How the Internet of Things is Changing Our Colleges, Our Classrooms, and Our Students

Mickey Slimp and Roy Bartels

You have heard about the Internet of Things. You know that it is having an impact on higher education. So, what is it?

Now that students have the entire computing power of 1975 in a pocket device, the college of the 2020s is entering a new educational age. For teens and tweens, the magic world of Harry Potter is all around. With a wave of a hand, they can control lights and surround themselves with music. In minutes, they can make a catalog of devices appear using a 3D printer. And now, they are ready to travel by driverless cars, summoned from a cellphone.

Embedded technology, that is, computing built into everyday devices, is all around. Known as the Internet of Things, embedded sensors in our home, in our tools, and even in our baseball bats have changed the world as we know it. As with every stage of evolution, leaders have the options to resist, adapt, or to get ahead of the change.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 194 • Trim: 6¼ x 9

978-1-4758-4297-5 • Hardback • February 2019 • $99.00 • (£76.00)

978-1-4758-4298-2 • Paperback • February 2019 • $48.00 • (£37.00)

978-1-4758-4299-9 • eBook • February 2019 • $45.50 • (£35.00)

Subjects: Education / Computers & Technology, Education / Classroom Management, Education / Higher

How the Internet of Things is Changing Our Colleges, Our Classrooms, and Our Students

Hardback

Paperback

eBook

Summary

You have heard about the Internet of Things. You know that it is having an impact on higher education. So, what is it?

Now that students have the entire computing power of 1975 in a pocket device, the college of the 2020s is entering a new educational age. For teens and tweens, the magic world of Harry Potter is all around. With a wave of a hand, they can control lights and surround themselves with music. In minutes, they can make a catalog of devices appear using a 3D printer. And now, they are ready to travel by driverless cars, summoned from a cellphone.

Embedded technology, that is, computing built into everyday devices, is all around. Known as the Internet of Things, embedded sensors in our home, in our tools, and even in our baseball bats have changed the world as we know it. As with every stage of evolution, leaders have the options to resist, adapt, or to get ahead of the change.

Details

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 194 • Trim: 6¼ x 9

978-1-4758-4297-5 • Hardback • February 2019 • $99.00 • (£76.00)

978-1-4758-4298-2 • Paperback • February 2019 • $48.00 • (£37.00)

978-1-4758-4299-9 • eBook • February 2019 • $45.50 • (£35.00)

Subjects: Education / Computers & Technology, Education / Classroom Management, Education / Higher

Author

Mickey Slimp’s career has married technology and education to create a better world for students. As the founding director of the Virtual College of Texas, an innovative media producer in biotech, a former reporter, and a community college leader, his insight provides new digital markers for the pathways to student learning.

After thirty years in various industries and technology-related positions, Roy Bartels retired from Western Texas College as Chief Technology and Information Security Officer. His experience, education, and service on regional, state, and national boards, plus his retirement career in fiction writing, gives him a unique perspective on the Internet of Things

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1: Life in the 2030sA Brief History of the FuturePersonal Technology Available NowA Day in 2030So, Hold On. Here’s What’s ComingChapter 2: The Internet of ThingsWhat is the Internet of ThingsGetting to NowHow the Internet of Things WorksStandards, Routers, Bridges, and Gateways – Oh My. . .Chapter 3: The Student as an EndpointThe Ubiquitous Use of Technology
The Rural Dilemma

Digitization of the Person

The Digitization of Personal Effects

Student Mastery of the Digital Environment

Student Use of Social Media

The 21^st Century Student

The Student in a “Multiverse”

Chapter 4: Teaching in the Empowered ClassroomUniversal Access to Information
Sharing the Power

Learning Models for the Early 21^st Century

The Evolution of Distance Education

eLearning – an Educational Crucible for IoT

Chapter 5: Smartphones and Student Empowered Learning

So many Toys Tools

Is Learning Changing Due to IoT?

Chapter 6: The Campus Network—Building an Infrastructure for IoT

The Physics of the Internet

Always Connected

So, How Much is Enough?

IPV4 & IPV6

Static vs. Dynamic Addresses

What is WiFi and Where Does It Come From?

Copper and Fiber

Ethernet

Hubs, Switches, and Routers

Where Does “The Cloud” Come In?

Types of Clouds

Equipment and Software: Planning for Upgrades and Obsolescence

Server Capacity

Chapter 7: College Facilities in the Digital Age

Embedded Technology Throughout the Organization

Rethinking Campus Facilities

Energy Efficiency

Inventory Management

Human Traffic and Crowd Control

Scheduling

Car Traffic on Campus

Laboratories and the Sciences

Athletics and IoT

Social Spaces for Learning

Public Information and Message Control

Chapter 8: The Security Nightmare
More than Just the Machines

Threats to Your Network
Specific Infection Types

Prevention

Planning for Failures, Recoveries, and Security

The Professional Edge

Chapter 9: The Careers of the IoT Age

“Daddy, What’s a Truck Driver?”

Healthcare

So, What is Next?

Artificial Intelligence

Quantum Computing

Work and the Self-Driving Car

Emerging Careers

The Disconnect with Teaching

Chapter 10: Looking Ahead

Networking Futures

Resources for the Educator

Final Words

One Final Tool

Epilogue: Graduation Day

Appendix: Truthfinder Report

About the Authors

Index

Reviews

Slimp and Bartels have chronicled the changes educators and administrators don’t always see or realize on our campuses and explain the Internet of Things and other trends for the digitally challenged and experts alike. I value the forecasts chapter as both a warning and an opportunity. Read this book to catch up and get ahead of our fastest moving future-soon.
— Carol S. Spalding, President, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

Dr. Slimp does an outstanding job of taking the reader through the background of “all things digitally connected” and propelling you into its potential future and impact on learning. This nostalgic yet futuristic journey is an enjoyable read that plants a compelling sense of endless possibilities!
— Marci Powell, Education Futurist and Project Director & Co-Anchor, Virtually Inspired; Chair Emerita, US Distance Learning Association

Wow - what colorful fun writers!
— Corinne Hoisington, author, Cengage Learning; professor, Central VA Community College

There’s an enormous amount of " whats around the corner" of curiously investigative interest. This book begins to raise an intellectual interest that there is an enormous " New World " to be explored.
— Blas Castaneda, President, CTA Global Solutions, LLC

Features

April 2019, WCET Frontiers: The site featured a blog written by one of the authors about his book. Link: https://wcetfrontiers.org/2019/04/09/internet-of-things/.