I think this *is* something we feel the need to be somewhat concerned
about...
Visitors who are not directly involved in tutoring our students are
given "guest" level access to our courses, which prevents any access to
the discussion area (you can tailor permissions for 'guest' access to
each course sub-section via the 'Manage Course Menu' screen).
If we wanted to give them instructor-level privileges (for the sake of
making them aware of how Blackboard works) then I guess we would set up
a separate "demo" course, with no active student discussion, and let
them play about safely as 'Instructor' in there.
But students are also made aware at the outset (and repeatedly) that
their on-line discussion posts are not made in a context of 100% secure
privacy, but rather are a permanent electronic record of what they have
said, subject to our codes of practice on IT usage and communications.
I think it is reasonable to expect that students' e-mail addresses
should be accessible to fellow students and staff on the same course
(the syntax is guessable anyway), but we don't store students' address
and d.o.b. in Blackboard (I can't see any need for us to do that).
Cheers,
JK
--
Jim Kerslake
Web and on-line learning support officer
Hull York Medical School
www.hyms.ac.uk
t: (01904) 321784
e: [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mackness,
Jenny
Sent: 05 May 2004 19:23
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Data Protection Act
I am very pleased that this has been raised as it is something that
concerns me on my programme. I have lots of tutors within the College
wanting to access our BB site to learn about how BB could be used. In
order to do this, they need to be registered as an instructor - but then
they have access to student discussion boards.
I would be very interested in hearing how other people have overcome
this issue.
Jenny
Jenny Mackness
Programme Leader,
Flexible Modular Primary PGCE/QTS
St.Martin's College,
Rydal Road,
Ambleside,
LA22 9BB
Tel: 015394 30399 or 015394 30257
Email: [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of John Roscoe
Sent: 05 May 2004 11:15
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Data Protection Act
Hello
I wonder if anyone has explored whether Blackboard has any particular
implications under the Data Protection Act? It has been raised here as a
potential concern as some student information can be accessed by fellow
students and academic staff.
My question is whether this is something we need to worry about and if
so have other users some solutions they are willing to share?
I will be delighted to have reassurance that it is not something we need
to be concerned about.
Thanks in anticipation.
john
John Roscoe
e-learning coordinator
Academic Office
Thames Valley University
St Mary's Road
Ealing
London W5 5RF
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
tel: 020 8231 2052
fax: 020 8231 2737
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