Class Recording Policy
See announcement on the JD Canvas community for class recording update (posted 23 February 2024).
Overview
All lectures conducted in University teaching spaces that have lecture capture facilities will be automatically recorded and published online via the University’s central systems. In Melbourne Law School this applies to lectures and to at least one stream of a seminar in most core and elective subjects. It does not apply to tutorials.
Available recordings
Compulsory subjects
One stream of most compulsory subjects will be recorded. Students receiving recordings should be aware that they may not receive a recording from their timetabled stream. There are some compulsory subjects, such as Legal Research, where it is not appropriate to record because of the highly small group discussion-based nature of the class.
Elective subjects
Class recordings for elective subjects will be available where the subject is taught in a similar manner to core JD subjects, noting that this may exclude particular classes where there may be a guest speaker or where there are other reasons for not recording, such as small group discussion or discussions that draw heavily on personal or professional experiences that will not be recorded for privacy reasons. This shall be at the discretion of MLS. Classes for subjects that involve guest speakers on a regular basis, or that involve practical, clinic or internship requirements (where students may discuss cases they are working on) will not be recorded. Students that may require recordings in order to complete an elective subject should contact the Law Wellbeing team (law-wellbeing@unimelb.edu.au) to ascertain whether or not recordings will be available for most classes in the subject.
Intensive subjects
Intensive subjects taught over a one or two week period are not routinely recorded. Where students enrol in an intensive subject offered alternatively on a full semester basis, and for which there are available recordings from the most recent semester of offer of that subject, they may be given access to these recordings. Students considering enrolment in an intensive subject who may experience difficulties in attending class should discuss their enrolment in the subject with the Academic Programs Coordinator (Wellbeing) prior to enrolling to determine the best course of action in the circumstances.
Limitations of class recordings
Class recordings are not a substitute for attending class. Class recordings provide students with the opportunity to catch up on the occasional missed class, or, for students granted access to class recordings as part of their registration for ongoing support, to go back to a recording of a class they in fact attended. Teachers are not required to replicate other classroom learning aids (such as use of a whiteboard) separate to the class recording. MLS will remind teachers to use a microphone in the classroom when their class is recorded, and where practicable and appropriate, to repeat a question asked by a student in the class. However, MLS cannot guarantee that all class discussion will be captured on a class recording.
Effective date: 28 February 2024