Developments in information technologies, the globalization of the marketplace, and shifts in copyright law challenge traditional means through which members of college and university communities produce and disseminate knowledge. At a time in which higher education leaders are prompted to capture the commercial value of educational products, it is critical that higher education researchers develop a clear understanding of academic models of information production. Researchers have established important lines of inquiry into commercial influences in higher education. There is no corollary research that articulates a model that preserves academic traditions. This dissertation examines and elaborates on the merits of Yochai Benkler's (2002a) commons-based, peer-production model that has been used to describe open-source development communities for higher education contexts. The peer-production model facilitates analyses at the level of individual actors, institutions, or production communities and reflects the academic traditions of academic freedom, peer review, and nonproprietary exchanges of information. The central research question is: How does institutional copyright policy affect decision relating to the development of curricular materials? Three case studies were conducted at a large, Midwestern, public, research university. Each case examines the course development efforts associated with a distance education course. Interviews were conducted with authors and administrators who determined the copyright status of course materials.
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