Cooperating teachers are encouraged to share current Canadian copyright laws with their student teachers.

Cooperating teachers are required to keep up to date with Canadian copyright laws and share this information with their student teachers. For more information, see Teachers and Copyright and Copyright Matters: Some Key Questions and Answers for Teachers, 4th ed, by Wanda Noel and Jordan Snel.

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP)

FOIP protects an individual’s privacy by setting out rules for the collection, use or disclosure of personal information by public bodies. It also provides a method of requesting access to information that is not available by other means.

FOIP went into effect in September 1998. This legislation significantly affects how schools and postsecondary institutions keep student records, communicate with students and parents, and give and withhold information. For this reason, student teachers should communicate with their faculty advisors about what procedures need to be followed in schools. Find information about FOIP at Service Alberta.

Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA)

PIPA is the private sector act that governs the Association’s collection, use and disclosure of personal information.

The Association requires consent to publish personal information about an individual. Personal information is defined as anything that identifies an individual in the context of the collection (for example, a photograph, a caption, an audio or video file, and artwork).

Some schools obtain blanket consent under FOIP. However, PIPA and FOIP are not interchangeable. They fulfill different legislative goals.

If you can use the image or information to identify a person in context (for example, a specific school or a specific event), then it is personal information and you need consent to collect, use or disclose (publish) it.

Minors cannot provide consent and must have a parent or guardian sign a consent form.

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To learn more about FOIP and PIPA, see Privacy Regulations.