Do you have a tool that you would like to check for data protection compliance? The checklist created by Dr Janine Horn for the SOUVER@N project will help you:

 Checklist of data protection-compliant tools for teaching

licensed under CC BY 4.0.

With this checklist, we provide teachers and other employees involved in digitally supported teaching with an overview of responsibilities and legal requirements that must be observed when using digital tools.

It should be noted that this checklist cannot replace advice on data protection law, but is merely intended to provide support in the selection of data protection-compliant tools. In principle, internal university requirements must be taken into account.

We would like to ask you for feedback on the checklist below so that we can adapt the information accordingly if necessary. Your answers will of course be processed anonymously:

https://ww2.unipark.de/uc/AP1/Checkliste/

Checklist last updated March 2024.

Click here to go to Diagrams

Purpose and description
Diagrams.net is an easy-to-use tool for diagrams of all kinds (e.g. mind maps, concept maps, flowcharts). It is ideal for visualising and structuring complex relationships. A wide range of templates offers ideal starting conditions.

Tip/recommendation for implementation
No registration is required for the free open source tool. It can be used in the browser or installed locally. Diagrams.net can be integrated into NextCloud and GitLab, among others.

Advantages for users
Diagrams.net can be used in preparation for projects and teaching as well as during them. If the tool is used in the browser, the diagrams can also be developed collaboratively.

How To
Once you have followed the link to the application, you can start creating your diagram straight away. You do not need to register or download the tool to use it.

Click here to go to OBS Studio

Purpose and description
OBS Studio is an open source software that was developed for live streaming video games and can also record screen content. Recording scenarios can be defined using ‘Sources’ and ‘Scenes’, which can then be easily activated and recorded/transmitted.

Tip/recommendation for implementation
The initial setup of OBS Studio is somewhat more complex and requires familiarisation time. However, once the settings for a specific configuration have been defined, you can stream or create a video recording at the touch of a button. Helpful explanatory videos can be found on the Internet, even if they do not refer to the latest version.

Advantages for users
OBS Studio can be customised precisely to the existing hardware. The many setting options make it possible to create recordings of very good quality. A wide variety of settings (so-called ‘scenes’) can be created and activated as required. If required, these raw recordings can be edited with a separate editing programme (such as Shotcut).

How to
Firstly, the software must be installed on your own workstation. The website offers the corresponding downloads for this. Once installed, a number of settings must be made and the specific hardware integrated. If you are not a video professional yourself, you will need support! YouTube videos or experienced users can help. If in doubt, please contact souveraen@uol.de with your questions. 
 

Click here to go to Collarboard

Intended use and description
Collaboard is an online whiteboard that enables digital collaboration. The advantage is that the board is ‘infinite’ - i.e. users can create their content in different areas of the board without space problems (e.g. sorted according to the respective seminar sessions), so that in the end everything relevant can be found in one place.

Tip/recommendation for implementation
Try for yourself: You can use the collaboard to conduct brainstorming sessions or create mind maps and diagrams, for example. The collaboard allows you to work creatively, but can also be used for recording or structuring. A tip: If you have created content in different areas, you can provide them with quick links so that your students can quickly find the relevant area.

Benefits for teachers
The Collaboard is a whiteboard tool that can be accessed via the Academic Cloud, for example. However, it can also be self-hosted. Overall, this enables low-threshold access, which makes it easier to use in teaching.

Benefits for students
The board created for the course ensures that all relevant information and work can be found in one place, which in turn can be very useful for exam preparation. Students can also create their own boards and structure their learning materials in this way.

How To
Collaboard is provided by the Academic Cloud. You can log in using your UOL access data. After choosing a user name and confirming the Collaboard terms of use, you will be redirected to the main menu and can create a new whiteboard directly.

Click here to go to Cryptpad

Purpose and description
CryptPad is an open source collaboration tool from France. It enables collaborative work on various file formats - regardless of time and place. Various formats are offered: Table, Rich Text, Kanban, Code, Form, Diagram and Markdown slides. 

Tip/recommendation for implementation
Although the CryptPad is a seemingly rudimentary tool, this can be the strength of its ease of use: For example, the Rich Text format can be used for collaborative text editing or for logging. The advantage is that text passages can be commented on and developed further if necessary. Anchors can also be set, which makes it easier to find. There is also a chat in which messages can be saved permanently. 

Benefits for users
The CryptPad can be accessed via the web address cryptpad.fr/ and used directly as a guest without logging in. There are also two registration options, which come with more functions - e.g. files can be uploaded and shared there. No personal data is required for two options, while the third requires an email address to be entered and money to be paid - the options can be selected according to individual preferences. Another decisive advantage (e.g. for use with students) is that the data is encrypted throughout and stored in France.

How To
After following the link to Cryptpad, you can create your first document directly as a guest and choose from a range of formats, but all you need to create an account is a username and password. You can share the documents you have created for joint editing using a link that you can call up in the document view via the ‘Share’ button.

Click here to go to Actionbound

Intended use and description
Actionbound is a media education application for creating and playing digital learning journeys in the form of interactive mobile phone rallies (so-called Bounds). Learning content is conveyed in a playful way using gamification. Actionbound is GDPR-compliant and offers a variety of content elements such as quizzes, tasks, finding locations, surveys, tournaments and much more.

Tip/recommendation for implementation
Actionbound is intuitive and low-threshold to use. Students can play Bounds with their own smartphone and - if an EDU licence is available - can also be invited to work on Bounds via instant accounts.

Benefits for teachers
The use of Actionbound in courses can promote students' attention, creativity, media and social skills as well as independent work and motivation to learn.

Benefits for students
Actionbound promotes sustainable learning through better storage of information in the long-term memory and represents an attractive, interactive learning opportunity overall.

How To
Actionbound is provided by the Academic Cloud. You can log in using your UOL access data. After choosing a user name and confirming the terms of use of Actionbound, you will be redirected to the main menu and you can create a new Bound directly.

Intended use and description
Courseware is a virtual learning environment within the Stud.IP learning management system. With Courseware it is possible to create and organise interactive and multimedia learning units within Stud.IP courses. Learning content can consist of texts, images, audio content, video sequences and quizzes. Courseware is linked to various additional Stud.IP functions (e.g. forum or Vips), making it possible, for example, to integrate communication elements or assessable tasks.

Tip/recommendation for implementation
Even if the creation of courseware units requires a little familiarisation time, it is possible to create interactive learning content relatively quickly. Not only teachers, but also students can use courseware if they are given ‘writing rights’ by the teacher. For example, student teachers can create virtual learning units themselves and develop their digital skills in the process.

Benefits for teachers and students
Courseware content can be offered as self-study units during the semester and thus accompany classroom teaching. Courseware can also be used as an organisational tool and help to support teaching and learning. Learning modules in courseware can not only support classroom teaching, but also enable the implementation of blended learning and collaborative learning. This means that learning is possible regardless of time and place. Students can learn at their own individual pace. Communication between students can also be strengthened during online phases.

How To
You can access the courseware for your course by calling up the desired course in Stud.IP. If the ‘Courseware’ tab is not yet displayed in your menu bar within the course, you must activate it in advance via the ‘Administration’ tab. 

You can get help with courseware from the university didactics department, for example. For a first impression, you can take a look here:  Presentation slides for the lunchtime meeting „Lehre gestalten mit Courseware (May 7th 2024) 

Click here to go to Academic Cloud

Intended use and description
The Academic Cloud is a non-commercial provider of secure and tried-and-tested services for all universities in Lower Saxony. Students and employees of universities in Lower Saxony have automatic and free access to the Academic Cloud. 

Tip/recommendation for implementation 
Login is via an AcademicID and Shibboleth via the university ID. Everything is handled in accordance with German and European data protection and data security guidelines. 

Benefits for lecturers and students
Among other things, the Academic Cloud offers a free, secure sync and share service, which can be used to share individual files or entire folders with other people and work on them collaboratively. It also provides a chat platform, a social network, a Mastodon instance, a video conferencing system, a digital whiteboard and survey and feedback tools. Networking, collaborative work and learning can thus take place in a low-threshold and bundled manner via the Academic Cloud.

How To
To register, select the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg or another academic institution to which you belong and use your usual login. You are then logged in and have access to the various applications offered by the Academic Cloud under the Services tab.