In April, there were reports that Northern Arizona University had plans to use wireless ID card reader technology — the description sounds like radio frequency identification (RFID) technology — to track student attendance in classes. I don’t think it’s a good idea to force student attendance at a college via electronic tracking. Part of the point of going to college is for young adults — and most university students are over 18 and legally adults — to learn they must be disciplined in their decision-making. If you don’t sleep in or show up on time to class or work, then you get punished with failing the test or firing — you are forced to live with the consequences of your actions.

Arizona Public Radio reports that Northern Arizona University has implemented the electronic-tracking program for its students: “When students flash their ID cards near a scanner, a light turns green, and they get checked off on an attendance report.” This means that students can easily hand their ID cards to a friend and skip class — which negates the point of the system that is funded by taxpayers. “The university received $85,000 in federal stimulus funds for its new “electronic attendance” pilot project. The school has installed scanners outside 20 large lecture halls,” APR reports.

There is student opposition to the tracking program; 2,000 have signed a petition against it. “I don’t see why we need to be told what to do anymore,” says junior Rachel Brackett. “I feel like it’s a move toward that — treating us as though we were juveniles.” “She also doesn’t like how the school could track where she is in a ‘Big Brother way.’” APR reports.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 and is filed under Anonymity, Identification, Security, Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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