Biotechnology

By Denise Ogden

Using Biometrics in online learning systems

Problem

• With online learning becoming widespread, many students have others doing their work for them; there is a growing need for online universities to find ways to authenticate student identity.

• There is a need to know whether or not the student enrolled is the one actually doing the work.

• Biotemetrics is needed to authenticate student identity in online learning systems.

Research

• There has only been one research done on this problem by a Ph. D. student, Pranab Mohanty at the University of South Florida, School of Engineering, in 2007. His study focused on using a mantle in which either a face recognition device, or a hand print recognition device could be installed on online systems to authenticate students.

Research

Lead Thinkers: Government Officials • Researchers in the medical field already work

closely with government officials in developing high tech biotechnology devices. Evidence of biotechnology is seen in airports, some intersections, and mostly in crime solving.

• Apple and other computer software companies, that have touch-screen capabilities on their equipment, use a form of biometric technology (although not to the capacity identification).

Development• Biometric technology has not been used for online

learning systems fully. It has been noted that Blackboard uses some form of biometric technology, but my investigation of this has not confirmed this yet.

• One problem that is already seen by Mohanty is invasion of privacy. If online universities use biotechnology as opposed to having students use passwords, will they be invading on students’ privacy? Another problem with this development may be funds. How much will it cost for universities to install a biometric device on their learning platforms? Will the costs outweigh the benefits?

Commercialization

• Production—development of device that is conducive to an online platform learning system; pilot test, applied research

• Manufacture—university funded• Marketing, packaging, and distribution will

depend on the success of the product. In addition, online learning universities will need to determine the importance of authenticating students’ identities.

Innovation-Decision Process of Biotechnology

Knowledge Stage

• Biologists studied organisms and cells

• Increase of understanding of organisms and cells led to control of the their many functions

• Computer Scientists used a form of biotechnology, called biometrics for recognition of eyes, hands, fingers, faces, and body movement

Persuasion Stage

Terrorism

•DNA

•Face Recognition

•Body movement

•Signature

•Voice Recognition

•Hand or palm geometry

•Eye scan

•Fingerprints

Decision Stage

• Surveillance systems• Ink used to take fingerprints• Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)

Implementation Stage• Forensics use Fingerprint DNA

• Home Security Systems• Surveillance cameras in schools, workplace,

airports, traffic lights, • CCTV to fight crime• Webcams for social networking and education

Confirmation Stage• Using surveillance cameras in airports was

first seen as an invasion of privacy

• Face recognition devices are controversial regarding minors; therefore the education system has to make some decisions

Communication Channel

• News Channels• Studies Published in Computer Science

journals• Criminal investigations• Studied in education• Internet • Advertisement companies for home and

business security

Computer Scientists use biotechnology, coining it:

BIOMETRICSThe S-Curve of Biometrics

2011

Early 1980’s

Fingerprints

Face Recognition

Voice Recognition

Hand or palm geometry

Eye Scan

Signature Dynamics

Explanation of Rate• The rate of biometric use is growing due to

the government’s need to stop terrorism.

• Another reason for the increase growth is the low cost of computers and other software to produce biometric devices.

• In terms of using biometrics for distance learning, the cheapest, yet most full-proof solution is a fingerprint device

Biometrics in the Future

• Biometrics is a growing and controversial field in which civil liberties groups express concern over privacy and identity issues. Today, biometric laws and regulations are in process and biometric industry standards are being tested. Face recognition biometrics has not reached the prevalent level of fingerprinting, but with constant technological pushes and with the threat of terrorism, researchers and biometric developers will hone this security technology for the twenty-first century.

Innovators/Early Adopters

• The innovators and early adopters of biometrics are government agencies and computer scientists.

• Some strategies to get online universities to adopt biometrics for authentication may include trialability, relative advantage, and compatibility.

Laggards

• Laggards will most likely be those who are part of civil liberty groups, and who feel that using biometric software may lead to invasion of privacy and identity theft.

• Observability and trialability are related to the rate of adoption (Rogers, 2003); therefore, having these people observe and use biometrics for a limited time would convince them get them to buy-in to the innovation.

Attributes

• Although complexity is negatively related to the rate of adoption, I believe it, along with the other four: relative advantage, compatibility, trialability, and observability are all necessary to diffuse biometrics to the mass of online universities.

Centralized

Biometrics

Council for Higher Education

Accreditation

FLHEASCHEAGAHEA

Change Agent

Opinion Leaders

Key Change Agent

• Who will you recommend as key change agents in your organization, and how can the seven roles of a change agent be used in your organization to effect positive social change?

• Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)

Critical Mass

Has the innovation you are proposing to the Board already met critical mass in society? If it has not met critical mass, which of the four strategies for achieving critical mass do you recommend to the Board for your innovation?

To educate or to make money?

Reference

Mohaunty, P. (2007). Learning from biometric distances: Performance and security related issues in face recognition systems (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest database.