The Internet of Things- in Education (IoEd)

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a term used to refer to  internet based connectivity  by bringing men and machines together. Such connectivity will harness people, processes, data and  machines in a path breaking manner.  It will utilize  information and apply intelligence  to data to enable informed decisions. The Internet of Things is the next step in the evolution of the internet. This concept suggests augmented "smart" 'things', which are networked effectively among themselves and with  operating men over advanced  connections.

The Internet of Things would result in an increase of networked devices which are in common use. Such devices may include desktops, laptops, smart phones, etc. Their numbers are  to increase  from the current 4.5 billion to 30 billion by 2020 to over 50 billion  by 2050. As the world becomes tech savy, personal implants could aid  technological connectivity. As such a technological techntonic shift occurs,  education sector cannot lag behind. In fact, education should be in the forefront of things as education is the biggest influence on the minds of future citizens. The Internet of Things should reach schools and Universities as the Internet of Education (IoEd) . 

Internet of Education (IoEd) is about integrating technology with learning. IoEd is about being student-centric with technological support. IoEd is about creating smarter educational products; facilitating a new educational experience through use of  technological skills.These technological  skills and mechanical devices have to establish connectivity  to delivery platforms. 

IoEd requires conceptual clarity among mass base of teachers/ faculty. This calls for  training teachers / higher education faculty to sophisticated levels so that IoEd reaches out through key partners to the most important stakeholder in education : the student from a platform of technology.

To lay the foundations of IoEd, one has to comprehend the fundamentals of the infrastructure.

IoEd infrastructure

a) Device connectivity.  Network and network programming which will serve as the focal point;

b) Cloud architecture;

c) Data analytics;

d) Cyber security;

e) Mobile application development;

f) Other device application development.

Pre-Requisites for IofEd

      

• Education sector has to understand and appreciate the changing technological world order;
• Educators have to become tech- based and operations management obsessed rather than being just knowledge givers; ( teaching to be seen as operational deliverables rather than just services rendered ) 
• Education industry has to work with both hardware and software firms so as to deliver student value;
• Students have to be instilled with network management and integrating technological connections;
• Networking and network programming have to be an in-alienable part of school education;
• IT companies should work with educators, schools and universities as partners;
• There should evolve a technology-education partnership which will re-design curricula in both schools and higher educational institutions.

The focus in this curriculum should be:

o   Network

o   Mathematical and programming skills;

o   Problem solving skills ranging from simple to complex;

o   Thinking and critical thinking skills;

o   Data anlytics skills;

o   Communication skills: oral, and written;

o   Group and collaborative skills;

o   Learning skills  for knowedge assimilation;

o   Research skills;

o   Learning Skills to co-exist with men and machines.

Every teaching programme must be a blended learning model insisting on 60 % hands on practice and just about 40 % of traditional style teaching (classroom learning) .

This 60 % component must be sub divided to cover:

·         web labs;

·         web based researching;

·         web helped simulator styled studies;

·         access to digital libraries with earmarked library hours;

·         inducing self learning through virtual classroom sessions;

·         industry focusing on learning games;

·         webinars;

·         depending on Podcasts;

·         Video learning; (using Youtube effectively)  

All core learning must be imparted through the medium of technology so that human intervention is minimized. The student must be encouraged to seek and learn rather than hear and learn.

IoEd devices that would be connected for optimal education delivery:

1.      Laptops

2.      Mobile Smart phones

3.      Tablets

4.      Desktop PC

5.      Televisions

6.      Ordinary Cell phones

7.      Radios

Learner preferences  and parental/ stakeholder affordability have both to be studied and would have to be contextualized for delivery to each geographical area. Socio-economic segmentation should be the basis for adapting  delivery software to the available order of devices.

IOEd is futuristic. It should be the disruptive technique to lead education into the future.

Copyright of this article and its contents vests with the author of this blog: Jayaram Nayar. 

He can be contacted at email: jaynayar@gmail.com