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The Internet of Things (IoT) in Schools project represents a groundbreaking collaboration between the University of Edinburgh and six local authorities across South East Scotland, bringing authentic scientific investigations directly into primary, special and secondary classrooms.
Rather than simulated experiments or theoretical examples, your pupils work with live sensors collecting real data from their school environment. They analyse temperature fluctuations, monitor air quality changes, track lighting patterns, and investigate how their school building responds to weather, occupancy, and seasonal variations. This isn’t just technology for technology’s sake — it’s genuine problem-solving applied to questions that matter to young people.
See it in action
Curriculum integration that actually works
The project seamlessly aligns with the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence across multiple subject areas:
Science
Real sensor data drives scientific investigations and environmental monitoring.
Maths
Rich datasets for statistics, graphing, and pattern recognition.
Technology
Exploring how sensors work and how they process and communicate information.
Geography
Climate data, environmental change, and real-world place-based investigations.
Literacy
Pupils communicate findings and debate environmental issues through writing and discussion.
No technical barriers
Everything provided
The University provides sensors, wireless gateways, and web-based data visualisation tools — all configured and ready to use. No specialist knowledge required.
Teacher-designed lesson guides
Our comprehensive lesson guides, created by teachers for teachers, offer flexible starting points while encouraging you to adapt activities to your pupils’ interests and your curriculum priorities.
Ongoing support
From initial setup through ongoing curriculum development, the project provides professional learning opportunities, peer working, and direct support. Join a community of innovative educators who share lesson ideas, troubleshoot challenges, and celebrate student achievements together.
Educational impact
After years of development and implementation across hundreds of schools, we’ve seen significant improvements in:
- Student engagement within STEM-related activities
- Enhanced data literacy skills
- Stronger connections between classroom learning and real-world applications
- Teacher confidence in delivering practical science-based investigations
- Greater enthusiasm for data analysis activities
Live data from a school sensor
Events and online sessions
One of the online events in session 2025/26
Throughout the year we run live online sessions for learners and professional learning drop-ins for teachers. These are delivered via Microsoft Teams and are free to join for schools in the project.
Sessions cover classroom investigations, data analysis, and curriculum connections — all designed around the sensors your school already has.
Examples and resources
- Addiewell Primary School and the Crocodiles (featured on STV News)
- Roslin Primary School and the Tonga Volcano
- Cramond Primary School and Indoor Environment Monitoring
- Video Introduction for Teachers
- Data Explorers from Roslin PS P7 reflect on their project
- Lesson Guides
Published 8 October 2024 | Contact us