A school technology company has developed an AI-driven classroom monitoring system called FocusGuard designed to eliminate off-task behavior. The system uses high-definition cameras mounted in classrooms to track students' facial expressions, eye contact, and posture. If a student is detected to be off-task or daydreaming for more than 90 seconds, a quiet tone is emitted from a small speaker under their desk. If the student does not redirect their gaze to the teacher or their work within 3 minutes, the system automatically subtracts points from their weekly "participation grade" and logs the infraction on a live dashboard visible to the entire class.
The developers of FocusGuard argue they are addressing an educational crisis of declining attention spans in the digital age, claiming the system promotes self-discipline and ensures students stay engaged. They point out that schools must actively choose to implement the system, and that parents can review their child's engagement data. Critics, however, argue that constant surveillance and public grading penalties lead to chronic stress, and that students—especially those with neurodivergent conditions like ADHD—are unfairly penalized. They also question whether minors in a compulsory education setting can truly consent to being monitored.
Briefly describe two psychological issues raised by this article.
276 exam-style questions on OCR A Level Psychology Debates, covering Nature/nurture, Freewill/determinism, Reductionism/holism, Individual/situational explanations, Usefulness of research, Ethical considerations, Conducting socially sensitive research, and Psychology as a science. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.