Industry 4.0 and 5.0, Literacy 4.0, Education 4.0, and Society 5.0: The Future is Here

Image credit: Microsoft Stock Images

By Lilian H. Hill

Industry 4.0, Literacy 4.0, Education 4.0, and Society 5.0 are interrelated concepts, all depicting changes in industry, literacy, education, and society. The nomenclature is reminiscent of technology version updates.

Industry 4.0 is based on the idea that we are experiencing a fourth industrial revolution fundamentally altering how we live, work, and relate to one another. The first industrial revolution was based on steam power, the second on electricity, the third on automated production and digital technologies, and the fourth on a “fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres” (Schwab, 2015, p. 8). Technological inventions will prompt profound shifts in how business is conducted, change ways people communicate, and reshape how government, education, healthcare, and transportation operate. Schwab (2015) commented that the changes are “historic in their size, speed, and scope” (p. 2). Improved automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and continued technological improvements will have a pervasive influence on workers, businesses, and society. Industry 4.0, also known as 4IR, is characterized as the manufacturing technology transforming global business practices. de Boer et al. (2022)  identified four foundational types of disruptive technologies:

1.  connectivity, data, and computational power: cloud technology, the Internet, blockchain, sensors.

2.  analytics and intelligence: advanced analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence. 

3.  human–machine interaction: virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), robotics and automation, autonomous guided vehicles.

4.  advanced engineering: additive manufacturing (such as, 3-D printing), renewable energy, nanoparticles. (para. 4)

Industry 5.0 will shift the focus from economic value to a focus on societal value and shift the focus from welfare to well-being. Kraaijenbrink (2022) indicates that it has three core values: human-centric, resilient, and sustainable. It is congruent with Society 5.0, which is discussed later. 

 

Literacy 4.0 reflects the evolving nature of literacy in the context of Industry 4.0. Work has become more digitized and globally interconnected, meaning literacy practices are undergoing significant transformations. Farrell (2019) conceptualizes Literacy 4.0 as a “core social technology of work that is changing as rapidly and radically as the digital technologies that are reshaping work, workers and working” (para. 8). In addition to traditional literacy skills, Literacy 4.0 encompasses a range of skills and competencies required to navigate the complexities of the fourth industrial revolution. Its development ensures individuals can thrive in the rapidly changing technological landscape that defines our current and future societies. Effective participation in work means engaging with advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), the Internet of Services (IoS), quantum computing, and biotechnology.

Literacy 4.0 competencies include digital literacy, data literacy, information literacy, media literacy, visual literacy, and technological literacy. However, mastering technological skills is only part of what individuals need to adapt to Industry 4.0. Other necessary competencies include critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration and communication, ethics and responsible use, and lifelong learning. To thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, individuals must ensure their employability through upskilling and reskilling. Upskilling means learning new skills as the requirements of their current position evolve. Reskilling refers to retraining that will enable individuals to fill different types of positions with their current or a new employer. Literacy 4.0 competencies are vital for individuals to thrive in the rapidly evolving digital world, ensuring they can adapt to new job requirements, engage in lifelong learning, and participate fully in society.

Education 4.0 is viewed as crucial for developing skills to meet the demands of Industry 4.0. Education systems around the world are increasingly recognizing the importance of equipping students with Literacy 4.0 skills to prepare them for the future. Education 4.0 aims to teach competencies needed for the workplace, including mastering information and communication technologies, cross-cultural communication, innovation management, organizational learning, software and interface management, simulation systems, employee skill development, and creativity.

The challenges and opportunities presented by Industry 4.0 necessitate reevaluating educational models to ensure they equip students with the skills needed for future success. This involves integrating 21st-century skills frameworks into education systems, focusing on character, meta-learning, and the application of active learning strategies. Such approaches aim to develop competencies that enable individuals to solve complex problems and address social needs effectively​. Updating educational systems will mean incorporating new technologies, curriculum reorganization, and professional development (González-Pérez & Ramírez-Montoya, 2022). This will involve creating responsive educational models that ensure inclusive, equitable, and quality education while promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. The goal is to develop future skills through 21st-century skills frameworks, incorporating components of Education 4.0 that are largely oriented toward students but also need to address the needs of adults​​.

Society 5.0 envisages a "super-smart" society in which technology and AI play a central role, a concept that emphasizes the need for Literacy 4.0. and Education 4.0. This future society will require new forms of literacy that enable humans to communicate with each other and with technology and AI, necessitating skills in understanding technological principles, developing solutions, and collaborating effectively​​. The concept was introduced by Japan in 2016. Fukuyama (2018) explained that the goal of Society 5.0 is to create a human-centric society in which both economic development and the resolution of societal challenges are achieved, and people can enjoy a high quality of life that is fully active and comfortable. It is a society that will attend in detail to the various needs of people, regardless of region, age, sex, and language, by providing necessary items and services. The key to its realization is the fusion of cyberspace and the real world (physical space) to generate quality data and, from there, create new values and solutions to resolve challenges (p. 48).

Aberšek and Aberšek (2020) suggest that given human beings limited memory capacity and processing power compared to current technologies, the society of the future will be increasingly reliant on technology and artificial intelligence. Therefore, it will be vital for humans to understand technologies and artificial intelligence, communicate with one another, and effectively interface with technology and artificial intelligence.

Conclusion

I am of the generation when digital technologies were first introduced in the workplace. My first job required using punch cards for data entry and the computer took up a large office. Next, I learned word processing on a mainframe computer, then transferred that knowledge to a personal computer, using WordPerfect and then Microsoft Word. Now, more computing power is available in a smartwatch than in early mainframe computers. These changes occurred over decades, and there was adequate time to learn. In the future, technological innovations are occurring much more rapidly and require individuals to use advanced learning skills and educators to use adaptive pedagogical skills. Generative AI can address the global skills gap and make training more accessible to people through natural language commands. Adult learners and educators must engage with AI tools so that individuals, educational systems, and society adapt and thrive.

References

Aberšek and Aberšek, B. (2020). Society 5.0 and Literacy 4.0 for the 21^st century. Nova Publishers. https://doi.org/10.52305/ZJBJ8012

 de Boer, E., Ellingrud, K., Richter, G., & Swan, D. (2022, August 17). What are Industry 4.0, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and 4IR? Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-are-industry-4-0-the-fourth-industrial-revolution-and-4ir#/  

Farrell,  (2019). Workplace Literacy in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: The Literacy 4.0 Project. The University of Melbourne. Retrieved https://education.unimelb.edu.au/research/projects/workplace-literacy-in-the-fourth-industrial-revolution-the-literacy-4.0-project 

Fukuyama, M. (2018). Society 5.0: Aiming for a new human-centered society. Japan Spotlight. Retrieved soc_5.020200227-84216-1291i85-libre.pdf  

González-Pérez LI, Ramírez-Montoya MS. Components of Education 4.0 in 21st century skills frameworks: Systematic review. Sustainability, 2022, 14(3):1493. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031493 

Kraaijenbrink, J. (2022, May 24). What Is Industry 5.0 And How It Will Radically Change Your Business Strategy? Forbes. Retrieved https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeroenkraaijenbrink/2022/05/24/what-is-industry-50-and-how-it-will-radically-change-your-business-strategy/?sh=571c085620bd  

Schwab, K. (2015). The Fourth Industrial Revolution. World Economic Forum.

 

 

 

Digital Literacy Skills: Why We Need Them Today

 

Digital Literacy is the ability to "find, evaluate, organize, create, and communicate information; and developing digital citizenship and the responsible use of technology” (Museum and Library Services Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111-340, 22 Dec. 2010). In this episode of Information Literacy, Dr. Lilian Hill defines digital literacy, compares it with other types of literacy, identifies the digital literacy skills and proficiencies needed to function in society, and provides practical examples of why we need digital literacy skills today. Listen to the episode and join the online forum.

 

Listen to the Podcast

 

Information Literacy Episode 19 Transcripts

  

References

 

European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Vuorikari, R., Kluzer, S., Punie, Y., DigComp 2.2, The Digital Competence framework for citizens: With new examples of knowledge, skills and attitudes, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/115376

Grisham, J. (2021, October 27). Media literacy and digital literacy: How they differ and why they matter, Retrieved https://echo-breaking-news.com/blog/media-literacy-vs-digital-literacy/

Jacobs, G., & Castek, J. (2018). Digital problem solving: The literacies of navigating life in the digital age. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 61(6), 681-685.

Museum and Library Services Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111-340, 22 Dec. 2010. Retrieved from https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/PLAW-111publ340

Smith, E. E., & Storrs, H. (2023). Digital literacies, social media, and undergraduate learning: what do students think they need to know? International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20(1), 1–19. https://doi-org.lynx.lib.usm.edu/10.1186/s41239-023-00398-2

Vanek, J. (2019). Teaching Skills That Matter (TSTM) Toolkit: Tab 2, Digital Literacy. American Institute for Research. Retrieved https://lincs.ed.gov/sites/default/files/2-Digital-Lit-Tab-2-508.pdf

Effective Ways to Employ ChatGPT in Instruction

It has been a concern for instructors that ChatGPT increases student cheating, but cheating is not new. While much discussion has been devoted to methods of detecting and preventing students from using ChatGPT to write papers, a more constructive view might be to look for ways that ChatGPT can be used to augment instruction and improve student learning. On this episode, Dr. Lilian Hill explains the effective ways to employ ChatGPT in instruction.  

 

You may be interested in reading this article on Learning with ChatGPT published by the American Association of University Professors.

 

Listen to Podcast

 

 

Information Literacy Episode 12 Transcript

References

Cliff’s Notes. https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides.

Ferlazzo, L. (2023, January 18). 19 Ways to Use ChatGPT in Your Classroom. Education Week. Retrieved https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-19-ways-to-use-chatgpt-in-your-classroom/2023/01

Lamott, A. (1994). Bird by bird: Some instructions on writing and life. Anchor Books.

Thorp, H. H. (2023, January 26), ChatGPT is fun, but not an author. Science, 379(6630), 313. DOI: 10.1126/science.adg7879

Vogelsinger, B. (2023, January 3). ChatGPT: Teachers Weigh In on How to Manage the New AI Chatbot. Education Week. Retrieved https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-chatgpt-teachers-weigh-in-on-how-to-manage-the-new-ai-chatbot/2023/01

Educating Citizens about Algorithms: A New Charge for Adult Educators

 

The field of adult education has historic connections to education for citizenship and for building democracy. This kind of education introduced people wishing to achieve citizenship to information that includes literacy in the language of that country, as well as its organization, ways of work and production, and cultural heritage. On this episode, Dr. Lilian Hill explores how to educate citizens about algorithms. Listen to the episode and join in the online forum.

Listen to Podcast

Information Literacy Episode 8 Transcript

 

References

Carugati, F. (2020, June 12). A Council of Citizens Should Regulate Algorithms. Retrieved https://www.wired.com/story/opinion-a-council-of-citizens-should-regulate-algorithms/

Guo, Elaine (2022, December 19). A Roomba recorded a woman on the toilet. How did screenshots end up on Facebook? MIT Technology Review. Retrieved from https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/12/19/1065306/roomba-irobot-robot-vacuums-artificial-intelligence-training-data-privacy/

IBM (n.d.) AI Ethics. Retrieved https://www.ibm.com/topics/ai-ethics

Moses, L. B. (2023, January 29). Should we worry about AI and algorithms in government? Retrieved https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6FDBDGNYFc

Rainie, L., & Anderson, J. (2017, February 8). Code-Dependent: Pros and Cons of the Algorithm Age. Retrieved https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2017/02/08/code-dependent-pros-and-cons-of-the-algorithm-age/

Robinson, P., Williams, D., & Stojanović, M. (2022). Global citizenship and adult education: Advancing critical literacies for equity and social justice. Routledge.

UNESCO (2022). Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. UNESCO Digital Library. Retrieved https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000381137

Pandemic Applications of Algorithms

 

By Lilian H. Hill

Algorithms were essential in maintaining educational activity during the pandemic isolation that caused many students to learn from home through educational technology. We are only just finding out what has been gained and lost in terms of students’ learning, knowledge, and abilities. I heard a recent NPR report about children entering kindergarten who were lacking in knowledge, social skills, and even fine motor coordination because they had spent so much time interacting with devices (Feiereisel, 2022). Adult students may have similarly lost ground in learning, but the results are much harder to track because adults are learning in more diverse settings and are working toward many different goals).

The OECD (2021) estimates that “many forms of learning, in particular informal learning, were inevitably lost, as workplaces remained physically closed,” educational institutions switched to remote learning, and people were isolating themselves to protect their health. Reliance on technology for educational delivery magnified the digital divide.

References

Feiereisel, A. (2022, December 1). Kindergarten teachers observe speech and physical delays in young students. NPR Radio Broadcast. https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2022/12/01/kindergarten-student-delays

OECD (2021, March 25). Adult Learning and COVID-19: How much informal and non-formal learning are workers missing? https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/adult-learning-and-covid-19-how-much-informal-and-non-formal-learning-are-workers-missing-56a96569/#snotes-d4e393

Why Adult Educators Should be Concerned About Algorithms

 

 

Algorithms are highly efficient at automating laborious functions and have permeated into many aspects of our everyday life, but their characteristics can have devastating consequences. On this episode, Dr. Lilian Hill discusses the characteristics of algorithms and why adult educators should be concerned about them.

Listen to the Podcast

 

Information Literacy Episode 4 Transcript

 

References

Bennett, E. E., & McWhorter, R. R. (2020). Digital technologies for teaching and learning. In T. S. Rocco, M. C. Smith, R. C. Mizzi, L. R. Merriweather, & J. D. Hawley (Eds,), The Handbook of Adult and Continuing Education (pp. 177-186). Stylus.

Dickson, B. (2020, June 10). What makes AI algorithms dangerous? Retrieved https://bdtechtalks.com/2020/06/10/ai-weapons-of-math-destruction/

O’Neill, C. (2017). Weapons of math destruction: How big data increases inequality and threatens democracy. Crown Publishing Group.

Instructional Applications of Algorithms

 

By Lilian H. Hill

Algorithms are also used to support the Flipped classroom in which students learn content independently so that facilitator can use class time for activities that support meaning making, applying information, and retaining knowledge.

Platforms that allow students to practice basic skills are also benefited by algorithmic responses. Programs used in adult basic and literacy education make use of algorithms to provide personalized content for students, tailored to their level of achievement. Software to support learning can provide pronunciation guides for language learning. It can even engage in simplified conversations. 

Computer algorithms are essential to simulated learning. They are used to replicate complex and dangerous situations while allowing students, and the public, to remain safe. For students to practice appropriate responses for stressful situations, algorithms determine symptoms displayed by robotic simulated patients for health professions students, automate flight practice for pilot trainees, and orchestrate the atmosphere of war to train soldiers. 

References

Collins, R. (2020). Interdisplinarity in adult and continuing education. In Rocco, T. S., Smith, M. C., Mizzi, R. C., Merriweather, L. R., & Hawley, J. D. (Eds.), Handbook of adult and continuing education (pp. 31-37). Stylus. 

Algorithms for Automation and More

 

By Lilian H. Hill

We have been discussing the role of algorithms in computer programming and how they structure what we view online. Today, we are starting a series of postings about the role of algorithms in education, with emphasis on adult learning.

Algorithms are useful in automating many repetitive tasks in the education world. For example, plotting course schedules, scheduling classrooms, allocating resources, organizing campus policing, and running student success and retention initiatives are all tasks that can be made more efficient with automation. Workplace orientation and training programs are delivered using computer algorithms. 

Some colleges and universities are moving to using chatbots to answer standardized questions. When you make a call for information and you receive responses from an automated voice, that is a chatbot in action. Information queries online can also be mediated by algorithms. 

Learning management systems (LMS) such as Canvas and Blackboard make use of algorithms to automate delivery of online courses and programs. They provide for efficient documentation of attendance, participation, submission of assignments, grading tests, and documentation and tracking of student achievement. 

When there are a finite number of responses to questions, for example in multiple-choice questions, surveys, and even personality assessments, algorithms are responsible for the instant responses you receive. You only have to wait for a grade when your written essay is graded by a human being. Some essays are even being graded by using algorithms capable of machine learning. Unfortunately, these assessments may assess students’ abilities to memorize facts, or use specific vocabulary the system is programmed to recognize, and not how well they are able to question and apply information.

References

Dans, E. (2020). Algorithms and education: Not so fast. Retrieved https://www.forbes.com/sites/enriquedoans/2020/09/04/algorithms-and-education-not-sofast/?sh=4835b63c446e.  Retrieved https://aquila.usm.edu/highereddoctoralprojects/2/

Robinson, C. (2020). Impressions of viability: How current enrollment management personnel and former students perceive the implementation of a chatbot focused on student financial communication. https://aquila.usm.edu/highereddoctoralprojects/2/

Rosen, D. (2019, June 4). The role of artificial intelligence in adult basic skills education. LINCS Community for Adult Educators. Retrieved https://community.lincs.ed.gov/group/21/discussion/role-artificial-intelligence-adult-basic-skills-education