Using RFIDs To Take Student Attendance

Northern Arizona University is contemplating using RFID proximity card readers to automatically take attendance in its classes with an aim to increase attendance and student performance. The system will use sensors to detect students’ university ID cards as they enter the classroom. NAU initially plans to install the sensors in large freshmen and sophomore classes with more than 50 students.

The university’s administration says that students who regularly attend classes are generally more successful than those that don’t and is considering class attendance as part of the course grade. However, the use of RFIDs and linking attendance to grades has received flak from some students who feel the sensor system is an invasion of privacy and they should be able to decide for themselves whether to attend a class or not.

Northern Arizona University

[via IEEE Spectrum]

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