Education 4.0

Definition

Education 4.0 is a blanket term that is often used by educationists today. It describes the desired approach to learning that aligns itself with the emerging fourth industrial revolution that focuses on smart and sustainable technologies; cloud computing, artificial intelligence and robots; all of which now impact humans' everyday lives. According to Costan et al. the Education 4.0 is “a pedagogical approach that aligns with the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). It answers to the demands of the 4IR, in which the convergence of science and technology is utilized in augmenting manual processes for improved effectiveness and efficiency.”(Costan,1)

The Trends of Education 4.0

The global thought leader, bestselling author and inspiring speaker Pr. Peter Fisk, states that there are nine Trends related to Education 4.0. (Fisk)

1. Diverse time and place in which the learning process can take place anytime anywhere, since the E-learning tools offer great opportunities for remote, self- paced learning.

2. Personalized learning. Learners’ independence and unique approach to study will be celebrated. They will have the opportunities to study with tools that adapt to their capabilities. They will be introduced to harder tasks only after a certain mastery level is achieved in order to promote positive learning experience and strengthen students’ confidence about their own academic abilities.

3. Free choice. This means that learners have a choice in determining how they want to learn. Blended learning, flipped classroom and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) approach are options that the teachers can adapt to better the learners’ performances and to enable them to modify their learning process with tools they feel are necessary for them.

4. Project-based learning where learners will be exposed to more project-based learning and working to enable the learners to adapt to their future freelance economy. Students are required to apply their knowledge and skills design of short term projects that correspond to their future plans.

5. Field experience. Because of the facilitation that technology provides in developing certain domains, curricula will be oriented to provide more opportunities for learners to obtain real-world skills that are representative to their future jobs.

6. Data interpretation. As computers will soon take care of describing and analyzing data and predicting future trends, human intelligence, reasoning and critical thinking will become more important.

7. Exams will change completely. Many believe that the Q & A approach of assessing learners' competence is irrelevant today. The factual knowledge of learners can be measured at each step during their learning process; the application of their knowledge is best tested when they are working on their projects in the field.

8. Student ownership. Learners will have their own direct connection to a variety of different information sources. They will be more involved in forming the learning process in which their opinions will be highly considered in designing and updating the curriculum as education now is no longer centred upon a back and forth between students and teachers, but instead is taking on a more networked approach.

9. Mentoring will become more important. Though Distance education seems to be the future, teacher's guidance and instructions as well as the existence of educational institutions are fundamental to academic performance and the success of the educational process.

References

• Costan, Emily, et al. ‘Education 4.0 in Developing Economies: A Systematic Literature Review of Implementation Barriers and Future Research Agenda’. Sustainability (Switzerland), vol. 13, no. 22, 2021.

•Fisk, Peter. (2017). Education 4.0 ... the future of learning will be dramatically different, in school and throughout life.