Instructify

BY BILL FERRIS

Pics4Learning is another handy resource for teachers who need images to use in class that: 1) look cool, and 2) won’t get them in trouble for copyright violations. According to the Pics4Learning site, “Unlike many Internet sites, permission has been granted for teachers and students to use all of the images donated to the Pics4Learning collection.” No fuss, no muss, and most importantly, no cease-and-desist letters from angry copyright holders.

If you’re a shutterbug yourself and you’d like to share your photos with other educators on Pics4Learning, you can upload photos to the server. Don’t worry — you’ll retain the rights to all your photos.

Pics4Learning also has lesson plans that incorporate images, but a few of those suggest using their ImageBlender software, which isn’t free (hey, I don’t begrudge them trying to make money, but you could also perform these tasks with free image editing software, too). Overall, Pics4Learning is a good way to add visual content to your teaching without worrying about cash or copyright.

Pics4Learning

Related stuff:

Google adds Creative Commons image search

Grab photos for free at Compfight

Find a Smorgasbord of Free Photos at flickrCC

The Educator’s Guide to the Creative Commons

Photo credit: Brian R. Page.