The Internet of Things is happening all around us, and it has
been for some time now. It is a movement to connect physical things to the
Internet and to each other through wireless technologies to form a seamless,
coherent experience (http://www.entrepreneurial-insights.com/internet-of-things-future-data/). The
future of the Internet of Things raises questions regarding big data and what
we do with it. There is much discussion about how everything connects through
wireless technology, but what happens with all the data that gets collected? Is
there a place for the Internet of Things in higher education? And if so,
what?
According to a white paper written by software company Oracle
(“This paper provides an overview for the adoption of Big Data and analytic
capabilities as part of a ‘next-generation’ architecture that can meet the
needs of higher education institutions”) on enterprise architecture, “Institutions
have traditionally measured students by grades and attendance. Students facing
severe academic challenges are often recognized too late. Many institutions are
now starting to look at Big Data solutions to better understand student
sentiment (gathered from social media) and other aspects of the campus life
experience. For example, sensors in buildings enable tracking of students and
the time that they spend in the classroom, in their dormitory, in the
cafeteria, or in the library. The effectiveness of their instructor can be
partly determined by analysis of student sentiment. Problems can be detected
and corrected earlier, with less dire consequences for all involved.” (For the
complete report, click here.)
Although written and researched by a for-profit company, the implication of the
direction of one of the largest data companies is staggering.
So does the Internet of Things begin to quantify our
students? Can we use the examples of a quantified self to increase student
performance and completion? What is quantified self and what data are used to
quantify one’s self? Currently the trend in quantified self is using personal
data, such as fitness trackers, calorie counters, etc., to track one’s fitness
and health. According to the Association of College and Research Libraries
(ACRL), “Quantified Self describes the phenomenon of
consumers being able to closely track data that is relevant to their daily
activities through the use of technology.” It is enabled by wearable technology
and the mobile web. This is a notable trend because it gives us a
glimpse of what our daily lives will be like in the near future, in which many
of the emerging technologies that we are just getting used to – the mobile, big
data, wearable technology – will come together for a seamless consumer
experience. (Full
article)
Only when the Internet of Things, quantified
self, and big data come together in a student profile can we begin to
understand how much impact the data can have on higher education. In the near
future, we will have to address how these three come together to better aid our
students in study habits, health habits, and academic planning to truly enhance
the entire student experience. The future beyond big data will be the true
quantified self through learning experiences, and competency-based education
through just-in-time learning and creating a fully quantified self that will
serve as an e-portfolio of a person’s true qualifications and ability. The
future of higher education will be credentialing competency-based education,
experiential learning, and lifelong learning. Self-tracking websites such as LinkedIn
(www.linkedin.com) give us a peek into the future and the quantified self.
Do you have any comments
or questions about the Internet of Things and the quantified self? Hawk Vision
would love to hear from you! Share your thoughts with us at
hawkvision@mvcc.edu.
