Page 34 - School Planning & Management, September 2017

TECHNOLOGY THE INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT): THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE
For Example
One example is a line of intelligent locks for non-architectural applications, which provide the same high level of security and access control found at the building level, but on a more localized scale. Offered by Concordville, Pennsylvania-based Southco, a global leader in engineered access hardware, these locks ensure the security of individual lockers, server cabinets, industrial equipment, storage units, technology carts, podiums and more, providing monitored access far beyond a simple lock and key or general building access system.
“Most schools are applying IoT technology, whether they realize it or not,” says Steve Spatig, Southco’s general manager of Electronic Access Solutions. “If they have electronic access at the building level, it’s easy to add a lock at the equipment level and tie it to the existing system.”
Intelligent locks provide an audit trail, so administrators know when a room or a piece of equipment was accessed and by whom. Other benefits include the ease of credentialing, ability for remote management, ease of installation (there’s less equip- ment to install because it’s cloud based) and that there’s little or no initial investment because, in many cases, it’s a subscription- based solution.
Another example is Bus Central, a platform that allows school administrators to communicate with and monitor a fleet of smart buses out in the field. Developed by World Wide Technology, a global technology integrator, in partnership with Cisco Systems and Davra Networks, it provides valuable insights into the perfor- mance and safety of a school bus fleet. Specifically, it is possible to do the following.
1. Track which students are on specific buses and where those buses are located in real time.
2. Notify substitute drivers of next stops and pick-up locations on a computerized map.
3. Immediately find out when a school bus is running late, strays from its route, breaks down or is in an accident. Administrators can automatically dispatch a maintenance crew through the app.
4. Receive live diagnostics on a bus’s engine, oil, mileage and tire levels. Administrators can avoid break downs before they occur and use the analytics to improve driving patterns.
5. Place audio and video calls with individual drivers while on route, or send notification alerts to the entire fleet.
The driving force behind these examples and the expansion
of IoT isn’t the IoT itself, but the analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence that recognizes achievement or non-achieve- ment of data points and creates meaningful and often corrective or reinforcing actions. “IoT is just an extension of the accumulation of data points and their ability to signal the environment to take action,” observes Ron Reyer, the director of Technology for Bethel Park School District in Pittsburgh.
Trends and Concerns
The trend in adopting the IoT is that districts are already using
it in their core functional areas (as opposed to educational applica- tion), but don’t call it that. “Card access systems, IP-based video security cameras and automated HVAC control systems are all excel- lent examples of IoT,” says Reyer. “What differentiates these existing systems from the IoT systems that are receiving so much press today is that they are proprietary and dedicated vs. open and multi-use. While I can take an Axis security camera and use it as one of 170 security cameras I can also take the Axis camera in the gymnasium and split a second video feed off of it and use it to patch into my television mixer to help the television crew help film the basketball game. Of course these additional applications are not without secu- rity and access concerns so with open and non-proprietary systems comes the risk that many people could find them on your network and potentially exploit them for nefarious purposes.”
As Reyer points out, the main challenge with IoT is and will con- tinue to be security. Many IoT devices require unrestricted access to the Internet that is not associated to a specific account. “This is problematic for schools, which are required by CIPA to know who is on the network and how they are using it,” says Reyer. “IoT can also serve as hacking targets as IoT devices that are not kept up to date or managed centrally by the IT department are going to attract both inside and outside elements to explore the network and potentially provide a point of entry for further exploration of sensitive data.”
Inglese agrees. “As Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa continue to develop, they will track what’s happening and, in some cases, listen. This is great at home, but is quite another thing in the school environment where we have to consider the privacy and consent of individuals. We can’t send information to the Internet and hope it’s okay. We have to be very deliberate in protecting the privacy of students and teachers.”
Going Forward
There’s no doubt that the school facility itself plays a large role in student success. “Learning is affected by acoustics, lighting, air quality, and the technology used for individual education,” says Michael Mann, director of Marketing and Strategy for Building- wide Systems Integration for Johnson Controls, a global firm that creates intelligent buildings, efficient energy solutions, integrated infrastructure and more that work seamlessly together. “These things are important. And parents want the technology that pro- vides high-quality acoustics, lighting, air quality, and technology for education, even if they don’t understand it.”
It’s safe to say that administrators want higher performance learning environments, too, notably to support their overall mis- sion of student achievement. Currently, they purchase disparate systems — pieces and parts from different vendors to accomplish different goals. Once they have a clearer picture of IoT capabili- ties and what they want to accomplish via those capabilities, they
34 SCHOOL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT / SEPTEMBER 2017
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