Universities across the United States want to address students’ attendance records. Mizzou, the University of Missouri, is not necessarily taking the right approach in this regard.
The university currently forces students to use an app allowing them to track student’s locations.
An Odd Experiment by Mizzou
That information is then cross-referenced with their attendance in classes.
This measure is primarily aimed at student athletes, as they will be required to use this app at all times.
Newcomers at Mizzou will be able to opt-in, albeit they aren’t required to make use of this software.
Tracking programs like these will always create a lot of concerns, for obvious reasons.
Privacy concerns, for example, are not hard to find.
Even so, university officials are convinced this is to the benefit of students, regardless of some minor sacrifices to be made.
While a modern approach to logging students’ attendance is commendable, a “tracking” application is not the right approach.
For now, alternative methods will remain available, including signing an attendance sheet.
The application is known as SpotterEDU, and is developed by a former basketball coach.
According to Mizzou officials, it will not track students’ locations outside of the classroom during class times.
There is no GPS built into the app, according to the website.
