Since our University doesn't have a physical campus, it makes sense that we cannot feasibly take pictures of our students with which to create identification cards. It seems that having the students submit their own pictures must be the only feasible course of action then. This is probably so. However, barring the obvious potential for obscene and explicit pictures, it is not really a good idea, in my opinion. After seeing the first couple dozen or so pictures enter the database, I feel quite validated in my opinion. The pictures the student's have been submitting are most often of dubious quality and content. There are frequently other people in the background of the picture, date stamps emblazoned across the pictures, as well as fuzziness, lack of lighting, and red eye. *sigh* What can you do, though? Hopefully the company that is making the cards has some Photoshop licenses...
Now I know what you're all thinking: Why does an online university need picture identification cards? Why, because we make our students take proctored exams of course! Yeah, I know, a little weird, huh? Kinda takes away from the whole 'online' aspect, doesn't it? I suppose that's part of what makes this university unique.
posted by _paul @ 9:17:00 PM
2 Comments:
Think ACT all the time. I understand that even universities in realspace have things of this ilk--like all the PHIL 100 sections have to take their final exam in one place, so their TA's can get on with the important business of failing their own philosophy exams.
But why wouldn't, say, a federally issued passport work just as well for the purposes of identifying an individual as a photo student ID card produced more or less over the Internet? The last guy I know who tried to do something like this got arrested.
But I'm pleased that it works and that it's elegant! We'll put this one in the "win" column.
--John
Hello? Hello?
Helllloooooooo...... :-(
Post a Comment
<< Home