Designing Your Course Using Unrestricted Media and Readings

Copyright is an important consideration in course design and teaching, particularly in online learning environments where materials are frequently shared, uploaded, recorded, and distributed digitally. Understanding copyright principles helps protect the rights of creators while ensuring that instructors can make informed decisions about the resources they use in their courses. Many faculty regularly incorporate articles, images, videos, textbook content, and other materials into their teaching. While educational use may provide certain flexibility, not all uses are automatically permitted. Taking time to consider copyright, licensing, fair use, and permissions helps reduce risk and promotes the ethical use of intellectual property.

Core Copyright and Fair Use Practices
Link out instead of uploading when possible
  • Avoid uploading full PDFs unless they are public domain or licensed 
  • Link to content through the UNT Library or trusted websites
Use images responsibly
  • Avoid unlicensed images (especially those with watermarks or © symbols) 
  • Choose usable works such as Creative Commons or licensed sources (e.g., Adobe Stock educational license - sign in with your UNT email, Pixabay, or Pexels) 
  • Provide proper attribution when required
Share student work ethically
  • Obtain explicit permission before sharing student work 
  • When in doubt, create your own sample materials
Be mindful of publisher and third-party materials
  • Do not redistribute third-party materials without authorization 
  • Link out instead of uploading whenever possible
Follow Fair Use and TEACH Act guidance
  • Share only limited portions of copyrighted works (~5–10% or less) 
  • When exceeding limits, reduce content or link to the original source
Provide proper attribution and citations
  • Include attribution for images, embedded videos (e.g., TED Talks ), and other media 
Avoid plagiarism and improper reuse
  • Ensure all materials include proper citations and quotations 
  • Use tools (e.g., Duplichecker ) to identify high similarity and revise as needed 
Common Copyright Issues (and What to Do)
Issue What to Do
Uploaded PDFs of copyrighted works Link to library resources or approved sources instead
Unlicensed or watermarked images Replace with licensed or Creative Commons images; avoid high-risk sources 
Student work shared without permission Obtain consent or create your own examples
Publisher slides/materials shared Require textbook or request permission
Third-party content reused Request permission or link out
Too much copyrighted content shared Reduce amount or link to source
Missing attribution Add proper credit lines
High similarity without citation Revise, cite, or quote appropriately
Unstable video hosting Check links and use reliable platforms

For more guidance, visit the UNT Copyright Guide.