Staying Safe While Learning and Teaching Online

Review Guidance for Online Meetings, Lectures and Study

Avoid Zoombombing

As some classes, meetings and events are held online during hybrid work and study, it is important to take extra precautions to safeguard your own safety as well as the safety of others. Especially when using online meeting tools such as Zoom, which enable our community to connect with people outside the University, consider the following safety tips and recommendations.

When using Zoom, ensure that you take the following precautions:

• Always require a password for meetings. This password should never be shared publicly and should be sent separately from the meeting invitation.
• Do not share meeting links on social media or other public platforms where they can easily be intercepted by trolls or cybercriminals.
• Use the Waiting Room feature and verify all attendees one-by-one before granting access.

Guidance for Meeting Hosts

• Change your screen sharing settings to ‘Host only.’ This will prevent trolls from accessing your video calls. You can either change this in your pre-meeting settings or in the in-call admin settings for Share Screen -> Advanced Sharing Settings.
• Disable “Join Before Host” to prevent people causing trouble before you arrive.
• Enable “Co-Host” so you can assign a co-facilitator to help you moderate.
• Disable “File Transfer” to prevent digital virus sharing.
• Disable “Allow Removed Participants to Rejoin” so that expelled attendees cannot regain access.
• Do not use personal email addresses when registering for, or using, Zoom. Use your University email instead.
• No confidential, sensitive or personally-identifiable University information should be discussed or displayed.  

More tips and guidance on how to prevent Zoombombing and troubleshoot disruptions in video conferences can be found at the links below.

University of Edinburgh Zoom guidance

8 Quick Tips To Keep You From Getting "Zoombombed" By Trolls (Buzzfeed News)

Understand Ethical and Safe Use of Generative AI in Study and Work

The University encourages the use of Generative AI with integrity. Be sure to understand the guidelines for use of Generative AI in your study and work at the University.

Generative Artificial Intelligence guidance for students

Generative Artificial Intelligence guidance for staff

Access the Learning Technology Hub and Training

Learn more about the services and systems available to support the use of technology in learning and teaching. Specialist support and guidance is available to all staff, including training, pedagogy-focussed workshops, and engagement events.

Learning Technology Hub

Learning Technology Training

Stay Safe as you Share your Research on Social Media

Researchers, like many other professionals who maintain a significant online presence, are at risk of various forms of online harm. Find tips on staying safe online and discussing controversial topics on the following blog.

Managing your social media presence and use as a researcher

Students: Prepare for Hybrid Learning

Find a range of study skills support to help you prepare for a mix of in-person and digital teaching at this handy web hub for students, including an introduction to the University's virtual learning environment and short transition courses.

Prepare for hybrid learning

Staff: Off-site Working Guidance

Find information on how to get set up for home working, instructions for remote desktop, cloud-based file storage, connecting to University file storage, holding meetings online and accessing other University services off-site.

Information Services Off-site Working Guidance

Staff: Provide Effective Interventions When Witnessing Poor Online Behaviours

The Creating Safe and Inclusive Online Learning Spaces Toolkit brings together ideas to create positive online learning spaces, and offers considerations for online engagement.

Creating Safe and Inclusive Online Learning Spaces

Follow Etiquette and Uphold Dignity and Respect Online

Follow Video Conference Etiquette

It is important to employ good practice when it comes to both facilitating and participating in video conferences and online classrooms. Currently, the University supports the use of Microsoft Teams, Blackboard Collaborate, and Zoom for video conferencing and meetings. Tips for communicating successfully through video conferencing include:

• Set an agenda for your session and stick to this to ensure everyone remains on the same page.
• Choose a quiet location for attending any video conferences or meetings.
• Arrive early to allow plenty of time to check mics and connections.
• Advise participants to mute their microphone when not speaking.
• Set clear expectations for engagement at the start of a session. For example, ask participants to use the "raise your hand" function in Collaborate before speaking.
• Consider using a pre-recorded presentation if your session needs to reach a lot of people.
• Ensure your session caters for accessibility needs, for example by including subtitles and offering the content in an alternative format.

You can find more in-depth etiquette tips for operating video conferences and virtual classrooms at the link below:

13 etiquette tips for video conference calls (Tech Republic)

Uphold Dignity and Respect Online

The University of Edinburgh has a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of bullying and harassment. As members of an international community that prides itself on honouring diverse perspectives, it is important to practise good digital citizenship and treat all others with dignity and respect both online and off.

The Respect at Edinburgh web hub offers helpful guidance on the University’s Dignity and Respect policy, the processes for raising and addressing concerns, and the support and training available.

Respect at Edinburgh Web Hub

Understand Digital Citizenship for Students and Educators

The importance of digital citizenship cannot be understated as we continue to use digital technologies in learning and teaching. In the following Media Hopper Create video (5m25s), Dr. Vicki Madden, former Digital Safety Support Officer in the Digital Skills and Training team, considers some of the implications of digital citizenship for students, educators and the general public.

Prioritise Digital Wellbeing

Top Tips for Digital Wellbeing While Hybrid Working

This guide is intended for all University staff and students engaging in hybrid working: a mix of on campus and off campus working unconstrained by one specific location. The guide provides a range of tips and resources for how staff can prioritise mental and physical health while using and relying on digital devices to work and connect with others who might be working from a different site.

Top Tips for Digital Wellbeing While Hybrid Working (UoE SharePoint)

© Shivani Rao, Victoria Madden, University of Edinburgh, 2022, CC BY-SA 4.0, unless otherwise indicated.