Students' Perceptions Towards IoT Educational Program - A Case Study

Abstract

The development of the loT system requires the education of experts with skills in electronics, automation, telecommunications and software development. Therefore, the study and educational programs focus mainly on these technical skills. However, business skills are also required for the development of innovative loT systems. The aim of this paper is to propose a solution for integrating technical and business skills in an loT curriculum. The paper describes the case of the loT School educational program in Croatia, which is funded by EU structural funds. In addition to this paper contribution, an instrument for evaluation of the educational program at micro and macro levels for quality assurance is presented. The methodology used for curriculum development is based on the Croatian Qualifications Framework (CQF). The development of the evaluation instrument is based on the analysis of 14 evaluation methods for other educational programs. The new loT curriculum consists of 7 modules that balance business and technical skills and include 30 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System). The evaluation shows that students find this approach supportive and motivating for their professional development. The students' suggestions will be used to improve the quality of the future loT School program.