Implementing IoT In Education: Applications and Benefits

Ever since the COVID-19 outbreak, IoT in education has been gathering momentum. It’s estimated that the market value of the IoT in the education sector will grow at a CAGR of over 17% within the period of 2023 to 2030, from $8.13 billion in 2022 to a whopping $35.70 billion in 2030.

Read this article to find out what positive impact IoT has already had on education, what practical implementation of connected devices is, and what challenges come from it.

We’ve already talked about how IoT affects so many industries and aspects of our lives. And it’s no big surprise that smart connected devices make a big impact on education as well. 

Below are some of the biggest changes in the education industry caused by IoT technology:

• IoT devices allow students to have uninterrupted access to theoretical and practical material that is stored in the school/university’s database;
• Smart screens and tablets revolutionize the teaching process, making it very visual, engaging, and interactive;
• Connected devices have changed the way how a teacher’s working day is organized, affecting how they do paperwork, check assignments, and prepare for lessons;
• Energy consumption management in the facilities has changed with the introduction of smart sensors and light sources;
• Security measures on the premises have evolved thanks to smart cameras and monitoring centers and access management systems;
• Expense management approaches have also changed, with less paper needing to be bought and more reusable technology being implemented.

First we’re going to look at some universal use cases, and then we’ll break down a few applications specific to K-12 and to higher education.

• Universal Applications of IoT In Education 

- Smart Boards

Traditional blackboards can be replaced by SMART boards, making learning simpler and more engaging. SMART boards may project text, images, and videos from a laptop and allow students to interact with the board from their mobile devices. This way, teachers can deliver the material more effectively and simplify complex topics using infographics, educational videos, and virtual models.

- Smart Sensors

Sets of various smart sensors allow schools to save money on power consumption, for example, by automatically switching lights off if no one is around. IoT sensors also guarantee safety from fire, short circuits, and other accidents by instantly identifying them and sounding the alarm to swiftly correct the situation. 

- Smart Tablets

IoT applications help gamify the education process, making it more appealing for modern-day students. For example, the data collected by the sensors used in the IoT devices automatically recommend games related to the academic subjects of the students using the gadget.

- Smart Attendance Trackers

IoT in education enables the school administration to get precise attendance data. Connected devices are capable of determining student attendance and even retrieving personal student information on attendance regularity and punctuality. The automated nature of tracking saves costs and allows school workers to focus on other important tasks.

• Special IoT Applications For K-12

- Smart Climate Control 

For specific classrooms, halls, and other school locations, school administrators can set up customized smart thermostat programs to create a comfortable learning experience. For instance, a gym hall's requirements for temperature and lighting will vary based on whether it's being utilized for a PE class or a cultural school event.

IoT temperature controls enable customization from room to room and the ability to plan temperature settings for particular periods of the day. These environment changes can be easily made with only one button click thanks to preset scenarios.

- Smart Security Protocols

Automatic door locks, colored warning lights, audio alerts over the intercom, and visual alerts on digital displays, for instance, can all be activated in the event of an intruder. When an administrator chooses the intruder protocol option in the IoT software dashboard, all of these actions can be set to take place simultaneously, with one click.

Similar protocols with customized sets of actions can be built for other scenarios as well, for example, fires or storms.

• Special IoT Applications for Higher Education

- Smart Campus Management

For big campuses, heating management can present a similarly big challenge. The use of IoT solutions by higher education facilities management can be used to track and manage energy use on campus and automate certain activities. When rooms or buildings are vacant, occupancy sensors can be connected to an IoT network to develop energy-saving plans.

- Smart Scheduling

Students and teachers may see when conference rooms and study spaces are used with IoT occupancy sensors coupled with devices like tablets and laptops. On top of that, an IoT interface can provide scheduling choices to help with room reservations.

If you think that IoT-powered solutions for the education sector are an absolute innovation that is not available to schools and their students in real life, it is not so. Today, students and professors can leverage the benefits of this technology. And below you can find some examples of such products that can be used at the current moment.

• Scanmarker offers digital highlighters. With their help, it is possible to scan editable text from various printed materials and to get access to it on any computer, smartphone, or tablet practically instantly. Further, such texts can be translated into one of 40+ languages.
• Promethean provides the education sector with interactive displays. These devices that can be used at schools are enriched with natural writing, multi-touch, and dry-erase technologies. They are powered by tools for cloud-based lesson delivery. And the newest models also offer the possibility to record lessons.
• LocoRobo uses robots with multiple sensors to help students to learn different programming languages. The provided courses are intended for learning how to design, create, and ensure connection within IoT systems. 

All the benefits that IoT applications and devices deliver to the education process are too many to put in one list, below you’ll find some of the most prominent:

• Creating Smart Classrooms

Smart classrooms are advanced studying environments that recognize students, mark their attendance and track their progress. These classrooms often have SMART boards and AR/VR headsets that make lessons interactive and easy to comprehend. 

Teachers can also bring up tasks for students to complete on their devices as the lesson progresses. That happens by IoT devices tracking the lesson and uploading the corresponding pre-programmed tasks anytime the teacher pronounces words such as "assignment," "homework," or "project."

• Enabling Remote Learning

The whole world needed to adapt to new realities in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, including studying from home. IoT enables educators to hold webinar-style learning sessions and use advanced tools for remote learning while doing so. For instance, with the help of smart sensors, teachers can use speech or gesture commands to manage the class. Though now the pandemic is officially over, teachers and students can still leverage the benefits of the offered tools for convenient learning in a remote format.

• Making Learning Personalized

Teachers can use data from IoT sensors and devices to construct courses that are tailored to the needs of each individual student. With the help of smart teaching features, the AI adapts the pace and substance of the curriculum based on how well students respond to it. IoT solutions also give teachers a deeper understanding of what is and isn't working in the classroom so they may improve their teaching skills even more.

• Leveraging Large Amounts Of Data

IoT in education enables schools and universities to handle gigabytes of data concurrently across a connected network of smart devices. It opens up many possibilities, including controlling teacher professional development, tracking student progress, and monitoring security measures. 

• Enhanced Security 

Connected devices are also deployed for the sake of setting up a strong security system. Smart sensors, smart door locks, CCTV, colored lights, digital signage all help deal with environmental or criminal hazards. And in case of an emergency, networked alarm buttons alert school security as well as the authorities to help deal with the situation.

• Improved School Management

Apart from teaching students, educational institutions need to manage supplies, distribute funds and take care of important paperwork. Putting IoT solutions into practice builds a foundation for faster, more efficient and foul-proof operating and decision-making.

Implementation of sophisticated technology in a 1,000+ capacity educational institution is going to come with certain challenges. Here are some of the most commonly faced ones:

• Planning Complexity

The administrative personnel may be discouraged from using IoT technology due to the massive efforts that will go into implementation planning. However, there’s no other way. You must create detailed guidelines before you start building your loT network. It will include information on how and to whom you intend to grant access to data, what software and smart devices you want to use, how you intend to secure the information space, among other things.

• Massive Data Overhaul

A lot of schools and universities still keep most of their data printed or even written on paper, with very little stored virtually. The way you store and organize your data, be it study material or student records, may require massive optimization for IoT technology to work well. 

• Security Concerns

Student security, both physical and informational, is always one of the top priorities for any educational institution. However, cloud software such as IoT is susceptible to many threats, and without well set up protection, hackers could get access to students’ personal files or other sensitive data.

• High Costs  

IoT is an expensive technology, in terms of both software and hardware. And since a lot of schools and universities don’t usually boast big innovation budgets, introducing connected devices may be tricky. 

• Tech Expertise Required

Even if you have the money to make IoT happen in your school, it’s unlikely that you have many qualified tech staff already employed to set the system up and to service it long-term. In such cases, it’s always wise to ask for some assistance from experts. 

IoT in education is expected to only grow in popularity in the next couple of years. Smart connected devices enable educational institutions to teach better and have the premises more efficiently and securely run. Smart boards, sensors, tablets, trackers, and other gadgets are all vital elements of successful IoT implementation. 

Naturally, there exist a number of challenges a school or a university will come across when setting up an IoT network. Meticulous planning, sufficient funds, and deep technical expertise are all requirements for alleviating these challenges. Regardless, IoT in education is not to be scoffed at - it’s an innovative way of securing a bright future for millions of students worldwide.