Policy on Lecture Capture
1.
Introduction
1.1
This document sets out the College’s policy on the recording of lectures, with a view
to articulating our commitment to enshrine the usage of lecture capture technology
across the institution in line with the College’s Education Strategy.
1.2
This policy applies only to recordings made or distributed through the available and
appropriate technology, referred to as lecture capture hereafter.
1.3
Lecture capture is widely available at Higher Education Institutions across the UK,
many of which have opted for campus-wide usage based on student feedback. The
recording of group-based teaching and learning activities such as lectures can
provide a useful resource for students, and can be used to:
• Provide a study aid for revision;
• Help accommodate different approaches to learning;
• Assist students who do not have English as their first language; and
Assist students who have particular educational needs.
1.4
Lecture capture is particularly important in the context of our commitment to equality
and diversity. In order to cope with the planned changes to the Disabled Student’s
Allowance, King’s will need to ensure that inclusive learning and teaching, such as
lecture capture, is the norm across the institution. It should be considered a
reasonable adjustment from which all our students will benefit.
2.
Background
2.1
Lecture capture is already routine in some areas of the College, such as the Dental
Institute and the School of Biomedical Education. The student body is keen for this to
be extended so that as much lecture activity as possible is captured.
2.2
The College has a long-standing arrangement with Echo 360, who produce lecture
capture systems. The College has installed lecture capture in lecture theatres and
classrooms using Classroom Capture software and the Podium PC. Larger spaces use
dedicated Classroom Recorders. All teaching spaces with capacity for 21 or more
students have this software.
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2.3
Most rooms use software on the podium PC to capture what is displayed on the
Podium PC screen and the spoken audio. In larger spaces, such as lecture theatres, a
dedicated hardware recorder is used. This captures both spoken audio and video as
well as the podium PC screen, connected laptop, visualiser and DVD player. A list of
rooms and their facilities is available here:
https://internal.kcl.ac.uk/it/learning/av/mediaservices/lecture-capture/overview.aspx
2.4
Additionally, Personal Capture software is available for staff PCs and Macs for desktop
and laptop devices to enable recordings in offices, at home, on field trips etc. Existing
content from cameras and mobile phones can be uploaded and associated with
modules.
2.5
Lecture Theatres and classrooms where this software is installed will be equipped with
a recording light to indicate when a lecture is being recorded and when paused.
2.6
Lecture recording can be controlled by the lecturer by using a simple “push button”
incorporated within the recording light, to pause the recording and for resuming the
recording. Training and support for the use of this function will be available.
2.7
The College recognises and acknowledges that:
•
Not all teaching approaches are suitable for capture, for example where
there is use of whiteboards or chalk boards, or if a high degree of audience
interactivity is used;
•
A requirement for staff to change their preferred teaching style for the
purpose of recording might be detrimental to the student experience, and is
not encouraged;
•
Ethical issues, or the use of sensitive material, might render the recording of
some lectures as being inappropriate;
•
Support will be required to investigate and implement ways of capturing all
teaching approaches.
2.8
There is no intention of capturing seminar-type discussions or tutorials using
this software.
2.9
We encourage the utilisation of a “flipped lecture” approach, where there is
preloaded content on KEATS for students to view prior to the lecture. Where
this approach is taken, it will not be necessary to capture the lecture.
2.10
Lecture capture is provided to supplement the student experience, and will
not replace student contact hours. It should not be seen as an alternative to
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attending a lecture. Analysis of data from Echo 360 in the 2013/14 academic
year indicates that students tend to use lecture capture for revision purposes,
with the peak viewing period in April and May. This suggests that students do
not view lecture capture as an alternative to lecturer attendance.
3.
Policy
3.1
Where recording facilities are available, lecture capture technology should be used to
record lectures and other appropriate teaching and learning activities and to make
these recordings available to students registered on the unit associated with that
teaching activity. It is expected that if appropriate teaching is taking place in a space
that is equipped with the lecture capture system, the system will be used.
3.2
The workflow for scheduling of recordings requires that recordings should be
scheduled to form a 'bulk upload' of all recordings in a period, for example a
semester. This will use the existing scheduling process as operated by the Application
Services team, whereby each Department or Faculty provides them with a
spreadsheet listing the activities to be recorded. All standard lectures – not including
flipped lectures or lectures where there is extensive use of chalkboards or film clips,
for example – should be scheduled. Authority for any opt-out of lecture capture will
come from the relevant Vice Dean for Education.
3.3
Implementation of this policy will be the responsibility of Faculty Vice Deans for
Education, who will report to College Education Committee.
3.4
Occasionally members of staff or students may have legitimate reasons for not
wishing to be recorded, especially by video recording; and in such cases staff and
students have the right to opt out of recording, subject to the criteria outlined in 2.7.
3.5
In the case of a student who wishes to opt-out of a recording, they should speak first
to the person responsible for the activity to be recorded e.g. the module or
programme leader, who will attempt to find a suitable solution. This may include
guidance on sitting in a position where the student will not be recorded, asking
questions via a proxy, or asking questions only after the recording has ceased.
3.6
In the case of a member of staff who wishes to opt-out of a recording, the relevant
Vice Dean for Education may discuss the matter with that person, for example to
explore the scope for using audio rather than video recording. In any event, those
involved will be mindful of the need for sensitivity and privacy. In rooms where a
dedicated hardware recorder is equipped, it is possible to opt out of video recording
while still capturing slides and audio content. Staff opting out of video recording
should be reported to the relevant Department or Faculty office with sufficient notice
(two weeks) to allow for the amendment to the recording schedule.
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3.7
Recordings shall include an editing function, to which the owner of the material will
have access. If students wish to have a recording edited, they must request a change
from the person responsible for the activity being recorded. This request must specify
which material they wish to have changed and why they want the change. A request
must be made immediately after the recording otherwise it is unlikely to be
considered. In cases of disagreement, the matter shall be resolved by the relevant
Vice Dean for Education where the recorded activity is primarily based.
3.8
Where a module uses KEATS as its Virtual Learning Environment, recordings will be
available only to King’s students who are registered on the unit for which the
recording was made. Distribution of recordings will take place automatically through
KEATS, with recordings normally published within 12 hours unless a delay is
requested at the time of scheduling.
3.9
Where a module uses the Virtual Campus or another Virtual Learning Environment,
the link to the captured content can be manually cut and pasted into the relevant
course web-pages. The content will be made available as soon as possible after
recording. Access should be restricted to King’s students.
3.10
Except where authorised by the College, recordings of College teaching and learning
activities are not for public consumption by any means, including by virtue of external
publication, whether on the web or otherwise. Such recordings must not be copied or
passed on to anyone else, other than for transcription purposes. Once a personal
copy of a recording has served its purpose, it should be permanently erased. Students
or staff found to be in infringement of this principle may be subject to disciplinary
proceedings.
3.11
Students must not share the contents of a captured lecture with any third party.
Departments may ask students to sign a form at the start of each academic year
agreeing not to share content. A sample form will be made available on the AV
webpages.
3.12
The College owns the intellectual property in the content of lectures and other
teaching sessions. Recordings are covered by the College’s Code of Practice for
Intellectual Property.
3.13
Recordings will not be used for staff performance management purposes.
3.14
Recordings will normally be kept by the College for up to two years from the date of
recording.
3.15
Students will be permitted, should they wish, to make audio (but not video)
recordings of lectures that may or may not be recorded by other means. Students
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wishing to make such recordings should seek the permission of teaching staff prior to
doing so. Recordings made by students will be subjected to the same constraints on
distribution as are imposed on those recordings made by or on behalf of the College
(see 3.10) and should be restricted to personal use only.
4.
Copyright
4.1
The copyright exception of showing materials in class for the purposes of instruction
does not apply when a teaching and learning activity is being recorded as this
constitutes further copying. A licence or rights-owner permission may be needed if
third-party materials are being used – such as a diagram from a published book, a
commercially licensed image from a website, or a video clip.
4.2
It is the responsibility of individual members of staff to ensure that the material used
for teaching and learning activities is copyright cleared. Use of uncleared copyright
material risks legal action or prosecution, and is a breach of College Regulations.
4.3
Staff should refer to the terms of the College’s copyright licences to check if content
can be made available in a lecture recording.
4.4
A situation may occur where a recording is challenged by rights holders or deemed
unacceptable for other reasons, for example if it is judged to be defamatory in nature.
The College may itself, or require others to, edit or remove inappropriate material.
5.
Consent
5.1
Subject to the opt-out noted in 3.4, lecture capture is deemed to be in the legitimate
interests of the educational objectives of King’s College London, meeting the
conditions of Schedule 2(6) of the Data Protection Act 1998. King’s will process
personal data accordingly and in line with the requirements of the Data Protection
Act.
5.2
Notwithstanding the provision in 5.1 above, no recordings of sensitive personal data
will be permitted without the explicit (opt-in) consent of the staff or students being
recorded. ‘Sensitive personal data’ is defined under section 2 of the Data Protection
Act to include generally any data relating to an individual concerning their racial or
ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs or other beliefs of a similar nature,
trade union membership, physical or mental health or condition, sexual life, or
information relating to criminal offences.
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5.3
Staff who wish to record guest speakers must ensure that they have obtained
agreement from the speaker(s) in advance. Speakers should be made aware that they
will be recorded and should agree to the intended use(s) of their recording in writing.
Sample consent forms will be available from
https://internal.kcl.ac.uk/it/learning/av/index.aspx
5.4
Students will be notified of the potential to be recorded in programme handbooks
and at the start of any module where lecture capture is in use. They will have the
ability to opt-out of appearing in any recordings in the interest of privacy and safety.
6.
Sources of support and guidance
6.1
Further information about lecture capture will be available from the Centre for
Technology Enhanced Learning ([email protected]) and from the Lecture Capture team
via the Service Desk ([email protected] or extension 8888). Training relating to the use
of the lecture capture system will be provided by Audio-Visual Services.
6.2
Guidance on copyright is available from Library Services ([email protected]).
6.3
Guidance notes for staff and students on using lecture capture will be made available
on the Audio-Visual Services intranet pages.
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