Recording of Lectures and Other Learning Activities

Approved by Academic Council: August 4, 2015

Effective Date: August 4, 2015

Rationale and background

Lectures, class discussions and other learning activities are sometimes recorded in order to facilitate blended or asynchronous learning, develop personal study aids, or provide disability accommodation. The recording process may be initiated by the instructor or by a student. The proliferation of social media, smart phone apps for recording lectures, and publically accessible websites where individuals can upload classroom/educational recordings, have raised important issues around intellectual property, copyright and privacy.

Lecture content and materials are considered the instructor's intellectual property. Therefore, the guidelines and regulations regarding copyright apply to the recording of lectures. In addition, because recordings may also capture the presence, ideas, and opinions of other individuals (e.g., other students, teaching assistants, guests), privacy guidelines and regulations also apply.

Consequently, the School of Rehabilitation Therapy requires a policy and set of procedures regarding the recording of lectures, class discussions, and other learning activities.

Scope of policy

This policy applies to all programs operated by the School of Rehabilitation Therapy: Aging and Health, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Rehabilitation Science.

For the purposes of this policy, "recording" will include audio and/or video or photographic capture of classroom activities (e.g., lecture, discussion, learning activities) by any electronic or digital means, either original or copied/shared.

Policy Statements

Students may not record any portion of a lecture, class discussion or course-related learning activity without the prior and explicit written permission of the course instructor.
If recording is being requested for disability accommodation, the instructor's consent must not be unreasonably withheld.
Presentations that are made by classmates or guest lecturers cannot be recorded without the prior and explicit written permission of each of the presenters.
Under no circumstances can a patient/client/consumer visitor to a class be recorded, even with permission.
Students creating unauthorized recordings violate an instructor's (or classmate's or guest's) intellectual property rights and the Canadian Copyright Act. Students violating this agreement will be subject to disciplinary actions under the Queen's University Student Code of Conduct. (http://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/sites/webpublish.queensu.ca.uslcwww/files/files/policies/senateandtrustees/Code_of_Conduct_final_2008.pdf.)
If permission to record is obtained, for whatever reason, then:

The instructor must notify all other students and guests in the class that the event is being recorded for personal uses only and will not be distributed.
Instructors should not disclose for whom the recording is being made in order to protect the privacy of the individual for whom the recording is being made.
If a student or guest wants to take steps to protect privacy, and does not want to be recorded, the instructor must provide the individual (s) with an alternative means of participating and asking questions (e.g., passing written notes with questions).
Students cannot be penalized for choosing not to be recorded in situations where participation is part of the course. Students must be offered other ways of earning participation credit that do not involve recording.
Any video-recording must only capture the instructor and the front of the classroom. Other students and patients/consumers must not be visible on video recordings.

Any student who obtains permission to record understands that recording is for personal study only and for no other purpose.

The recording cannot be shared with others in the class or outside the course without additional permission from the instructor. This includes posting to the internet or any social media or other location or on any device to which electronic/digital access can be obtained by any other person.
The procedure for recording lectures must be agreed upon by the instructor and the student, and may require that the instructor controls the recording device.
It is possible that some components of a class session may not be recorded if recording has the potential to violate FIPPA regulations. Instructors should contact the SRT FIPPA representative if they have any questions or concerns about privacy regulations and recording.

Procedures

All School of Rehabilitation Therapy course syllabi should include a clear statement regarding audio and/or video recording of lectures, class discussions and class activities. A recommended statement is provided in Appendix A.
Explicit authorization (via Disability Services) or written permission to record lectures, any portion of a lecture, class discussion or course-related learning must be obtained in advance of the session(s) in question.

A copy of the authorization or permission-related communication (e.g., student's request/instructor's response) should be placed in the students file.

Students who violate this policy will be reviewed by the appropriate program's Student Progress and Awards Committee and will be subject to disciplinary actions under the Queen's University Student Code of Conduct (http://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/sites/webpublish.queensu.ca.uslcwww/files/files/policies/senateandtrustees/Code_of_Conduct_final_2008.pdf.)

Appendix A: Recommended wording for syllabi:

Students may not create video, audio or other digital recordings of lectures, class discussions or other class activities without written permission of the instructor or authorization through Disability Services.

Students creating unauthorized recording violate an instructor's intellectual property rights and the Canadian Copyright Act and will be subject to disciplinary actions under the Queen's University Student Code of Conduct.

PDF

Rationale and background

Scope of policy

Policy Statements

Procedures

Appendix A: Recommended wording for syllabi:

Queen's University Student Code of Conduct