Teaching students to take advantage of work licensed under the Creative Commons begins in the same place that their research always seems to start: with Google. Understanding that their users — particularly students working on school projects — are often looking for content that is free for reuse and/or remixing, Google has added filters to their search results that align nicely with the licenses offered by the Creative Commons. To apply these filters, simply click the “Advanced Search” link found next to any Google Search box. Then, use the drop-down menu found beside “Usage Rights” at the bottom of the Advanced Search page to identify content that aligns with your intended use. Google has even translated the complex Creative Commons licenses into four simple phrases:
Free to use or share
Free to use or share, even commercially
Free to use, share or modify
Free to use, share or modify, even commercially
There are also several growing collections of Creative Commons content that can be found online. Some of the most popular include:
This is a great resource for created SMART Notebook Lessons.