How it works
Three steps, about a minute
Start class
Press Start class on your phone or laptop. Where you are becomes the class location for the day.
Show the QR code
Put it on the projector. It changes every 30 seconds, so a photo shared in a group chat stops working.
Students scan
They open the camera, allow location and type their ID. A P goes straight into your Google Sheet.
Your register
A Google Sheet that fills itself in
Each cohort gets one sheet with a tab per month, laid out like a paper register. Everyone starts as A when class begins; each scan turns it into P. Totals add up as you go.
| STUDENT ID | NAME | TH 15 | SA 17 | TU 20 | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIML-26-001 | Ayesha Siddiqui | P | P | P | 8 |
| AIML-26-002 | Bilal Ahmed | P | A | P | 7 |
| AIML-26-003 | Hamza Qureshi | A | P | A | 5 |
| AIML-26-004 | Iqra Javed | P | P | P | 8 |
| AIML-26-005 | Omar Sheikh | P | P | P | 7 |
Why it’s fair
Easy to use, hard to fake
every 30 s
The code keeps changing
A screenshot sent to a friend at home is useless half a minute later.
within 100 m
You have to be there
Each phone shares its location once. Too far away, and the check-in is turned away and logged.
one phone each
No checking in for friends
A student ID is tied to the first phone that uses it, and a phone can only hold one ID.
Classroom or courtyard
The class is wherever you are
When you press Start class, your phone or laptop sets the spot. Lab, lecture hall, sports field or a session on the lawn: students only need to be within 100 m of you.
Questions
Do students need to install an app?
No. They scan the code with their phone camera and a web page opens. No account, no download.
What if a student’s phone can’t find its location?
The page tells them how to turn location on. If they still can’t check in, you can mark them present yourself from the cohort page.
Where does the attendance go?
Into a Google Sheet in your own Google Drive, one per cohort, with a tab per month and a scan log.
Can I edit the sheet by hand?
Yes. Presently only fills empty cells with A and writes P for students who check in. Anything you type stays.
Does it work outside?
Yes. The class location is wherever you are when you start class, so field trips and sessions on the lawn work too.