Education is undergoing an ongoing but untelevised revolution. Adaptive learning and competency-based education are contributing massively to this remarkable revolution by personalizing or epitomizing the learning experience, all thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT).
The Internet of Things – a.k.a. the Internet of Everything – has to do with connecting devices besides standard or regular products like smartphones and computers to the internet.
The internet has deeply planted itself into our education system. It has made eLearning a common practice within the American school system. Nevertheless, the innovative applications of the Internet of Things in education are numerous. The implications for this worldwide disruption are enormous.
The rise of the Internet of Things and mobile technology enables schools to significantly monitor essential resources, boost the overall safety of their campuses, and improve access to reliable information within the learning environment.
The Internet of Things and what it is all about
The Internet of Things involves the interaction of specific IoT devices with each other and the outside world via internet technologies. The primary goal of the Internet of Things is to make life more comfortable and easier to relieve us from executing several routine monotonous tasks.
Nearly every tech-based item can become a smart or IoT device, as long as it can connect to the internet and transform such that it can transmit information. The IoT system processes and examines this information and draws conclusions based on that information.
The Internet of Things system takes the necessary steps to accomplish the set goal, minus human involvement, but in our favor.
The impact of the Internet of Things and technology on education
A survey shows that 83.2 percent of individuals between 12 and 17 years old have smartphones. Up to 73 percent of parents declared that their children owned a smartphone between ages 11 to 13. About 31 percent of these parents said their children had smartphones between ages 6 and 10.
This already shows the digitally native foundation on which to build, making it easier to see how IoT is prepared to transform education radically. For example, students with mobile IoT devices can automate tasks in the classroom that they do now, such as research, note-taking, schedule-checking, etc.
Here are five ways the Internet of Things is affecting education:
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IoT amplifies knowledge
The Internet of Things amplifies knowledge based on the location of the user. This is known as hypersituation.
In simple words, learners or students with connected devices like tablets and smartphones will be capable of having solid information pushed to them, based primarily on their location.
For instance, let’s assume you’re exploring a city like Rome, known for its rich historical past. Exploring such a culture-rich city will be improved with a wealth of vital information.
The information will cover architectural, political, and historical grounds, and you will have access to them via your device. In other words, the Internet of Things can be used to create environments in which learners discover more about cities based on observations and crowdsourced contributions from a community.
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Network
The connectivity for personalized education is presently in the hands of students. It is available in the form of mobile applications, which pushes them to engage in interactive study.
The student data storage and usage for reminders, overall communication, and acknowledgments for education are now at a higher level. In addition, IoT has engendered easier and newer learning methods, inspiring many people worldwide to get themselves educated.
For instance, the advent of IoT for education makes it possible for engineering students to take advantage of all the Internet of Things has to offer by taking up projects to learn, e.g.
- IoT-based system for tracking security in housing areas and workplaces
- Wireless sensor systems for monitoring trespassers’ entry near fences
- Water saving system
- Smart parking system, etc.
Nearly everyone expects engineers to be at the forefront of improving the application of the Internet of Things in several sectors. This is to create a much better future for individuals and industries.
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Real-time data collection
Every application within the Internet of Things in education constantly gathers and processes data from various sensors. Data garnered this way can be used to enhance the learning experience.
Some of the examples of how educational institutions can benefit from obtaining and analyzing information include:
Checking up on teachers’ professionals
Implementing solutions based on the Internet of Things for education can help resolve the problem of poorly-trained teachers/educators. The IoT solutions help provide unbiased information on teachers’ professional state or status. The information is ‘unbiased’ since digital algorithms can’t have their own opinion. All they do is collect and process data. The information makes it easier to spot or identify teachers that require advanced or refresher courses.
Tracking students’ progress
Timely measures can be implemented when collated data reveal decreases in students’ progress.
Controlled access to non-confidential data
Admins can grant some staff members or students access to non-confidential data such as training materials.
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Global coverage
The Internet of Things in education also implies global coverage. The software that works seamlessly in conjunction with IoT devices is available worldwide.There are both localized- and international specialist IoT companies (an example that comes to mind is Telenor). focusing on the forthcoming coverage.
This gives teachers or the academic staff the profound opportunity to combine training programs to create a uniform standard of education. This means a much better exchange of exceptional learning experiences among teachers and teachers worldwide.
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Enhanced security
It is no secret that parents and guardians always worry about their kids or wards and overall well-being. This is okay; that’s what parents/guardians do.
It is the primary responsibility of the academic institutions’ management to ensure the 100 percent safety of their students. Therefore, IoT sensors and CCTV cameras are installed in critical locations such as cafeterias, classrooms, stadia, drones flying around the campuses, etc.
This way, the supervising staff of the educational institutions always know about what a particular student is doing or their location.
Conclusion
The importance of the Internet of Things in the education sector and every other industry are tremendous. It has impacted or affected education in several positive ways, as pinpointed above. As a result, everyone can look forward to the future excitedly, knowing IoT will make education fun and fulfilling.
