Biometric attendance monitoring: from science fiction to the lecture theatre

 

In the 2002 film Minority Report biometric identity tests, in the form of retina scanning techniques, are commonplace as a means of personal identification. Biometric tests may have once been the work of science fiction, but they are now a feature of international border control and, it would appear, entering the lecture theatre.

Students at Newcastle University recently voted to oppose a University proposal to use biometrics in attendance monitoring. Newcastle has so far used sign-in sheets to record student attendance, but is looking into other methods like finger-print readers.

All universities monitor the attendance of their students, due in part to a need to meet the requirements of the UK Border Agency to monitor the attendance of international students, and also due to a desire in some institutions to encourage greater student engagement with their studies.

The literature available on the relationship between student attendance and attainment is inconsistent. Nevertheless, there is some empirical evidence (for example see here, here and here) to suggest a positive correlation between attendance and academic performance.

But why use biometric testing? The use of technology is hopefully more efficient than the traditional paper-based register, but there’s also the benefit of validity: it’s difficult for students to ‘sign in’ for fellow students when a biometric test is used. For that reason some institutions are also considering introducing biometric tests to monitor exam attendance.

In Minority Report the main character changes his official identity by having his eyes transplanted, and later accesses a security system using one of the removed eyes. How long before an enterprising student takes on the challenge to overcome biometric attendance monitoring?