Internet of Things (IoT), a system of interconnected things, is completely changing our way of life. From healthcare to business management, IoT is fast becoming commonplace. Soon, it will become an essential part in keeping up with today’s fast-paced world.
According to a study conducted by Gartner, around 20.8 billion devices are predicted to be connected to the Web by 2020 alone. One sector that’s certainly going to benefit from IoT is the education industry. Indeed, the connectivity revolution in education is progressively on the move!
IoT helps boost the volume and value of information transmission by connecting people, processes, data, and devices. And for education, it provides actionable insights that make teaching and learning safer, smarter, and easily accessible.
But just how much did it revolutionize today’s education industry? And based on its applications, can we really trust IoT to make the learning environment even better than it already is? Below are some of the hallmarks of IoT and how it has enhanced the way we teach and learn.
IoT improves the effectiveness of the school administration
The school administration invests a lot of time on routine tasks on a daily basis, such as roll calling and sharing information from class to the administrative office. For menial tasks like these, the IoT can offer more practical – and less time-consuming – solutions that boost productivity and efficiency. This allows teachers and the management to focus on more important tasks.
According to IHateWritingEssays.com founder, David Anderson, technologies like radio-frequency identification (RFID) can help schools in various ways, such as tracking resources like laboratory equipment, textbooks, projectors, etc. Meanwhile, smart sensors installed in storage spaces can alert the staff when stocks like cleaning materials or desks are running low. Connected devices, on the other hand, can work by detecting the presence of a student, thus eliminating the need for manual attendance-taking.
Overall, IoT and RFID technology can help school administrations save overhead costs, as well as enhance the staff’s productivity.
IoT improves the efficiency of learning experiences
One of the most challenging tasks of a teacher is creating lesson plans and teaching methods to ensure that their students are learning effectively. With the help of IoT, some high schools and universities have started using digital versions of teaching medium, such as the standard chalkboard.
The SMART interactive whiteboard, for example, allows teachers to work with and share content easily. Such technology makes learning more effective and engaging for today’s tech-savvy millennial students.
IoT also makes “learning through experience” more appealing for students by way of web-based systems.
- Improving focus. Many of us are guilty of falling asleep during class. But with connected systems, students can focus better with their lessons. Bosch’s “quantified art” installation, for example, works by using sensors to detect temperature changes in the environment. So when students feel dizzy due to humidity, the sensors will automatically readjust the temperature, allowing them to concentrate better.
- Wearable devices. Smartwatches have been around for quite some time now and soon, other wearables like VR headsets will become a natural part of a learning environment. New technologies like the brain activity tracking band, Muse, will also come in handy for teachers who want to keep track of various learning styles.
IoT creates a safe learning environment for learners
Besides improving the way we learn, IoT also streamlines the security of learners. For instance, parents and school administrations alike would expect a school to not only be comfortable for students, but to be safe, as well. This is why some school administrations conduct background checks on their students’ parents or guardians, concerning the spread of violence and fears of school shootings.
IoT can help lessen these fears and provide peace of mind by:
- Facilitating campus security. A lot of educational institutions have invested in providing the highest level of safety for their students, such as installing security systems and walk-through metal detectors in the campus. Soon, we will witness smarter locks that will allow institutions to intelligently monitor and control facilities, while reporting any anomalies.
- Closely monitoring learners. From roll call to apps that allow teachers to monitor student attendance. Some schools have even installed security systems that are already connected with the cloud. Technologies like this work by counting student attendance via doorway sensors and alerting the faculty in the event of forced entries.
Conclusion
We can’t deny the fact that IoT has already made a strong impact on the education industry, and we can only look forward to more positive transformations.
Over the years, we’ve seen its application in learning environments evolve from mere static applications to state-of-the-art interactive classrooms. Not only does it help teachers teach more effectively and students learn faster, it also paves the way to more convenience with better utilization of time and resources.
