Internet of Things Education

Project Overview

Teaching the Internet of Things presents distinctive challenges because the field spans hardware prototyping, networking protocols, data analytics, and application design, all of which evolve rapidly. This project designs an adaptable IoT curriculum that addresses the pedagogical challenges identified in the literature, including the difficulty of balancing long-lived conceptual principles with rapidly changing tools and platforms. The curriculum targets diverse learner segments ranging from children and hobbyist makers to undergraduate and postgraduate students, providing modular lab materials and resources that can be tailored to each group. Core modules cover sensor integration using Arduino and Grove platforms, embedded systems programming, wireless communication protocols, and cloud-based data pipelines. Accompanying lab books guide learners through foundational and advanced exercises in a step-by-step format, enabling both self-directed study and classroom delivery.

The project investigates effective pedagogical strategies for hands-on IoT instruction, examining how physical computing activities improve engagement and knowledge retention compared with purely lecture-based approaches. The lab books are structured progressively, beginning with basic sensor integration and building toward complex multi-component IoT systems, ensuring learners develop confidence at each stage before advancing.

By openly sharing lab books and supporting resources, the initiative aims to lower barriers to IoT education across institutions and informal learning communities. This contributes to a broader effort to equip the next generation of engineers and designers with practical IoT systems design skills, making high-quality IoT training accessible regardless of institutional resources.

Team

Charith Perera

Michal Malecki

Jamie Galvin

Hakan Kayan

Yasar Majib

Outcomes