Apps are being used to ‘spy on teachers’

Homework apps are allowing senior management to spy on teachers and compile “league tables” of which teachers issue homework and how often, it was claimed at the Educational Institute of Scotland EIS 2018 annual general meeting.

Apps such as Show My Homework, used for viewing and setting homework,

John Tonner, an EIS rep for Renfrewshire, said the apps also leads to situations where teachers can be contacted “24/7”.

“You could be relaxing at home with a glass of wine on a Friday night when a message comes through at home on the app. Does that meant that teachers are meant to be on call 24 hours a day?

“The damage has already beendone...wehaveteachers competing against each other by “feeding the machine”. Technology is a dangerous master.”

It was argued that there was no legal framework for the apps which had never been formally approved.

Delegates passed a motion instructing the union to conduct a scoping exercise into the use of homework apps across all 32 local authorities and their possible impact on teachers’ terms and conditions service and to produce clear guidance on the use of such apps.