Location-Linked QR Code as a Safe Tool for Recording Classroom Attendance During COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives of Medical Students

Hussein Abdellatif; Srinivasa Rao Sirasanagandlae; Mohamed Al-Mushaiqri; Hussein F Sakr

doi:10.1007/s40670-022-01625-7

Location-Linked QR Code as a Safe Tool for Recording Classroom Attendance During COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives of Medical Students

Med Sci Educ. 2022 Sep 9;32(5):971-974. doi: 10.1007/s40670-022-01625-7. eCollection 2022 Oct.

Authors

Hussein Abdellatif^{1

2}, Srinivasa Rao Sirasanagandlae¹, Mohamed Al-Mushaiqri¹, Hussein F Sakr^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Human and Clinical Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
² Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
³ Department of Physiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
⁴ Medical Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.

Abstract

COVID-19 lockdowns affected educational programs. Online learning has suddenly become the main form of medical education. However, attendance enhances a student's competency and professionalism. Rising student numbers and the COVID-19 pandemic make in-class learning challenging. This study investigates medical students' perceptions of a recently implemented tool for recording attendance using a QR code that detects students' location while scanning. An online questionnaire was designed to collect responses. One hundred thirty-two students completed the survey. Students agreed that the method was usable, reliable, accurate, secure, and convenient. This method should be investigated as a standard tool for attendance recording.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-022-01625-7.

Keywords: Absenteeism; Attendance; Location; Medical students; QR code.