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

PLoS One. 2018 Aug 15;13(8):e0201875. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201875. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Child
  • Educational Technology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Internet*
  • Learning*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Qualitative Research
  • Rural Population
  • School Teachers / psychology
  • Schools
  • Science / education
  • Students* / psychology
  • Thailand
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

We gratefully thank the PhD scholarship program of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Thailand. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.