“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” – Buckminster Fuller
This quotation by Buckminster Fuller highlights the quintessential essence of the digital revolution. In summary, to drive technological advances, it is essential to throw existing models out of the window and look at solving current problems in new ways or by building new models.
Additionally, the current digital revolution that is driving rapid technological growth and change the industrial sector is also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0 or 4IR).
According to Klaus Schwab, the founder, executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, and the author of the book titled “The Fourth Industrial Revolution” defined this phenomenon as “a fundamental change in the way we live, work, and relate to one another.”
He goes on to state that this revolution is a “new chapter in human development, enabled by extraordinary [technological] advances.” And finally, research into the phenomenon shows that these technological advances are “merging the physical, digital, and biological worlds” together.
At this juncture, it is vital to note that the rapidly advancing technologies include business growth and development in the private education sector.
What does this fact mean for the education sector? Or, how are the Industry 4.0 associated technologies going to drive technological and business growth in the learning and teaching methodologies.
By way of answering this question, let’s look at several ways the digital revolution is driving change in the education industry.
UX and UI best practices
Usability (UX) and User Interface (UI) best-practice methodologies and models, as implemented by website development companies like Digital Silk, have evolved alongside the technological advances in the mobile, laptop, and desktop graphics cards.
Additionally, the evolution of high-speed Internet networks fundamentally supported by the undersea or submarine cables that snake along the ocean floors and emerge at different landing points across the globe have increased worldwide Internet access. Furthermore, these high-speed cables have provided Internet consumers with the ability to download website applications with enhanced graphics.
Virtual Reality
The technological advances in augmented and virtual reality (VR) technologies allow for the development of immersive learning and teaching. In other words, virtual reality creates the “perception of being physically present in a non-physical world.” This understanding is created by “surrounding the user of the VR system in images, sound, or other stimuli that provide an engrossing total environment.”
Thus, from an educational standpoint, VR developers can create educational games that immerse the learner in the created virtual world; thereby, allowing the student to learn by experience as it were.
Artificial Intelligence and machine learning
Online educational programs can be enhanced by the addition of AI chatbots that are designed to answer any student questions about the course content without requiring constant human participation.
In turn, this will reduce the cost of maintaining the course content; thereby, ensuring that the private education provider remains solvent, simultaneously providing a quality, interactive, real-time learning experience.