Getting Educated on the Internet of Things What is the Internet of Things The Internet of Things, or IoT for short, refers to everything that is connected to the internet. Any device that is connected to the internet, whether it’s a smartphone, tablet, coffee machine or headphones are all part of the IoT. Today we are seeing more items than ever being connected to the internet, such as clothing, refrigerators and even windmills. The Internet of Things is transforming multiple industries in unprecedented, rapid ways as it allows for more control and automation. Machine learning is now being used in IoT, which can help companies collect huge amounts of data. Early adopters understand the importance of this industry, and how it will play a huge role in the future of technology. Since more devices are being connected to the internet, we are also seeing more people turning to the internet for different uses besides work, social media, and online shopping. There is now a sharp rise in online education, with websites like Coursera.org or Getcertgo.com offering courses and recognized certifications. You can even take master classes online, learning from the very best in various industries. Online education is now a $107 billion industry, meaning there are multiple options to choose from, and it’s an extremely convenient method of receiving further education. For those of you who are still scratching your heads about what IoT entails, you can easily take an online course on the subject. Taking an Internet of Things online training course Taking IoT courses online is an effective way to learn about the industry during your free time. General IoT course curriculums contain introductory lessons on the Internet of Things, and the software and operating systems available to implement it. The curriculum also takes a look at the hardware available to develop for the IoT along with rudimentary programming of this hardware. The target audience of these courses are students and developers looking to gain a fundamental understanding of the Internet of Things. To ensure students are kept up to date, online courses are usually updated as the industry changes. Getting a certification from an online course Most websites have options for taking certification exams at the end of the course. Study materials are provided, often in the form of online videos. These certifications are valid in their respective industries and many job boards, including LinkedIn, let you put this up on your profile page. Many colleges even allow college credit from an
online course certification. They are available at a fraction of the price of taking a college course in person.