Teacher Professionalism in Light of Biometric Controls on Teacher Mobility and Autonomy

Abstract

In this paper, I investigate the introduction of biometric technology, specifically fingerprint scanners, for the purposes of managing faculty members’ working hours at a higher education institution (HEI) located in the Middle Eastern Gulf States. Utilizing semi-structured interviews to collect qualitative data, three expatriate teachers of English discussed their experiences before and after management installed the fingerprint scanners, discussing the influence such a change has on their professional identities and the additional impacts on their teaching, their identification with the institution, and the overall culture of the HEI. The results show that the existence of the fingerprint scanners adversely affects the teachers’ professionalism, but the greater issue for the participants is the dynamic between faculty and management: in this case, characterized by one-directional communication from the administration and a lack of voice for teachers in decision-making.