Guidance for students recording teaching sessions

We also recommend that, in the interest of inclusivity, departments make Panopto recordings downloadable by their students. This enables students relying on file conversion tools and those needing to watch recordings offline to fully engage with the materials.

View the full Panopto recording guidelines

Where Panopto recordings are not available, students may wish to make their own recordings of lectures. This may be a learning preference, as expressed by any student, or in the case of disabled students, an access need in order to engage with the material.

Where the student has a Student Support Plan (SSP)

• If the student is registered with Disability Services and needs to create recordings other than using Panopto to access lectures, this needs to be accommodated as a reasonable adjustment.
• The student should agree how and in what format they will record lectures with the lecturer or course convenor.
• They should make clear the form of the recording (either audio only or video and audio). If a request for video recording is made, the student must explain why video is needed in addition to standard visual aids such as lecture notes and slides.
• Seminars and workshops are typically not recorded, but some disabled students may require a recording in lieu of physically taking notes.
• Again, the student needs to agree the form and method of recording with the tutor or course convenor.
• If the student needs to record in seminars where other students are contributing to discussion and may be recorded, students in the group should be notified before recording.
• It should be made clear to the student creating the recordings and anyone who may be recorded that these recordings are a reasonable adjustment for disability.
• The recordings should only be used by the student creating them for their own academic study purposes and the content should not be shared except where necessary to help facilitate access (eg with a University staff member providing support or a support worker).
• Potential conflicts arising from other students not wishing to be recorded should be handled as sensitively as possible by the department, while bearing in mind that allowing a student with a disability to record a lecture or seminar may be a legal requirement. 

Where the student does not have a Student Support Plan (SSP)

Students wishing to record a lecture, seminar or other teaching session must:

• Obtain permission to do so from the lecturer responsible for the lecture or seminar.
• Make clear whether they are asking permission to record an individual session or all those in a given module.
• Make clear the form of the recording (either audio only or video and audio). If a request for video recording is made, the student must explain why video is needed in addition to standard visuals aids such as lecture notes and slides.
• Permission to proceed with making recordings, and under what terms, must be received by the student from the lecturer before any attempt to record a lecture or seminar is made.

For any recordings of lectures or seminars

• Any recording made is for the sole use of the student who made the recording. Recordings may not be conveyed to any other person by any means whatsoever, other than to University staff or a support worker who has been provided access for the purpose of helping the student to transcribe the recording.
• The ownership of the intellectual property contained within the recording remains at all times with the lecturer, the University and any others connected with the content, as appropriate; it does not pass to the student making the recording.
• Any recording made must be deleted by the student once its purpose has been met. This will always be before the student leaves the programme and shall normally be by the end of the module during which the recording is made.
• The recording method employed must be discreet and not intrusive with regard to other participants in the lecture or seminar.
• Recording a lecture or seminar is not a substitute for attendance. The student must be present to record the event unless the lecturer responsible has given permission for a recording to be made in the student’s absence. 

Misuse of recordings is a disciplinary matter and will be referred to the Head of Department and Student Conduct and Respect Office.