Curricula must adapt to the tech revolution
THE Fourth Industrial Revolution poses both threats and opportunities for development across all sectors including higher education.
The threats include the possible mechanisation of jobs, especially through advances in robotics, which has the potential to raise unemployment, especially among the low-skill job markets. It may also lead to the possible deprofessionalisation of some professions as human decision-making and initiative are replaced by technological capacities and capabilities.
Yet the opportunities are also vast. Work tasks can be achieved more effectively and efficiently as human error is eliminated.
Industrial production can increase exponentially as long as the technological elements of the production processes are kept in good maintenance.
This means that nations have greater capacity to accelerate growth and economic development.
In higher education, it will no longer be business as usual.
Skill sets for the 21st century differ markedly from those we prioritise today.
Digital skill competencies will become a fundamental requirement for coping with the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
New curricula and curricula organisation may necessitate the teaching of computing, IT and digital skills competencies to all undergraduate students.
This can be achieved variously through stand-alone or integrated courses delivery.
The vast amounts of information available to students through Moocs (massive open online courses) and via the internet require students to develop critical learning skills and abilities to identify, select and evaluate evidence that supports competent decisions.
Learning spaces have to be transformed from the traditional brick-and-mortar lecture halls to hi-tech environments which support and augment the new academic demands.
In all this, universities have to realise that their major task is not to prepare young people for employment. Only small numbers of our graduates are going to enter the job market anyway.
The new mandate of universities will have to be training young people to be creators of work rather than for them to expect to become employed.
Infusing all curricula with courses on entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial skills will be a key curricula transformation goal for 21st century education.