Container Based Framework for Flexible IoT Classrooms in Resource Constrained Environments (ContEd)

A wide range of applications of the Internet of Things (IoT) is anticipated in the forthcoming hyper-connected society, including in classroom-based learning. To support flexible and resource-efficient learning environments, this paper proposes ContEd, a Container-based Framework for Flexible IoT Classrooms. ContEd enables the design and deployment of lightweight, isolated, and course-specific containers, offering the flexibility of Virtual Machine (VM)-based systems while significantly reducing setup and maintenance costs. The framework is particularly well-suited for resource-constrained devices and lightweight operating systems typical of IoT-enabled classrooms. To approach optimal performance, the ContEd architecture incorporates user type, urgency, and resource-usage-based course classification when creating containers, ensuring that each course receives a tailored environment. The framework integrates a role-based access control mechanism to prevent unauthorized or malicious content installation within containers. To facilitate automatic deployment of IoT-enabled classrooms, ContEd includes resource allocation strategies for device placement, container scheduling, and migration, enabling efficient management of limited resources. Experimental results demonstrate that ContEd outperforms traditional VM-based classroom models in terms of cost, flexibility, and efficiency, particularly in resource-constrained scenarios, validating its suitability for modern IoT-enabled learning environments.