Curriculum Design

Principles for the use of ‘learning session capture’ technology at the University of Suffolk

The University is committed to providing students with a flexible and supportive learning experience. This includes the use of Virtual Classroom (Bongo, VC) for the delivery of lectures, and on occasion seminars/workshops. The University recognises that this will enable students to engage with live synchronous delivery, but to also revisit learning post live delivery or if, exceptionally, engagement with live delivery is not possible. 

Full guidance on the use of technology in teaching spaces is published in rooms. In addition, guidance is online at https://libguides.uos.ac.uk/celt/brightspace/vc-setup 

Guiding Principles

The use of recorded sessions (learning session capture) is based on the following guiding principles: 

1. All lectures should be delivered using Bongo VC, and should, normally, be live-streamed, recorded and posted to the Brightspace module / unit folder.
2. Where appropriate, all seminars/workshops should normally be delivered using VC, and should, normally, be recorded and posted to the Brightspace module/unit folder.
3. If the learning session is delivered on campus, the use of ‘capture technology’ (audio/video capture for teaching space – including the OWL), should normally be used, guidance for using OWLs is available at: https://libguides.uos.ac.uk/celt/lih/owls 
4. Where sensitive topics are delivered and discussed using VC there may be a rationale for not recording or live-streaming the learning session, or for stopping and then restarting (pausing) the recording/live-streaming. The decision to not record should be:
   1. determined as part of the course design process ahead of the scheduled delivery date,
   2. discussed between the tutor delivering the learning session, and either the Course Leader or Associate Dean of Learning Teaching and Student Experience, with a clear rationale provided,
   3. notified to the students as part of the timetabling or module introduction,
   4. be replaced by additional learning resources such as slides, video, readings or discussion boards within the module / unit of content in Brightspace.
5. Where the chat function is used as part of delivery, this will be included in the uploaded recorded learning session. In exceptional circumstances, the entire chat may be removed from the recorded, by the Learning Design team, through a manual process. 
6. Recorded learning sessions are made available for the duration of the academic year but will not form part of the content rolled across academic years. 

Use of Recordings

1. Recorded learning sessions are for educational purposes and are not used as part of performance management by the tutor’s line manager or course team. 
2. Recorded learning sessions may be used as part of the University Peer Review and Enhancement of Learning and Teaching policy and procedure to encourage practice of individual staff members or course teams. 
3. Recordings are to be used as an educational aid to study only. Any breach will be subject to disciplinary action as detailed in the General Regulations for Students. Para 114(xii). 

Technical Settings