Developing a student attendance app using QR codes: educational and practical considerations

Recording student attendance in educational institutions is a tedious, manual process that is both time-consuming and error prone. We have developed an app to capture student attendance. During each class session, the students will point their device at a unique QR Code displayed on the teacher's projector. Each student's attendance will be recorded immediately on the learning-management system. The app has been developed for both Apple and Android platforms to enable attendance capture in all classroom settings; a module added to a home-grown learning-management system enables display of the appropriate QR Code for each class session. We conclude that it is possible to develop an app that records student attendance using QR codes and institutional information systems. Implemented efficiently, student attendance can be recorded accurately and effectively, saving class time. Overall user satisfaction with the system was high, demonstrating that information technology can positively drive and support change in medical education.