and the traditional means of protecting intellectual property, and I have found resources that argue for a freer more open future, a creative commons where ownership is a more fluid concept rather than a matter of copyright, plagiarism and “what’s mine is mine”.  The impression that I am left with is that Ideas matter.  But, in a time with technology run rampant and an ever broadening definition of ownership, where do traditional legal constructs like copyright fit?  How can we protect our ideas, ensure credit is given where credit is due, and also accept that creativity is the product of shared ideas and collaboration rather than closely guarded secrets.

I want to help students grapple with these ideas and issues in a way that fosters their creative thought.  I want to give students the opportunity to take ownership of their own ideas, to suggest possible constructs, business models, and futures for copyright and intellectual property laws.  I want to encourage discussion!  Above all, I want students to consider and appreciate the value and importance of creativity in our world and to consider how we as a society can continue to encourage creativity beyond a fat payday and plenty of kudos.  Why do ideas matter?  How can we protect our ideas without stifling the creativity of others?

These are important questions that I would like to explore through both in-class brainstorming and discussion and social media.  I would like students to explore, share, and collaborate beyond the physical walls of the classroom.  I would love to make use of some of the same strategies as those we have used in-class together this summer: twitter, blog forums, pearltrees.  In the meantime, I have a wonderful selection of resources to support the “why”, as in why discuss, focus on, and make an issue of intellectual property in my classroom.  There is no question that this is an important and increasingly difficult topic to discuss.  There is no right answer, but there are some incredible possibilities.