Universities Spy on Students With Software

Universities Spy on Students With Software
Short Title	Universities Exploit the Functionality of Distant Learning Systems to Spy on Students
Location	Great Britain
Date	October 2020
Solove Harm	Surveillance, Exclusion
Information	Behavioral, Knowledge and Belief, Computer Device, Preference, Identifying
Threat Actors	Universities
Individuals
Affected	Stundets
High Risk Groups	Students
Tangible Harms

In 2020 with remote learning being the new norm due to the global pandemic of COVID19, universities are using software to keep tabs on students who are not engaging with their studies.

Description

In 2020 the analysis of three popular learning analytics tools in the UK showed, that students are being monitored, with tracking software keeping tabs on what lectures they attend, what reading materials they download and what books they take out of the library. Analysis of three popular learning analytics tools, which track student attendance at lectures, library visits and more, shows at least 27 universities across the UK use such software.

For example, The University of the West of England (UWE) uses a system called Solutionpath Stream, which tracks how often students log onto their virtual learning environment, click on any content, hand in any work, take out books from the library, access journals, view reading lists, print, scan or photocopy documents, log on to computers owned by the university and attend lectures, seminars and workshops. ^Surveillance

If students are deemed to be not engaging with their education, they may be contacted by a student support advisor, the document advises. It adds that an automated process will email students every two weeks if they’re deemed to have low engagement with the university.

Breakdown

Threat: University tracking students online behavior in the virtual learning environment through a system called Solutionpath Stream
At-Risk group: Students
Harm: Surveillance
Secondary Consequences: not known

Another university. the University of Buckingham, a private educational institution, unveiled a so-called “trailblazer degree” for undergraduates starting in 2022 that appears to, amongst other things, psychometrically analyse students to tailor the learning experience to them. This can be seen as Exclusion, because students have no way of knowing, how exactly AI and intelligent platforms will monitor, analyse and interpret student engagement and understanding. The system will also “flag up at-risk students and alert university staff to those that may need extra attention”.

Breakdown

Threat: University analysing students engagement and understanding of material with AI and tailors learning experience for them on the basis of that info
At-Risk group: Students
Harm: Exclusion
Secondary Consequences: not known

Sources

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/university-covid-learning-student-monitoring