Abstract:

The Internet of Things (IoT), as a global network of smart objects along with the set of supporting technologies, enabled different and new utilization options and possibilities and promised quality improvement of our lives. This uniquely addressable objects and sensors easily blend with the environment and have already found their application in supporting and enhancing different human activities, including education. Although educational environments are constantly becoming IoT playgrounds and different authors are researching the possibilities of using the IoT to enhance the teaching and learning processes, in our ongoing research we are not only combing software and hardware but also liveware objects with the aim of students’ activities tracking and success prediction. We call this environment an IoT ecosystem.

In our previous reports we presented the results of research on anticipated user experience (UX) dimensions related to mobile application prototype which is a part of such a complex IoT ecosystem. A measuring instrument was developed and an empirical study was carried out in order to examine the psychometric UX features in interaction with the system prototype. In addition, we also presented a model for user experience design that builds on the user-centered design approach. Finally, we identified a set of factors for academic success and used it to define system requirements and the overall system architecture which combined existing university services with new IoT infrastructure layer, data management layer, service layer, presentation layer, and mobile application.

In this paper, we present the results of the design of the IoT infrastructure layer of such IoT-supported learning ecosystem. We performed a systematic mapping study to identify and map available evidence of the use of IoT technologies in learning environments. In the third chapter we presented the available IoT technologies and M2M (machine to machine) communication protocols that could be used in such infrastructural layer. After having analyzed positive and negative aspects of available technologies, we have proposed a final set of technologies that could be used in most common learning environments (classroom, study room, and university library). Finally, the paper presents the proposal of the architectural and structural design of the IoT infrastructure layer in the IoT-supported learning ecosystem.

Keywords:

Internet of Things, IoT, learning environments, learning ecosystem, architecture, design.