Expectations and Possibilities of Using IoT in Education

The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in contemporary educational settings is remarkable. Researchers and teachers are actively exploring various methodologies to maximize the potential of ICT, emphasizing the need to enhance ICT skills for dynamic learning experiences. In Japan, education on the use of ICT is mandatory in university teacher training programs. However, ICT use in early childhood education and care is still limited. In other words, although ICT use is a mandatory part of the curriculum to be a kindergarten / nursery school teacher, its use in early childhood education is almost nonexistent. There are various arguments for and against the necessity of ICT in early childhood education. Countries such as the United States, Norway, and South Korea offer successful models. On the other hand, there has been little movement in Japan to utilize ICT in childcare, which the authors believe is an issue that needs to be addressed. Based on the authors' extensive research, this paper focuses on the introduction of ICT in childcare and proposes the educational use of the Internet of Things (IoT) as a solution. We delve into this topic and report on the transformative potential of the integration of ICT and IoT to shape the future of early childhood education.