The document discusses the use of smartcards in education in Hong Kong. It describes how the Octopus card system in Hong Kong led to the widespread adoption of smartcard technology. Smartcards are now used in schools for student identification, attendance tracking, library cards, cafeteria purchases, door access, and as a reward system. Smartcards provide a single system for these multiple purposes and allow for centralized record keeping. However, they also have disadvantages like high costs and loss of all services if the card is lost. Future applications discussed include using smartcards for biometric identification, data storage, and mobile learning.