[Whistleblower]

Hello all. I am thinking about recording my lessons on a video recorder to post on my blog. What do you think are the implications of recording a lesson? Are there any legal ramifications (eg. young learner lessons, adult lessons, etc)? Are there any other teachers on this forum who has recorded their lesson?

I believe the recording of a lesson will assist in the self-analysis of my own lesson as well as provide ideas for other teachers.

Comments or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[bread_baker]

I thought your post was interesting. I used to have a Moodle website (but it was deleted) and I was going to start uploading audio recordings that I was going to make. I bought the recorder and experimented with it. I wanted to give the students listening exercises that they could use over and over. Someday I may try it again, but this is not a priority for me.
Post again after you've tried out your idea, and tell us how it works!
In adult education, one big concern is attendance. If you give the students a way to make excuses to not come to class, some will take advantage of it. That's one reason why I didn't make my project a top priority.

[Falconer]

HAVE THE STUDENTS SIGN PHOTO (VIDEO) RELEASE FORMS BEFORE YOU RECORD.

[Whistleblower]

Quote Falconer

HAVE THE STUDENTS SIGN PHOTO (VIDEO) RELEASE FORMS BEFORE YOU RECORD.

How would one go about organising a video recording of a lesson? What would you say to the DoS? Does anyone have a template for a release form?

[clevermae]

Maybe blurr the kids' faces on the videos?

[rose_coloured]

I work in South Korea and the education department and the teachers record lessons all the time. No thought is given here to the signing of release forms or privacy laws. So how problematic it is may depend on your country of residence.

I would say that if you are recording it solely for your own use it would be fine. But be careful if you are planning to upload the video to a public arena.

[chammi]

I work in Japan and even though most of the non-Japanese teachers don't know about it because there are lots of photos taken in the classroom, it IS a big deal for us.

Students have to sign release forms (which I think the school files). It is to the point where kids have sharpie lines drawn over their eyes in the class photos (In Japan, one's eyes are considered the most revealing part of the face--that's why sunglasses are not popular as everyday wear--and why people censor for privacy with black bars over the eyes.)

Anyway, you should check with your school to see if the students' guardians have already signed (or not signed) release forms.

Another thing that complicates your situation is involving a website. This is a big privacy concern--especially if the site is not an official school site. There are some EFL teachers who post lessons online (like Youtube). I think these are useful, but I would definitely make sure you have parental consent.

They will need to know your rationale, how you intend to use the videos and where they can be found. I would consider including contact information and an invitation to discuss their concerns with you. I realize this may be difficult in a non-English speaking country, but the parents need to have a forum for discussing this before they consent--even if you need to use a third party for interpretation.


If you are recording adults, you will still need to get consent, but since the students are not minors, it's much simpler. It's also a nice courtesy to show them where they can view the videos as part of your consent letter.

[clivehawkins]

Be clear WHY you're doing it. Don't be seen to be making money out of it. Get release forms signed. Know the privacy laws of that country. Be ready to answer some quite direct and concerned questions from the parents.

To be honest, it's a lot of bother and you're opening yourself up to some quite serious potential problems. I'd think twice, and then once again before doing it. It's a nice idea but riddled with difficulties.

[wakeupmartin]

I recently came across a video on YouTube of a beginners' dance class, and was a bit shocked to find that I was in it. I don't even remember it being recorded!