Re-imagining the future of education in the era of the fourth Industrial Revolution

Purpose Globally, higher education has been, over the years, a source of innovation, policy, new knowledge and a national asset. However, the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is having an impact on the principles of learning from primary to tertiary levels. The purpose of this paper is to consider how the 4IR has and will continue to impact education at the various levels of learning. Design/methodology/approach The paper aims to bridge the perceived information gap and provide insights into the kinds of educational preparation and the skills and qualifications that 4IR jobs require. In response, the following are considered: the need to tweak the curriculum, adopt the right technology for in class and online delivery and the projection of other learning techniques and skills that are often not considered pertinent. Data gathering for the report was by discussion with experts and consultation of relevant articles and write-ups from related websites. Findings The advent of smart communication systems involving artificial intelligence, internet, robotics, virtual reality and digital textbooks has opened a new vista in relation to how and what is learnt in schools. Just as technologies brought about smart communication systems, the 4IR model of higher education is rapidly evolving and as such, curriculum development and review must be dynamic, and it must keep pace with the technological advances and skills required in the twenty first century. Originality/value The 4IR era will bring great changes to how students are taught and what students must learn as the tools for transformational learning are already overwhelming. Jobs will be scarce for those without the requisite skills, whereas those with the right skills will have to keep up with the pace of technological development, otherwise they too will be left behind. Schools will increasingly become centres for the generation of innovation and its incubation and in all this, quality learning, teaching and knowledge impartation can easily be carried out online.