Table of Contents
Background
- In January 2023, the state school education and literacy department in Ranchi, India, implemented a new technology called geofencing to track teacher attendance. Geofencing uses GPS or RFID to create a virtual geographical boundary around a school campus. When a teacher’s phone enters or leaves the boundary, their attendance is automatically marked.
Challenge
- The department had been struggling with teacher absenteeism for several years. In 2022, the average teacher attendance rate was 85%. This meant that on average, teachers were absent for 15 days per year. The department believed that geofencing would help to improve attendance by making it more difficult for teachers to mark themselves present when they were not actually at school.
Solution
- The department partnered with a technology company to develop a geofencing app for teachers. The app is free to download and use. Once installed, the app uses the teacher’s phone’s GPS to determine their location. When the teacher arrives at school, they open the app and tap “Start Attendance.” The app then creates a geofence around the school campus. If the teacher leaves the geofence, their attendance will be automatically marked absent.
Results
- The geofencing app has been in use for six months and has had a significant impact on teacher attendance. The average teacher attendance rate has increased to 95%. This means that teachers are now absent for an average of 5 days per year. The department is pleased with the results of the geofencing app and plans to continue using it in the future.
Benefits of Geofencing for Teacher Attendance
- Increased accuracy: Geofencing provides a more accurate way of tracking teacher attendance than traditional methods, such as signing in and out at the school office.
- Reduced administrative burden: Geofencing eliminates the need for teachers to manually mark their attendance. This can save time and resources for the school administration.
- Increased accountability: Geofencing can help to hold teachers accountable for their attendance. Teachers who are frequently absent may be subject to disciplinary action.
- Improved student learning: When teachers are present, students are more likely to learn. Geofencing can help to ensure that students have access to the high-quality instruction they need to succeed.
Conclusion
- Geofencing is a promising new technology that can be used to improve teacher attendance. The results of the geofencing app in Ranchi, India, have been very positive. The app has helped to increase teacher attendance and improve student learning. If you are struggling with teacher absenteeism, geofencing may be a solution for you.