Exploring the Pedagogical Potential of ESP32 as a Teaching Tool for IoT in Residential Automation Educational Workshop

Abstract

Undergraduate education in engineering and technology often poses a challenge when it comes to understanding abstract concepts due to their lack of practical application. To overcome this issue, the Education 5.0 approach, combined with the use of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, presents itself as an alternative. By integrating these technologies, aimed at learning concepts in a more realistic and autonomous way, preparing them to propose solutions to real problems. In this context, this paper explores the pedagogical use of the ESP32 microcontroller through an educational home automation workshop aimed at engineering students. Using the Problem-Based Learning methodology, we introduced participants to the fundamentals of IoT, followed by a practical part that explored the Blynk IoT software to demonstrate the automation and remote control of devices connected to the microcontroller. The results showed not only an understanding of the concepts presented by the participants, but also a significant increase in motivation and engagement, especially due to the inclusion of devices such as the ESP32. These findings highlight the importance of active and practical educational approaches in engineering education, as well as underlining the need to prepare students for the challenges of the workplace in the context of constant technological evolution.