LEARN @ IOT

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a fantastic concept that connects everyday objects to the Internet, making them smart and allowing them to communicate with us and with each other. One important aspect of IoT is the use of sensors.

Welcome to Learn@IOT, the portal for the Internet of Things in Schools project, a collaboration between the University of Edinburgh and the Local Authorities in the South East of Scotland. 

This guide is for teachers new to the IOT in Schools project and would like an introduction. Local authority schools in the southeast of Scotland (East Lothian, Edinburgh, Fife, Midlothian, Scottish Borders and West Lothian) have the offer of sensors, gateway and associated web services, free of charge from the University of Edinburgh. You do not need any technical expertise to support your class on this project. It is largely numeracy and science!

Alongside the IOT in Schools project, the Data Education in Schools programme works to promote data literacy in the 3 - 18 curriculum.

The project began with some pilot studies in 2019. The purpose of the pilots was to see if the high-tech nature of the IOT developments could be integrated into the Data Education in Schools programme, a ground-breaking data literacy initiative similarly funded by the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Deal.

Teachers in our schools, supported by the IOT in Schools and Data Education in Schools teams, have created some lessons to use with the sensors. These are not mandatory, and teachers can be flexible with introducing learners to the technology. Most of the lesson guides encourage learners to explore digital and data education, numeracy, science, and technologies as well as a wide range of interdisciplinary contexts.

Link to the live sensor data coming from schools in south-east Scotland.