If you use a MOOC from edX.org or edge.edX.org as a mandatory element of your campus education, you need to be aware of the following:
- Due to tightened privacy legislation (GDPR/AVG) it is no longer allowed to require that TU Delft students create an account on edX.org or edge.edX.org. TU Delft does not have a data processor agreement (verwerkersovereenkomst) with these platforms for TU Delft students.
- The TU Delft IT policy does not allow ICT systems to be hosted in the US (and edX.org or edge.edX.org are both hosted on a US platform and managed by edX).
- The edX.org or edge.edX.org platforms are not suitable for summative assessment, i.e. graded tests/assignments. This has to do with ID verification and also with the legal retention period of results.
Impact on campus education
- Students must be informed before the start of the course about what happens to their data when they register on edX.org or edge.edX.org. They must give explicit permission (informed consent) for their data to be stored by edX.
- If any students fail to give informed consent, they must be offered an alternative. Students must be able to achieve the learning objectives of the course, regardless of their taking a MOOC on any of these platforms.
Alternative platform
As from the 2019-2020 academic year, an alternative platform will be available should you need it:
- An open.edx environment on https://onlinecourses.tudelft.nl linked to net-ID, but also with the option of manual accounts
- In the TU Delft house-style
- GDPR-compliant (DPA, hosting in Europe, data fully owned by TU Delft).
Accordingly, a copy of your edX.org/edge.edX.org MOOC can be transferred to the new open edX platform for you and your campus students.
What if you still would like to use the MOOC on edX.org?
A disadvantage of the above-mentioned option is that campus students won’t come into contact with an international audience in their field, thus missing a very unique opportunity to collaborate and learn from peers all over the world. Another drawback is that you, as a teacher, must manage both the MOOC on edX.org and the course on the new alternative platform for your campus students. Our advice is that, if you value the learning experience that participating in a MOOC on edX gives your campus students, you discuss GDPR constraints with them and seek their informed consent, before asking anyone to create an account on edX.
You need to add a question in Brightspace to inform your learners and ask for their consent. They will only see the link to the course on edX if they give consent. A template for this solution will be available for you to use.
Please, be aware that the student’s final grade is not only based on the results in the edX MOOC.
It is important that you offer those students who choose not to use edX an alternative in the form of one or more different assignments that achieve the same learning objectives of the MOOC. A learning developer will always be happy to offer his/her support in this matter.
Who should you approach for questions or requests to use the new platform?
- For questions about these rules and regulations, please contact Willem van Valkenburg (W.F.vanValkenburg@tudelft.nl)
- If you would like to make use of the new platform, please send an email to
edx-tls@tudelft.nl
