In a lot of ways it’s easier than ever for students to cheat on exams. Many students now have small handheld devices that we can use to access pretty much the whole of human knowledge–I’m talking about smartphones, of course. Smartphones have been banned from our classrooms, particularly during exam time, since they became popular. But now schools are trying to keep up by banning the latest form of mobile technology: smartwatches. For some schools, the easiest way to do that is to ban watches altogether.

Right now, the bans on watches seem to be catching on in the United Kingdom, with the University of London and London’s City University both banning the accessory.

It makes total sense that a school would want to ban smartwatches. They could obviously be used to store notes or cheat sheets that could be pulled up with just a flick of the finger. But it goes further than that–the whole idea of the technology is that it acts as a sort of extension of a smartphone. You can set them up so they give you certain notifications–for example, emails, or text messages. So, you could have a friend text you information at a particular time. Or, more simply, set up a timed email or message to send you information at a particular time during your test. Depending on what watch you have, you could also look up information during the test itself.

Some schools have banned the smartwatches themselves. Weber State University, for example, a college in Utah, has banned smartwatches during tests. It’s not just colleges, either. The College Board, the organization that runs SAT testing, has already banned them as well.

Why would schools ban all wrist watches though, in the hopes of catching just a few students who have smartwatches and hope to use them to cheat? Well, smartwatches look pretty snazzy, pretty much like real watches. If you’re not familiar with a smartwatch, as some professors may not be, it would be difficult to figure it out by just glancing at the device. It would also be a tough task for professors who teach large lecture halls with hundreds of students, and end up being a waste of time.

That being said, I think there are definitely downsides to a ban on watches as well. For one, it’s a pretty common accessory–it would be easy to forget to take off a watch the day of an exam. Secondly, any classrooms that banned watches would basically have to ensure that a clock is present in the classroom. Being able to manage time effectively is an important testing skill–many professors design tests that will take up more time than the class is allotted, if you aren’t careful. While banning watches may prevent incidental cases of cheating, it’s simpler said than done.

This is yet another example of the ways in which technology, while great, can run straight into commonsense rules. While smartwatches certainly are a threat to the integrity of our classrooms, schools will have to be very careful when it comes to figuring out the right way to mitigate that danger.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

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Whenever I search for the latest technology, I realize that we’re about to live a Star Trek-like existence. Live long and prosper people. Due to advances in computer capabilities, the creation of the internet, and increasing production of smart technologies, we’re moving on to the final frontier with wearable technologies. It seems like the most obvious next step right? With the release of Pebble in 2013, a smartwatch created by Pebble Technology and based on Eric Migicovsky’s design, people are now able to use their watches to communicate with Android and iOS devices.  Even more exciting, Pebble has just released their own App Store where consumers can find apps like Tweeble and PebbleBucks. For those of us who can’t step away from Twitter, Tweeble gives you access to Twitter and maintains many of the same functions as the normal app, including the ability to compose a tweet. With PebbleBucks, you’re now able to purchase your next Starbucks chai tea (I love those) from your watch. Yay!

I place technology like Pebble in the win column, and I may continue winning with wearable technology moving into fashion. A Montreal-based company known as OMsignal Technology has created bio-sensor garments, including a compression shirt. OMsignal Technology (who has raised $1.2 million from Real Ventures, Golden Ventures, Mistral Ventures and David Cohen) has created a compression garment that is waterproof, has moisture management, and even odor control. The garment is able to connect through Bluetooth to update the information obtained by the built-in sensors and display this information on the company’s OMsignal app. The app provides real-time data on heart rate, breathing, and activity. Also, the shirt is able to have continual data capture even if you’re not near your phone. OMsignal’s co-founder, Stephane Marceau, believes that apparel companies will increasingly embed sensors into clothing to transmit physiological data in real time. Take a look at the commercial.

This means that the “old days” of wearing devices like smartwatches to provide biofeedback, could be behind us by simply putting on a shirt. Because, you know, smartwatches are so outdated — so 2013. I’m kidding of course, but this is a clear example of how technology is rapidly changing.  I can’t help but be intrigued, and that spurred me do a quick Google search to find out where I can get this new product. I’m telling you now, don’t waste your time searching. I haven’t found any information that OMsignal’s bio-sensor compression shirt has been released. What I do know is that Marceau and partners would prefer major performance apparel brands like Nike and UnderArmour integrate OMsignal’s technology with their fashions. I’m enthusiastic about the possibilities of the technology, but we have a few people out there who won’t let us live happily.

The major concern with this technology is how will it be used. Yes consumers may want to use the garments in the exact way that the commercial indicates. However, what if this information was hacked or given away? I have written about the Internet of Things, and wearable technologies would also be considered an IoT. The more technology used and data captured, the more we open ourselves up to being monitored. Many have questioned the possibility of the information being given to insurance companies, and how that may affect coverage and price. I wish I could answer these questions for all of the people interested in the product, but the technology is so new that I can’t begin to tell you which way this will go. OMsignal has created this technology to promote healthier living but we all know the saying, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I truly hope the technology will be used for its intended purposes and that safety measures are implemented to protect consumers. Whatever the case, I’m excited to see what comes of this technology, and I look forward to buying it in the future.

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Teerah Goodrum (@AisleNotes), is a graduate student at Howard University with a concentration in Public Administration and Public Policy.  Her time on Capitol Hill as a Science and Technology Legislative Assistant has given her insight into the tech community.  In her spare time she enjoys visiting her favorite city, Seattle, and playing fantasy football!

Featured image courtesy of [Eric Steuer via Flickr]

Teerah Goodrum

Teerah Goodrum is a Graduate of Howard University with a Masters degree in Public Administration and Public Policy. Her time on Capitol Hill as a Science and Technology Legislative Assistant has given her insight into the tech community. In her spare time she enjoys visiting her favorite city, Seattle, and playing fantasy football. Contact Teerah at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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