Campus card systems play important role
A cloud-based attendance system that leverages existing campus technology provides additional benefits with the automation needed to centralize attendance records while also making them easily accessible to faculty members for grading and review purposes. If that system also includes an easy way for students to “check in” as they enter class, an attendance system can minimize class disruption and save time for faculty by reducing friction.
Leveraging the student credential and campus card system already set up to provide contactless or card-swipe functionality for financial transactions and door access is an obvious choice. An additional institution benefit of integrating the card system with attendance is greater value recognition from existing investment.
Using the ID card to facilitate attendance tracking makes check-in attendance as simple as students swiping or tapping their credential against a purpose-built reader mounted inside the classroom, sitting on the instructor’s desk, or passed around student-to-student if class is being held outside or in an alternate location. This way, attendance is taken instantly, without hassle to faculty and students.
Ensuring the success of students, both academically and later professionally, is essential to building the reputation and brand of any college or university. As institutions seek more ways to engage with students and ensure their academic success, many will discover the value of monitoring attendance combined with data analytics.
Class attendance is highly correlated to improved academic performance for all students, but especially freshmen and sophomores. Attendance is also one of several important measurements of student engagement. Simply put, actively engaged students are much more likely to persist at college and earn a degree than their less engaged peers.
Attendance Systems that integrate with the campus credentialing system make it very easy for students to register their attendance by using their IDs. This attendance data is easily combined with other data streams and incorporated into a bigger picture of campus engagement for administrators focusing on at-risk students, boosting retention, ensuring student success and fostering institutional financial health.
1Douglas Belkin, “Cracking Down on Skipping Class,” Wall Street Journal, January 14, 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.wsj.com/articles/crackingdownonskippingclass1421196743.