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As we embrace the digital era, students can now integrate technology to enhance learning experiences. There are many smart gadgets that smart students can use to make learning easy and seamless. Besides learning, some of these smart gadgets help students perform different tasks, hence making work easier for both teachers and students.
When doing research projects, for instance, students can now get cheap coursework, thanks to these smart gadgets. In this guide, we explore some of the top smart gadgets and their uses for students and how the Internet of Things (IoT) is changing the entire education sector.
Smart Gadgets for Smart Students and Their Uses
There are many smart gadgets that play varied roles in making learning seamless. Some of these smart gadgets include the following:
E-reader
E-readers give students convenient and flexible ways of reading and revising. With e-readers, students don’t need to spend hours in the library, nor do they have to walk around with many textbooks and other revision materials. E-readers come installed with features such as an index and glossary that enhance the overall learning experience.
Intelligent planners and planners
Smart or intelligent planners such as Everlast, Rocketbook, and Moleskin help students create digitalized notes for revision and studying purposes. Besides, these planners help students plan and prioritize important activities and track deadlines for projects.
Noise-canceling headphones
It is common for students to experience noise distractions, especially when studying. This affects their overall concentration and focus. The ultimate solution to such distractions in the form of noise is noise-canceling headphones. They are built smartly to cancel any unwanted noise, ensuring the student focuses on what they are studying. What’s more, these smart gadgets help student listen to online lessons, educative podcasts, and music without dividing their attention.
Extensive Wi-Fi range
Sometimes, shared Wi-Fi connection can be unreliable, especially when a student wants to study in apartments and dormitories. Without a good internet connection, it can be hard for students to do research, revise some online materials, and perform other tasks that rely on an internet connection.
With extensive Wi-Fi range gadgets such as TP-Link AC750, students can access a stable internet connection without any disruption and continue with their research activities as usual.
Smartwatches
There are various smartwatches in the market from varied brands. They play significant roles in the lives of students. Apart from just checking the time, students can use smartwatches to access valuable information, monitor their sleep patterns for healthy mental health, and track their fitness progress for their physical health.
How IoT is changing the education sector
IoT, the Internet of Things, is simply smart gadgets and technology integration to make processes simple and seamless. In education, IoT includes smart technologies and gadgets that enhance the overall learning experience when integrated. Below are some of the ways IoT is transforming the education sector as a whole:
Personalized Learning
IoT devices have the ability to enhance a personalized learning experience. Such smart gadgets can gather, analyze, and interpret individual student’s behavior and performance. The tutors can then use the information gathered to modify learning patterns and schedules to meet individual student’s capabilities.
Besides, adaptive learning platforms use IoT data to personalize learning materials and resources for individual students. Personalized learning has had a positive impact on the education sector, especially because it fosters improved performance.
Smart Classrooms
Smart classrooms fitted with IoT devices help create an active and engaging learning environment.
Smart classrooms have the ability to adjust the classroom settings, such as temperatures and lighting, to suit the teacher’s and student’s needs at a particular time. For instance, smart whiteboards have an option to integrate student’s devices to enhance collaboration and engagement during the learning period.
Improved Campus Security
Security is one vital element in learning institutions. IoT has made it possible to enhance the security of all people on campuses. Students, therefore, are guaranteed safety all the time. For instance, panic buttons, door access controls, and smart cameras can be integrated with security networks to monitor and automate immediate responses to possible security threats.
Remote education
Sometimes, things happen unexpectedly, and no one knows when to get prepared early enough. Many sectors can be affected as a result of unexpected events. The education sector, for instance, can be affected to some extent, thus affecting learners.
As a need to foster education continuity without any disruption, there is a need to implement strategies to ensure education continues as always. IoT, therefore, is the ultimate solution to foster remote education. Students can continue studying as always through online classes, webinar lessons, and app-based learning to foster remote learning.
As a result, the education plan or curriculum can continue as planned, ensuring students achieve the required targets for the year and graduate as anticipated.
Digital organizational processes
In a school, there have to be plans and organized processes to ensure education objectives and goals are attainable across the globe. For instance, learning institutions across the globe can share learning materials, resources, and curricula to follow to foster equality among all students.
Through IoT, education stakeholders can put in place test-checking processes, the use of microphones to promote a smooth learning experience, and tracking methods for student attendance, among other tasks automation.
Besides making work processes smooth, digital organization processes help save time and other resources.
Challenges affecting the implementation of IoT in education
As much as IoT is impacting education positively, some of the challenges affecting its implementation include the following:
- The need for training education stakeholders on how to adapt and use IoT devices and technology
- The cost of implementing IoT in education is higher, hence the need for better planning and budgeting
- Privacy and security because some of the IoT devices require students’ details to implement some processes. Therefore, education stakeholders must put in place strong measures to safeguard and protect student’s confidential information.
Conclusion
Smart gadgets help improve teaching and learning experiences for both teachers and students. Through smart devices and technology, IoT has created a seamless, personalized, interactive, and engaging learning environment. Even though there are many benefits IoT offers education, there are challenges that affect the integration of technology and education as a whole. The good thing is that education stakeholders can overcome such challenges. With this in mind, it is evident that IoT is impacting education in a positive manner.
