Internet of Things in Education: The possibilities are numerous

Internet of Things (IoT) - a system where devices will be interconnected and exchange data - is throwing exciting possibilities for the world. Estimated to hit $7.1 trillion by 2020, clearly the technology will go mainstream pretty soon.

In my two earlier blogs, I have written about the potential IoT holds for healthcare and manufacturing. Today, let’s look at IoT in the education sector. It holds immense potential to transform the education sector.

Here are some of the use cases:

1. Mobile Learning - Quit a no-brainer this. IoT will enable students to connect with teachers and access to full-time educational tools. It will also facilitate collaboration with teachers and other students. Parents can also have access to learning analytics through IoT.
2. Security - Schools are vulnerable places, as some events in the U.S indicate recently. With IoT possibly, we can reach a stage that with just the hit of a button a lockdown system can be initiated which can be used in case of an emergency. Moreover, the system can send alerts to the police, fire stations and hospitals to fasten the response in case of an emergency. Surveillance will become extremely easy with IoT.
3. Operations - Connected devices can help schools streamline mundane operations such as attendance, fee alerts and student reports which can be automated easily. It can also bring down energy costs. Used wisely, it can also become a platform to conduct exams.
4. Special Needs - Children with special needs can also benefit from IoT. Specialized software can help students with specific problems. For eg, it can recognize visually impaired or hearing impaired students and make changes accordingly such as increasing font size or more visual cues. It will also save valuable time of the teachers which can be used to enhance the teaching experience.

IoT is indeed a special technology and holds myriad benefits for the education sector. While the possibilities listed above immediately come to mind, more use cases will emerge. Moreover, it’s important to expose the young generation to IoT as they will live in a connected world. Sensitizing them to the technology early in their lives can make them better global citizens.