Collecting information on student computer activity is, in my view,
perfectly consistent with administration of education and training,
which will be listed as a purpose for any educational institution. I
don't really see what the difference is between this and keeping an
electronic register of class attendance or collecting dates and times of
entry to a self-study area (eg. A library) via a swipe card. A student's
computer activity may be an unsupervised but expected part of their
studies. Would a student have any cause for complaint if their tutor
suggested that the reason they had failed an assignment might be related
to their lack of study time? I think not. Would it be in the student's
interest if they were able pull the wool over their tutor's eyes in a
situation where the tutor is actually trying to help them? Lets not lose
sight of the wood.
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-----Original Message-----
From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Samantha Hill
Sent: 02 March 2007 11:56
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [data-protection] Access to computer log-in details
Dear All
I would appreciate your comments on a question that has arisen here.
A lecturer has requested the log-in records for students to a particular
computing system as he believes there will be a correlation between
recent
poor exam results and the amount of times the students have accessed
this
computer system. In providing the log-in records we would be disclosing
the personal data of the students as I think the purpose is to be able
to
say Student A accessed the system once for 5 minutes and got 10% whereas
Student B accessed the system 10 times for an hour each time and got
70%.
As far as I can find out we have not told the students that we will be
doing this, nor that the findings will be discussed with the external
examiner who is bound to question the low marks, so I have problems with
disclosing the student's personal data - unless the sixth condition of
Schedule 2, that the processing is necessary for the purposes of
legitimate interests of the data controller, can be used.
I would be grateful for comments on whether this processing would be
considered a legitimate purpose and/ or others experience of a similar
situation.
Thanks very much
Samantha Hill
University of Portsmouth
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