The 4th Industrial Revolution and its Impact on Education

The digital revolution is transforming how we work, our organizations and nearly every aspect of our daily lives. This revolution has already taken over homes across both the developed and developing world and it is transforming the way children and young people access information, communicatate, learn and even play. So far this revolution has not transformed the whole of the educational landscape–and it will take some time for it to really gain momentum.

It’s time to retire traditional pedagogies

One thing is for sure–we cannot go back to teaching the way we have been so far; in teacher based classrooms in which children are taught to regurgitate information designed to measure how much content they can remember. We have to understand that students are not always inspired by lectures and like having choices. Research carried out at MIT’s Media Lab suggests that the brain activity in students is almost non-existent during lectures. Interestingly, it is even lower than when they are asleep.

Systemic shift

The continuing developments in educational technology, mobile devices and tablets are providing the end user i.e. students more flexibility in accessing and controlling the creation and sharing of knowledge. These advances empower students, instructors and faculty in finding new ways to take advantage of how much control students have thereby increasing their motivation to learn.

With new pedagogies we are seeing how technology can be used to create new relationships between teachers and students as well as to accelerate teacher’s skills being handed over to students in the learning process. Moreover, one of the main goals of the new pedagogies is for students to become independent in creating and managing their own learning experiences.

This systematic shift calls for students not only to participate in the creation of new knowledge but also to apply it in the real world by using the power of digital tools to do more than just schoolwork. This is the final step where students; act with acquired knowledge in which they gain experience, build confidence as well as the proactive disposition they need for creating value in our technology-driven, knowledge-based societies.’

Realizing that this education shift is happening is critical when redesigning the delivery of education to a learner. These new goals require changes in the design of learning environments as well as the creation of new tools. Tools which capture students’ learning goals in relation to the actual work they do, their academic progress and levels of engagement.

Benefits of digital tools in online education

Furthermore, one of the main methods of delivering education has shifted from traditional classrooms to the virtual world–the online classroom. More and more institutions of higher education are recognizing the benefits of online educational programs, mostly regarding the need to keep up in a growing digital environment, but also for the creation of additional revenue streams and for allowing students greater flexibility to work at their own pace.

When integrated with the other core components of the new pedagogies in the formal learning process, online learning resources become tools not only for isolated learning by highly motivated students, but tools that enable more inclusive, socially-connected learning for all students.

Adding integrity and inclusivity to online education

By adding integrity to online learning, remote proctoring helps advance lifelong learning for everyone. A 2016 survey from the Pew Research Group found that 87% of workers believe that it is essential for them to get training and develop new skills throughout their work life in order to keep up with changes in the workplace. It is essential therefore, in producing future leaders in the community, that initiatives to foster academic integrity feature strongly in higher education institutions.

One thing is for sure, whether we have become aware of it or not, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is shaping how we live, learn and work. Advancements in technology are paving the way for flexible and responsive education to become mainstream. With that in mind, tools for monitoring online education will be crucial for both the education and corporate sectors alike, as online assessments become more popular and widely adopted. This is, in essence, our mission–to respond to and adapt to the 4th Industrial Revolution with our products which increase both the diversity of educational participation and pedagogy.

If you would like to learn more please join Proctorio’s session How Remote Proctoring is Revolutionising Online Education which will take place Friday November 29 from 11:45 – 13:15. Access to this session is free.

Provided by Proctorio.