Going off site app/software

RobDogDog · 10 Oct 2016 at 09:09

Hi folks,

Does anyone know of any app/software that allows people to say "I'm currently not on site". Basically, one of our Sixth Form Year tutors wants to know if there's a way that the students can sign out that doesn't require them to write their name in a book.

Not sure where to start looking to thought I'd try here first!

Mujja · 10 Oct 2016 at 09:28

Surely it's easier to just sign out in a book on the front desk than ask a student to login to to computer to access an application. Even if the app was on a mobile device you're still relying on the student to mark their location. If the app tracked location would that be allowed?

One of those boards with a token for each person. The user flips the token to green when on site and red when off.

RobDogDog · 10 Oct 2016 at 09:36

Mujja said:
Surely it's easier to just sign out in a book on the front desk than ask a student to login to to computer to access an application. Even if the app was on a mobile device you're still relying on the student to mark their location. If the app tracked location would that be allowed?

One of those boards with a token for each person. The user flips the token to green when on site and red when off.

To be honest, that's my thinking as well. I can see there being the same issues as with a book. "Let's go down the shop", and then forgetting, not be arsed about signing out.

Mujja · 10 Oct 2016 at 09:48

RobTheMonk said:
To be honest, that's my thinking as well. I can see there being the same issues as with a book. "Let's go down the shop", and then forgetting, not be arsed about signing out.

It's easier to remind and make someone sign their name in a book than asking them to go back to a a computer and set their location. Especially if they only want to go to a shop around the corner.

What happens when student sets their location as out on a computer and logsoff, then on their way out of the building stops to talk to someone and decides to stay in the building. They'll then have to waste more time finding a spare computer to login to and change the location. I can't see many bothering to set their location.

Orcvader · 10 Oct 2016 at 13:03

Not sure if it's possible for yours but the 6th form I was studying in had NFC electronic gates on all the entrances, which requires a student/staff card to get through. Guests would go through the main entrance with the guard tapping them in. Was a nice way to see who was on campus and who wasn't.

RobDogDog · 10 Oct 2016 at 13:52

Orcvader said:
Not sure if it's possible for yours but the 6th form I was studying in had NFC electronic gates on all the entrances, which requires a student/staff card to get through. Guests would go through the main entrance with the guard tapping them in. Was a nice way to see who was on campus and who wasn't.

Unfortunately not possible for where I am. We do potentially have biometrics coming into play in the near future so it may be that we can do something with that...

Mujja · 10 Oct 2016 at 14:14

Problem with a lot of door security systems is stopping people from tailgating when they leave. It's easier to stop people tailgating in to the building.

Does the 6th form tutor want to monitor the location of students for his own benefit or for the school as a whole? If it's a school wide thing then he should be speaking to security.

If it's for himself would that even be allowed?

RobDogDog · 10 Oct 2016 at 15:08

Mujja said:
Problem with a lot of door security systems is stopping people from tailgating when they leave. It's easier to stop people tailgating in to the building.

Does the 6th form tutor want to monitor the location of students for his own benefit or for the school as a whole? If it's a school wide thing then he should be speaking to security.

If it's for himself would that even be allowed?

I think the issue has to do with the dreaded Health and Safety. We recently had a fire drill and I think there were numerous Sixth Form off site who hadn't signed out because they *insert excuse here*. There's a safeguarding issue where we need to know who is on/off site.

It definitely would not be just for one individual checking and would be monitored by numerous parties. I personally don't think it would be viable with software or an app for reasons that you've stated. We kind of deal with security side of things as well - CCTV, camera installation so we're probably the right department to ask, but not sure there's anything that would do the job in a safe, non-intrusive manner at the moment.

ttaskmaster · 10 Oct 2016 at 16:01

RobTheMonk said:
Basically, one of our Sixth Form Year tutors wants to know if there's a way that the students can sign out that doesn't require them to write their name in a book.

Perhaps the tutor should focus on teaching them how to write their names in the first place, so it's no longer a chore or embarrassment for those who can't?
And for those 'intellectually challenged' (read: lazy) students, a simple In/Out tickbox next to their name (or a picture of themselves, if they still can't read) should suffice?

If all that is too much and the tutor still wants this, I believe there actually is a number of childcare apps that do such things, as well as having features like reports on attendance...

Mujja · 10 Oct 2016 at 16:08

Might be going off-topic now but the only way to get an accurate count of who is on-site is to install turnstiles or rotating doors with one in/out.

However, during an evacuation everyone leaves through fire exits. The headcount at the assembly is never going to match the number you had in the building as people wander off for a smoke or an early/late lunch.

Everywhere I've worked rely on co-workers making sure no one is left inside and the fire marshals doing a sweep of the building. Last time we had a headcount was at school.

RobDogDog · 10 Oct 2016 at 17:19

Yeah, I'm a fire marshall myself so I have to sweep our department with another lad. I think this has arisen as the Sixth Form have more freedom to come and go and thus creating gaps. Tbh, the whole procedure is difficult to manage what with the potential for students to be not where their supposed to be (ie, they've gone to get something from the other side of the school and therefore have a different evac point). Thanks for all the input though guys and gals, it's pretty much cementing what my initial thoughts were.

MarcLister · 10 Oct 2016 at 21:44

At the school I'm ICT Manager at we have a sign in system for staff and visitors called Inventry. Visitors can sign in using the touch screen and have a photo printed onto a label that they wear.

Staff can sign in an out using a card. The Inventry system works with most access cards, you just have to choose the correct reader. There is also a barcode scanner to allow for visitors to sign out just by scanning their printed labels rather than have to use the touch screen to sign out.

Students could be added to the system and be asked to sign in and out using the touch screen. The only problem is getting them to actually do this. Even if you linked it to a door system there is nothing to stop one person tailgating another, as has already been mentioned.

AHarvey · 11 Oct 2016 at 01:41

I've not read the thread so far but:

I'd look at NFC ID cards and NFC readers, allowing people to swipe in and out as they come and go.

Another option could be something like RFID, up to 500m range on some designs. You could have RFID readers in certain areas that can see all tags on the premises, or even just have lower range ones at entrances/exits that automatically pick up people entering or leaving.

Something like this: http://www.rfidconnect.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=03e9023c-a0cd-453b-8a84-8b745f762340

Not sure if you could do the same thing with mobile phones and wifi connections. Could you collect MAC id's from phones and have wifi automatically pick up if they are within range?

Raspi's at entrances/exits + cameras with facial recognition systems maybe?

Orcvader · 11 Oct 2016 at 17:11

Mujja said:
Problem with a lot of door security systems is stopping people from tailgating when they leave. It's easier to stop people tailgating in to the building.

I guess it depends on the layout of the entire campus itself. While my 6th form was split into around 5 buildings there was only two entrances to the actual campus, and there was always at least one guard per entrance. Probably due to this it was easy to prevent tailgaters.