Education – Convrtx Blog

How the IoT is changing education?

The internet of things (IoT) means the ever-growing network of physical objects connected to the internet. These objects can include everything from wearable technology to household appliances. The IoT has revolutionized the way we live and work, and it is also having a significant impact on education. This article will explore how the IoT is changing education and consider the benefits and challenges of this technology.

The IoT has already begun to change education in several ways. Following are ten such examples:

1. Learning Is Made More Interactive And Engaging

IoT is making learning more interactive and engaging. For example, students can now use augmented reality to learn about the natural world of physics. They can also use virtual reality to explore different cultures or historical periods.

2. Students Have More Access To Information

The IoT has made it possible for students to access information anytime and anywhere. They can now use laptops, tablets, and smartphones to access data from the internet.

3. Students Are More Engaged In Their Learning Process

The IoT has helped students become more involved in their learning process. For example, they can now use online tools to track their progress and set goals.

4. The Use Of Technology Is Becoming More Common In Schools

The use of technology, including the IoT, is becoming more common in schools. Many schools are now using tablets, laptops, and other digital devices in the classroom.

5. The Use Of Cloud-Based Storage Is Increasing

The use of cloud-based storage is rising. Cloud-based storage is more secure and easier to manage than traditional storage methods.

6. Students Can Collaborate With Others More Easily

Students can now collaborate with others more easily, thanks to the IoT. For example, they can now use online tools to work together on projects or assignments.

7. The Use Of Drones Is Increasing

The use of drones is growing in education. For example, schools are now using drones to teach students about physics and geography.

8. The Use Of Artificial Intelligence Is Increasing

The use of artificial intelligence is also growing in education. For example, AI can now be used to personalize learning for students.

9. The Use Of Robots Is Increasing

The use of robots continues to grow more prevalent in education. For example, schools are now using robots to teach students robotics and programming.

10. The Use Of 3d Printing Is Increasing

The use of 3D printing is also growing in education. For example, schools are now using 3D printers to create models of different objects.

Conclusion

The IoT has the potential to change education in even more ways. For example, it could improve assessment and grading methods or create more personalized learning experiences for students. The benefits of the IoT are clear, but some challenges need to be addressed. For example, schools need to ensure that students use technology responsibly and not become too reliant on it. Additionally, schools need to ensure that they have the necessary infrastructure to support the IoT.

Overall, the IoT has a significant impact on education and is changing how we learn. It has the potential to improve education in several ways, and we must continue to explore its potential.

5 Exciting Ways to Use Virtual Reality in Education

Virtual Reality (VR) has only been around for a few years, but it’s already had a fantastic effect on the technology industry.

VR is not just limited to gaming, as we know it today – VR offers so much more than simple entertainment. With its stunning visuals and ability to immerse users in different worlds or scenarios, VR has become a medium that is extremely useful in education, for example.

This innovative approach to learning has opened up a whole new world of possibilities, and it’s only expected to get better with time.

So if you’re wondering what types of educational activities can be carried out using VR technology, the answer is ‘all of them.’ Here are five exciting ways that VR can be used in education.

Virtual Tours Of Historical Sites

Anyone who’s had the privilege of walking around historic buildings or visiting famous landmarks will know how unique these experiences are. However, not everyone has the time to make the trip; some would argue it’s even more special if you’ve never visited before. Luckily, VR can help give us a virtual tour of historical places in this situation. This way, students who cannot make the trip will still have the opportunity to explore these sites virtually and learn more about them before they even step outside.

Classroom-based Learning

Although not all schools may have the financial capability of supplying VR headsets to every student, there are other ways that this technology can be used to enhance the learning experience.

One exciting example is the use of StreetView VR – allowing students to virtually explore locations and become familiar with different parts of the world.

Students can view 3D models of objects or locations using Google Cardboard and similar headsets – they can also interact with simulations and visualizations through a computer screen.

Bring Historical Figures And Characters To Life

VR can also be used to create virtual re-enactments or interactive scenarios that put users right into the middle of some of history’s greatest moments.

Students will learn more about historical events, and they will also be able to learn more about the emotions and feelings associated with them.

For example, one museum in San Jose uses this technology to bring Abraham Lincoln back to life, allowing students never liked before to speak with him (virtually) and ask all of their burning questions.

Provide Virtual Field Trips

As mentioned above, not all students are fortunate enough to take field trips into the great outdoors. The beauty of VR technology is that it can bring the wonders of nature, for example, right into the classroom.

This way, students will get a chance to explore different parts of their local area and see places they may never have had the opportunity to visit otherwise.

Create Virtual Role-Playing Scenarios

This could be a fantastic opportunity to improve and polish students’ social skills and enhance their learning experience – by putting them into different situations that they may encounter in the real world, such as communicating with colleagues or working together towards a common goal.

Students will learn how to react in different situations and discuss their feelings through virtual reality simulations. With time, they will also enhance these skills through further interaction with the virtual world.

Conclusion:

These are just some of how VR technology can be used to enhance the learning experience. It’s expected to get better as content creators and hardware manufacturers continue investing more and more time and resources into this exciting new field.

Industry Trends In Education Software Development: What Are Some Upcoming Changes?

As the Ed-tech market becomes increasingly saturated, it has become crucial for existing companies to find new ways to stand out. With an already well-established base of users having little reason to switch over, new models must be innovated for old companies to continue thriving.

This article discusses the novel new business model that has been recently implemented by some ed-tech companies and aims to analyze the effects of this innovative change.

Education Software Industry Trends

The education market is currently worth over $200 billion worldwide, with an expected growth of 12% per year in emerging countries (Cisco, 2014). Despite a general growth in the market, it has been said that there is a strong case that education companies are currently facing saturation (Shaywitz, 2015). There are already several players in the industry with little to no reason for their current user-base to switch over to another program, making it increasingly difficult for them to increase their user-base.

The Changing Model Of Education Software

This is where the relatively new business model comes into play. While established players are still using the old-fashioned ‘software purchase’ model, sometimes even including subscription or pay-per-use options, smaller companies generate profit through different means. One of these methods is through ‘freemium’ models, where certain aspects of the program are free, but if their company wishes to upgrade to a better version, they will likely have to pay.

Companies have not widely adopted this model due to its supposed lack of profitability. Statistics show that only around 1% of users will transition to the premium version (Sullivan, p. 1), which leads to the conclusion that products using this model are not profitable. However, larger companies such as Spotify or Dropbox have proven that this method can be successful and widely adopted if done correctly. The main issue with these apps was their lack of proper marketing, which the smaller companies face as well.

This change in the business model could be considered a positive trend, seeing as the automatically generated revenue from freemium apps has been estimated to be around 4-5 times higher than traditional software purchases (Sullivan, p. 2).

As seen with Dropbox and Spotify, this method also fosters a greater sense of community within the user base, allowing for more potential future purchases.

Market Effects On Education

Implementing this new business model throughout the education sector will promote growth by increasing product visibility and allowing companies to continue generating profit even after they have reached market saturation. With an increased number of small businesses entering the market with a new approach, a greater diversity of products will be available for users.

Products from larger companies such as SAP and Oracle have shown slower growth rates due to their failure to adapt to the modern business model. Implementing this new method is likely to increase their growth rate, allowing these companies to remain competitive within the industry. Showing product users certain in-app features that they cannot access without paying for an upgrade may also lead to more money being generated by the companies who choose to adopt it. As a result, the education market as a whole will see an increase in its yearly growth rate. Although this trend does not apply to all education software, it can be seen as positive for many small businesses currently using the old-fashioned ‘sell and forget’ model.

This new method will thus provide education software producers with a way of creating sustainable growth, allowing them to enter already saturated markets and continue providing their users with valuable services.

Why Education Software Development Is Key To The Future?

Today, we live in a world of rapid change and innovation. One way of staying ahead is to anticipate the future and choose your response now.

One area where this principle applies very well is education. Nowadays, learning is not just to store information diluted after five years. The objective is to enable students to acquire relevant skills in their job market and be essential throughout their lives.

One way of enabling future-proof education is by developing software adapted to students’ needs. This article proposes a new framework for building educational software using object-oriented programming techniques.

This article will focus on a special kind of educational software: adaptive learning systems. These systems have been developed over this century and have become very light, small programs that can run even on smartphones.

Increasing Popularity Of Online And Distance Learning

The increasing popularity of online and distance learning has led to a boom in this kind of educational software. it seems that one day all education will be conducted solely through software, and it is clear why:

Software can adapt itself to the student’s needs, unlike teachers who, by definition, must teach everyone in the same manner.
Software never has a bad day when it gets sick or has personal issues.
Software is always available for learning 24/7.

These are compelling reasons that can forever change how we look at education. However, some obstacles must be overcome before software completely takes over education.

First, students need to be comfortable with their educational software and gain confidence in using them. The second one is that software needs to be developed with an educational purpose in mind, which means it has to be built from the ground up, keeping the end-user in mind. In other words, we cannot just import a bunch of existing video games into education and expect students to enjoy them! Lastly, teachers should see the benefits of using educational software in the classroom.

Benefits Of Using Education Software Development Tools

When someone speaks about software development for education or even adaptive learning systems in general, the reference is made to Scratch, a programming language developed by MIT students.

It was built with such simplicity that children as young as eight can start coding and creating interactive stories, games, and simulations. The primary purpose of building this language was to empower children to create a fun and easy way instead of learning how to use complex interfaces that require professional knowledge.

How Can Education Software Development Help Improve Student Outcomes

This question is twofold because it covers both the software itself and its use in the classroom.

First of all, educational software must be developed to match the needs of students. If you are dealing with children, for example, you would need a simple interface that can be navigated using touch gestures without using a mouse or keyboard. It should also be intuitive and easy-to-use so that children can discover its functions without much help from the teacher or another student.

In other words, it must be self-explanatory and built around user experience.

There are two types of this sort of software: remedial and adaptive.

Remedial educational software is used for students who need help in certain areas, while adaptive educational software can be used by any student regardless of age or skill level. For example, remedial software can have a strict sequence of lessons and exercises that must be followed to get all the help he or she needs.

On the other hand, adaptive educational software takes a more flexible approach because it uses machine learning algorithms to customise lessons based on each student’s progress. This is necessary because if a student needs more work on a particular subject or concept, this should be taken care of before moving on to other topics.

In short, educational software must be developed with both students and teachers in mind while considering the limitations that each platform has (computers, tablets, smartphones) and the unique features that each offers.

This will result in a product that can benefit teachers and students alike because it will be easy to use and support student success.

How Is Internet Of Things (IoT) Applied In Education

With the IoT industry forecasted to grow to a staggering $1.7 trillion by 2020, it is no secret that this technology has already infiltrated the majority of industries.

IoT has a natural and profound impact in one sector: education– with many universities and schools beginning to implement IoT into their learning methods and study programs already.

What is the Internet of Things?

The definition of ‘Internet of Things’ can vary, but it essentially refers to the connection of everyday objects or ‘things’– with wireless capabilities, to the internet. This allows data to be collected and shared between ‘things’, without requiring input.

Educational benefits of IoT

An intelligent environmental control system could monitor occupancy and regulate heating and lighting accordingly. For example, lights might only switch on when someone enters a room , or smart bins that can let students know when they are due to be emptied.

In addition, IoT can improve the safety of students and staff by equipping school buildings with sensors that detect the location of people within them, for example. In a similar vein, it can also be used to keep track of student attendance in real-time via an app or online portal.

It can also be used to enhance existing learning experiences. For instance, it could be used within lessons that focus on history or art to provide opportunities for students to interact with objects that they might not have had access to otherwise.

Connected Classrooms

IoT technologies can automate many aspects of a classroom, such as lighting or ventilation, depending on the time of day.

Students in classes may also be provided with IoT based features that help them learn more efficiently. For example, an IoT enabled smart board could provide students with additional information.

IoT Enabled Campuses

The University of Surrey is currently building an ‘Internet of Things’ campus that will provide IoT enabled features to its students.

These include intelligent floor sensors that detect movement and turn off lights– if there are no people nearby, and smart bins that let students know when they are due to be emptied.

Support Benefits Claims

The Department of Work and Pensions has announced that it wants to use IoT technologies to provide an efficient service to allow students with disabilities access the benefits they are entitled to.

With this in mind, they have also stated that they want their service to be accessible to students with sensory impairments, including visual and hearing impairments.

Reasons to be Concerned About IoT in Education:

Although the possibilities that IoT creates are numerous, they do not come without their problems.

The students may struggle to engage with learning if they are more interested in the connected objects around them than what is being taught in lessons.

In addition, increased reliance on related technologies may encourage an insufficient approach to learning, where students rely too heavily on the technology.

How Is This Being Applied In Education Today?

At present, the full potential of IoT in education remains largely untapped. However, there are already many cases where it is being employed to significant effect.

For example, Philips Lighting has created an educational program that uses connected lighting systems to teach students about sustainable development. Similarly, Whirlpool has launched a program that allows students to learn about robotics, programming and 3D printing by creating connected devices.

From simple classroom-based initiatives like the introduction of smart boards to large-scale rollouts that see entire school districts equipped with interconnected devices, IoT’s potential is only limited by the scope of the imagination.

How Much Does It Cost?

Connected devices can be expensive, primarily if they are intended for use in an educational environment. However, the initial purchase cost is offset by the potential savings that can come from implementing IoT systems, via lower energy costs and better school facilities management. For instance, the total cost of ownership (TCO) for an IoT enabled system is up to 35% lower than a conventional system or up to 40% higher than non-smart systems.

Other expenses may include the costs associated with developing and implementing specific applications that utilize IoT features, such as increased bandwidth use and security monitoring.

Conclusion:

IoT has great potential, but more needs to be done by both teachers and manufacturers if IoT in education is to become a reality. The possibilities of IoT in education are almost limitless, and it can help deliver new opportunities for students of all ages and abilities.

Top 6 EdTech Trends To Watch In 2022

EdTech is an umbrella term used to describe educational technologies that enhance teaching and learning. The future of EdTech is fast approaching as new technological advancements are made every year.

Technology is man’s greatest discovery, and it has proven to be a game-changer. Although these terms have been around for some time, many schools and colleges still do not have proper technological facilities.

Today, many Edtech companies across the globe offer innovative solutions to such educational problems. Here are some of the top 6 trends to watch out in EdTech for 2021:

Virtual Reality (VR)

VR is one of the most trending topics in EdTech for 2021. Companies like Apple are already making strides in integrating virtual reality facilities into their products to create a completely immersive experience for users.

Virtual reality can help solve educational problems, especially with math and science courses that require students to visualize concepts in a 3D environment for better understanding. Virtual reality has also been proven to help reduce learning anxiety for students and help visual learners grasp concepts better.

EdTech As A Service

Today’s students are tech-savvy and have become accustomed to using technology in their lives. This has led to the rise of cloud computing services, especially in the educational sector. Moreover, schools can connect with tech providers and make payments online to provide access to content from anywhere.

Virtual education has also given rise to e-learning facilities where students can interact and study at their convenience. The use of software as a service for educational purposes is expected to double in 2021. The emergence of COVID-19 helped accelerate this process.

Applying SaaS in EdTech has allowed schools to improve their core operations, such as teaching and learning, by a margin.

Companies like Coursera are using SaaS to provide e-learning facilities for students worldwide. LMS (Learning Management System) software is also being integrated into EdTech solutions, allowing teachers and remote instructors to develop online courses.

3D Printing

Students are fascinated with 3D printing technology and have been using it to create amazing things. From toys to household items, 3D printers can create anything you imagine. By the year 2021, most schools will integrate 3D printers into their curriculum to facilitate hands-on learning.

Students can also use 3D printing methods for creating science projects and prototypes, which will help them learn the intricacies of engineering faster. 3D printing is making education more fun, interactive and more creative.

Personalized Learning via Wearables And AI

Deloitte’s learning report shows that 40% of all 21st-century skills are dependent on the personalization of education. Students are now able to receive personalized content and adapt their learning plans as per their preferences.

EdTech companies are trying to establish a conducive atmosphere for students by providing them with the freedom of choice regarding their learning paths and courses while ensuring they’re on track concerning the curriculum.

The Apple Watch is already helping students develop better habits, especially when it comes to physical activity, which will help them be more effective. Similarly, AI technology is also being used to formulate personalized learning plans and analyze students’ data to provide better insights into their strengths and weaknesses.

Fintech In Education Sector

The financial sector uses technology to solve complex problems and analyze vast amounts of data in no time. eLearning solutions are being implemented by many banks today using the same methods as EdTech companies. This includes developing interactive games that will help students learn faster— automating some processes and providing student-centred learning.

EdTech companies are also using gamification techniques to improve the results of their students. This is being done by adding elements like points, badges, and achievements in their eLearning solutions. This will help students study better as they’ll be able to choose from a wide array of courses and get regular feedback on their progress.

Augmented Reality (AR) in Education

AR is a technology that superimposes digitally generated images over real-world images. It will play a huge role in education, especially concerning hands-on learning and experiential learning methods. Many EdTech companies are already using it to develop interactive learning apps and games for students.

AR apps help students learn Aurasma, an augmented reality-based eLearning solution that helps teachers and students engage in a collaborative learning process. This type of learning is especially useful to visualize artefacts, historical places, etc.