Enhancing Sustainability Through Integrating the IoT into Education

Dear Colleagues,

The Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as a transformative paradigm that integrates various technologies to enhance connectivity and automation across multiple domains (Sharma et al., 2022). The upward trend of the IoT is characterized by its rapid evolution and the increasing deployment of smart devices, which facilitate real-time data exchange and decision-making processes.

Education is also witnessing the incorporation of the IoT into curricula, reflecting its growing importance in computer science and software engineering in education. As the IoT becomes increasingly ubiquitous, educational institutions must adapt their programs to include IoT-related topics, ensuring that students are well equipped to navigate this evolving technological landscape (Hynninen et al., 2022).

In this framework, education can play a crucial role in supporting IoT technology by encouraging students to leverage it to advance sustainable development in areas such as energy, the environment, recycling, smart cities, sustainable agriculture, and STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) (Abichandani et al., 2022). Meanwhile, integrating the IoT into curricula, by utilizing open-source software and low-cost hardware, not only facilitates learners' access to practical applications but also fosters practical learning experiences, encourages innovation, and promotes the development of critical problem-solving skills (Abichandani et al., 2022).

Although many researchers support the integration of these technologies into education, there seems to be a lack of sufficient empirical evidence to document their positive impact on students and how education can meaningfully contribute to sustainable development (García-Pérez et al., 2020; Roşca et al., 2021; Zeeshan et al., 2022).

The main purpose of this Special Issue, titled "Integrating IoT in Education for a Sustainable Society," is to provide a platform for academics, educators, and professionals by documenting studies related to the integration of the IoT into education, focusing on its role in sustainability and STEM learning. Additionally, it aims to address the existing gap in empirical evidence regarding the educational advantages of the IoT and its contribution to sustainable development.

We invite you to publish your research on the integration of the IoT into education, with a focus on its role in fostering sustainability.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome.

Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Investigating the impact of IoT approaches on collaborative learning and teamwork skills.
• Investigating how IoT approaches enhance critical problem-solving skills among students.
• Assessing the long-term influence of IoT curricula on students' contributions to sustainable development.
• Teachers’ views about the utilization of the IoT in education.
• Identifying challenges in integrating IoT technologies in education.
• The role of the IoT in bridging practical and theoretical knowledge in STEM fields.

References

1. Abichandani, P., Sivakumar, V., Lobo, D., Iaboni, C., & Shekhar, P. (2022). Internet-of-things curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment for stem education: a review of literature. IEEE Access, 10, 38351-38369.
2. García-Pérez, A. and Mesa, J. A. (2020). Sustainable engineering and internet of things (iot): trends and perspectives. Proceedings of the 18th LACCEI International Multi-Conference for Engineering, Education, and Technology: Engineering, Integrat.
3. Zeeshan, K., Hämäläinen, T., & Neittaanmäki, P. (2022). Internet of things for sustainable smart education: an overview. Sustainability, 14(7), 4293.
4. Roşca, M. I., Nicolae, C., Sanda, E., & Madan, A. K. (2021). Internet of things (iot) and sustainability. New Trends in Sustainable Business and Consumption, 346-352.
5. Sharma, V., Chen, J., Park, J. H., & Park, J. H. (2022). Unleashing the power of IoT: A comprehensive review of IoT applications, technologies, and challenges. Sensors, 22(16), 7194
6. Hynninen, T. and Knutas, A. (2022). How well do students understand the all-encompassing, ubiquitous, and interconnected nature of iot?. Proceedings of the 53rd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education.

Prof. Dr. Vassilis Komis
Dr. Konstantinos Lavidas
Dr. Anastasia Misirli
Dr. Dimitris Tsipianitis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• Internet of Things (IoT)
• sustainable development
• STEM
• innovation
• education