Contents of this article:
- Default sharing
- Community Groups
- What are Networks?
- Coaching Network
- Collaboration Network
- Data Sharing Considerations
- Requesting a Network is Created
- FAQs
Default sharing
By default, you will only be able to share with users in your organisation. This is to ensure data security and safeguarding requirements are met.
However, to enable additional collaboration with other users outside of your organisation, this ‘network’ is able to be expanded to sharing either via the use of community groups or coaching/collaboration networks, which both require administrator approval.
Community Groups
Groups enable you to share content with a collection of users via a collaborative space. By default a group will be a local group, meaning that only members from your organisation are able to join it and view the content shared with it.
Groups can be updated to Community Groups, enabling other users from outside your organisation to join. This upgrade must be approved by an Organisation Administrator.
Additionally, the ability for a member of your organization to be a ‘contributor’ to this type of group is governed by the administrator, who can decide to approve/not approve groups. If a group is removed from an organization's 'whitelist', all media shared with the group that is owned by members of that organization is immediately removed.
More information can be found on the Group Permissions page and Organisation Administrator responsibilities page.
Assignments
Within Groups, Assignments can also be used to enable sharing of content. More information on assignments can be found here.
What are Networks?
Coaching and Collaboration Networks allow multiple organisations to work together as if they were one larger organization - allowing users to share content directly with other users. Networks are a restricted feature meaning they need an administrator's approval.
There are two types of networks:
The main difference is that in a Coaching Network, members of the network can only share with selected individuals (in Organisation 1) whereas in a collaboration network members can share with any other network member.
Coaching Network
This model is generally used for ITT providers / Coaches to provide mentoring without participants being able to share with each other.
All or selected users from any number of organisations can share to one selected 'coaching' organisation (or selected users 'coaches' from that organisation) but not each other.
Only the selected 'coaching' organisation has the option for sharing to all users in the network and being shared to.
Users from other organisations cannot share with each other.
Collaboration Network
This model is generally used for schools in an academy chain or trust or for projects where users from different organisations need to share with each other.
This network supports any combination of organisations and users. Any user within the network can share with any other user.
Data Sharing Considerations
We recommend that make sure you have a data-sharing agreement in place between the organisations wishing to share between them and you might need to update your privacy notice if this doesn't already reflect this data sharing.
If unsure we suggest you consult with your Data Protection Officer who should be able to advise you.
Further resources can be found here.
Requesting a Network is Created
In order to create a network between organisations, we require written approval from either the IRIS Connect Leads or a member of leadership team of all organisations in the network.
This is required because this feature changes one of the key default aspects of the IRIS Connect system meaning that users will be able to share outside of their organisation without the use of groups and admin approval for each group.
Links to the Request Forms
Follow the relevant link below. You will need to login into your IRIS Connect account:
Please make sure to read the information relating to the relevant feature below before submitting a form to ensure you are aware of any potential risks and alternatives.
PLEASE NOTE: These forms must be completed by an Organisation Administrator.
Permission from an administrator is required because enabling one of these features changes one of the default key aspects of the IRIS Connect system - typically regarding data security and control or sharing permissions.
Network FAQs
Can't I just use Groups?
Users from different organisations can create community Groups and then share that way, however for every individual user or different Group of users they would need to create a different Group which is time-consuming and requires the IRIS Connect lead to approve the request.
What is the typical use case of these networks?
Collaboration Network: For organisations who work closely together, for example for schools who are in alliance, MAT, federation, etc. who want to work together.
Coaching Network: This could be if there is a coach or mentor who is working with someone from a different organisation, for example, a University mentor and a trainee teacher at their placement school.
How do I share via the network?
When a user goes to share a reflection they will now see an extended list of users including members from their own organization plus users from other organisations within the network.