Integrating Internet of Things (IoT) into STEM undergraduate education: Case study of a modern technology infused courseware for embedded system course

Abstract

Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly emerging as the next generation of communication infrastructure, where myriad of multi-scale sensors and devices are seamlessly blended for ubiquitous computing and communication. The rapid growth of IoT applications has increased the demand for experienced professionals in the area. Since few, if any, dedicated IoT courses are currently offered, most Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students will have limited or no exposure to IoT development until after graduation and entrance into the workforce. Moreover, there is a little room for adding additional courses into existing STEM curriculum. Therefore, we propose to transform STEM core courses by integrating IoT-based learning framework into their corresponding lab projects. The design challenges of the new learning framework is summarized in the paper. Subsequently, we propose the effective learning approaches to address those challenges. Moreover, in this paper, we present a case study by incorporating IoT-based learning framework into a Software Engineering (SWE) embedded system analysis & design course. Specifically, we introduce a lab development kit composed of Raspberry Pi/Arduino boards and a set of sensors with Zigbee supporting to provide wireless communication in the class lab section. We adopt module design method to design the course labware. Well-developed modules are presented and one sample module is illustrated in the paper. The labware is evaluated through survey questions. The majority of the students provided positive feedback and enjoyed the IoT-based lab development kit.