1. Recording online tutorials: a consideration of the issues
Joanna Robson and Donna Smith
The Open University
(Theme: digital inclusion)

2. Key issues Should we record or not?
What are the implications for students?
What are the implications for tutors?
What are the implications for institutions?

3. Context
At the time of writing the original paper a new tuition policy was implemented at our institution (an online and distance university):
Online alternatives to face to face learning events became compulsory
Face to face events had to be adapted, alongside introduction of new online events
Big impact at level 2/3 where online alternatives were less established
Tutor (and module team) upskilling needed
Change in student expectations

4. Context Led to a key question: should online tutorials be recorded?
Different faculties took different approaches. Our faculty gave a range of options:
Have a designated recorded tutorial within a cluster
One tutor within the cluster to record an empty classroom tutorial based on the learning event for absent students or those with particular disabilities
Nominate one tutor to edit a recorded session per cluster event
Record presentation elements of any given tutorial but not the interactive/discussion elements
Record all the tutorial and edit out interactive/discussion elements as appropriate
Module Teams to provide a recorded empty classroom tutorial based on the Learning Outcomes for each learning event.
The range of options presented ensured that there was a recorded version for disabled students to access should attendance prove impossible
The range of options was also quite confusing with no set approach!
Overarching University protocol (focusing on data protection/student consent) also had to be taken into account (students could refuse to be recorded).

5. Context
Since then, the university has recognised this key question, mandating that all online tutorials should be recorded (October 2018 onwards)
Implications are still being worked through…
The question ‘should online tutorials be recorded’ remains within our institution and more generally…

6. Key question: should online tutorials be recorded?
Because of the affordances of the technology we have the ability to record and because we can, some might argue we should, as:
It has the potential to increase participation (students who cannot attend synchronously, such as students with certain disabilities or mental health issues such as anxiety)
It thus enhances the inclusive nature of the teaching model.

7. Literature
There is little literature on recording online tutorials, particularly relating to making learning more inclusive, although what there is highlights there are benefits and disadvantages
Forsey et al (2013) argue that online pedagogy allows students flexibility therefore affording them greater autonomy in their learning
However, Selwyn (2016, p.1017) discusses the delivery of tutorials, noting while the advantage is the recording is available to all students, it could make students feel even more disconnected if it is of poor quality
‘the tedium of being physically present at a badly executed… presentation is perhaps … [amplified] when this lecture is experienced as an online video recording which can be viewed repeatedly for months after the event’.
Research suggests that a deep, engaged approach and active construction of knowledge leads to successful learners (Prosser and Trigwell, 1999) – does only recording help with this, or not?

8. Current protocol at authors’ institution
A general set of principles for online recording, taking into account educational outcomes and legislation
Module teams should clarify their expectations about recording with tutors, and where it is appropriate tutors should be encouraged to record, for the benefit of:
1) students’ learning generally
2) students unable to attend
3) disabled students.
These ‘benefits’ are still at play under the ‘always record’ model just established:
While these outcomes of recording online tutorials may seem unproblematic it could be argued with the exception of #1 (which could be addressed in alternative ways, for example, by a tutor providing a summary of the event as they would do for a face-to-face tutorial) the other points each raise a number of issues for students as learners, tutors, and module teams.

9. 1) Benefitting students’ learning generally
While point #1 doesn’t mention pedagogy it is clearly focused on the learning experience of students and this in turn raises the question of what students might gain in terms of their learning by an online tutorial being recorded
Or put another way, is the ‘gain’ that a student has (for the duration of the module a permanent record of the event) offset in other ways?
In other words, does the recording of an event result in a qualitatively different experience for students who both participate in the real-time event and those viewing it later?

10. 2) Benefitting students unable to attend
There is also the claim (but little evidence to support this without further research) that the routine provision of recordings dis- incentivizes students from attending the real-time event as they can ‘catch-up’ later
This may be a reasonable strategy, but if significant numbers of students don’t attend the real-time event there is little opportunity for collaborative learning and tutors are then pushed into a more didactic position of delivering a presentation which together encourages ‘passivity’
There are a number of strategies tutors can employ to facilitate more active sessions, but in order to manage student expectations, students need to be prepared (both in general - e.g. ‘ground rules’ - and in particular - e.g. a session briefing) before the event takes place; this helps to manage student expectations but it raises issues around tutor line management/practice.

11. 3) Benefitting disabled students
While it would seem to offer flexibility so students might be able to access an event at a time when a carer or academic assistant is available it is not clear what benefit that affords over and above other forms of ‘catch up’ such as a tutor posting post-tutorial notes onto a forum
At the authors’ institution there is currently no system of providing the event in an alternative format
In addition, disabled students have very different needs and a ‘one size fits all’ may not be feasible:
Many students have issues around mental health including anxiety and while they may be unable to attend a face-to-face tutorial they may be encouraged to attend an online event
However, the recording of a tutorial may well deter this (not insignificant) group
The idea of consent may well exacerbate this issue as it is a very brave student who ‘objects’ to a recording at the start of a tutorial/in advance.

12. Summary Should we record or not?
The recording of online tutorials requires a nuanced response which is informed by pedagogical, ethical and reasonable adjustment considerations, which could vary widely by context
There’s a clear need for more research and the benefits and disadvantages of online recording for inclusivity, in order that sensible policies can be developed to fit the needs of students
What are the implications for students?
How they learn/engage with tutors and other students
Impact on student expectations; students my expect a lecture approach and tutors a more interactive tutorial approach (Campbell, Jones, Gallen & Walsh, 2018) – is this addressed? Should it be?
Impact on attendance (?)
What are the implications for tutors?
Change in practice/delivery
Workload implications (at least initially)
What are the implications for the institution?
Module/tuition design
Understanding reasonable adjustments
Costs (?)

13. Questions???

14. THANK YOU

15. References
Campbell, A, Jones M,H, Gallen, A-M, Walshe, A (2018), ‘The perceptions of STEM Tutors on the role of tutorials in distance learning’, submitted to Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning, preprint available from Exchange/Wiki/Document.aspx?DocumentID=2127.
Forsey, M, Low, M, & Glance, D (2013) ‘Flipping the sociology classroom: towards a practice of online pedagogy’, Journal of Sociology, Vol 9, No 4, pp 471 – 485.
Prosser, M and Trigwell, K (1999) Understanding learning and teaching: the experience in Higher Education, Buckingham: Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press.
Selwyn, N (2016) ‘Digital downsides: exploring university students’ negative engagements with digital technology’, Teaching in Higher Education, Vol 21, No 8, pp 1006 – 1022.