Yes Wayne, it is frustrating and illuminating at the same time. I seem to recall that people need to be exposed to a new idea 16 times before they will try it and 64 times before they will adopt it. I can't cite my source, but well done persevering.
Sent from my iPhone On Jul 23, 2012, at 10:16 PM, Wayne Mackintosh <[email protected]> wrote: > An earlier draft of an e-Learning Activity for the OERu course on Regional > Relations in Asia and the Pacific linked to an image of Lapita pottery. > Rather than link to the image, as a learning stimulus I wanted to reuse the > image within the text of the e-Learning activity. > > However, this was not possible because the image was all-tights reserved :-(. > > After searching the web, I was unable to find an openly licensed replacement > image. Consequently, I sent an email to the copyright holder requesting > permission to re-license the image under a CC-BY or CC-BY-SA license for use > in our OERu course. > > The copyright holder refused permission to re-license the image under an open > content license, but provided the option for us to purchase a license for the > rights for a single inclusion at US$150. I refused the offer. > > This is an example of the tragedy of the commons in a digital age. Lapita > pottery are artifacts which are more than 3000 years old and should be in the > public domain. It is a tragedy when publicly funded institutions use the > copyright of the photographs of artifacts in public domain to restrict > access to learning. This is an unfortunate example where photographs are used > to appropriate the public domain. > > Our story has a happy ending. > > Further searches revealed that Prof Patrick Nunn, the former Pro > Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) at the University of the South > Pacific directed an excavation of a Lapita site in Fiji during 2007 - 2008. > As USP is one of our anchor partners, I contacted the University and Theresa > Koroivulaono assisted me in making contact with Patrick Nunn who is now based > at the University of New England in Australia. > > Patrick has provided us with a great collection of images and supporting text > which he has gladly re-licensed under an open content license. > > Check out our new e-Learning Activity with the stimulus photograph and a > fascinating read of early history of the Pacific region -- (with photos of > course ;-)). > > Kudos to Prof Patrick Nunn who has willingly shared knowledge freely for the > benefit of future OERu learners! My faith in the academy is restored once > again. > > -- > Wayne Mackintosh, Ph.D. > Director OER Foundation > Director, International Centre for Open Education, Otago Polytechnic > Commonwealth of Learning Chair in OER, Otago Polytechnic > Founder and elected Community Council Member, WikiEducator > Mobile +64 21 2436 380 > Skype: WGMNZ1 > Twitter | identi.ca > Wikiblog > > -- > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "WikiEducator" group. > To visit wikieducator: http://www.wikieducator.org > To visit the discussion forum: http://groups.google.com/group/wikieducator > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > > -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "WikiEducator" group. To visit wikieducator: http://www.wikieducator.org To visit the discussion forum: http://groups.google.com/group/wikieducator To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]
