From the autumn 2024 semester, a new policy and approach to student attendance and engagement will launch across the University.
Supporting students and student retention and ensuring compliance with the requirements of UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) in respect of our students who are student visa holders, are key areas of the University’s work. Within this, having insights into how our students are engaging with their programme of study, and being able to take steps to offer timely support and guidance, are vital.
A new Student Attendance and Engagement Policy and Procedure has been developed to provide an up-to-date institutional approach to monitoring student attendance and engagement and is being implemented from September 2024.
Our approach is based on recording students’ attendance at their timetabled learning and teaching activities via the enhanced attendance check-in app, determining threshold levels of non-engagement and supportive follow-up communication and action being progressed in response. The approach is supported by new and improved digital tools, including the check in app now recording geo-location so that we know where students are when they log in. The system is part of the University of Stirling app and allows students to register their attendance at timetabled classes with a click of a button. This should be used in all timetabled classes including on campus lectures, seminars and other teaching activities.
Using the app will make it quicker and easier to record attendance and will create a digital record of attendance which we can then use to follow up non-attendance and welfare issues. The app also allows students to view their own attendance record.
All timetabled teaching sessions, lectures, seminars and other activities should have attendance recorded, whether online or on campus, so we can rely on accurate attendance data.
On the app, students will see the “My Attendance” tile, which leads to a list of their current classes and tutorials.
At the start of a class, the tutor supplies a six-digit code which you enter into the app to register. If you can’t attend, students can give a reason from the menu. Check in is available from 15 minutes before class, until the end of the scheduled activity (e.g. 9.45- 11.00 for a 10am class lasting one hour)
The App also shows students a history of attendance.
Find out about My Attendance for students
A smart phone is the easiest and quickest way to use the app but alternatively, the code can be found by accessing Attendance Monitoring in the app via your web browser
Get the University of Stirling app from the App Store or the Google Play Store.
The University uses student attendance information, along with other sources of data in student engagement reporting, to help identify students who may not be engaging in their learning so we can offer support. We are looking at attendance data to understand how you are engaging with teaching, as we know students who attend regularly are more likely to do well in their studies.
The data collected may be used to support decisions on assessment, progression or funding. This will be used to support existing academic policies.
For students studying on a student visa, you must register your attendance at all timetabled classes as part of your conditions of studying with us and we use the data to monitor attendance as part of the visa requirements and our obligations as a licensed sponsor of international students.
If required, the University may use the data to help public health authorities contact individuals should there be a need to alert them to public health risks such as Covid-19.
Yes. You do not need to be connected to Wi-Fi to check in. Your attendance is stored in your device and is uploaded next time you get a Wi-Fi connection. Or alternatively, you can still record your attendance via the app or web browser via your mobile network.
If you register your attendance at a session, the app records your name, email address, location at time of check-in and IP address. It also records how you checked in, e.g. through the app or on your desktop.
A data protection impact assessment is in place for the app which ensures that all privacy concerns are managed and that the process is compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation / Data Protection Act 2018.
Enrolment is an important stage in accessing University services, support and your studies. Please complete the enrolment process at the earliest opportunity and you will then be enrolled on your modules. In the meantime, don’t be concerned, please speak to the staff member leading your timetabled event who will be able to assist.
If you are studying on a student visa and have not yet completed enrolment, please speak to the Student Hub in the first instance, who will assist you in completing enrolment.
We recommend that you use a mobile device with Android Version 7.0 and above, or iOS Version 13 or above.
If your phone is running an older version of Android or IOS, this may impact on the reliability of the My Attendance service.
If you are unable to upgrade to a newer version of the operating system on your device, we recommend you access the My Attendance on the app web-based version using a laptop or mobile device to mark your attendance to a timetabled event instead.
If you do not have a laptop or mobile device, please speak to the staff member leading your timetabled event who will be able to assist you in recording your attendance. You can also use a desktop computer to ‘check-in’ if available in the classroom or teaching space.
You should mark your attendance for all centrally timetabled teaching sessions taking place on campus, at one of our other teaching venues or online, including, but not exclusively, lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical labs and workshops. These will appear on your personalised timetable on the student app.
You can register your attendance fifteen minutes before the event is scheduled to start until the end of the scheduled event.
It is not possible to register attendance after a session has finished. If you have difficulty registering during the session, then let your teacher know. It is your responsibility to register, and the record of attendance will not be open to discussion after the event. If you cannot register, then no record of your attendance for that activity will be held. It is important that you resolve any technical issues as soon as possible to enable you to ‘check-in’ to future classes.
If you click on the History button at the bottom of the ‘Check In’ screen on the app you will see lists of all events you have been due to attend over the last four weeks and what your ‘Check In’ status is for each of them.
Occasionally the application tiles are re-ordered on the app home screen so try looking further down.
Make sure the app is up to date if using smartphones or tablets – this will ensure the Check In button will appear and work correctly.
To do this you need to check your app or Play Store for the app and see if it says “Open” or “Update”.
If “Update” then click on that to make sure the app is updated to the latest version on your phone.
Reminders are only sent if you are using a smartphone or tablet.
Please make sure you have the appropriate notification services turned on for the app.
Make sure your timetable is up to date on the app.
To do this you should regularly pull down on the timetable screen to refresh the data. Timetabled data is refreshed, once every 24 hours, overnight.
Try to uninstall and reinstall the app on your device. App updates and system improvements may have been introduced that need to be updated on your phone. App updates can happen throughout the year.
Make sure you have Notifications turned on for the pp.
If you cannot get My Attendance to work, or you feel your timetable data is incorrect please contact the Information Centre at askIT@stir.ac.uk.
While using the University app you will be prompted to turn on your device’s location services. This will allow the app to verify and validate your location when you check into your face-to-face timetabled classes. As with most apps, you may be prompted if you want to turn on location services and you will the option to agree to this or decline.
Although the usage of location services is on a voluntary basis, we strongly encourage the usage of this as it will help improve your learning experience. If your location cannot be validated through your use of the app then this will be reflected in your overall record of attendance. You should only check-in to classes that you have attended.