To Track the Availability of an Unoccupied Classroom using RFID

Integration of Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) in teaching learning process incorporates computer-based communication into daily instructional process in the classroom. Integration of ICT in teaching helps the students to understand and analyze the complex concepts in a simpler manner. The use of technology that supports ICT elements and components contributes to an interesting approach, effective and creative learning in students. This acts as an add on supplement to the conventional method of chalk board teaching. But fear of equipment failure is always a setback and becomes a major problem. Technical problems create a source of frustration and interruptions in the teaching learning process. In a real time, scenario one approach is to go for technical assistance to resolve and the second one is to shift to ICT enabled unoccupied classroom. If the technical issue is not resolved in the stipulated time, then the next step is to shift to the unoccupied classrooms by checking multiple classrooms physically. It’s really a time consuming and tedious process to track the unoccupied classroom and it also effects the continuity and students’ attention. In our paper an alternative solution has been addressed by integrating various technologies. The objective of the paper is to track the availability of unoccupied classroom to overcome the unpredictable circumstances in teaching learning process within a fraction of seconds by clicking the google sheet link shared with the concerned faculty members. This has been implemented by using RFID a wireless technology, Arduino UNO based on the ATmega328P microcontroller, an open-source firmware, Node MCU a low-cost open source IoT (Internet of Things) Platform developed for the ESP8266 Wi-Fi chip, Arduino IDE a software application and Google Scripts as a scripting platform to enable the Google Sheets API in the Google Cloud Console. As per the knowledge of the authors the above said issue has not been addressed in any of the applications related to RFID.