Educate and Train emerging Challenges: Internet of Things Erasmus Project

Project Title

Educate and Train emerging Challenges: Internet of Things

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Open and distance learning; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

Technologies that are currently shaping the economy, such as the Internet of Things, cloud computing or robotics, must be better integrated into training in order to keep pace with the challenges of the job market. Unfortunately, many teachers in most VET organisations are not familiar with these technologies. However, if these technologies are not deployed in VET programmes as quickly as possible, Europe risks a drastic loss of expertise and competence compared to other nations on the world market. However, a teacher as a key person for starting the training of today’s pupils does not have the appropriate resources in schools to start this process.

For this reason, the project “Educate and Train emerging Challenges: Internet of Things” (Train IoT) aims to create a complete set of tools to address this dilemma.

This set consists of:
– An elaborated curriculum for the implementation of Internet of Things in the classroom.
– Hardware components for use in class (IoT Kit “Raspberry Pi” and IoT Kit “ESP”)
– A so-called “IoT Broker” with a corresponding iOS app to make the Internet of Things tangible and experienceable in class.
– A Massive open online course with videos for an easy introduction to the subject.

The set has been extensively tested at several Italian schools of our partner “Consorzio degli Istituti Professionali” (CIP) and enables a cost-effective introduction to the topic of IoT, both initially in class and more complex projects in the sense of “project-based learning” to implement.

The project was implemented by the following consortium:
Universities: Bochum University of Applied Sciences (HBO, IoT Kit and IoT Broker Development, Curricular Content), Tallinn University of Technology (Taltech: Curricular Content)
KMUs: WAPP GmbH (WAPP: programming of apps and websites, IoT integration), it:matters (ITM, project management, conception of IoT kit and broker, implementation), ITT Group (ITT: development of IoT hardware, IoT integration), Associazione Glocal Factory (GF: dissemination and publication)
Vocational training organisations: Consorzio degli Istituti Professionali (CIP, intensive test of the set, requester)

The set developed in the course of the project was extensively tested in class by our partner CIP with the schools connected to the network.

Following (partly shortened) feedback from the involved partners:
We would like to start with our teachers, who have contributed a very important part to the success of the project:
Marcello Dessolis, Bassi Burgatti Cento: “Now I am planning to include some activities in the curricula of the third and fourth classes of the technology courses, therefore I could say that the TrainloT project has been very useful for me”.

Cesare Casirati, Ferraris Pancaldo Savona: “TrainloT Project is useful in helping to transform the students’ approach to the world, using plug and play devices for data monitoring and usage; allowing to project and test connected devices designed to emulate the real world loT networks.”

Benedetto Coriale and Luca Pignagnoli, “Silvio d’Arzo” institute of Montecchio Emilia: “In our opinion the best result of this project is the participation, motivation and interest of the students”

Benedetto Coriale and Luca Pignagnoli, “Silvio d’Arzo” institute of Montecchio Emilia: “The TrainloT project can be very useful for the Italian school, because it can lead students to acquire important skill in the framework of an innovative subject like Internet of Things. Moreover it can be seen as enhancement of ordinary didactic programming”

Nicoletta Rossi, ITE G.B. Bodoni Parma: “In general, even if lot is perceived as something easy to use and learn, it is not. In fact, there is a need to teach lot in a simple, effective and (why not?) enjoyable way. Let’s hope our work will help in this new challenge!”

Further messages from the other partners involved:
Dr. Sven Seiler: ITM: “We are very happy to have made a valuable contribution to our Italian partners with TrainIoT and the developed Iot starter kits! The positive feedback spurs us again and again on such projects in the field of vocational training to conceive and then successfully implement”

Rosanna Rossi, CIP: “The proposal of the project has been useful on two sides. Firstly the didactic approach is very active and has a proposal that is winning and close to the experience of the students, it is very useful for motivation of students Secondly the project proposal is very useful for the revision of vocational curricula.”

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Carsten Köhn, HBO:“It is very important for young people to learn in a practical way the ideas behind modern research buzzwords like “IoT” (Internet of Things)” / “It was a pleasure to work with very committed Italien students and teachers.”

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 380883,53 Eur

Project Coordinator

HOCHSCHULE BOCHUM & Country: DE

Project Partners

• TALLINNA TEHNIKAULIKOOL
• ITT Group
• ASSOCIAZIONE GLOCAL FACTORY
• it:matters UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
• Consorzio degli Istituti Professionali
• WAPP GmbH