How IoT Impacts the Education Industry

The education field is one industry where IoT has positively impacted. The growth of the Internet of Things in education is expected to grow rapidly and becomes an effective tool for teaching.

For many years, technology experts predicted that IoT, a system in which things can communicate internally or with other machines would transform the way people live. It is expected that there would be a thirty percent increase in the devices that are connected to the IoT or the Internet of Things this year. The growth amounts to a total of over six billion devices that join the IoT, with over twenty billion devices expected to be part of it in 2020. While IoT is most widespread in the business field, it has significant impact in the education industry. The use of IoT in education is expected to grow because of the rise of online as well as blended educational program in traditional classroom that increasingly utilize technology as a tool for teaching.

NEW WAYS OF CONNECTING WITH STUDENTS

These days, educators are always on the lookout for new ways to connect with students via relevant discussions, engaging lesson plans, new teaching methodologies and fresh classroom projects. Technology transforms education via processes like a flipped classroom wherein students watch lectures in live video feeds, YouTube recordings or the same venue at home and discuss what they have learned as well as engage in hands-on projects, which are related to the lesson.

Social media as well is in the classroom through discussion forums and blogs. Mobile learning enables students to access the web from anywhere. With eLearning, students could do their lessons on any device, anywhere that has an internet connection.

THE IoT COMPONENTS

IoT enables technology researchers to create more affordable and smaller wireless systems that consume less power and could be integrated into almost any kind of device. WiFi, although the most popular form or integrated technology, there are other formats that are used as too, such as Zigbee, Bluetooth, RFID and NFC. Some of these technologies could add wireless sensor capacities to any kind of device. Moreover, it has a plenty of possibilities for technology, science, engineering and mathematics programs, including physical computing and programming. IoT simplifies and automates access for essential information in any kind of real-world or educational setting.

The Internet of Things has the ability of enhancing the learning experience by enabling real-time as well as actionable insights to student performance. Students bring wireless devices to the classroom or use them at home. The available materials for learning on mobiles, like eBooks are more interactive and engaging. There is constant need for new education technologies, like high-speed wireless networks with the bandwidth for audio and video lessons streaming. Teachers provide seamless assessments on students and one-one-one instruction. With the use of cloud, teachers and instructors could gather data on performance of students. The advanced technology utilized in education furthermore enables teachers to share and coordinate.

HELP FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Connected devices could help make life much easier for students who have special needs. For example, a student who is visually impaired is given a special card that when registered by computer, would enlarge font size automatically. Instead of having to call over a teacher for help, which would cost both the student and teacher time they can use for more productivity, the student could handle the issue and also promotes independence and self-confidence.

SCHOOL SECURITY

In recent years, school security has been a difficult issue. Schools must be one of the spaces where students would feel secure. Nonetheless, in light with the recent events, it’s easy to understand the worry and safety concerns. With the Internet of Things, schools could create buttons or levers all over the school that, when engaged, would initiate a lockdown system that is customized. The lockdown could include among other features, the following: perimeter security automation, immediate authorities notification as well as video to police transmission so they could monitor intruder activity from headquarters and on the way to a building.

INCREASED EFFICIENCY

Typically, schools have finite resources, which means that the more they simplify daily operations, the more money could be spent on actual students teaching. Activities that consume time, such as taking attendance manually and bringing the information to a central office could be eradicated with the connected devices which instantly send data where it is needed. The Internet of Things could also help cut energy expenses.

MOBILE LEARNING

Until just recently, is a student needs help with homework, the option would be to either figure it out, ask a parent for help or call a friend or classmate. With the Internet of Things, schools could provide students with full-time access to educational tools. The ability to digitally share content with teachers and peers encourages engagement and collaboration.

The Internet of Things impacts the education industry in a very positive way. With IoT, there are more venues for learning, which in the past were only limited to the classroom setting.