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Secondary education

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Original poster

is intellectual property taught anywhere in the secondary curriculum (esp. science)

23 replies

Unhealthyinterestinme · 04/05/2015 18:01

Hi, I'm helping some academics who have funding to prepare some materials introducing intellectual property (don't ask......)

As they aren't working with any secondary teachers (don't ask......) and haven't thought to ask on mumnet (men.....) I wondered if anyone could tell me whether intellectual property is introduced in their subject at any level. It would be especially good if there is a home for it in biology or the sciences generally.

Very grateful to anyone who can help.

OP posts:
TedGlen · 04/05/2015 18:04

I'm a secondary science teacher, and I just had to google to find out what intellectual property is. Sorry!

Original poster
Unhealthyinterestinme · 04/05/2015 18:06

TedGlen,

thanks for googling!

So patents don't come up at all?

And I guess there's absolutely no chance of a teacher wanting to sneak this stuff in to a crowded curriculum just out of interest?

Hmm, I'm wondering if citizenship would be a batter target. All advice welcome as I've had a rather whimsical reply from the academic...

OP posts:
titchy · 04/05/2015 18:29

What an odd idea! Why would IP be on a secondary school curriculum?

Original poster
Unhealthyinterestinme · 04/05/2015 18:33

:)
I'll take that as a "no" then.....

It's a sort of philosophical look at science thingy....

OP posts:
Labradiddly · 04/05/2015 19:06

I used to loan my copy of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
by Rebecca Skloot to students when doing stuff about genetics. I also debated the morality of medicines/cures based on your DNA or samples no longer belonging to you. It wasn't on the syllabus, but I thought it was interesting unlike the deadly dull stuff we had to cover Having said that, going 'off piste' with topics not directly related to exam scores made me unpopular with they who must be obeyed.

21pc · 04/05/2015 19:10

The place where it might be is ict / computing so worth checking ou that curriculum, also maybe ask in the staffroom?

TheFallenMadonna · 04/05/2015 19:10

We cover patents when we teach about GM, briefly at GCSE and TBH quite briefly at A level too. However, it is current.y just a mention in an overcrowded specification, and I wouldn't spend more time on it. Where is the funding from??

senua · 04/05/2015 19:10

I went on a course the other day. It was run by Companies House but they sneaked in some information from the Intellectual Property Office. They admitted that they sneaked it in because they knew that if they headlined it as an IPO thing then no-one would turn up!

It was actually quite interesting. IPO is an important topic.

PettsWoodParadise · 04/05/2015 19:47

My DD at primary school (y5) is taught about piracy in ICT classes being in breach of laws, also avoiding inadvertent plagiarism in study skills sessions so in a way - yes (stretching the interpretation to a degree) it is taught but just not called Intellectual Property. I have met trainee lawyers who still don't know or understand the full topic and all its angles - two little words but actually a lot to cover.

Charis1 · 04/05/2015 20:29

Plagarism is taught in every subject at every level, not as part of the curriculum, but as study skills.

IP is taught in Btec science, and I'm sure other BTECS too

titchy · 04/05/2015 20:34

Plagiarism isn't IP though. Agree plagiarism is drilled into secondary school in every subject, and primary as well to an extent.

ariadnestar · 04/05/2015 20:43

I'm in Scotland and I teach IP/copyright at a very basic level as part of the Media course, as it's one of the institutional factors that affect the production of a media text. There's no requirement to teach it though - you could definitely get through the course without mentioning it.

Original poster
Unhealthyinterestinme · 04/05/2015 20:50

Hey wow, thank you!

The Btec science sounds like a great lead... don't suppose you could hook me up with a link could you?

OP posts:
P0llyP0cketR0cket · 04/05/2015 20:53

Briefly in A2 Business Studies.

drspouse · 04/05/2015 20:58

There is a competition most years I think by the Patent Office to introduce this and one year my GirlGuiding region put it out as a Wallace and Gromit challenge. I didn't feel the explanations were that great so I'm not sure how many entered it but it should still be on the NW England region website.
Anyway we entered and one of my Rainbows won her age group with a Mee Mi Moo Machine.

Original poster
Unhealthyinterestinme · 04/05/2015 21:00

This is great...

The Fallen Madonna, if there's any link you could send I'd be so grateful....

OP posts:
Original poster
Unhealthyinterestinme · 04/05/2015 21:02

If we make this good I'll check it out with you all....

Apparently there was a Plan A that this was all going to be done in a team with secondary school teachers which then fell through leaving the funding in place but not the understanding of how to link it to secondary schools.

OP posts:
TalkinPeace · 04/05/2015 21:26

Its not called IP per se
but in the citizenship and PSHE the concepts of ownership and pirating music and copying other people's work in essays is covered A LOT

IP even makes auditors like me get MEGO
even though we know its essential

Original poster
Unhealthyinterestinme · 04/05/2015 21:30

lol what's MEGO?

link me up please talkinpeace!

OP posts:
Leeds2 · 04/05/2015 21:32

Maybe worth asking those who teach Law GCSE/A Level?

Sorry, not much help!

toothlessoldhag · 04/05/2015 21:34

I think it may be mentioned in A level computing.

GaryBaldy · 04/05/2015 21:38

Just asked 16yo DS if he knew what it was and where he learnt about it. The answers were "yes" and "errr not sure maybe ICT or maybe Business Studies I think"

TalkinPeace · 04/05/2015 21:47

MEGO = my eyes glaze over Grin

I experience it all the time when running through audit reports with clients Wink

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