Kaltura Virtual Classroom – Recording Guidelines

These guidelines are for North Island College instructors when using web conferencing platforms (e.g., Kaltura Virtual Classrooms) with their classes and enabling the recording feature. The guidelines are provided to help ensure students are clear about the reasons for the class recording, how the recordings are to be used and how long the recordings will be saved/made available.

Making a recording of a North Island College class, gathering, seminar, meeting, review session etc. (or any web conferencing software platform) – carries with it responsibility for ensuring all people in the recording (students, faculty, guest speakers etc.) are protected and professionally supported around what is recorded, how it is shared and how long the recording is saved on the Kaltura servers.

Summary

Recordings are justifiable by Human Rights Legislation and the legal duty to accommodate. However, to be respectful, transparent, and promote understanding of the legislation, recordings should only happen after the instructor shares basic details with students (via course outline, Brightspace page etc.)

the reasons why a Kaltura Virtual Classroom class is being recorded (see Section A below)
how the recordings are stored, made accessible and when they will be deleted (see Section B below)
about how to engage in respectful conduct and actions regarding the use of video recordings (see Section C3 below)

Recordings should happen after the instructor has shared the reasons and explained the details about recordings.

At the beginning of each class briefly remind students about recording and allow for questions (see Sections C1, C2 and C3 below)

Other helpful information included in these guidelines:

Tips on managing recordings before, during and after a Kaltura Virtual Classroom class (see Section D below)
A student version of this document for next semester’s course outlines or pasting into a Brightspace course (see Section E below)

Section A: Reasons for Recording a Class

Kaltura Virtual Classroom provides a recording feature to capture the class or meeting. Not all classes or meetings need to be recorded.

Appropriate reasons may include:

To share with students unable to attend the Kaltura Virtual class or gathering
To provide a recording or a live transcript and transcript for download with recording of the spoken content for DALS accommodations (Instructors, under normal circumstances, have the right to preclude any recording of their course. The entitlement for fair and reasonable access under the Human Rights legislation supersedes any general argument associated with copyright or intellectual property. The authorized recording can only be used for the personal instruction/learning of the individual with the disability and the accommodation provides no authorization for dissemination of the recording or alternate use).
To provide a live transcript and transcript for download with recording of the spoken content for students with English as an Additional Language
To provide a recording of the class for all students to use for studying and learning

Inappropriate reasons may include:

To use for taking attendance (you don’t need a recording to track who attended – instead take a screenshot of the ‘people’ list, or have every student say hello in the chat and download the chat or take a few minutes and have everyone say hello with their mic and make a note of etc.)
To use as a record of participation (participation comes in many formats – instead have students provide reflective summaries via a professionalism rubric to comment on all their participation contributions across many formats)
To provide a summary of what you taught for reference next year (instead – keep records of how the classes went via your own notes)
To share with other instructors or students outside of the class (not appropriate as the recordings are of your students and could include private, confidential or uncomfortable images, words etc.)
To share on social media or a website for others to view (instead share notes, slide decks and summaries of the class)

Section B: Length of Time Before Deleting Recording

Recordings exist indefinitely on the Kaltura server unless you delete the recording. It is advisable you consider how long you wish to keep the recording and share that information with your students.

Recommendation: Delete all recordings after the last exam date for the term or end of the class. In this way you are reducing any risks that the recordings will be in appropriately used and you remove access once the course has been completed.

SEction C: Providing Notice, Knowledge & Respectful Use of Video

Instructors should always offer three pieces of information (notice, knowledge, and respectful use) to their students about class recordings. These three details should be shared and discussed with your students. Allow students to ask questions and provide them with a period of time (e.g., a week) to reply privately via email to share any concerns or questions.

Notice – tell students you are going to record the class(es) or meeting(s). Tell them when this will happen (dates of the course) and why. Explain the reason you have for the recording and allow them to ask questions and seek clarification.
Knowledge – explain to students how the recordings will work (how instructor is only one to start recording, will hear notification of it starting and stopping, meeting highlights feature etc.), where the recordings are stored (Montreal, Quebec, Canada), how long they will be stored and how you will make the recordings available to them (by what date after the class etc.) These details are important as students should know how it is only you (the instructor via the moderator role) who can turn on and off “Recording and Highlights” and that the link goes to your account for enabling to ‘public’ status and ability to obtain the ‘shareable link’.
Respectful Use of Video – discuss with students the respectful behaviours they should all engage in around the recordings
1. They won’t share that link or the recording with anyone else.
2. They will only use it for intended purposes to support their learning.
3. They won’t upload or put on social media any portion of the video.
4. They won’t engage in any unethical, unprofessional or disrespectful uses of the video.

Note: Use of cameras in Video Conferencing Calls – Practices and Privacy
You might want to chat with students about using the background blur to provide more privacy or having them understand why you want their video cameras on.

Cameras Be Damned | LinkedIn Article by Karen Costa (May 2020)
About that Webcam Obsession You’re Having… | Article Maha Bali (June 2020)

Section D: instructor Tips When Recording Classes: Before, During and After Class

Before the Recorded Class

Remind students of the recording happening and the reasons for it. This might be in an email to your students each week along with other reminder items. This might be an announcement in the Brightspace course or it might be at the end of the previous class.
Remind students about the privacy tips when recording is on (e.g., blur background, use another background, turn off video, change name in People listing etc.)

During the Recorded Class

Remind students of the recording happening and the reasons for it.
Remind students about the privacy tips when recording is on (e.g., blur background, use another background, turn off video, change name in People listing etc.)
Turn on the recording.
Remind students of the live transcript happening under “Apps” and Meeting Highlights. Point out the highlights button (star) will grab 40 seconds of the recording and add your note or bookmarked points to the transcript.
Turn off the recording and remind students when they’ll receive the link, how they should be respectful with the link and the recording etc.

After the Recorded Class

Make the recording public and obtain the shareable link.
Email, post the link in a private location (e.g., in Brightspace and not in any public or social media location. Remind students about the respectful use of the link to the recording – such as not sharing with others, downloading and uploading to YouTube, posting in social media etc.

SECTION E: Student Version for COPYING into Course Outlines or BRightspace

NIC Guidelines for Recording Classes: For Students

Kaltura Virtual Classroom provides a recording feature to capture a class or meeting. The following guidelines are provided to explain the reasons for the class recording, how the recordings are to be used and how long the recordings will be saved/made available.

A. Reasons for Recording a Class

Your instructor may choose to use this feature for one or more of the following reasons:

To share with students unable to attend the class
To assist in the accommodation of students with certain disabilities or for students with English as an Additional Language
To provide a record of the class for all students to use for studying and learning

B. Providing Notice and Knowledge

Instructors are asked to share two pieces of information prior to any recording:

Notice – your instructor will let you know that they are going to record the class or meeting and explain the reason.
Knowledge – your instructor will explain how the recordings will work, where the recordings are stored, how long they will be stored and how the recordings will be made available to you.

If you do not wish to be recorded (visually), you have the choice to blur the video background, turn off your video and/or change your name in the People list. Chat is not recorded.

C. Length of Time Before Deleting Recording

Your instructor will share with you how long the recordings will be saved. In most cases, all recordings will be deleted after the last exam date for the term or end of the class.

D. Respectful Use of Video

All students are expected to be responsible and respectful when it comes to recorded material. This includes:

Not sharing that link or the recording with anyone else.
Only using the recording for intended purposes (to support your learning).
Not uploading the recording or putting the video or link on social media.
Not engaging in any unethical, unprofessional or disrespectful uses of the video.

If you have any other questions about recordings, please contact your instructor.