Policy for the Digital Recording of Teaching, Learning and Assessment 2024/2025

Responsibility group ACL Curriculum Quality and Development Group

Policy Writer Vice Principal Quality and Compliance  

Last review date August 2024

Next review date August 2025

Audience All ACL Staff, and learners.

Stored Location Master Copy on ComEd Pool/Policies and Strategies. ACL Website

 

​​Contents 

  • Policy Aims and Intentions
  • The Policy
  • Method of Implementation
  • Monitoring and Evaluating

 

Policy Aims and Intentions

The digital recording of live online sessions is where methods for recording audio and/or video for teaching, learning and assessment activities are used.  Digital recordings compliment the delivery of core teaching and learning activities, and when required can be a socially distanced version to classroom-based teaching activities.

To encompass digitally recorded teaching and learning activities unless there is a pedagogical, professional or legal reason for not doing so.

Some learners may be unable to attend live online sessions due to caring responsibilities, childcare, illness etc. meaning that joining a live session is not always a choice.  The digital recording of live online sessions enables all learners to be supported in any teaching activity which a tutor delivers through online sessions using ACL M365 Teams.  Suitable sections of the session, e.g. those focussed on content delivery such as presentation material and lectures without learner may be recorded.  Automatic messaging on Teams will notify learners when a session is being recorded.

 

This will enhance the learner experience by providing recordings that serve as a useful learning resource and provide the following benefits:

  • support those unable to attend the live session
  • provide an aid to revision, consolidation, personal study, and assessment.
  • support innovation in the curriculum with opportunities to explore different pedagogic approaches and a blended curriculum.
  • support learners for whom English is not their first language
  • support learners to access materials for consolidation after the session
  • deliver content in keeping with ACL’s commitments to inclusive practice, enabling a rich learning environment, flexible learning and meeting accessibility requirements.

 

The Policy 

All online learners to be informed as part of pre-course IAG, enrolment processes, and course induction of the following:

  1. ACL may record all or part of their sessions.
  1. How to raise concerns if they are not willing to participate.

 

(Additional from September 2021). It is essential that any learners included in digital recordings of live sessions will have signed a pre-course declaration stating they are happy for this to take place for the duration of the course. This is on the enrolment form.

 

Method of Implementation 

Informing learners that a recording is taking place. 

Before any recording can take place, the tutor must inform all attendees that the session is being recorded, for what purpose it is being recorded, what element of the session is being recorded, and how and when it will be available.

 

This can be one or more of the following, as appropriate based on the needs of learners: –

 

  • Written information provided to learners in advance of the digital recording, for example via email.
  • An announcement made at the beginning of the session to advise that recording is taking place.  This may be on a presentation slide with a statement such as this:

“We are recording this session to enable all learners to benefit from this session, including those who are unable to attend.   

The recording will only be available to those learners who would usually attend this session and thereby enable them to access the learning and teaching material. All learners who are being recorded have provided their informed consent to the tutor prior to this session. Learners are reminded they can choose to participate in this session through video, audio and the chat function and learners have the option of changing their background in teams.”

  • Learners to have information about who they can contact in ACL if they have a concern about being included in any recording.  This will be the curriculum lead for that area, or in their absence the curriculum and learning manager for that area.
  • Should a learner have a concern regarding the publication of digitally recorded content, these should be considered prior to making available to others.

 

GDPR

Any Personal Data held in recorded content will be processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2016, Data Protection Act 2018.

 

ACL tutors delivering teaching that is digitally recorded to consider the following:

  • whether sessions could be structured so that discussions likely to involve any sensitive content, or large group participation takes place after recording has been turned off.
  • breakout rooms which are not recorded can be used for activities that involve learner discussions/feedback so that session slides with a tutor led presentation can be made available separately.

 

Copying and distribution of digital recordings 

This may only be done in accordance with this policy.  Recordings may only be made available to learners for educational purposes unless required to:

  • investigate where a safeguarding concern has been raised and there is a need for the recording to be viewed by the Safeguarding Lead or deputy,
  • provide evidence during external moderation of learners work for quality assurance purposes.

 

Where a recording needs to be downloaded from Teams this must only be done on an ECC device.

 

Recordings are provided solely for the purpose of learners’ personal study and must not be reproduced or distributed to any third party or made available on any external website or social media channel.

 

  • The recording is only available to the group of learners who are scheduled to attend the session and only until the end of the module or course.
  • The inappropriate use of recorded material by staff or learners will be a disciplinary matter
  • ACL retains the right to withdraw any recording at any time due to potential data protection issues
  • Recordings of ACL teaching and learning activities by ACL staff are not to be made publicly available ie the web, YouTube, Social media or other publicly available platforms.
  • A staff member who becomes aware that a recording may contain false, defamatory or copyright-infringing material should immediately notify their line management.
  • ACL reserves the right to withdraw or edit a recording if necessary.
  • The course tutor, their line manager and other nominated roles will be able to delete the files when needed.
  • Tutors must comply with their contract of employment and ECC guidance on Intellectual Property, including live streamed and recorded content.
  • It is the responsibility of individual tutors to ensure that their use of third party copyright-protected material within teaching and learning activities adheres to statutory copyright law.

 

Editing, Storage and Retention

  • Recordings will only be made available through approved ACL platforms to ensure access is only for authorised staff members and students.
  • Digitally recorded teaching and learning content should be made available to the intended audience at a time and frequency that meets the learning outcomes of the course.  All recordings are automatically deleted after a period of 90 days in line with Microsoft’s policies. Exceptions to this must be approved by the Learning Technologies Manager.
  • ACL will withdraw a recording at any time if concern is raised due to potential infringement of copyright, data protection, any other potential legal issue, or public exposure of commercially sensitive information.
  • Recordings must be kept in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 (stored securely and destroyed at the end of the module or course).
  • Any recordings or photographs taken on ACL devices which are not password protected must be deleted before the device is returned to the centre or will be removed without notice.
  • Recordings are only available to learners whilst registered on their course of study at ACL.

 

Monitoring and Evaluation  

  • Session visits to learning environments
  • Audit of learner declarations
  • Audit of saved recordings for each course

 

Associated Policies  

  • Online Safety Policy
  • MS Teams Policy
  • Computer Use Policy
  • ACL Safeguard Policy
  • ECC Audio Visual Media Meeting Guidance

 

This policy is in conjunction with the following ACL policies: 

If you require this document in any other format please email jaimie.huckfield@essex.gov.uk stating the document name in full and the format you need.