Higher education institutions are key to driving future industry leaders, innovators and forming communities. To maximize their impact, universities must ensure that students are engaged and participating fully in their educational journey and forming these collaborations. A key element to this engagement is class attendance, and its monitoring serves as a fundamental component in academic success.

In this article, we will look at the importance of student attendance monitoring and how software can play its part to take the heavy lifting out of tracking student attendance. 

Why Is Student Attendance Monitoring Important?

Academic Success

Research has consistently shown a positive correlation between class attendance and academic performance. Students who attend classes regularly understand the material better, and are more likely to participate in discussions, and have higher chances of excelling on exams. Classes that offer unmissable learning, student-led approaches and opportunities for key collaboration really drive results that makes it pivotal to students attending class. With so many ways to learn through different online resources, this offering of this mentorship and collaboration is more important than ever to attend to motivate and accelerate the learning process. 

Early Intervention

Regular attendance tracking allows for early identification of students who may be at risk of falling behind. This enables timely intervention that can provide support and resources to students who might otherwise disengage completely and who are likely to drop out altogether. By uncovering any issues, this helps to serve as a way to improve the learning process and to understand why this particular student is not wanting to actively engage with this module or indeed their academic course. 

Accountability & Motivation

Knowing that their attendance is monitored can motivate students to attend classes consistently. This instills a sense of accountability and commitment to their educational responsibilities. It also encourages motivation to attend classes and want to make sure that the learning is truly impactful. There is also a sense of camaraderie to make sure your working with other students and you're encouraging each other to do their best. 

Legal & Financial Compliance

For many institutions, especially those with international students or students receiving scholarships, grants, or financial aid, validating student presence is crucial for compliance with visa regulations and funding requirements. Many Universities and in certain courses there is a need to establish who is attending their class for grading and assessment reasons, as it directly contributes to the student's academic outcome.  In some courses it also ensures the health and wellbeing, for instance, practical courses which have hands-on work or utilize machinery, is it pivotal to know who is in the room and who isn't as well. This leads to the further legal protocols that universities have to bear in mind when it comes to monitoring attendance. 

How Can Attendance Tracking Software Help?

There are many ways to track student attendance nowadays with badges, geolocation, to single one-off apps and more integrated software solutions that work with pre-existing technologies and the infrastructure at the University. Software is a key option for universities due to it's flexibility to work with the existing technology and to monitor in a methodical and modern approach. Here are just some of the benefits of tracking student attendance via software:

Seamless Integration

Software tools like Vevox can be integrated into any Learning Management System (LMS) to streamline the attendance tracking process. This alleviates the administrative burden on the faculty and teaching staff. It also provides a way to link up all the student data into one place making it easier to monitor student records, from attendance, participation and student assessment grades. 

Engagement & Interactivity

Engagement tools that offer live polling, quizzing or Q&A allow for interactive classes, where students can actively participate, effectively tying engagement with attendance. This real-time interaction can boost student participation and provide instant feedback for educators. Attendance might be part of the challenge, but active participation in the classroom is another part of it and measuring the two is key to encouraging learning and to student success. 

Data Analytics

With these types of digital tools, educators have access to insightful data analytics that can monitor attendance patterns and can be used in a way to monitor engagement rates as well alerting them to changes in student behavior. This way the modules can then be adapted to other methods or measures to ensure students are actively engaging with the subject matter at hand in the classroom. 

Convenience & Accessibility

Attendance tracking needs to be done in way that ensures that attendance can be logged effortlessly and without the need for roll-calls, physical sign-in sheets, complicated physical technologies and it can also accommodate remote learners and fostering an inclusive environment. Software that is truly inclusive, accessible and can tick these boxes make it easier on teaching staff to achieve their aims with student attendance rates whilst taking the burden of them to ensure it works for their education scenarios. 

Try Vevox with your University and LMS today to track student attendance... 

Regular monitoring of student attendance is a vital aspect of the educational process in higher education and in many universities around the world. It helps maintain high academic standards, supports at-risk students, provides security of the health and wellbeing of students and complies with legal requirements. With the assistance of intuitive software like Vevox, universities can transform attendance tracking from a mundane task to a stepping-stone for engaging and retaining students in the learning process.