Physics teacher Kirk Davis has recently implemented a new tutorial sign-in/out system for his students. Using a slip of paper with their ID numbers on it, students only have to scan the paper once to leave his class, making the process far easier and efficient than the current paper system.
With the current school-wide system, students are required to sign in and out on sheets of paper with their name, student ID, date, time and destination. The result is a congested line at the end of the period with 20 students all waiting for their turn to sign out. At times, it can take nearly five minutes just to get out of the classroom.
To bypass the line, many students choose to simply not write anything on the paper, or instead scribble on the paper to make it look like they did. Even if students put the required information, more often than not, it is illegible, making the entire entry practically worthless. Many students, if asked, would reply that the method is slow and more of a waste of time. Clearly the current method is simply counterproductive as the school would be unable to actually track student movements based on these sheets.
If a system of these or other ID scanners is implemented in every classroom, the overall process would improve vastly. Lines to exit and enter classrooms would be pretty much nonexistent, allowing more time for students during tutorial to suit their needs, be it getting help from teachers or working on a project or homework. The time it takes to sign out clearly cuts down on possible work time during tutorial, and makes it hard to schedule things like make-up tests or project meetings.
Logging student activities would also be more efficient and reliable than relying on student compliance. A system connected to software, like a spreadsheet, that automatically updates each time a card is scanned with the student name, ID number, time and date, would make tracking student movements a lot easier than trying to decipher horrible handwriting. A quick check of the spreadsheet could instantly tell someone what room a student was in at what time.
Concerns that destinations could not be tracked are simply unfounded; students would be required to also scan on their way into classrooms.
Although a system like this isn’t the only solution available to fix the many problems with the current tutorial sign-out sheet, it would be one of the most efficient once implemented.