How Schools Can Benefit from the Internet of Things in Education

Education today has become one of the areas that are actively digitalizing and increasingly adopting digital technologies. The Internet of Things (IoT) is one of these advanced tools that bring many benefits to educational institutions, offering an entire ecosystem to boost the learning experience.

In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about IoT in education – from the advantages and how it works to illustrations of how it can be utilized in scholarly institutions.

What Is the Essence of IoT in Education

The Internet of Things is a revolutionary technology that links multiple devices into an interconnected digital network. Samples of IoT devices include virtually any electronic device, from light bulbs and refrigerators to motion and temperature sensors. The technology allows their controllers and processors to be programmed to interact with specialized software (mobile or desktop), providing such capabilities as data collection and analysis, as well as automatic execution of tasks (e.g., as in smart home systems that allow you to adjust lighting/temperature/etc. remotely).

The employment of the Internet of Things in schooling simplifies the digitalization of basic processes, enables more transparent and efficient communication, improves the safety of educational institutions, and provides opportunities to modernize teaching. Let’s look at the main edges of IoT in education. 

Advantages of IoT in Education

The Internet of Things improves the learning process as a whole, but in addition, provides specific benefits to all participants. Let’s look at the advantages of each of them in more detail:

Students

This category includes all learners, regardless of age or degree – schoolchildren, university students, trainees on courses, etc. The main benefits of IoT for them are related to improving the learning experience, namely:

• Increased engagement in the learning process
• Ability to use the devices for studying anywhere
• Personalized learning according to individual needs
• Improved education outcomes

Teachers

Educators can also profit from the Internet of Things, which can greatly facilitate many aspects of their work:

• Modern and more effective ways to explain unexplored materials
• Automated attendance tracking
• Opportunities to more effectively evaluate students’ knowledge
• Prospects for experimentation in the delivery of information

Administration

Education managers also benefit from the Internet of Things in many ways. Among the major ones:

• Improved protection of the educational institution
• Smart control of all systems: lighting, temperature, locking, etc.
• Possibility to create an educational website or Learning Management System (LMS) to improve learning quality

Examples of IoT Usage for Educational Institutions

Now that we have discussed the benefits of the Internet of Things let’s explore some specific examples of how IoT can be applied to academic procedures:

Improved communication

We’ve been using video calls for online classes for a long time. However, they are unable to communicate the educational experience because they have limited capabilities fully. The introduction of IoT allows the usage of tools such as digital pens and screens, ensuring that all data recorded by the teacher can be streamed directly to students’ smartphones or tablets. Thus, the quality of education and scholar engagement is greatly improved. 

Digitalization of textbooks

IoT can replace the traditional heavy backpacks with piles of books. Instead, a student can just scan a QR code in the classroom, and the system itself will identify the necessary materials and display them on the device. Thus, it will be much simpler for trainees to get access to study books, which will increase their satisfaction.

Tracking attendance

The Internet of Things can make tracking class attendance more efficient than ever. Instead of conducting a standard survey at the start of each class, teachers can use special wristbands or key fobs with individual RFID tags for each pupil that will automatically track attendance in the classroom, simplifying record keeping.

Improved safety

The education domain must provide an adequate level of protection for scholars. As a rule, there are guards at entry to every educational institution, but the human factor does not exclude mistakes that can become critical. The Internet of Things makes it easy to solve this problem. By installing an IoT-based identification system at the entrance, you can restrict access to the building to strangers. For this purpose, you can use both simple ID cards with individual chips and more sophisticated biometric recognition systems – by fingerprint or face.

School management

IoT technology makes it much easier for administrators to manage the school. From closing/opening doors and cones to adjusting temperature and lighting, the Internet of Things allows them to control virtually the entire building. Moreover, IoT also enables them to track school equipment using RFID tags to avoid theft or loss.

Wrapping Up

The Internet of Things is a versatile technology that can deliver great results across many business domains. The education sector benefits greatly from this technology, so if you’ve ever wondered how you can improve the educational process for everyone involved, implementing IoT is a great opportunity.