Activity-Based Gamified e-Learning for IoT and Energy Efficiency: Academic Education, Workforce Development, and Public Literacy

This paper presents the activity-based reconfigurable learning and training environment build around a “Virtual Energy Efficient House” (v-EEHouse). It provides an interactive context for cross-disciplinary learning and teaching a wide spectrum of STEM topics related to solar energy, energy efficiency, and Internet of Things (IoT) technology. The target audience includes K-12 and higher education students and faculty, and general public. It can also be employed for the professional training of employees of utility industry and IoT service providers.
v-EEHouse enables users to explore energy consumption by major home systems and appliances, get familiar with the IoT technology and the domestic use of renewable energy sources, and adapt an energy-responsible behavior. The v-EEHouse and its individual components can be integrated with online courses including these delivered via the MOOC platforms including edX.
Application of the environment at different educational levels and in various settings, as well as students and instructors’ feedback is discussed.