AT&T announced the availability of an RFID and GPS based resource management system for K-12 education institutions. This system will allow schools to track assets, both alive and inanimate. The idea is that every object that the school wants to track will have an RFID tag, be it book, computer, school bus, or child. The RFID tags would most likely be on an ID card that the child carries with them at all times. The school will be able to determine if they are in class, off the property, or riding the bus, as long as they are with their ID card. It definitely makes sense for a school to track all their equipment, like computers and tvs, but keeping tabs on children in this method seems way too “big brother”-ish. Shouldn’t the teachers, bus drivers, and school employees be keeping a watchful eye instead?

Some of the capabilities of the AT&T tracking system include:

— Asset tracking. Minimize theft of high-value equipment and assets, including computers, projectors, laptop carts and lab equipment. Also, because many of these assets are mobile, locating them can be difficult in a large school building. Active RFID allows the teachers and staff to easily locate these assets, saving time and optimizing inventory.
– Daily attendance tracking. Automate the tracking of average daily attendance, as well as notify administrators when students are not in school by importing information in the student-information databases.
– School-visitor tracking. Monitor the location of visitors and even alert school administrators when visitors enter unauthorized areas.
– Disaster response. Provide the location of school staff in the event of a man-made or natural emergency or disaster situation.

Source: CNN
Image: Flickr

AT&T announced the availability of an RFID and GPS based resource management system for K-12 education institutions. This system will allow schools to track assets, both alive and inanimate. The idea is that every object that the school wants to track will have an RFID tag, be it book, computer, school bus, or child. The RFID tags would most likely be on an ID card that the child carries with them at all times. The school will be able to determine if they are in class, off the property, or riding the bus, as long as they are with their ID card. It definitely makes sense for a school to track all their equipment, like computers and tvs, but keeping tabs on children in this method seems way too “big brother”-ish. Shouldn’t the teachers, bus drivers, and school employees be keeping a watchful eye instead?

Some of the capabilities of the AT&T tracking system include:

— Asset tracking. Minimize theft of high-value equipment and assets, including computers, projectors, laptop carts and lab equipment. Also, because many of these assets are mobile, locating them can be difficult in a large school building. Active RFID allows the teachers and staff to easily locate these assets, saving time and optimizing inventory.
– Daily attendance tracking. Automate the tracking of average daily attendance, as well as notify administrators when students are not in school by importing information in the student-information databases.
– School-visitor tracking. Monitor the location of visitors and even alert school administrators when visitors enter unauthorized areas.
– Disaster response. Provide the location of school staff in the event of a man-made or natural emergency or disaster situation.

Source: CNN
Image: Flickr