A smart learning ecosystem design for delivering Data-driven Thinking in STEM education

Francisco Benita,Erik Wilhelm,Bige Tunçer,Darshan Virupaksha

doi:10.1186/s40561-021-00153-y

Francisco Benita, Erik Wilhelm + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-021-00153-y

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Abstract

This paper proposes an Internet of Things device (IoT)-based ecosystem that can be leveraged to provide children and adolescent students with STEM educational activities. Our framework is general and scalable, covering multi-stakeholder partnerships, learning outcomes, educational program design and technical architecture. We highlight the importance of bringing Data-driven Thinking to the core of the learning environment as it leads to collaborative learning experience and the development of specific STEM skills such as problem-finding and solving, cognitive, analytical thinking, spatial skills, mental manipulation of objects, organization, leadership, management, and so on. A successful case study in Singapore involving tens of thousands of students is presented.

Highlights

In the light of the increasing digitalization of society, the rapid growth of Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT) or Artificial Intelligence applications has boosted the demand for experienced professionals in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) areas
Smart education and wearable Internet of Things device (IoT) devices The concept of Smart Education is based on smart learning through, but not limited to, IoT devices and other Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), and it is closely related to the literature on Smart Cities (Lee, Zo, & Lee, 2014)
The first NSE Experiment was launched in the last quarter of 2015 in the form of Data Collection 1. This stage was a major event for validating collaborations between stakeholders and functionality of the smart learning ecosystem when used by a large number of children and adolescent students

Summary

Introduction

In the light of the increasing digitalization of society, the rapid growth of Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT) or Artificial Intelligence applications has boosted the demand for experienced professionals in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) areas. Various stakeholders within the educational context have proposed digital technologies such as IoT devices in the in- and out-of-school learning settings for children and adolescent students’ education (Ito et al, 2015). Many proposals on how STEM education shall evolve while adapting and adopting these new technologies can be found in the published literature. There are three main dimensions in Smart Education, namely, educational outcomes, ICT and organization. Educational outcome is the most important dimension as it is the purpose of students upon which the smart education program is built. ICT and the technological architecture around it create flexible tools and well-adapted educational opportunities for learning. The organizational dimension comprises educational programs, forms of learning and principles of teaching (Tikhomirov, Dneprovskaya, & Yankovskaya, 2015)

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