Was hoping to get some feedback. I currently teach Fundamentals at my school and as a practice I do not allow recording of lectures. Previously I had allowed recording, however I noticed that more times than not, those who recorded the class tended to "check out" in terms of engaging with the content of lecture. One student actually turned on their recorder then sat down, crossed their arms, and just proceeded to stare for a good portion of the lecture.
I understand that learners engage with information in a variety of ways and that some students, especially auditory learners, might find it more challenging if they are unable to record. Acknowledging this, at the start of the semester I do explain my policy of not allowing recording but do state that if a student feels strongly that being unable to record might hinder their learning, that they are allowed to speak to my privately to work out a solution. So far, no one has stepped forward to ask about recording and no one has complained (either publicly or via anonymous faculty eval).
One of my colleagues disagrees and called me out during a meeting saying that if my students are "checked out" then I must not be engaging them enough. She says the literature "clearly supports" that students who record their classes tend to do better.
Would any of you have any advice, experience, or even research to support or refute the practice of recording.
