The Student Room Group

Recording Uni Lectures

Are we allowed to record lecturers? (I don't openly want ask them just to avoid accidental wrong impressions but most importantly judgmental people, keeping it to myself will be much easier)

Are we allowed mobile phones and laptops out on the tables in the lecture room during lectures?Thank you!

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Reply 1
Original post by Chochiana
Are we allowed to record lecturers? (I don't openly want ask them just to avoid accidental wrong impressions but most importantly judgmental people, keeping it to myself will be much easier)

Are we allowed mobile phones and laptops out on the tables in the lecture room during lectures?Thank you!


Not without permission from the lecturer, and possibly the other students.

Yes.
Reply 2
Original post by jneill
Not without permission from the lecturer, and possibly the other students.

Yes.


Have students ever recorded or would I be the first ever inventor of that idea?
It's not like they will notice that I am recording though.
Reply 3
Original post by Chochiana
Have students ever recorded or would I be the first ever inventor of that idea?
It's not like they will notice that I am recording though.


Students do make recordings occasionally, especially if they have special requirements or impairments.

Ask politely in advance and you'll probably be ok.

If you are doing it surreptitiously and/or without express permission, it's illegal. Don't.

http://www.elearning.eps.manchester.ac.uk/recording-lectures-and-participants-legal-rights-what-you-should-know/

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(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 4
Original post by jneill
Students do, especially if they have special requirements or impairments.

Ask politely and you'll probably be ok.

If you are doing it surreptitiously and/or without express permission, it's illegal. Don't.

http://www.elearning.eps.manchester.ac.uk/recording-lectures-and-participants-legal-rights-what-you-should-know/

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Will they still let me record since I don't have any learning difficulties?
Reply 5
Original post by Chochiana
Will they still let me record since I don't have any learning difficulties?


Some might, some might not.

Think of it this way, would you like to be recorded? And if you would, would you like to be asked first?

Oh, and "judgemental people"??

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You're allowed to have your mobile and laptop out in lectures, just obviously be respectful and don't use your mobile all the time. As for recording, you can most certainly audio record your lectures even without a learning disability, if you're talking video record it's best to ask your lecturer(s) they won't have a bad impression of you from asking so don't worry.
Original post by Chochiana
Will they still let me record since I don't have any learning difficulties?


You should be fine - about a quarter of my cohort (about 25 students or so) put their iPhone / iPad / dictaphone / other recording device at the front of the lecture room right by the lecturer to avoid as much interruption as possible. As long as you ask permission from each lecturer, there shouldn't be any problems.
I record all lectures, but not seminars as there are other students involved. I have a programme on my laptop which transfers audio lectures to text.
You should find out if the lecturer is recording them himself first.
Reply 10
Original post by jneill
Some might, some might not.

Think of it this way, would you like to be recorded? And if you would, would you like to be asked first?

Oh, and "judgemental people"??

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Oh dear I don't like the "some might" not part.

Actually yes it would be nice for the recorder to ask me.

What I mean by judgmental people is people judging me for recording. It is possible I am going to come across all sorts of non understanding individuals saying to me things like : "You don't have learning disabilities, so why do you need to record?" and yes I am going to get all sorts time wasting unnecessary questions. It's people who get their noses where they don't belong.
Reply 11
There is a possibility that if you ask a professor, he might say no. You could try to say that it will be for strict personal use only.

Personally, the world is of the smart people, as the proverb says. If you want to shoot yourself in the foot by respecting campus regulations and copyright laws, go ahead. However, be aware that doing so, you will almost without a doubt prevent yourself from graduating and/or succeeding.
I think professors spend too little time on students and they speak too fast during lectures, which is why you would require a high quality digital dictaphone.

Try to make an informed decision.

Best of luck.
(edited 7 years ago)
You don't need permission from other students to record lectures.
I don't think it's worth recording lectures honestly because you would have to make time to watch it back.

I usually print out lecture slides 6 per page, pukka pad A4 and pencil case to make notes. I usually write in my notepad so I don't run out space on my lecture slides and I can always do it later neatly. There's no point, the important part is to understand the content.

If I didn't take lecture slides then I'd be rushing to write everything down, this way I only write down the relevant information. I usually write lecture slide number next to my notes so I don't get confused. For example Lecture 1: Slide 1 then Slide 8 etc. I have like 60 slides on some modules per lecture so it helps me to keep track of my notes also.
Reply 14
No one asks permission from lecturers/students. Well not from my uni anyways.
Just go for it.

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I was allowed to due to having learning difficulties but barely ever listened back to them.
Even if it's on 1.5 speed they take a while to edit so instead I made very efficient notes by looking through the material before the lectures so I was quite familiar with it before them and so only made notes on things I didn't already understand.
Reply 16
Original post by Ishax
I don't think it's worth recording lectures honestly because you would have to make time to watch it back.

I usually print out lecture slides 6 per page, pukka pad A4 and pencil case to make notes. I usually write in my notepad so I don't run out space on my lecture slides and I can always do it later neatly. There's no point, the important part is to understand the content.

If I didn't take lecture slides then I'd be rushing to write everything down, this way I only write down the relevant information. I usually write lecture slide number next to my notes so I don't get confused. For example Lecture 1: Slide 1 then Slide 8 etc. I have like 60 slides on some modules per lecture so it helps me to keep track of my notes also.

Like an excellent medical student once told me: the brain doesn't have enough with partial information (e.g. powerpoint slides), it needs the full picture (i.e. all information, not just notes, or even relevant notes). You need all words, one by one, not just summaries.

However, if you are a very bright person (this is rare), you can probably do fine like you did, only taking notes and then be able to pass a module. For others, like myself, I can't listen at the same time as I can write down, I can't breathe at the same time as I think, I can't eat at the same time as.. well, you get the point.
Most of us can't process material at the lightning high speed of how professors introduce them, it just can't happen. We need to first absorb each and every word, every nuance, in every context, before we can start to think about it and process it. I tried in university to process what professors said, but sadly they spoke way too fast, like this:

oksowehavetheaverageandtheweightedaverageandthenweusetheminthisformulayouseethequadraticequationisalinearequivalentwhen

I just can't handle that and neither can the rest. If you record lectures, you are able to finally understand what Mr. Speedy Gonzales was saying.

Education should be more fair, people should be allowed to record freely and live free from restraint. The UK has too much of an old government philosophy. They need to be more liberal. Free education for everyone, literally and figuratively!
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Chochiana
Oh dear I don't like the "some might" not part.

Actually yes it would be nice for the recorder to ask me.

What I mean by judgmental people is people judging me for recording. It is possible I am going to come across all sorts of non understanding individuals saying to me things like : "You don't have learning disabilities, so why do you need to record?" and yes I am going to get all sorts time wasting unnecessary questions. It's people who get their noses where they don't belong.


Why do you feel the need to record them?
In my experience it tends to be foreign students otherwise I would say recording them is false economy. They are dull enough the first time round. Seems like a good idea at the time.


The lectures are the intellectual property of the lecturer, so yes you need to ask. Some lecturers dont like it, so you should respect their wishes.
Reply 18
Oh man, people and their rights. The world is corrupt.
Reply 19
Original post by Seamus123
You don't need permission from other students to record lectures.


You do if you record them too. If OP is trying to record from his desk/seat using his phone or laptop to do so it will be terrible quality and will potentially pick up side conversations, questions, discussions from neighbouring students. That is an invasion of their privacy.

Now in practice it's probably fine, but OP needs to be respectful and aware of others rights.

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