One of the ways to increase student and employee attendance in schools might be by using biometric facial recognition technology to register attendance. Face recognition technology is now being used by many colleges, in order to pressurize students to attend class. Some colleges are even tagging students electronically and forming rules of attendance. Educational institutions are taking this step in order to force students to attend all their classes, so that the high cost of education is justified. Also, employee attendance is necessary so that colleges run smoothly.
Facial recognition using an app
Due to many terror attacks on campus, the security of educational institutions is also paramount. Security can be improved by face recognition and other biometric recognition techniques, as only approved people will be able to enter the campus.
Using this technology also saves time, as roll call takes away 10% of the class time, and free up time for learning. And to make things easier, researchers at Missouri’s University of Science and Technology have developed a facial recognition app which can track attendance.
The app is quite simple – instructors can scan the classroom with their phones, capturing the image of every student. Then, before beginning a class, they can click a few more images, recording the presence of all the students who are present in the class. This data is then logged into the college’s system automatically.
This app is not available on a mass scale yet. The researchers are also working on integrating the app with softwares which enable learning management, which would give access to parents to keep a check on their children.
Facial recognition technology will help to keep students in class, and reduce absenteeism. Playing hooky may no longer be an option in the future!
Advantages of facial recognition in schools
Apart from the app described above, facial recognition is carried out with the help of biometric terminals too. A few advantages of facial recognition terminals are:
Fast access
Facial recognition terminals are reliable and fast, which makes them ideal for education centres like schools, colleges etc. These terminals are best for institutions which have a huge number of students.
Hygienic
Face biometric terminals do not require any physical contact with the person, which makes it a hygienic technology. This is important in schools and colleges, as contact based biometric systems can lead to unwanted infections. But this danger can be avoided with contactless facial recognition technology.
Low rate of error
This biometric form of access has an extremely low rate of error, which means that it allows highly dependable identification.
Easy to install
Facial recognition terminals are very easy to install and use, in locations where a lot of people have to be identified in a fast, hygienic and dependable manner.
How is facial recognition useful or employee attendance
Biometric attendance and time solutions, such as facial recognition, has been developed to keep track of a person’s whereabouts. In the most basic form, employees log in their attendance in attendance registers, and the next step is to punch in using punch cards, digital sheets and so on. But these methods have a major flaw – you cannot determine whether it is an employee or his colleague who has signed the register or punched in (popularly known as ‘buddy punching’!). This leads to employee truancy, leading to decrease in productivity.
But with facial recognition or other biometric systems, employees cannot fake attendance, as the physical details of every person is different. A scanned iris, finger or face ensures employee attendance and reduces truancy. This helps to keep records efficiently and ensures accurate payroll, which can save a lot of money for employers.
Facial recognition technology is especially useful in schools, retail spaces, healthcare clinics, and construction sites, which are sectors which require employees to be physically present, according to set schedules. For sectors in which a large number of employees work in shifts, facial recognition technology can put a stop to ‘buddy punching’ and lead to efficient attendance record keeping.
Educational institutions, such as schools and colleges can use facial recognition technology to ensure that students attend classes regularly, and examinations are taken by students who are enrolled and not their substitutes.
