What Is The Impact Of IoT On Learning?
The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network of various interconnected devices, such as tablets, smartphones, laptops, and other smart devices, whose aim is the immediate exchange of data and information. When used in learning, IoT can expand the traditional classroom into cyberspace and make curricula easily accessible and interactive while increasing and strengthening collaboration and communication between students and teachers. In this article, we explore a few of the numerous benefits of IoT in learning as well as some of its most common applications to identify some of the ways you can use it in your classroom.
The Benefits Of IoT
Personalized And Remote Learning
A one-size-fits-all approach to learning is no longer viable in an ever-evolving society where individual needs are at the forefront. Therefore, utilizing IoT sensors and devices offers valuable data to teachers regarding each student and their preferred learning method and pace. As a result, educators can adapt the learning course accordingly to accommodate the needs of each student. AI helps them understand what is working and what must be optimized for better results. Students with disabilities can also participate more efficiently since technology supports assistive devices. This smart procedure can be carried out remotely, too, helping students from all over the world participate. Teachers can also incorporate webinars into their teachings to engage students and promote interaction.
Real-Time Data
With the installation of IoT practices in learning, thousands of connected devices and sensors save information and share it across their network. For example, institutions can keep track of individuals' whereabouts, progress, attendance, and training. They also monitor teachers' development and find ways to improve their teaching methods. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) documents how many times someone has used the printer and identifies the exact location of a student on campus. Additionally, remotely accessed cameras and sensors allow students and teachers to observe laboratory experiments without their physical presence needed.
Management Efficiency
Managing an educational institution requires many time-consuming activities, including distributing funds, maintaining student records, tracking supplies, and filing important paperwork. With the help of AI technology, IoT devices can quickly and safely gather and organize data and insights that help management and teachers make better decisions regarding their students and operations. Educators may automate note-taking and scheduling, while management can interact more effectively with parents. Consequently, operational costs are diminished with smart sensors turning lights and heating on only when people are inside a room. Also, instead of sending paper reports, institutions inform parents of their children's performance digitally, thus implementing green practices.
Accessibility And Safety
People with visual, hearing, and speech impairments find it easier to connect to school curricula and communicate with teachers through IoT technology, which typically connects to assistive devices. For example, speech-to-text tools for students with hearing impairments or smart sticks and apps that recognize the surroundings of students with visual impairments. Also, educators learn how to assist students with disabilities through the use of apps, microphones, and text and speech interpreters. Safety is another advantage of implementing IoT in learning. Through tracking devices, cameras, and video monitoring, institutions keep track of activity on campus, making sure everyone stays safe. Also, the use of smart cards ensures that only authorized people enter the educational facilities.
Increased Engagement
IoT devices paired with VR and AR headsets create a learning environment where students feel in control of their education. Teachers may program smart devices to upload tasks whenever they mention certain words. These tasks appear on students' devices, and they can complete them while in the classroom. Therefore, they stay engaged and connected to the teaching points in the most interactive way possible. Their devices track their level of devotion and satisfaction, too. Consequently, educators know when they are doing a great job or when they need to shake things up.
Common Applications Of IoT In Learning
Tracking Devices
Safety is one of the major concerns for colleges and schools since anyone can enter the premises without permission. As mentioned earlier, the use of smart cards can safeguard learners by pinpointing their location and keeping them out of faculty-only facilities. On top of that, however, the same cards also keep track of class attendance, so teachers don't have to do it manually. If a student fails to attend class without informing anyone, the automated system may notify parents of their absence. These trackers can also be installed in school buses and parking lots to monitor where each college student parks their car.
Smart Classrooms And Textbooks
Smart boards are a necessary IoT addition to learning that helps educators make lessons engaging and interactive. They display digital content and can interact with students' devices. The entire learning environment can become smart with the addition of speakers that ask questions and give answers and lights that modify brightness levels based on different activities. Even desks can have the ability to check students' posture and their activity level. Moreover, physical textbooks are accessed through devices, and learners read useful material at their convenience. The database is continuously updated to meet evolving demands and gives teachers insights regarding learner participation and problems.
Foreign Language Training
A study showed that IoT-based language learning enriches the vocabulary and oral production of students who learn foreign languages. Educational robots and 3D books help learners improve their performance and learn how to speak a different language more quickly. IoT-based software corrects students when they make grammar or pronunciation mistakes and allows them to correct themselves before their teacher. The software may be implemented in class and help educators monitor their learners' progress and offer feedback in real time without delays.
Research And Study Programs
IoT devices with integrated immersive technologies help educational institutions train students and prepare them for real-world situations. For example, learners who study engineering are shown the technical aspects of their future jobs through VR and AR headsets. Instructors are there to explain everything in detail and make the learning material more comprehensible. Also, students may incorporate AI to acquire and examine data and get a better understanding of it. As a result, they understand complex matters more easily and are encouraged to innovate.
Conclusion
IoT in learning doesn't come without any challenges since implementing such a groundbreaking scenario has a high cost, with institutions purchasing new software, hardware, devices, and systems. This infrastructure stores millions of pieces of data that can be targeted by cyberattacks and phishing attempts. Aside from those challenges, such innovative technology might make navigation hard for many teachers and students who are not familiar with these technological advancements. This means extra costs for institutions to train everyone on how to properly use their devices. However, enjoying the numerous benefits of IoT in learning that we described in this article makes it worth the effort to overcome these challenges.
