Lecture Recording – Student FAQs

No. Not all lectures are suitable for recording. Recordings will only take place where appropriate, and the decision rests with your lecturer. Lecturers may also pause or exclude parts of a lecture from being captured. For this reason, recordings should not be relied on as a substitute for attending lectures.

No. Only lectures may be recorded. Other forms of live teaching, such as tutorials, seminars, labs and workshops, are not normally recorded. 

Where possible, you should be informed in advance if a lecture will not be recorded. 

There will also be a recording light in the lecture room which will indicate when a recording is in progress: 

• 🔴 (Solid Red) = Recording in Progress 
• 🟡 (Flashing Yellow) = Recording Paused 
• 🔵 (Solid Blue) = Error 

Lecture recordings focus on the lecturer and the presentation materials rather than students. However, depending on the layout and technical setup of the teaching space, it is possible that students may still be visible or audible in a recording.

By default, access to lecture recordings is restricted to students enrolled on the module and staff involved in teaching. Recordings are provided for learning and teaching purposes only and are not publicly accessible.

Lecture recordings are normally available through your Canvas module around 48 hours after the lecture. This timeframe is essential to allow your lecturer to edit if necessary. 

Recordings may be embedded directly on a Canvas page or accessed via the Panopto Video area of your course. To view these, select Panopto Video from the course navigation menu.

Recordings are usually available for the duration of your enrolment on the degree programme.

No. Lecture recordings are designed to support your learning, not replace live teaching. Attending lectures gives you opportunities for discussion, interaction and immediate feedback that recordings cannot replicate. You are expected to attend scheduled lectures and use recordings as a supplementary study resource.

Lecture recordings can support your learning in a number of ways. For example, you might use them to revisit complex material, catch details you missed in class, fill gaps in your notes, slow down sections of the lecture, or support revision before an exam.

For research-informed advice on using recordings effectively, see the Making the Most of Lecture Recordings Guide guide. 

No. By default, recordings cannot be downloaded by students. 

In most cases, no. The University’s lecture recording system provides recordings of sufficient quality, so students should not be recording on personal devices. 

If your lecturer has given you permission in advance to record, the recording is for your own personal study only and must not be shared online or distributed to others. Recording without permission, or misusing recordings, is a breach of the Student Conduct Regulations and may result in disciplinary action.

If recording is included as part of your Individual Student Support Agreement (ISSA), your lecturer will already be aware. You should follow the guidance on your ISSA and contact Accessible Learning Support or your School with any queries. 

There may be, in some circumstances, reasons why you cannot record i.e. due to sensitive material being discussed. Your lecturer will inform you about this and ask you to stop recording. 

Any personal recordings approved under an ISSA are for your own study only and must not be posted online or shared. The misuse of recordings is a breach of the Student Conduct Regulations and may result in disciplinary action.

Yes. Captions should be available for lecture recordings. If you cannot see the captions automatically, turn them on by pressing the 'CC' icon. 

This may happen due to technical issues or because parts of a lecture were paused or not recorded.

If this happens, you should not assume that a full recording will be available. Use the other learning materials provided for the lecture, such as slides or notes. Remember, you cannot rely on recordings for this very reason.