Get set for Education 4.0

Lee: Educators need to use technology effectively in their practice and connect technologies to a learning theory.

AS digital skills become must-haves in future jobs, said INTI International College Subang chief executive and Campus Academic Operations vice president Dr Jane Lim, intimate strategic collaboration among the government, industry, academia, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), and other relevant stakeholders is critical in ensuring wide-scale digital reskilling and upskilling in both the pre-employment and employment ecosystems.

Speaking at the EDUtech Malaysia 2022 virtual conference recently, Lim said the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0) workplace highly requires talents equipped with not only human-based skillset, but also digital skills.

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“Besides embedding technologies into teaching and learning methods, Education 4.0 will provide graduates with the capabilities and competencies required by the digital-driven industry.

“As the education landscape will continue to change, academics are encouraged to have an open mindset, creativity to adapt to latest industry trends, and willingness to explore new ways of conducting their classes,” she added during her session entitled “Upskilling and Reskilling: Developing Digitally Competent Faculty for the Education 4.0 Age”.

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She shared that one of the biggest challenges her team faced during the initial enforcement of the movement control order was converting practical classes of the hospitality programmes.

“We cracked our heads on how to conduct classes related to restaurant services, beverage making, butchering and more via our existing online platform, but as time passed and the MCO restrictions weren’t relaxed, our lecturers stepped up their creativity,” she recalled.

Lim: Education 4.0 will provide graduates with the capabilities and competencies required by the digital-driven industry.

“After weeks and months of exploring and experimenting various methods and techniques, both lecturers and students found the best way to technologically adapt to the situation,” she said.

Continuously reforming, improving and adapting the curriculum in the education system will lead to higher standards which, in turn, generate better employability and sought-after digital skills, she added.

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At the conference held from March 9 to 10, over 40 presentations and live panel debates from leading educators and innovators of educational technology from across the country, as well as fireside chats and interactive question and answer sessions, were carried out focusing on growing concerns in the education industry, an INTI press release read.

INTI International University vice chancellor Dr Joseph Lee, in his session entitled “Building a Culture of Digital Innovation and Collaboration in Higher Education Institutions”, said while technologies for education have evolved, the teaching profession and learning approaches have been rather orthodox with limited innovations and changes.

Unlike previous eras focusing on knowledge transfer and knowledge development, he said there is a current need for more comprehensive skillset from learners that includes cognitive skills, socio-emotional skills, technical skills and digital skills.

The need for a wider variety of educational programmes and the development of skills, he explained, can contribute to structural transformation due to global mega trends such as the rising role of technology, climate change, demographic shifts, urbanisation, and the globalisation of value chains which are changing the nature of work and demands for skills.

“Educators need to use technology effectively in their practice and connect technologies to a learning theory.

“In other words, stakeholders should not only commit to working together to use technology to improve education, but it may also be more interesting and essential to see how to reinvent our approaches to learning and collaboration that leads to changes in educational technologies so as to meet the needs of all learners,” he stressed.

He added that one of the concrete actions is to make free and open source technologies available to teachers and students.

“Open educational resources and access to digital tools must be supported. Education cannot thrive with ready-made content built outside of the pedagogical space and outside of human relationships between teachers and students; nor can education be dependent on digital platforms controlled by private organisations,” he said.

He added that education is crucial in the post-pandemic era to realise the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4, which is to ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning.

“Technology has never proven to be a panacea for education. When it comes to education, the centre of attention is supposed to be human beings rather than technology or educational content. “Indeed, now is the time to ask what is past, what is present, and what is next, turning this crisis into an opportunity for a new beginning in education and to build back better,” he said.