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Challenges and Opportunities for Education in the Fourth Industrial

Revolution

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 Challenges and Opportunities
for Education in the Fourth
Industrial Revolution
C Kayembe
School of Public Management, Governance and Public Policy
University of Johannesburg

D Nel
School of Public Management, Governance and Public Policy
University of Johannesburg
South Africa
daniellen@uj.ac.za

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this article is to determine the challenges and opportunities for
education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) context. This article particularly
focuses on the South African education sector, and is based on a desktop study.
Unobtrusive research techniques, including documentary analysis and conceptual
analysis, were used to analyse authoritative sources to conceptualise and contex-
tualise the 4IR and education. The findings of the study suggest that the education
sector in South Africa faces a number of challenges in order to adapt to the 4IR.
These challenges include insufficient funding, infrastructure, and skills to prepare
graduates to participate in the 4IR. The findings also suggest that the government
should invest in the development of infrastructure and human, technical, and finan-
cial capacity to develop the education system to participate in the 4IR.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); Big data; Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR);
Internet of Things (IoT); Robotics.

INTRODUCTION
The 4IR is the current and developing environment in which changing technologies and
trends such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) are changing the

Volume 11 number 3 • September 2019 79

way we live and work. The 4IR presents a number of implications for skills development
and education. Some of these implications include reinventing education systems and
strategic approaches to increase creativity and innovation.

In order to achieve this objective, the article will firstly explain and conceptualise the
4IR. Secondly, the characteristics of the 4IR will be identified. Furthermore, the implica-
tions of the 4IR in education will be discussed. Lastly, the challenges and opportunities
presented by the 4IR in terms of education will be identified. The research approach
followed in this article is qualitative in nature, using unobtrusive research techniques.
Unobtrusive research techniques, including documentary analysis and conceptual
analysis, were used to analyse the literature and secondary data obtained through a
desktop study.

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION DURING THE AGES

Stearns (2018:1) argues that “the industrial revolution was the most important single
development in human history over the past three centuries.” Industrial revolution
could be argued to be a major development, change, or transformation that has taken
place in the history of human society; from the use of machines, telecommunications,
electricity, to new developments in the form of technology. Any industrial revolution
changes government policies and the way the government provides services to various
communities, and influences both the social and economic aspects of society. Vries
(2008:158) explains that “industrial revolution” refers to the occurence, during the
transition from a pre-industrial to an industrial society, of modern economic growth; in
other words, a sustained and substantial increase of gross domestic product per capita
in real terms.

The world has seen three different industrial revolutions that have taken place in the
course of history. Ionescu (2018:184) states that the First Industrial Revolution (1IR) had
its roots in the Middle Ages and lasted to the year 1780. The 1IR saw the invention
and expansion of the canal and later railway networks, which increased communication
ability, and the invention of the stock exchange, which led to the rise of banks, financi-
ers, and private investment (Roberts 2015:1). The 1IR was mainly based in Britain. After
the transformation of the British Empire, many European countries soon followed in the
revolution. The 1IR changed many societies dramatically from lower-income households
to rich countries. The 1IR was so successful that it brought European countries out of the
Dark Ages. The success of this revolution gave European countries supremacy over other
parts of the world. The 1IR was a step in the right direction for human civilization.

80 African Journal of Public Affairs

The 1IR covered the period between the 18th and 19th centuries. During this period,
human communities developed from agricultural activities to the use of mechanisa-
tion. The steam engine was invented in the 1IR, which changed the means available
for production. Communities around the world, mainly in Europe and North America,
developed new ways of doing business and dealing with social issues. These changes
brought new possibilities, responsibilities, and abilities. Through the 1IR, many coun-
tries were able to develop, expand, increase, and diversify their economies. The 1IR
was essentially the improvement of infrastructure. The 1IR across the world is cred-
ited with the improvement of living standards, new skills, increased urbanisation, and
many more.

The Second Industrial Revolution (2IR) was the continuation of the previous era and
began in the early 19th century. The 2IR saw major technological developments in steel,
chemicals, electricity, and in various other fields (Agarwal and Agarwal 2017:1063). The
invention of electricity was a crucial development as it made it possible for many indus-
tries to operate and expand their businesses. This technological advancement also made
mineral exploration possible. The 2IR was characterised by the use of machines, which
were mostly powered by electricity.

The Third Industrial Revolution (3IR) began in the mid-1900s. Roberts (2015:2) notes that
the 3IR was pushed by the development of technological advancements in manufactur-
ing, distribution, and energy factors. One of the biggest advancements in the 3IR era was
the development of nuclear power, as well as the wide use of electronics. During the
3IR, many parts of the world began to catch up with Europe.

The first three industrial revolutions were characterised by technological advancements

but not at the rate of current times. Recent times have seen rapid development, imple-
mentation, and use of technology for various reasons. Technology has become a huge
part of human beings’ life. Technology is giving societies new abilities and capacities and
is changing lives. Society is therefore currently moving towards the 4IR. Miller (2015:3 in
Xu, David and Kim 2018:90) explains that the 4IR entails a society whereby individuals
are able to move and interact with one another between digital domains with the use of
technology to assist and manage life.

Furthermore, the 4IR is about the digital revolution happening at the current mo-
ment. The 4IR has ushered in new possibilities and opportunities for society. It is
built up from the continuation of many successes of the previous revolutions. The
21st century has different challenges that will need new ideas to solve them. The
4IR encompasses different emerging technologies. The new revolution encompasses

Volume 11 number 3 • September 2019 81

new ideas, new possibilities, new creations, and new inventions. This new revolu-
tion is about breaking frontiers. Schwab (2016:12) points out that the new revolution
is “characterized by a much more ubiquitous and mobile internet, by smaller and
more powerful sensors that have become cheaper, and by artificial intelligence [AI]
and machine learning.” During the turn of the century, the use of mobile devices
increased dramatically.

Schwab (2016:12) states that the 4IR includes gene sequencing, nanotechnology, re-
newables, and quantum computing. The new revolution therefore goes beyond the use
of smart technology, computers, and much more. It is the fusion of these technologies
and their interaction across the physical, digital, and biological domains that make the
4IR fundamentally different from the previous revolutions (Schwab 2016:12). These new
developments have been taking place at the same time to move the world into a new
phase of growth, development, and discovery. The current revolution is taking place in
all fields, sectors, and spheres of life.

The four industrial revolutions seen in the world were technology driven, and the use of
various technologies assists the government and the private sector to experience growth
at a quick pace. In current times, various new concepts and ideas are brought to life
due to the use of technology. Ideas such as virtual worlds, smart cities, big data, Internet
of Things (IoT), and AI have taken centre stage in driving development in the new era.
Another similarity in these revolutions is the improvement of lives and the ease of doing
business and providing services.

The 4IR is also known as Industry 4.0; however, the term “Industry 4.0” is mostly used
in the business world. Hermann et al. (2016 in Erboz 2017:2) define Industry 4.0 as a
collective term for technologies of value chain organisations. Industry 4.0 deals with cre-
ating more digitised systems and network integration via smart systems (Erboz 2017:3).
In Industry 4.0, new systems will replace existing ways of performing tasks with human
labour by using machines.

Figure 1 presents a historical timeline of the four industrial revolutions.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FOURTH

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION (4IR)
Erboz (2017:2) argues that the components of Industry 4.0 are categorised as the IoT,
Cyber Physical Systems, Internet of Services, and Smart Factory. There are, however,

82 African Journal of Public Affairs

 Figure 1: Historical timeline of the four industrial revolutions

The 4th Industrial Revolution Impact

1780’s 1870’s 1880’s 1930’s 1950’s 1990’s 2000’s 2030’s

1st Industrial 2nd Industrial 3rd Industrial 4th Industrial

Revolution Revolution Revolution Revolution

Mechanical production Mass production The Internet

Social-technology
equipment Electrical governance
Automated production
energy transformation

Mechanical Chemical / Petrol Mechanical, Analogue electronics Physical-Biological

energy transformation energy transformation to Digital Electronics transformation technological Transformation

New Techno-materials

Electronics
Information Technology
Start of Globalization Electrification Cyber-Physical Systems

Volume 11 number 3 • September 2019

83
Source: (Skilton and Hovsepian 2018:6)
many other characteristics and features of the 4IR, such as AI, three-dimensional (3D)
printing, robotics, blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, quantum computing, na-
notechnology, and bioengineering. According to Skilton and Hovsepian (2018:xxxiii),
these technologies are changing how materials, products, and services are produced
and consumed.

The 4IR is also characterised by the use of information and communications technology
(ICT). ICT is widely used in business, government, and civil society organisations. The
use of ICT involves computer software and hardware to perform tasks. The 4IR is viewed
as the revolutionary change that takes place when ICT thrives in all industries, namely
the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries (Lee et al. 2018:3). This is the case that the
world has seen since the beginning of the 21st century.

Big Data
Big data refers to large sets of complex data, both structured and unstructured, which tra-
ditional processing techniques and/or algorithms are unable to operate on (Taylor-Sakyi
2016). Big data is seen as high-volume, high-velocity, and/or high-variety information
assets that demand cost-effective and innovative forms of information processing that
enable enhanced insight, decision making, and process automation. Big data platforms
could assist organisations to analyse and make meaningful decisions based on the data
available to them. As the world becomes more connected each day, large amounts of
data are collected from different devices. A need to analyse these data for future use
arises in order to reveal hidden information. De Mauro, Greco and Grimaldi (2015:98)
state that one of the important reasons for the big data phenomenon is the current extent
to which information can be generated and made available. Governments and busi-
nesses depend on the amount of information generated through different technological
modes for their decisions. For a government, this could be the number of people visiting
a local police station or provincial hospital, or categorising a crime hotspot. In addition,
the large amounts of data collected will need sufficient space for storage, hence the use
of new technological inventions.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The concept of AI has existed for over 60 years. It is the ability of computers to per-
form complex functions associated with human intelligence; however, AI has superior
intelligence and capacity. Alsedrah (2017:3) states that AI is the field of study that
describes the capability of machines to learn like humans and the ability to respond
to certain behaviours. Through new computer algorithms and commands, machines

84 African Journal of Public Affairs

are instructed to perform tasks in the same way as human beings. AI is referred to as
the field of science aimed at providing machines with the capacity to perform func-
tions such as logic, reasoning, planning, learning, and perception (Perez, Deligianni,
Ravi and Yang 2018:2). In other words, AI is computer software with human-like
characteristics. The world has seen increased use of AI in self-driving cars, Apple’s
Siri, and Google. With the use of new technologies, computers are programmed to
complete certain tasks by processing large amounts of data and recognising patterns
in the data.

Robotics
Robotics is built on the developments made in mechatronics, electrical engineering,
and computing (Perez et al. 2018:24). As the environment changes, so too the use of
robotics. Robotics is deeply rooted in industries such as car manufacturing plants that
rely heavily on the use of machines for production. As pointed out by Karabegovi
and Husak (2018:69), it is impossible today to imagine the production process in any
industrial sector without industrial robots. The use of robots in different industries con-
tributes to a faster production rate. Different companies resort to the use of robots to
perform tasks that are seen as too complex for human beings to perform. Karabegovi
and Husak (2018:69) further argue that the 4IR has contributed to the development of
robotic technology because the strategies of the leading countries are to fully automate
the production process, or to enable “intelligent automation.” Companies seek increased
productivity, hence the need for robots with superior abilities and intelligence. This
leads to new developments and technologies to create robots in order to surpass the
previous generation.

The Internet of Things (IoT)

In recent times, there have been developments in technology with the new concept
known as IoT. Imagine a world where different electronic devices such as fridges, com-
puters, television sets, mobile devices, and many more are connected to one another
and to the Internet. This is possible through the concept of IoT. This connection via the
Internet enables various devices to send and receive information from one another (i.e.
to share data). Gartner.com (2016) defines IoT as the network of physical objects that
contain embedded technology to communicate and sense or interact with their internal
states or the external environment. This digital interaction between and within machines
and systems forms the heart of the 4IR (Karabegovi and Husak 2018:72). In simple
terms, as argued by De Saulles (2017:1), IoT has the potential to change the way humans
work and live to a great extent.

Volume 11 number 3 • September 2019 85

Three-dimensional (3D) Printing
According to Eisenberg (2013:7), the era of 3D printing is here. The historical patterns of
growth in 3D printing are similar to those associated with the growth of home computing
in the late 1970s. 3D printing is a process of making solid 3D objects from a digital file,
or, as Chow-Miller (2018:9) refers to it, the process of making items using what is called
additive manufacturing. This new technology has seen widespread use in various fields
such as medicine, car manufacturing, and many others, for different purposes. Some of
the uses of 3D printing include making aeroplane parts, and artificial organs using human
cells. This technology has been in use since the 1980s; however, it has passed through
different developments. Nevertheless, it is only in recent times that the technology has
gained momentum. 3D printing presents a much faster and cheaper way to create objects.

Quantum Computing
According to Microsoft (2019), quantum computing takes days or hours to solve prob-
lems that would take billions of years using today’s computers. It also enables new
discoveries in the areas of healthcare, energy, environmental systems, smart materials,
and beyond. Similarly, IBM (2019) explains that quantum computers could promote the
development of new breakthroughs in science, life-saving medicine, machine learning
methods to diagnose illnesses sooner, materials to make more efficient devices and
structures, financial strategies to live well in retirement, and algorithms to quickly direct
resources such as ambulances.

According to Marshall (2016:288), “modern societies are characterised in part by the

value given to education.” In order for countries to benefit from the 4IR, a significant
shift in the education sector is required to ensure participation in the digital society.
However, education is susceptible to “wicked problems.” Wicked problems entail that
there are multiple explanations of key elements and commonly contain mutually de-
pendent problems that are interconnected (Marshall 2016:297). This article will discuss
a number of key elements for consideration in education. In essence, a new strategy
for the consideration of ICT in education is pivotal to overcoming some of the wicked
problems presented by the 4IR.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE 4IR FOR EDUCATION

Any education plan for the 4IR requires building on the 3IR’s development of in-person
instruction and various asynchronous educational resources.

86 African Journal of Public Affairs

Education in the 4IR (HE 4.0) is a complex, dialectical, and exciting opportunity that can
potentially transform society for the better. The 4IR has different implications for many
other sectors of life. As such, it holds both opportunities and challenges for education.
Through the use of different components of the 4IR, such as IoT, 3D printing, quantum
computing, and AI, the education sector could be transformed completely to offer solu-
tions to new challenges.

According to Butler-Adam (2018:1), one of the implications of the 4IR in the educa-
tion sector has to do with curricula, teaching, and learning – rather than with robotic
tutors. In other words, there must be cross-sector teaching and learning. Students and
educators from various fields need to learn about the different factors involved in
the successful implementation of the 4IR. As Butler-Adam (2018:1) explains, students
studying the basic and applied sciences need to understand the political and social
nature of the world in which they live, and, in turn, students who study the humani-
ties and social sciences need to understand at least the foundations on which AI is
based and how it operates. Given the statement above, the 4IR drives the idea of
a multidisciplinary field, whereby humanities and social sciences join technologies
to solve problems. The 4IR and the development of biotechnology and AI funda-
mentally challenge assumptions about humans and their relationship with the natural
world. 4IR liberal arts programmes should be developed to account for the social
dislocations from the 4IR. The 4IR curriculum, in general, should respond to politi-
cal and social tensions resulting from the rapid pace of technological advancement
(Penprase 2018:221).

In terms of teaching and learning, online instruction and the expanding use of AI ne-
cessitate new guidelines to provide a theoretical basis for digital pedagogy (Penprase
2018:221). Digital literacy is a basic prerequisite for students to develop adaptive capa-
bilities to participate in the global digital society, to benefit from the digital economy, and
to derive new opportunities for employment, innovation, creative expression, and social
inclusion (Brown-Martin 2017:7).

Any digital education strategy should consider the impact of change on the education
system. This presents a wicked problem. Changes could affect the quality of the gradu-
ates if students are not well prepared and there is insufficient investment in resources
(Marshall 2016:295). Education is particularly susceptible to wicked problems, especially
in terms of quality measures (Marshall 2016:298). Conceptualising and operationalising
quality measures, performance indicators, and educational outcomes become increas-
ingly challenging in a contested space of educational change and strategy (Marshall
2016:297).

Volume 11 number 3 • September 2019 87

New technological advancements are often ranked as the most important driving force
for research and development (R&D) (Xing and Marwala 2017:14). Research conducted
with the aid of technology has many positive outcomes. Xing and Marwala (2017:14)
argue that technology-driven R&D comes in many forms and it can mean employing
mobile capabilities to improve data acquisition accuracy; using advanced big data ana-
lytics to spot hidden statistical patterns; and harnessing AI techniques to retool informa-
tion search, collection, organisation, and knowledge discovery – to name a few.

Furthermore, the successful implementation of the 4IR in education will require appro-
priate skills. Skills are required to implement, manage, and work with new technology,
and with one another (Butler-Adam 2018:1). The required set of skills is very important
in order to achieve the goal of obtaining the best results from new technology. Gray
(2016) argues that in the near future, approximately 35% of skills that are considered
important in today’s workforce will change. Hence, new sets of skills will be required
for the new revolution and for the use of new technology. For instance, those working
in sales and manufacturing will need technological literacy skills (Gray 2016). As new
technologies create new jobs (such as social media experts), job displacements will also
occur (e.g. toll booth operators) (Nordin and Norman 2018:1).

In addition, the 4IR has a potential implication in terms of moral and ethical decisions
that must be taken into consideration. Technology shapes people’s lives in many ways.
With the wide use of new technology in business, government, and other spheres of
life, a number of dynamic changes are taking place. Hooker and Kim (2019:7) argue that
new technological advancements such as the AI revolution could lead to a more radical
outcome; it could displace workers on a scale that has not been seen before. This could
lead to a large fraction of the population losing employment opportunities. However,
many authors, researchers, academics, and policymakers disagree regarding the point
made above. On the one hand, some people argue that the new revolution will lead
to increased job creation. On the other hand, the argument is the demise of current or
future jobs due to the wide use of technology.

There is clear and visible evidence of machines taking over in certain industries. It
remains to be seen whether government or business is to be held responsible for the
decline in labour and employment, due to the use of new technologies such as robotics.
One of the questions raised is related to the human cost due to the use of new tech-
nologies. In terms of education, ethics plays an important role in the field of academia.
As more and more educational products are becoming available and accessible, ethical
boundaries should be highlighted to ensure that ethical values are cultivated in education
(Nordin and Norman 2018:6).

88 African Journal of Public Affairs

The exact implications of the 4IR for society are still unknown. One thing that is certain
is that there is a need for education to respond rapidly to the advancement of technologi-
cal innovation (Penprase 2018:217).

CHALLENGES IN TECHNOLOGICAL
ADVANCEMENTS FOR EDUCATION
The 4IR has its own risks associated with the development and use of new technologies.
Careful planning is needed to mitigate these risks. Moreover, new risk management sys-
tems and processes will have to be implemented. This implies that the new technologies
have the potential to change life in a positive manner. However, the world should not
overlook the dangers and the negative impacts of these new technological advancements.

The first risk of the 4IR for education is inequality. Inequality and income distribution
are social issues in South Africa. Unequal societies are more likely to experience social
issues such as a high crime rate, gender violence, and unemployment, among others.
Inequality within the education sector in South Africa is a highly debateable topic, and
new technological developments have the potential to enforce this notion. There is a
risk of only the wealthy portion of the population being able to afford new technologies
for educational purposes while the poor population is left behind. This is evident with
the implementation of the previous three industrial revolutions. Many today still have no
access to clean drinking water, transport and electricity, or the Internet. Hence, a bigger
inequality gap between the “haves” and “have nots” will create further alienation, lack of
trust, and social unrest.

The human condition and social justice should be strongly considered. The ways in
which technological advancement and shifting economic power impact on society at
different socio-economic levels should be considered. The threats that exist in a world
that is increasingly interconnected should be understood, and intercultural understand-
ing, an abiding respect for freedom, and human rights should be promoted. Intercultural
and interpersonal skills should therefore be developed (Penprase 2018:219).

The Challenges in South Africa in Terms

of the 4IR and Education
The Department of Basic Education’s Action Plan, the National Development Plan, and
the White Paper on e-Education of 2004 identify a number of challenges in terms of
education and technological advancement. These challenges include:

Volume 11 number 3 • September 2019 89

 ●● identifying which teachers are in need of pedagogic assistance;
●● assessing educational outcomes objectively and on time;
●● giving teachers and learners new 21st-century skills;
●● giving access to online communities of practice and online content;
●● making learning more learner focused, fresh, novel, and fun;
●● enabling self-learning and discovery;
●● promoting critical thinking and exposure to new ideas; and
●● reducing administrative burdens, e.g. marking tests and reporting absences
(Meyer and Gent 2016:vi).

One of the main challenges that will affect the successful implementation of the 4IR
in education in South Africa is the lack of funding. Although funding for education in-
creased in the previous years, it is still not sufficient for the full functioning of education
institutions. It has led to increased university fees and reduced research funding, among
others. The challenge for education institutions is to invest more in new technological
advancements and to prioritise what the funding could be used for. In order for new
technology to thrive in education institutions, substantial financial backing is needed.
The biggest cost for the provision of training is related to qualified teachers and techno-
logical infrastructure (Brown-Martin 2017:9).

Another challenge within the education sector that will impact on the successful im-
plementation of the 4IR is the marginalisation of certain socio-economic groups from
participating in the 4IR. Badat (2010:30) argues that although black student enrolments
have increased since 1994, the gross participation rate of black, and especially African
and coloured, South Africans continues to be considerably lower than for white South
Africans. Universities are seen as being responsible for social justice, and for creating
equity and equitable conditions to reverse the damaging effects of apartheid (Chetty and
Pather 2015:2).

The 4IR will need a new set of skills for the future. PwC (2017:12) reports that 4IR tech-
nologies and their applications often require specialised skills, beyond basic digital lit-
eracy. Universities are at the forefront of the development of these skills. Exclusion from
universities is surely exclusion from acquiring these specialised skills.

Meyer and Gent (2016) conducted a study for the National Education Collaboration
Trust on the status of education and technology in South Africa. Their study concluded
the following in terms of the status of education and technological advancement:

●● While strategy and policy exist, implementation is slow and capacity is limited.

90 African Journal of Public Affairs

 ●● Objectives are not clear, and a strategy that is integrated across the system is
lacking.
●● Access to technology is limited and unequal across provinces and quintiles.
●● In the absence of clear, integrative provincial strategies, progress is fragmented
and driven by solution providers.
●● Solutions are not cognisant of resource constraints.
●● Significant room for improvement exists on seven different dimensions of the
education system.
●● System-wide change management needs to be prioritised, and ICT-enabled as-
sessment needs consideration (Meyer and Gent 2016:1).

OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNOLOGICAL

ADVANCEMENT IN EDUCATION
It is important for universities to promote an environment of innovation and creativity.
This is in response to South Africa’s history and a political system that did the opposite.
There have been major disruptions to education and the education system as a whole –
not only at home but globally as well. The 4IR provides an opportunity for South African
education institutions to create an environment of creativity and innovation. The 4IR sci-
ence, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum should reconsider
new approaches. Apart from the need for 4IR literacy, new curricula should emphasise
4IR collaborative skills. Furthermore, educational responses to 4IR require the restruc-
turing of institutions to provide new interdisciplinary science programmes (Penprase
2018:219).

According to Chetty and Pather (2015:5), the use of technology can resolve issues of so-
cial exclusion. In other words, new technological advancements can be used as a bridge
to close the gap between the rich and the poor and between different races. In addition,
the 4IR provides an opportunity for education institutions to foster partnerships with other
stakeholders such as the government and private companies especially. The South African
president has established a commission on the 4IR, comprising various people, including
academics from various education institutions. The 4IR has largely been pushed by pri-
vate stakeholders such as IBM, Microsoft, and others. These corporations or stakeholders
can collaborate with one another in R&D. Moreover, South African education institutions
can collaborate with education institutions in other parts of the world.

Rodny-Gumede (2019) states that South Africa has not had an education system that
has fostered innovative and creative thinkers. The success of education in the 4IR is

Volume 11 number 3 • September 2019 91

dependent on cultivating innovative talent. Encouraging innovation and fostering crea-
tive talent are directly linked to the success and growth of R&D. Moreover, in order to
obtain the best results from new technological advancements, governments, together
with higher education institutions, must invest heavily in research and new university
curricula.

Meyer and Gent (2016:2) provide the following recommendations in terms of improving
education in the context of technological advancement in South Africa:

●● For long-term sustainability, the capacity of the education system to integrate ICTs
in support of education needs to be developed.
●● The focus should shift from learner performance to capacity development.
●● A phased approach, with appropriate interim targets, needs to be taken.
●● Progress should be measured against multiple criteria, and the focus should be on
measuring the capacity of the system to integrate technology, and the capacity
of teachers to incorporate technology into the process of teaching and learning.
●● The following initiatives are key to making progress: ensuring strategic align-
ment of ICT integration at all levels of the education system; increasing the focus
on pedagogy in ICT initiatives; developing the skills, confidence, and desire of
teachers to integrate ICTs into teaching and learning; and focusing on sustainable
interventions and moving from pilots to integrated solutions.

It is important for institutions to continuously benchmark management systems, self-

awareness, approaches, and technologies to adapt to the demands of the 4IR (Marshall
2016:299).

CONCLUSION

The 4IR is the latest industrial revolution, with an increased focus on ICT, technological
advancement, innovation, and creativity. The characteristics of the 4IR were identified
in this article, namely big data, AI, robotics, ICT, 3D printing, and quantum computing.
The implications of the 4IR for education were considered in this article; in essence, a
new digital approach to teaching and learning, R&D, and skills development is required.
A number of challenges were identified in adapting to the 4IR, including pedagogical
adaptation, teacher development, and increased funding for and investment in resources
and infrastructure for technological advancement. The 4IR offers, among others, a great-
er opportunity for participation in the digital economy and collaborative partnerships.

92 African Journal of Public Affairs

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