The term Industry 4.0 is currently widely used. It is used to refer to the development process of manufacturing and production. It also alludes to the fourth industrial revolution. Today we will analyze its impact on e-Learning and the virtual education revolution .
This new revolution is based on the principle of automation of manufacturing processes by introducing technologies in the field of production . This helps machines operate independently and cooperate with humans. To do this, the machine collects data, analyzes it and advises independently.
This process then induces people, especially manufacturers, to communicate with computers instead of operating them. The main idea of Industry 4.0 is to create a social network where machines communicate with each other, known as the “ Internet of Things ” (IoT) and with people, called the “ Internet of People ” (IoP).
Why is it necessary to understand Industry 4.0 in education and e-Learning ?
Because in the field of virtual education, there is now talk of e-Learning 4.0 . According to the World Economic Forum report “ The future of jobs ”, 65% of children entering primary school will work in new jobs that do not yet exist.
From this analysis, we can see that the learning model must change to remain effective. For this reason, innovation in the technological space and all the changes in the industry lead to education providing the skills for people to develop their talents and therefore be employable.
At this point it is important to know that e-Learning has gone through a development process. Its different phases cannot be determined in one period, however, the characteristics that define each one are:
e-Learning 1.0 : it was a very important stage where this modality saw the light, however, due to the little, if not null, existence of interactive tools, we find web pages where the main content is presented in abundant plain texts, later this modality was known as e-Reading.
e-Learning 2.0 : Coincides with the beginning of social networks and the appearance of applications that facilitated the creation of resources such as podcasts, blogs, videos, etc. The first steps were taken in the creation and dissemination of content.
e-Learning 3.0 : the content is now the central element so that the “engagement” becomes a feature of online learning. Therefore, the focus now is on the student and their “individual way” of learning.
In recent years there has been talk of e-Learning 4.0, when will it arrive ? Although it is not possible to give a precise period, we can begin to identify some characteristics of it.
For this new era, the way of teaching must be rebuilt in a more flexible way and respond to current market demands. To achieve this, we must immerse ourselves in interactivity, immersion in intuitive learning and collaborative components that offer an individual approach to the subject. This is where the “ symbiosis ” of machine and man is created.
In this sense, we are talking about an improvement of existing platforms, which must be more intuitive and adapt the learning path according to the needs of the student. Apply various forms of instant communication and present relevant content.
This is where the IoT and IoP communicate and combine data through artificial intelligence, thus delivering valuable personal learning solutions.
These learning paths can be tailored specifically based on skills, interests, and locations. All this will be achieved through the registration of student information and their interaction with the content.