Investigating the use of sensor-based IoET to facilitate learning for children in rural Thailand

• Published in: PloS one 2018-08, Vol.13 (8), p.e0201875-e0201875
• Main Authors: Putjorn, Pruet, Siriaraya, Panote, Deravi, Farzin, Ang, Chee Siang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Biology and Life Sciences; Child; Children; Co-design; Computer and Information Sciences; Computers; Design; Education; Educational Technology; Elementary school students; Elementary schools; Engineering research; Engineering schools; Female; Humans; Industrial design; Interactive learning; Internet; Internet of Things; Learning; Learning activities; Male; Management; Middle Aged; Minority & ethnic groups; People and Places; Physical Sciences; Portable computers; Qualitative Research; Quality; R&D; Research & development; Research and Analysis Methods; Rural areas; Rural Population; Rural schools; School Teachers - psychology; Schools; Science - education; Sciences education; Sensors; Social Sciences; Students; Students - psychology; Studies; Study and teaching; Teachers; Thailand; Wireless access points; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201875

A novel sensor-based Internet of Educational Things (IoET) platform named OBSY was iteratively designed, developed and evaluated to support education in rural regions in Thailand. To assess the effectiveness of this platform, a study was carried out at four primary schools located near the Thai northern border with 244 students and 8 teachers. Participants were asked to carry out three science-based learning activities and were measured for improvements in learning outcome and learning engagement. Overall, the results showed that students in the IoET group who had used OBSY to learn showed significantly higher learning outcome and had better learning engagement than those in the control condition. In addition, for those in the IoET group, there was no significant effect regarding gender, home location (Urban or Rural), age, prior experience with technology and ethnicity on learning outcome. For learning engagement, only age was found to influence interest/enjoyment. The study demonstrated the potential of IoET technologies in underprivileged area, through a co-design approach with teachers and students, taking into account the local contexts.