Images and where to get them
Images are a very useful aid to teaching and learning BUT you need to be aware of the copyright implications. The items below aim to help you find images that can be used in teaching and learning from the Internet - and from photos of learners' work.
A. Images - and Sound - from the Internet
1) Free clipart: http://tlfe.org.uk/clipart.htm - lists places on the web where you can find clipart and photos that may be used free within an educational context. Much of it is also copyright free meaning you can also reproduce it without any licensing problems - though you may need to credit that organisation or give a web address or both. Each individual site should give details of their particular restrictions if any.
2) Online tutorial from TASI, aimed at teaching and learning users (free): http://www.tasi.ac.uk/training/tutorials/imagesearching - explains about copyright implications and shows you sites that can be used without worry. You need about 15 mins to get grips with this tutorial but if you use images it more than repays this time. Once you've looked at this tutorial you'll sidestep Google images - which is a copyright minefield - and go straight to other image sites instead!
3) Creative Commons section of Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/creativecommons then click 'See more' under the relevant section. This has a huge number of images which are available under Creative Commons licence so can be used safely in Adult Education as long as the source is credited. This website also gives a handy explanation of what the licensing actually means.
4) Other sources of copyright free images and sounds
These document lists a number of other places to look for copyright-free images, and sounds as well:
- Sources of copyright-free images (6KB - PDF)
- Sources of copyright-free sounds (52KB - PDF)
B. Photos of learners' work - using a digital camera
Taking photos of learners' work can be very useful for recording progress and focusing learning. This can be especially helpful in Arts & Crafts courses but is also more widely useful. The following helpsheets, although now a couple of years old, should help you if you are interested in this.
- Using digital cameras in Arts & Crafts (80KB - pdf) also useful in other subjects too
- Transferring images from a camera to a PC (51KB - pdf)
- Reducing the size of a digital image (32KB - pdf) simple technique using the 'Paint' software that comes on most PCs. Especially useful when putting images onto a website for viewing by other people
- Using a 'virtual gallery' to display learners' work (180KB - pdf) - in Arts & Crafts, but also in other subject areas
- Copyright issues around using learners' work in photos (51KB - pdf)