Guidance on Data Sharing in Glow
Glow has several Community Rules,
which should be discussed with young people. A range of resources available on Glow Connect can also support learners in the safe use of the various tools within Glow.
- As well as these Glow Community rules, education staff should:
Not let anyone else access Glow using their account - Not access Glow with another person’s account
- Take care when accessing Glow in a public space
- Not use Glow to contact learners unless it is part of the staff member’s job
- Not use Glow for promoting commercial ventures
- Report any concerns about inappropriate use of Glow. The “Report a Glow Concern” process
Only information related to the delivery of education should be created, stored and shared in Glow.
Sensitive information should not be stored in Glow, but rather only in systems designed for those specific
purposes (e.g. SEEMiS). Before any information is stored or shared on Glow, potential consequences for an
individual, school or local authority in the event of the information being lost, stolen or misused should be
considered.
The table below may help you identify the suitability of Glow for storing or sharing information:
| Scenario | Examples | Suitability for Glow |
| I would be happy for this information to be openly shared in the classroom. |
|
Suitable for Glow |
| I would be happy for this information to be shared and overheard amongst colleagues in the staff room. |
|
Use Glow in line with the Council’s acceptable use policy, taking care to protect the content for the appropriate audience. |
| I would only want this information discussed in private; I would not be happy for this information for be seen or heard by others outside of my control. |
|
Not suitable for Glow. Other systems are more appropriate for storing such information (e.g. SEEMiS). However, Glow is not precluded from having a role, particularly in creation and collaboration, with subsequent deletion and more appropriate storage elsewhere |
Storing & sharing information on Glow
M365, Google Workplace and Glow Blogs enable you to store and share a large volume of information within Glow.
Only information related to the delivery of education should be created, stored and shared in Glow.
Glow is not intended for the storage of sensitive data. Sensitive information must be managed within designated council systems.
Sharing files:
A file or folder can be shared by clicking the sharing icon to the right of the name of the file or folder:
Or by right clicking the document and selecting “Share” from the menu that appears and then select “Share” from the sub menu:
Sharing Options
The recommended method of sharing files and folders is by adding individuals and assigning them access. In the image below “D Teacher 02” has been assigned the default level of access “Viewer”. You can also allow them to be able to Comment or Edit the file as well as adding an expiry date and time to their access.
General access
There is an additional option on the sharing window titled “General access”. This sets the default access for anyone not listed in the “People with access” section. The following options are available:
-
Restricted: access is explicitly limited to the specific people you directly add as viewers, commenters, or editors.
-
Argyll and Bute: Everyone with an Argyll and Bute Glow account will be able to view the file.
-
Anyone with the link: If someone possesses the link, they can access the content (including non-Glow users).
Prior to configuring sharing permissions, it is imperative to assess the nature of the information and the intended recipients.
Best Practices for Secure Sharing
To mitigate potential risks, consider the following best practices:
- ‘Argyll and Bute’ sharing’ – this option grants viewing access to all staff and pupils. Use it only for sharing non-personal, non-sensitive curricular information, such as project materials where collaboration is required between 2 schools.
- Use ‘Anyone with the link’ only in exceptional cases – this option grants access to a worldwide audience. Periodically check the sharing settings of your files and folders to ensure only authorised users have access.
- Sharing for sensitive data – confidential or sensitive data must not be stored in Glow.
- Avoid sharing links publicly – do not share links to documents in external platforms or websites unless you are confident that the correct sharing permissions have been set.
- Choose appropriate permission levels – grant only the necessary level of access to each collaborator.
- Consider expiration dates – Google Drive allows the user to give temporary access to documents, and this feature should be implemented when possible.
- Educate collaborators – Ensure that everyone involved understands the importance of data security and proper sharing practices.
Further information
If you require further information on setting file sharing permissions in Glow, please contact the Digital Learning Team digitalhub@argyll-bute.gov.uk