Hour Tracking for Students

[Jlaustse]

I'm looking for a way to track student hours for a program. I'd like a way for students to "clock in and clock out" that integrates with Canvas; not just the time students spend within the course, but when they get to campus (for a hybrid program where we use Canvas for the online portions). Any ideas?

[kmeeusen · Accepted solution]

Hi @Jlaustse 

Folks have been asking for this since the first teacher climbed down from the trees and decided to teach online. This is especially important for many professional and technical programs with pre-cretaceous-period standards and policies!

I think I found some thing with the Monitask - Canvas LMS Time Tracking Integration! Folks are going to be so happy, even with all the pitfalls associated with tracking user time online.

Before foisting this on your students, keep in mind...

• If I login and navigate to a page at 1400 hours, then promptly leave for a party and don't get home until 2300 hours, did it count those 9 hours as time in class?
•  If I login and navigate to a page at 1400 hours, then navigate between Canvas pages for 3 hours but actually accomplish no tasks, is that counted as online time?
• If your average student can read a page of text in ten minutes, but I can read it in one, do I get penalized for too little time on task?
• If your average student can read a page of text in ten minutes, but it takes me forty minutes and I need to take ten minute breaks every ten minutes, am I rewarded or penalized for my time on task?

I am only asking these questions because online time-on-task is a very tricky thing, and is not a reliable measure of learning. Please exercise caution.

Good luck,

Kelley