IoT in Education: Classroom Innovations

IoT in Education, Protecting Youth and Increasing Security

The Internet of Things is leaving a footprint on every industry. Now you can even find IoT in education. The earliest IoT adoption within the educational system most people know of is the smartboard. A smartboard is a large, touch-sensitive board connected to a computer and digital projector. It can save and store any information someone writes on it. Smartboards have been around since 1991. Teachers no longer solely rely on their printed lesson plans. Now they can project lesson plans with supporting PPT’s filled with images and diagrams. At the click of a mouse or touch of a pen, they can provide students with multi-faceted learning aids to support both visual and tactile learners.

But smartboards aren’t the end of the line when it comes to IoT in education. Other innovations utilizing IoT in education include:

Security

Now more than ever, security in schools is a major concern. IoT in education plays a significant role in safety. Schools can install wireless locks on entryways and administrative offices. These locks can require facial recognition, unique student ID cards or sensor wristbands. Administrators can control these from a centralized hub and lock them remotely during emergencies with a click of a button – all from a mobile device.

Air Quality

Schools face a new challenge in the vaping epidemic. According to the FDA’s National Youth Tobacco Survey between 2017 and 2018, the number of high school students who smoked e-cigarettes increased by 78% in high school and in middle school it increased by 48%. Schools can set up Wi-Fi enabled sensors—similar to those used on planes—to detect anomalies in air quality and changes in noise levels possibly affiliated with violence. They can also put smoke-detecting sensors around the school that trigger real-time alerts to school administrators.

HVAC

Studies show that if a classroom is too hot or too cold student’s learning can be negatively affected. Sensors can monitor the temperature of each classroom and alert maintenance when the temperature exceeds or falls below the pre-set degree. This will not only improve learning but decrease utility cost overall.

Tracking

Tracking is important for many reasons, including attendance. Schools can provide wrist bands with sensors and/or photo ID’s with hologram or UV printing to notify the school office and parents if a student is absent. They can also use wrist bands and ID cards to keep up-to-date medical information for each student: blood type and emergency contact. Students and staff can wave them in front of school vending machines to purchase a snack or drink. Parents, students, and teachers can also track buses in real-time, gaining information like location, speed and ETA.

IoT in education has impacted the world and will continue to grow with each passing year. Having an expert team on your side that understands the intricate layers of IoT? Well, that makes the process a whole lot easier. And easy is what you get when you work with our team here at Motus. Connect with us today to get started on your IoT journey!

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