Text: Exploring the Creative Commons

Creative Commons is a non-profit organization that promotes sharing and reusing creative works within a global community. This open commons provides resources for information creators to assign licenses to their works that clearly indicate how the content can be used and attributed by others. Additional resources include a searchable web site to identify and share openly licensed materials available for creative projects. Overall, Creative Commons supports a collaborative community of information creators and sharers who properly attribute the source of creative content.

You can use the Creative Commons to find content for your project, such as digital images or videos. You can also access the Creative Commons to assign a license for your own creative work.

Watch this video about the Creative Commons and reflect on the questions below:

  • What are the advantages of searching for information in the Creative Commons?
  • How does the Creative Commons support collaboration?
  • Why do creators of information use the Creative Commons to assign a license for their work? What are the advantages of doing so?
  • How does the Creative Commons promote creativity and collaboration?

EXERCISE

Search Creative Commons for an image or video that supports your interest in a topic or to support your own digital story and then respond to the following questions:

  • How does the image, audio file, or video support the story you want to tell?
  • Did you find openly-licensed materials that support the idea you have in mind?
  • Do the materials include a Creative Commons license indicating that you can use it?
  • Based on the Creative Commons license, how will you need to give credit for using this work?
  • After reviewing all of the Creative Commons licenses, which one would you select for your own creative work?