The Effect of the Internet of Things (IoT) on the Education Business Model

The introduction of the Internet of things in the education industry is bringing revolution to the business models with the power of Internet-based communication. Powerful Sensors, access controllers, robust cloud computing, immersive augmented reality, efficient big-data, and smart wearable technologies are actively providing information to the students and education institutes.

In the article, we will discuss the effects of the Internet of things by studying the applications of IoT, such as ecosystem monitoring, security and safety for students, monitoring student health, and improvement in teaching & learning.

Monitoring the ecosystem to create a green campus
Economies are set on the path of creating green institutes that contribute to a sustainable environment. The education sector can take the benefit of the Internet of things in creating a sustainable ecosystem on the campus of education institutes.

The power generation and energy usage can be monitored through the Internet of things to uplift the existing environment. From grid status to weather conditions, analytics prepared by IoT devices will benefit campuses in creating a sustainable environment for the students and economy.

Institutes can study the current usage of energy and reduce or increase consumption according to the generated reports. Wearable devices can collect the pollution level on the campus and send the information in a readable format to the respective smartphones of authorities and students. Classrooms can embed sensors to measure carbon dioxide, temperature, and humidity.

The analysis made through the help of big data will convert the information and let authorities take respective actions to make their classrooms green and suitable for students.

Students can also send feedback to the authorities if their wearable devices measure any severe changes in the campus environment that do not meet green energy requirements. Finally, institutions can implement strict policies on their campuses with the learned reports.

Security and safety for students
Education institutes face the challenge of security and safety in classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and other places. IoT can assist in overcoming the challenge. Devices like Radio-Frequency identification and Near field communication can simplify access controls and improve university security.

NFC collects the information of the classroom in real-time and displays it on smartphone devices and TV panels. RFID tags can be embedded in the identity cards of students to automatically record their attendance of students whenever they enter the class. The campus can track the location of students' location through geofencing technology, assisting them in student safety.

One of the strong examples of NFC tags is Sookmyung Women's university, where they have prioritized the safety of women students (Source). Through the university apps, students can see the availability of desks in the reserved compartments. Students can also monitor their own attendance on their respective devices and also check their history of entering certain buildings on campus.

The Sookmyung women's university can send notifications to the students for free directly on their mobile devices, cutting the cost of other IT systems to notify students through emails.

Similarly, a survey in Bournville college has recorded that 95% of the students appreciate the integration of IoT for their safety and learning.

Monitoring student's health
Students' health determines academic performance because an ill body will prevent the mind from functioning well. Monitoring patients and preventing diseases is made easy through IoT. With the advanced systems, the cost of care also decreases with the implementation of IoT.

Wearable devices can monitor physical health signals in students. Smartwatches and fitness bands are the most commonly used devices for health monitoring at the current time. These wearable devices can monitor the level of blood pressure and generate robust reports suggesting solutions to improve health. Premium watches like Apple watches can even perform the health operation of ECG. Education institutes can take these reports and improve students' educational progress by predicting the risks in advance and proposing possible solutions to improve students' health.

For general purposes, wearables can notify students when they sit for long sessions, asking them to move or take a walk. Smartwatches are also great exercise companions.

Improved teaching and learning techniques & experience
IoT has a high potential to improve the teaching and learning quality in the education sector. A smart learning environment will let students adjust the class temperatures by controlling the air conditioning devices directly from their smartphones.

Further, E-books, writing tablets, and VR and AR technologies can make the learning experience more immersive for the students. Teachers can also use the same to explain the practical demonstration in real time, bringing a better learning and clear learning experience to the students.

Wrapping up
Integrating IoT in the education environment will benefit the students, teachers, and authorities. Better health will promote better learning and academic performance in our economy. A sustainable and green environment will align with the green earth principles. A safer and more secure campus will boost the values and trust of students and parents.

Finally, immersive learning will improve the academic reports of students. If you are into the education sector, you must contact an IoT app development company and make your overall ecosystem smarter.

Meta: IoT is bringing a revolution in diverse industries. Check out the applications of IoT in the education industry creating a smart ecosystem.