Nanjing University announced on 4 November that it will no longer collect students’ head‑turn rates as part of its newly installed “smart classroom” system, after criticism that the technology could be used to monitor student engagement and link attendance to grades. The university said the system does not gather biometric data such as facial images, and that it will only pilot attendance monitoring. The project, which cost more than 31.5 million RMB (approximately 4.5 million USD), was awarded through a public tender that specified the use of facial‑detection, AI‑based head‑turn calculation and automatic roll‑call functions. The system is intended to provide “unobtrusive” attendance records and to support course optimisation and teaching reform. Students and some commentators have expressed concern that the technology creates a “being‑watched” atmosphere in university classrooms, a feeling they say is inappropriate for higher‑education settings. Critics also argue that the approach mirrors middle‑school management practices and could raise privacy issues. The university has responded that it will not collect facial data and that head‑turn monitoring has been discontinued. The use of AI to track “three rates” – attendance, head‑turn and front‑row seating – has become common in mainland Chinese universities, including Beijing Institute of Technology, Shenyang Institute of Technology, Ningxia Institute of Technology and Jiangnan University. While administrators claim the data can help improve teaching quality, many students feel the monitoring is intrusive and undermines the relaxed atmosphere of university lectures. Several faculty members have noted that declining attendance and head‑turn rates may reflect broader learning challenges. One teacher said that some students do not see the value in attending classes, as they feel it does not help them prepare for employment.
Article source: Sing Tao Electronic Daily | Image credit: Sing Tao Electronic Daily