Courseware and Online Modules (S-19)

Standard: S-19
Responsible Executive: Executive Vice President for Purdue Online
Responsible Office: Purdue Online
Date Issued: October 15, 2019
Date Last Revised: N/A

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contacts
Individuals and Entities Affected by this Standard
Statement of Standard
Responsibilities
Definitions (defined terms are capitalized throughout the document)
Related Documents, Forms and Tools
History and Updates
Appendix

CONTACTS

INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES AFFECTED BY THIS STANDARD

All creators of online courses and modules for distance learning.

STATEMENT OF STANDARD

This standard focuses exclusively on the application of the University’s policy on Intellectual Property (I.A.1) to Courseware and Online Modules. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in this standard are defined in policy I.A.1. 

Courseware and Online Modules are considered Commissioned Copyrightable Works. The University retains and manages copyright to Commissioned Copyrightable Works as Purdue Intellectual Property. 

When University personnel participate as an Author in the creation of Courseware or an Online Module, it is recommended that the appropriate unit of the University and the Author(s) enter into an Online Course Development Agreement or its equivalent to evidence the Author’s rights and responsibilities with respect to the Courseware or Online Module. In the absence of an Online Course Development Agreement, the terms of this standard and the University’s policy on Intellectual Property (I.A.1) will govern issues of ownership, management and use of the Courseware or Online Module.   

Instructional Copyrightable Works may be deployed within Courseware or an Online Module and used by the University pursuant to its license set forth in policy I.A.1. An Instructional Copyrightable Work deployed within Courseware or an Online Module becomes part of that Courseware or Online Module. To meet the changing needs of students and the evolving educational landscape, the University is entitled to update and creatively modify Courseware and Online Modules, including Instructional Copyrightable Works deployed with them. An Author’s departure from the University does not change this entitlement. However, a departing Author may require the University to remove attribution of the Courseware to the Author.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Authors of Courseware and Online Modules

• Adhere to their responsibilities as creators of Intellectual Property under policy I.A.1.
• Adhere to the requirements of an Online Course Development Agreement or other agreement to which they are party as it relates to Courseware or Online Modules.
• Upon departure from the University, notify the Senior IP Officer if they want to be removed from attribution of the Courseware.

Executive Vice President for Purdue Online

• Implement and maintain centralized functions to support Courseware and Online Module development and delivery consistent with the objective of managing a coordinated, unified system-wide portfolio of online offerings at the University.
• Develop templates, training materials and recommended practices to facilitate the ability of University units to enter into Online Course Development Agreements with Authors and Online Instructor Agreements with instructors and, in each case, to monitor the performance of the parties.
• Maintain and manage a central library of the Courseware and Online Modules owned by the University as Commissioned Copyrightable Works, as well as a list of any Instructional Copyrightable Works that are deployed within Courseware or Online Modules from time to time.

DEFINITIONS

All defined terms are capitalized throughout the document. Refer to the central Policy Glossary and the policy on Intellectual Property (I.A.1) for additional defined terms.

Author
An individual who creates an Instructional Copyrightable Work or is commissioned to create Courseware or an Online Module.

Courseware
Curricula authored by one or more University faculty members or other instructors for distance learning or e-learning. Courseware is generally developed for an entire course and is comprised of Online Modules or other computer-based content, assessment materials (including exams, exam key and/or answers, and usage data), and structures for exchanges between and among faculty and students. Courseware facilitates interactive learning without requiring the physical presence of the student. Creation of Courseware may involve the use of substantial University Resources, including other Purdue Intellectual Property, and the fair use or licensed use of third-party Intellectual Property. Courseware may deploy and incorporate any Instructional Copyrightable Works pursuant to the University’s license set forth in policy I.A.1. 

Online Course Development Agreement
An agreement between a University faculty member or other instructor and the University that sets forth any project-specific terms, including financial compensation, for the creation of Courseware or Online Modules.

Online Modules
Substantially computer-based works and materials meant to supplement, enhance or serve as a component part of Courseware. An Online Module may deploy and incorporate any Instructional Copyrightable Work pursuant to the University’s license set forth in policy I.A.1. 

University Resources
In the context of Courseware, University Resources means any support supplied by or through the University, including personnel, equipment, facilities, funds, regulatory compliance or otherwise, and includes any support provided through government or industry funding administered by the University.

RELATED DOCUMENTS, FORMS AND TOOLS

This standard is issued in support of the policy on Intellectual Property (I.A.1), as amended or superseded.

Online Course Development Agreement Template

Online Instructor Agreement Template

HISTORY AND UPDATES

October 15, 2019: This is the first standard to address this issue.

APPENDIX

There are no appendices to this standard.