Policies
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Learn more about the general policies and best practices for Canvas @ Yale.
Guidelines for use of Non-Yale Supported Technology, including AI
Yale University is required to comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA protects the privacy of student educational records, and educational records are, broadly speaking, any information directly related to the student and maintained by Yale, or a party on our behalf, such as a centrally supported application like Canvas.
One reason to use only technology that Yale provides—such as Canvas and Clarity—is that they are centrally supported by ITS and the Poorvu Center, and they have been reviewed and implemented to comply with university standards including FERPA and accessibility. When using technology not provided by Yale, instructors can better ensure compliance with university standards and regulatory requirements including protecting students’ privacy if they follow the following guidelines.
Optional Use of External Technology
Instructors cannot require students to create accounts for a non-Yale supported tool or platform. As a result, instructors cannot require an activity that relies on a non-Yale supported tool or platform as the only way to complete an assignment, especially if the tool itself may not meet accessibility standards. Either assignments that use these tools must be optional, or instructors must provide students with an alternative way to complete the assignment.
Maintaining Student Anonymity
It is difficult to remain completely anonymous, but it is important that instructors not force students to self-identify in non-Yale systems. To protect their identities, tools or platforms that do not require a login or users to create accounts should be considered first. If accounts are required, students should acknowledge they are allowed to remain anonymous by using an alternative email address that does not identify who they are to create accounts, and that other potentially identifiable data, such as location data or IP addresses, may be collected and be accessible to others.
Consent for Non-Yale Supported Tools
Students should be told in advance about course-based activities that involve non-Yale supported tools and that these activities are optional and can be completed anonymously.
Looking for AI Guidance?
Have a question about using AI in your class? Check out the Poorvu Center’s AI Guidance page for updated information about using AI in your teaching.
Copyright Law
Copyright law governs (among other activities) the copying, displaying, and sharing of works including in digital form. While the law permits use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder in certain educational contexts (such as in-class teaching and “fair use,” as defined by copyright law), educational uses typically exempted in traditional classroom settings may not be permitted in all cases in digital environments and may require the permission of the copyright holder.
Yale University is committed to complying with all applicable intellectual property laws and expect all members of the Yale community to respect copyright. It is the user’s responsibility to determine if the content posted on this site complies with copyright law.
By posting content on this site, you affirm the content was lawfully acquired and belong to you or an University library or department and:
- You are the copyright holder; or
- You have obtained express permission to use the content from the copyright holder or determined such content is in the public domain under copyright law; or
- You have completed a fair use evaluation and determined in good faith after reasonable inquiry that the use of the copyrighted work is a “fair use” under copyright law.
Copyright Best Practices
Strategies to support the appropriate use of materials via the Canvas learning management system.
Privacy
An individual’s right to not have his or her image, voice, performance and personal information shared with others without the individual’s permission is protected by a system of federal and state laws. For example, the privacy of student education records is protected by the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). With few exceptions, FERPA restricts the University, its employees and other school officials from releasing or sharing student educational records, or information from such records, without the student’s written consent. Information and materials of students shared on or submitted through digital educational tools may be protected under FERPA. Similarly, the confidentiality and security of personal health information is protected by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Each person who handles protected health information must be aware of their obligations under the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. Most digital educational tools should never be used for sharing any electronic health information protected under HIPAA. Please refer to hipaa.yale.edu and contact the University’s HIPAA Privacy Office (hipaa@yale.edu) to find out if a specific tool meets all the requirements for sharing electronic health information.
Canvas Data and Academic Integrity
Canvas Data was designed to support teaching and learning, not to detect academic dishonesty.
Terms of Use
Yale University is committed to creating and maintaining active environments for innovation. For many - particularly as it relates to teaching and learning - sharing digital content is a critical component to innovation. While Yale encourages and supports such innovation, we must remind the University community that all activities that involve the use of content created by, or featuring images or personal information about, others must comply with copyright and privacy laws as well as applicable University policy.