Remote Engaged Student Learning through Hands-on Internet of Things

Abstract

Remote learning environments have become integral to higher educational institutions even when most courses, particularly in STEM, have returned to face-to-face or hybrid instruction. Although the impetus for this project was the COVID-19 pandemic which forced institutions of higher education everywhere to move to an online remote teaching and learning format, and as such negatively affected STEM fields which require hands-on labs and access to instrumentation, remote learning still remains part of most courses today. We describe continuing efforts to create learning environments and materials to support remote hands-on engaged student learning off-campus at two Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) to enable and enhance student learning beyond the institutional walls. The approach utilizes Internet of Things (IoT) kits as remote learning tools that are provided to students to allow hands-on learning experiences at students' own chosen environment and time. Problem- and Project-based Learning approaches are utilized to achieve student learning outcomes and equip the students with the problem-solving skills necessary to succeed in STEM fields. Team-based projects engage students from multiple disciplines and demographics to collaborate on projects, make individual contributions, and integrate their work with that of their team members. General feedback from students has been positive. Assessment of student performance also demonstrates the effectiveness of IoT-based learning in engineering and computer science disciplines.