Applying Project-Based Learning and an Integrated Laboratory Platform to Teach Internet of Things

With Internet of Things (IoT) becoming ubiquitous, there is an enormous need to train IoT engineers. Owing to multidisciplinary nature of IoT, it is a big challenge to expose engineering students to both theoretical knowledge and practical applications. Firstly, this paper presents an integrated IoT laboratory platform, which allows students to explore all aspects of IoT technology, such as embedded systems, 4G communication, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) and RFID. Then, by combining project-based learning (PBL) with three-phase pedagogy, a three-phase project-based learning (TPPBL) method is proposed to offer students a progressive learning path from understanding IoT knowledge through lectures, to practicing IoT knowledge through experiments, and to creating IoT knowledge based on their own ideas. Since autumn 2020, the proposed TPPBL method using the integrated platform has been implemented at an IoT course in Central China Normal University. Evaluations of educational results for pre-test (using traditional method) and post-test (using TPPBL) show that the proposed TPPBL has significantly improved students' final grades and self-efficacy, which prepares them for becoming future IoT professionals.