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Accelerated learning
Higher education needs to embrace the fourth industrial age .
By Andrew West and Greg Whateley
Like it or not , the world now finds itself amid the fourth industrial age . For higher education providers , as for all organisations , the choice is clear : embrace its potential or be assigned to the history books .
The first industrial age commenced in the late 18th century with the advent of mechanical production equipment . From the late 19th century the second industrial age followed with the introduction of electricity , mass production and the division of labour . And in the second half of the 20th century , the third arrived with the advent of electronics , computers , information technology and automated production ( Schwab , 2017 ).
Here in the 21st century , we are now entering the fourth industrial age . It is characterised by artificial intelligence , robotics , service delivery automation and machine learning driven by big data , all of which are having major impacts across all areas of society ( Qiang , 2018 ).
Our new industrial age is described as “ the advent of cyber-physical systems involving entirely new capabilities for people and machines … the Fourth Industrial Revolution represents entirely new ways in which technology becomes embedded within societies .” ( Davis , 2016 ).
COVID-19 : THE GREAT ACCELERANT
While this new age was already underway , COVID-19 has been labelled “ the great accelerator ” ( Bradley et al , 2020 ). Suddenly , the whole world was forced to embrace many long-term trends , social movements and institutional changes at a much quicker pace than could have been imagined before 2020 .
One sector previously slow to embrace change that has been greatly impacted is our own : higher education .
It is technology and ICT infrastructure , coinciding with a generational shift in the acceptance and expectation of this new way of interacting with learning , that will continue to drive this change in higher educational institutions .
In order to facilitate this change and embrace the full potential of the fourth industrial age , higher education providers must proactively plan across three main areas .
MAXIMISING THE STUDENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE
There is no ‘ one-size-fits-all ’ in the delivery of higher education . As more students enter as digital natives , their expectation and acceptance of the digital interface will be more pervasive .
Education providers will need to focus on the student learning experience . Doing so demands an understanding of the various learning styles , cultural backgrounds , motivations for learning , and the level of engagement with the subject material of each student , as well as their individual capacity for learning .
INTEGRATION OF MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
To ensure this focus on the learning experience is continuously observed , the student learning journey must be understood throughout each contact point they have with the organisation .
The relationship between the student and their education institution evolves throughout the journey . And those changes must be catered for accordingly .
To gain this understanding and capture the required data to make informed decisions , management systems must be tailored to suit the characteristics of the student / provider interaction . This can be viewed in terms of :
• Prospective student : customer relationship management system
• Admissions and student performance : student management system
• Student support : contact management system
• Learning environment : learning management system
• Post-graduation : alumni and industry partnership management system The success of the entire student learning journey is dependent on the seamless interaction each student has with the provider as they progress through the various stages .
STAFF CULTURAL CHANGE While important , a higher education provider cannot simply focus on developing the skills and capabilities required by its workforce to design , create , deploy and maintain the introduction of new technologies and systems .
As automation , bots and artificial intelligence are implemented , institutions will need to reinvent worker roles . Some will be assigned to staff , others to machines , and others still to a hybrid model in which technology augments and supports human performance .
The term ‘ no collar workers ’ has been introduced to describe the range of virtual workers , cognitive agents , bots and other AI-driven capabilities now in use ( Deloittes , 2018 ). Much has been written about the vocations subsequently under pressure to be replaced during this time of change .
A 2015 study replicated across the USA , UK and Australia deemed there is a high probability of 40 per cent of jobs being replaced by various forms of automation within a decade ( CEDA , 2015 ). Higher education is one industry facing this impact across all roles .
However , rather than viewing the implementation of the fourth industrial age as a threat to jobs , the higher education sector collectively must encourage and accompany staff along this journey of change .
Doing so means highlighting that the ‘ nocollar workers ’ are there to complement – rather than replace – their role ; to enhance their work practices ; and ultimately to provide a higher level of student experience and engagement . ■
Professor Andrew West is Dean of Universal Business School Sydney ( UBSS ) and Emeritus Professor Greg Whateley is Deputy Vice Chancellor of Group Colleges Australia .
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