NBCC Researchers Evaluate Low-Code Platform Alternatives for Educational Technology Start-up Blue Kit

Research Area: Educational Technology   | Status:  Complete | Led By: Researcher-led

The Challenge

Blue Kit develops technology to support exploration of concepts related to Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, and Machine Learning through a low-code environment. Their platform is designed to enable the exploration of these concepts within a broad range of contexts and technical skill levels, with potential applications ranging from K–12 classroom experimentation to boardroom decision making.

Blue Kit wanted to know what low-code development platforms exist to support their technology and the specific capabilities each platform might provide when paired with their hardware and peripherals. Understanding how each platform may support experimentation related to IoT, AI, Cloud Computing, and Machine Learning would enable the company to explore new markets and develop additional business cases for their technology.

The Solution

A team of researchers from NBCC’s Centre for Applied Research in Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing, led by Dr. William McIver Jr., explored and evaluated the technologies and produced a report for Blue Kit. Dr. Eloho Ifinedo, an NBCC Research Associate in Educational Technologies who has a computer science background, also joined the team to bring an instructional design perspective to the evaluation process. The team developed a range of recommendations for the new Blue Kit and performed additional prototyping with the recommended new low-code programming language. Educational considerations that would enable Blue Kit’s content design to support learners were also provided.

About the Collaboration

Project Partners/Funders