last updated: Thu, September 3, 2020 8:26 AM
The university updated various policies in an August 27 document. Per that change, I am able to require video attendance of my course if I so choose, and I do.
Students are required to log in with video.
That being said, I am also required to be sensitive to privacy needs and technology limitations. So, if there is an ongoing reason that limits your ability to login, please schedule office hours with me to explain that situation. If there is an occasional reason for audio only attendance for all or part of a session, please explain that promptly in the Google Form. I will read your reasoning and then contact you if I need further information or discussion.
Class sessions are video recorded for those who cannot attend class, although if you are in a nearby time zone the expectation is that your regularly do attend class rather than rely on the recordings.
The recording starts from the time I open the session. It is unlikely that I will edit out anything from that time. However I often have "virtual hall time" after class is officially over. I let the recording continue but I will erase that material before I share the video.
Please note that your breakout group discussions are video recorded when I am present in the group and audio recorded at all times.
No you cannot. Definitely do not do this. Ever.
"The University encourages students to take notes in class and other instructional settings as part of their education. Note-taking is a means of recording information and helps students absorb and integrate what they learn. Note-taking or other recording of an instructor’s presentation can also facilitate further discussion of the material with students and the instructor. However, class notes and recordings are based on the intellectual effort of the instructor, who has an interest in protecting this effort and ensuring the accuracy of any public representation of his or her work. Prior approval of the instructor is required for the recording of course notes and the sharing of course notes and other class materials beyond the students enrolled in the course. Only a course note-taking service authorized by the campus may make course notes available commercially. Here are the relevant policies for note-taking services." (https://sa.berkeley.edu/classroom-note-taking-and-recording-policy)"
On August 30, I changed the location of our recorded Zoom sessions. They are now on our bCourse website, at the "My Gallery" tab. Once uploaded that embedded program begins to generate a transcript that is keyed to the video itself, which is convenient. Clicking on the transcript phrase will take you to that portion of the video. The machine-generated transcript is also a bit better than what Zoom generates. However, if I have time, I'll also include the Zoom transcript once it is available. (Zoom prepares the video first. The transcript isn't ready until many hours later.)
I release the link for a class session on the day of the class, via a bCourse announcement. Usually I make this link early in the morning and set it to release automatically 10 minutes before class would begin.
Students request an appointment by signing up on "Calendly" (see the link or my Sonic top page or our Session Details page).If I approve the request, you will receive a link from me. Sometimes this happens several days ahead of the appointment, sometimes the day of the appointment. Keep the link information!
If it is less than ten minutes before our class is to begin, go to our bCourse site and check the announcements. If it is not there, something is wrong. Class will be canceled if I cannot provide a link by 20 minutes past the start time of the class and I will announce a Plan B when I can. That announcement will be through bCourse if bCourse hasn't crashed. If bCourse itself is down, the announcement will be on Session Details, for that day (the day the class should be happening).
You should keep trying for 20 minutes. Contact people you know in the class. It is unlikely I am checking emails once I begin class so that pathway is unreliable. It will work, though, if there is a system-wide problem and I am checking emails to see what is happening among students. After 20 minutes, give up and complete the missed class Google Form. Watch for later announcements.