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Education 4.0: Mobilizing for Sustainable Development

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Education and Approaches".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2021) | Viewed by 108662

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. María Soledad Ramírez Montoya

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Guest Editor

School of Humanities and Education, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, Col. Tecnológico, Monterrey C.P. 64849, N.L., Mexico
Interests: educational innovation; educational entrepreneurship; open educational movement
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Ebba Ossiannilsson

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor

1. International Council for Open and Distance Education, 222 35 Lund, Sweden
2. Ossiannilsson Quality in Open Online Learning (QOOL) Consultancy, 222 35 Lund, Sweden
Interests: artificial intelligence; equity; futures of education; inclusion; human rights; learning; lifelong learning; leadership; innovation; online learning; open access; open education; open educational resources; OER; personal learning; quality education; seamless learning; sustainable development goals; SDG4
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Arturo Molina Gutiérrez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Mexico City 02860, Mexico
Interests: product innovation; enterprise integration engineering; concurrent engineering; rapid product development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Jane-Frances Agbu

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Health Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria, Lagos, Nigeria
Interests: Psychology; Health and development; OER; Open Education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable development is linked to meeting the needs of the present while also visualizing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Education plays an important role in sustainability socially, ecologically, economically, and politically. Through education, we can promote instances for sustainable development that support social and economic development and care for the environment. Within this framework, the sustainable development goals of the UNESCO 2030 agenda (United Nations, 2015) establish opportunities to contribute to education and to open up knowledge for society (Ramírez-Montoya, 2020).

Technological and communications footprints and open systems have brought with them opportunities to create new methodologies, resources, and trajectories in education. These changes generate paradigms and innovative educational models for the formation of a digital citizenship or for the development of talents in a civilization based on intangibility. Today, the application of best practices and the use of emerging technologies in combination with innovative pedagogical procedures is known as "Education 4.0" (Miranda et al. In press).

This Special Issue aims to invite the sharing of innovative research and applications within the framework of four basic components of Education 4.0 to serve as a reference in the design of new educational innovation projects (Ramírez-Montoya & Lugo-Ocando, 2020) necessary to promote instances of sustainable development:

i) the training and development of desirable skills in today's students,

ii) the incorporation of new learning methods,

iii) the application of current and emerging ICT and open educational resources,

iv) the use of innovative infrastructures to improve learning processes, and

v) open education in support of sustainable development objectives.

References:

Miranda, J. Corella, C. N. Navarro-Tuch, S.. A. Noguez, J. Molina-Espinosa, J. M. , Bustamante-Bello, M. R., Ramírez-Montoya, M. S., Rosas-Fernández, J. B , Molina. A. (In press). The Core Components of Education 4.0 in Higher Education: Three Case Studies”. Journal Computers & Electrical Engineering.

Ramírez-Montoya, M. S. (2020). Challenges for Open Education with Educational Innovation: a Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability, 12, 7053; doi:10.3390/su12177053. Retrieved from: https://hdl.handle.net/11285/636785.

Ramírez-Montoya, M.S., & Lugo-Ocando, J. (2020). Systematic review of mixed methods in the framework of educational innovation. [Revisión sistemática de métodos mixtos en el marco de la innovación educativa]. Comunicar, 65, 111349. https://doi.org/10.3916/C65-2020-01

United Nations (2015). Sustainable development goals. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/

Prof. Dr. María Soledad Ramírez Montoya
Prof. Dr. Ebba Ossiannilsson
Prof. Dr. Arturo Molina
Prof. Dr. Jane-Frances Agbu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Transversal and disciplinary competences for social, economic, or environmental commitment (critical thinking skills, problem solving, innovation, entrepreneurship, social-emotional, ethical, and ICT, among others);
Methods and active strategies for innovative environments for sustainable development (challenge-based learning, problem-based learning, evidence-based educational innovation, and research-based learning, among others);
Innovative learning environments linked to sustainable development (face-to-face, distance, blended);
Emerging technologies for education, technology-based tools for education, tools and platforms for educational innovation (internet of things, big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, mixed reality, augmented reality, MOOC, open platforms, virtual and remote laboratories, resources for educational innovation, and open educational resources)
Innovation of products, services, methods for society;
Educational innovation for sustainable development (continuous innovation, systemic innovation, disruptive innovation, open innovation);
Collaborative networks for multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, or transdisciplinary work
Educational practices linked to solidarity or social commitment, sustainable development objectives;
Innovative practices that promote cultural, social, educational, or economic development；
Co-construction practices with educational input 4.0;
Educational entrepreneurship for sustainable development;
Open education, open science, open practices in support of sustainable development objectives

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Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 7975 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Topic Extraction and Interactive Knowledge Graphs for Learning Resources

by Ahmed Badawy, Jesus A. Fisteus, Tarek M. Mahmoud and Tarek Abd El-Hafeez

Sustainability 2022, 14(1), 226; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010226 - 26 Dec 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3915

Abstract

Humanity development through education is an important method of sustainable development. This guarantees community development at present time without any negative effects in the future and also provides prosperity for future generations. E-learning is a natural development of the educational tools in this era and current circumstances. Thanks to the rapid development of computer sciences and telecommunication technologies, this has evolved impressively. In spite of facilitating the educational process, this development has also provided a massive amount of learning resources, which makes the task of searching and extracting useful learning resources difficult. Therefore, new tools need to be advanced to facilitate this development. In this paper we present a new algorithm that has the ability to extract the main topics from textual learning resources, link related resources and generate interactive dynamic knowledge graphs. This algorithm accurately and efficiently accomplishes those tasks no matter how big or small the texts are. We used Wikipedia Miner, TextRank, and Gensim within our algorithm. Our algorithm’s accuracy was evaluated against Gensim, largely improving its accuracy. This could be a step towards strengthening self-learning and supporting the sustainable development of communities, and more broadly of humanity, across different generations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education 4.0: Mobilizing for Sustainable Development)

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17 pages, 3280 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Telepresence with Hologram Effect: Technological Ecosystem for Distance Education

by Carla Victoria Ramirez-Lopez, Leticia Castano, Patricia Aldape and Santa Tejeda

Sustainability 2021, 13(24), 14006; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132414006 - 18 Dec 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5181

Abstract

One of the most significant challenges of telepresence distance education is to bring the professor and the students closer together in a synchronistic educational experience where the professor is perceived as anatomically proportionate. Telepresence, an educational technology ecosystem using holograms, offers a way to solve this technological challenge. Our mixed exploratory research investigating this methodology had two purposes: (1) propose the key elements to teach distance courses synchronously in an educational technology ecosystem, and (2) demonstrate the technological, didactic practices that result in positive student learning outcomes in several specified courses. This methodology included applying a student questionnaire to collect their perceptions of the educational experience. The scores and written comments from the questionnaire were analyzed using Grounded Theory. On a Likert scale from 1 to 5, the students scored their educational experience, attaining a mean of 4.05. The positive perception affirmed that they valued: (a) recreating the natural dynamics of face-to-face classes, where the students perceived their professors as being physically present in the classroom; (b) professors renowned in their disciplines; (c) professor–student and campus and intercampus learning community interactions, and, finally, (d) class design and content. The main conclusions of this research were that students positively perceived the “wow” effect of the technology, feeling comfort, amazement, interest, and engagement. In addition, we found that professors and keynote speakers with excellent pedagogical skills and experts in their disciplines were well appreciated. Key elements for the success of the experience were professor-student, campus, and intercampus interactions and the quality of the technological and communication infrastructure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education 4.0: Mobilizing for Sustainable Development)

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14 pages, 961 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainability: A Public Policy, a Concept, or a Competence? Efforts on the Implementation of Sustainability as a Transversal Competence throughout Higher Education Programs

by Jorge Membrillo-Hernández, Vianney Lara-Prieto and Patricia Caratozzolo

Sustainability 2021, 13(24), 13989; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132413989 - 18 Dec 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4843

Abstract

The concept of sustainability emerged globally in the 1987 Brundtland Report. Initially, it comprised three dimensions: environmental, social, and economic. Over time, sustainability became a global necessity that led to the establishment in 2015 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), so that sustainability became a public policy of extreme urgency. Thirty-four years later, there is an imperative need to expand the original concept not in a public policy but in a competence that graduates of higher education develop, regardless of their studied academic program. We propose sustainability as a transversal competence. Our work describes the path that a higher education institution in Mexico, Tecnologico de Monterrey, has followed to accomplish this task. The new educational model Tec21 based on challenge-based learning experiences has a focus on the development of sustainability competences and actions ownership towards solving the problems described in the 17 SDGs. Our proposed definition for the sustainability transversal competence is: “The student possesses the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for the successful performance of the task and the resolution of problems related to the challenges and opportunities for sustainability in today’s world”. Thus, education is both an objective and a means to achieve all the other SDGs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education 4.0: Mobilizing for Sustainable Development)

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14 pages, 1294 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Map and Track the Performance in Education for Sustainable Development across the European Union

by Daniela Cristina Momete and Manuel Mihail Momete

Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13185; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313185 - 28 Nov 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2812

Abstract

The 17 sustainable development goals (SDG) established by 2030 Agenda cannot be achieved unless the learners are educated about sustainable development. Education for sustainable development (ESD) is a key component in preparing individuals to cope with sustainable challenges and paves the way towards a more sustainable aware society and life satisfaction. However, ESD is very complex as it depends on numerous factors and needs significant development all over the word. The paper aims to design an original and easy-to-apply framework which maps and tracks the actual performance in quality education across the European Union member states (EU27), focusing on SDG4—quality education from Agenda 30. The framework integrates three interventions—formal, non-formal, and essential education—and delivers a useful tool, a composite index, which maps and tracks the performance of the EU27 in the transition to ESD in a practical manner. The research categorizes four clusters of countries and tracks the Nordic countries of the EU27 among the high performers tier, allowing the identification of the best practices which can be spurred at European level. The findings of this paper may be used by educators, researchers, national and European authorities, and other stakeholders to monitor and accelerate progress in ESD, especially for low performers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education 4.0: Mobilizing for Sustainable Development)

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16 pages, 731 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does MOOC Quality Affect Users’ Continuance Intention? Based on an Integrated Model

by Wei Gu, Ying Xu and Zeng-Jun Sun

Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12536; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212536 - 12 Nov 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3511

Abstract

Massive open online course (MOOC) is an innovative educational model that has attracted widespread attention in recent years. Despite a growing number of registered users, many have given up continuously using MOOC platforms after the first-time user experience; thus, a high dropout rate has severely hindered the sustainable development of MOOC platforms. To address the problem, this study started with the quality factors of MOOC platforms and the confirmation of user expectations by integrating the D&M ISS model and the expectation confirmation model into one, with the goal of identifying the factors that affect users’ continuance intention to use MOOC platforms. In this study, online questionnaires were distributed to Chinese users with experience in using MOOC platforms, and a total of 550 valid samples were recovered. In addition, the theoretical model was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The research results showed that there are three critical antecedents affecting the confirmation of user expectations for a MOOC platform, including information quality, system quality, and service quality, of which service quality has the greatest impact on users’ expectation confirmation. If user expectations for an MOOC platform are positively confirmed, the perceived usefulness of the platform as well as the satisfaction with it will effectively be improved. Moreover, perceived usefulness has been proven to be a critical factor affecting users’ continuance intention to use MOOC platforms, which is followed by user satisfaction. Compared to the original ECM, the integrated research model has delivered significantly improved explanatory power for users’ continuance intention. Hence, this study makes up for the insufficiency of ECM in explaining the factors affecting users’ expectation confirmation and provides theoretical support for MOOC platform developers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education 4.0: Mobilizing for Sustainable Development)

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17 pages, 1352 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evidence-Based Educational Innovation Model Linked to Digital Information Competence in the Framework of Education 4.0

by Celia Paola Sarango-Lapo, Juanjo Mena and María Soledad Ramírez-Montoya

Sustainability 2021, 13(18), 10034; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131810034 - 8 Sep 2021

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4808

Abstract

Education 4.0 promotes visualizing how teachers’ traditional digital competencies adopt innovative practices. The present research analyzes the relationship between the perceived digital information competencies (DICs) of university teachers and the implementation of evidence-based, innovative actions (EBEI) in a model that supports innovative practices. The research method applied was the mixed method. In the quantitative phase, the final sample consisted of 271 teachers. The ad hoc digital competency-open educational resource scale (DC-OER) was applied to measure their perception of DIC. In the qualitative phase, 15 teachers were interviewed. The results showed (a) a close relationship between the fulfillment of EBEI and the support of DIC; (b) in quantitative results, in most cases, the means are close to the central value 3, and the standard deviation is close to 1, which indicates higher DIC; (c) the qualitative results indicate that teachers search, select, evaluate information, and produce new knowledge; and (d) the theoretical model of EBEI links DIC to the formation of digital citizenship. The data can be of value to the academic community in relevant environments within the framework of Education 4.0. As a future line of research, we envision analyzing the perceived digital competencies of teachers versus their effective behavior. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education 4.0: Mobilizing for Sustainable Development)

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25 pages, 1959 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Challenge-Based Learning Experience in Industrial Engineering in the Framework of Education 4.0

by Yadira Gutiérrez-Martínez, Rogelio Bustamante-Bello, Sergio A. Navarro-Tuch, Ariel A. López-Aguilar, Arturo Molina and Inés Álvarez-Icaza Longoria

Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9867; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179867 - 2 Sep 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 6751

Abstract

Current tendencies of product, project and services development focus on a higher consideration of the User Experience (UX). Therefore, traditional training and teaching methodologies need to adapt to prepare the students to develop strategies for problem solving for their professional education. Such needs have risen and interest in tendencies such as education and Industry 4.0 has grown. This paper presents and analyzes the process and results of a teaching implementation methodology based on Challenge-Based Learning (CBL). The paper describes the process followed, explaining the methodology precedents that led to the final implementation case. It also mentions previous experiments on product analysis and home automation developments that are linked to implementation of the technology. This case’s implementation, analysis and experimentation integrated the use of Emotional Domotics (ED) Tools for the UX analysis, to grant feedback and compare the students’ results with the bio-metrical and emotional computational analysis. The methodology, described through this document, allowed the students to better understand and experience some of the implications of an interconnected system with instant information feedback. This allowed them to better grasp part of the impact that the tendency towards the Internet of Things (IoT) is currently having, and the impact of the improvement proposals from the students. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education 4.0: Mobilizing for Sustainable Development)

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25 pages, 558 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainability in Education: A Scale on Perceptions of Organisational Discipline Related to the COVID-19 Period

by Rasiha Yerel, Gokmen Dagli, Fahriye Altinay, Ebba Ossiannilsson, Mehmet Altinay and Zehra Altinay

Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8343; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158343 - 27 Jul 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2272

Abstract

Higher education institutions are the most important institutions that form the basis of societies. The devoted students, academic and administrative employees enlighten the future and keep these institutions alive. Employees of higher education institutions have to teach a discipline with the order existing in their organisation and their relations with each other. The purpose of this study is to determine using the “organisational discipline” perceptions of higher education employees in different situations and determine the differences according to their socio-demographic characteristics. In the literature review of this study, no scale related to the perception of organisa-tional discipline was found. For this purpose, a scale consisting of six sub-dimensions that will cover the perception of organisational discipline was prepared. The validity and reliability of the prepared scale were determined by conducting a study. COVID-19 pandemic affected the world in all sectors throughout, a prepared scale was applied to 357 higher education institution academics who has been teaching online for a long time. Forward-looking sustainable higher education strategy, the discipline scale plays an essential role in the organisation. In this period, the perceptions of organisational discipline were tried to be determined by considering their current situation. The data obtained in the research were applied independent sample t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA); T-test, one of the post-hoc tests, was used as further analysis. The study determined that if there is significant difference in perceptions of organisational discipline related to gender, age, nationality, educational status, professional seniority, academic title and working style. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education 4.0: Mobilizing for Sustainable Development)

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13 pages, 291 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Qualitative and Quantitative Study on Critical Thinking in Social Education Degree Students

by Francisco José García-Moro, Diego Gómez-Baya, Alicia Muñoz-Silva and Nuria Martín-Romero

Sustainability 2021, 13(12), 6865; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126865 - 17 Jun 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3996

Abstract

Critical thinking is present in the educational intentions in higher education with more or less programmatic development. In the training of social educators, such thinking is considered a fundamental pillar for a good performance of their functions in the social field. By means of qualitative and quantitative instruments, we set ourselves the objective of knowing the opinions of 72 Social Education degree students of the University of Huelva (Spain) about critical thinking, higher education, and their position on the subject. The results obtained showed that students have an approximate general knowledge of what critical thinking is, but a clear lack of knowledge of how it is developed. In addition, it is observed that there is a great contradiction between what they say and what they actually do, as, although they value its development in the degree and professional performance, they do not develop or commit themselves de facto to this competence. Moreover, they recognize that the university is a context that favors critical competence, but at the same time they are very critical about the teachings offered in this regard. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education 4.0: Mobilizing for Sustainable Development)

22 pages, 42647 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design Framework Based on TEC21 Educational Model and Education 4.0 Implemented in a Capstone Project: A Case Study of an Electric Vehicle Suspension System

by Hugo A López, Pedro Ponce, Arturo Molina, María Soledad Ramírez-Montoya and Edgar Lopez-Caudana

Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 5768; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13115768 - 21 May 2021

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 4787

Abstract

Nowadays, engineering students have to improve specific competencies to tackle the challenges of 21st-century-industry, referred to as Industry 4.0. Hence, this article describes the integration and implementation of Education 4.0 strategies with the new educational model of our university to respond to the needs of Industry 4.0 and society. The TEC21 Educational Model implemented at Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico aims to develop disciplinary and transversal competencies for creative and strategic problem-solving of present and future challenges. Education 4.0, as opposed to traditional education, seeks to provide solutions to these challenges through innovative pedagogies supported by emerging technologies. This article presents a case study of a Capstone project developed with undergraduate engineering students. The proposed structure integrates the TEC21 model and Education 4.0 through new strategies and laboratories, all linked to industry. The results of a multidisciplinary project focused on an electric vehicle racing team are presented, composed of Education 4.0 elements and competencies development in leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The project was a collaboration between academia and the productive sector. The results verified the students’ success in acquiring the necessary competencies and skills to become technological leaders in today’s modern industry. One of the main contributions shown is a suitable education framework for bringing together the characteristics established by Education 4.0 and achieved by our educational experience based on Education 4.0. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education 4.0: Mobilizing for Sustainable Development)

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Review

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31 pages, 3870 KiB

Open AccessReview

Components of Education 4.0 in 21st Century Skills Frameworks: Systematic Review

by Laura Icela González-Pérez and María Soledad Ramírez-Montoya

Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1493; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031493 - 27 Jan 2022

Cited by 197 | Viewed by 48033

Abstract

Responsive educational proposals to develop skills to meet the demands of Industry 4.0 have become imperative to guarantee inclusive, equitable, and quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, also reducing the negative impact of COVID-19 and the major post-pandemic social issues. This article analyzes which components of Education 4.0 have been considered in 21st century skills frameworks and identifies the teaching and learning methods and key stakeholders impacted. We conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) with research questions to highlight studies that address 21st century frameworks worldwide, identifying which teaching-–earning strategies contain 4.0 components, their learning dimensions, and the targeted stakeholders. The findings allowed us to identify opportunities to create or improve 21st century skills frameworks with the required Education 4.0 components to develop future skills. Our study revealed the absence of these frameworks for teachers and schools. Most are oriented toward students, developing competencies through the dimensions of character, meta-learning, and linking active learning teaching strategies. This work presents studies incorporating innovative educational practices and the core Education 4.0 components. It concludes with a reflection on creating educational models to develop complex-reasoning competencies and auto-systemic thinking to support problem-solving and address social needs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education 4.0: Mobilizing for Sustainable Development)

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23 pages, 2022 KiB

Open AccessReview

Education 4.0 in Developing Economies: A Systematic Literature Review of Implementation Barriers and Future Research Agenda

by Emily Costan, Gamaliel Gonzales, Roselyn Gonzales, Lynne Enriquez, Felix Costan, Decem Suladay, Nadine May Atibing, Joerabell Lourdes Aro, Samantha Shane Evangelista, Fatima Maturan, Egberto Selerio, Jr. and Lanndon Ocampo

Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12763; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212763 - 18 Nov 2021

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 7727

Abstract

Education 4.0 (EDUC4) was driven by the onset of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) to meet labor market requirements resulting from learning that is customized, flexible, accessible, and skills-based. As the concept of EDUC4 develops popularity in the education and innovation research domains, various challenges about its implementation have emerged, especially in developing economies. Thus, there is a need to investigate the existing barriers to EDUC4 implementation. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, a systematic literature review of journal articles in the Scopus database was conducted. Of the 299 journal articles generated from the initial search on Scopus, 30 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The content analysis yielded 12 barriers which include cybersecurity threat, costly, skills gap of human capital, apprehensive stakeholders, lack of training resources, lack of collaboration, knowledge gap for the customization of curriculum design, insufficient available technologies, health issues, time constraint for material preparation, complexity of learning platforms, and insufficient foundation of basic education. They were then associated with seven themes for better operationalization in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): (1) human resources, (2) infrastructure, (3) financial, (4) linkages, (5) educational management, (6) learners, and (7) health and environment. Finally, a theoretical predictive model was constructed to present the causal relationships in modeling the problems associated with implementing EDUC4. The insights generated from this work offer both theoretical and practical perspectives for stakeholders of HEIs in the implementation of EDUC4 in developing economies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education 4.0: Mobilizing for Sustainable Development)

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Other

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20 pages, 2626 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Systematic Mapping of Digital Gap and Gender, Age, Ethnicity, or Disability

by Inés Alvarez-Icaza Longoria, Rogelio Bustamante-Bello, María Soledad Ramírez-Montoya and Arturo Molina

Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1297; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031297 - 24 Jan 2022

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 6195

Abstract

Rapid technological evolution defines the first two decades of the millennium. This phenomenon has increased the digital gap, disparities, and inequalities in global and local contexts. This paper reports a systematic literature mapping of 180 articles published from 2000 to 2021 discussing the digital gap. The documents were retrieved using boolean operations in two databases, adding terms related to gender, age, ethnicity, and disabilities, focusing on population groups that are especially vulnerable to the effects of this phenomenon. The method included categorizing the retrieved documents to provide a general view of the most concerning topics in the academic and research community. This analysis concludes (a) the approaches to address this topic are diverse, as this is a multilayered, complex, and interconnected issue; (b) many studies refer to developed countries; however, fewer are those who observe or analyze the underdeveloped regions; (c) the majority of published papers in the last decade report information and communication technologies (ICT) and their role in bridging the gap, showing an opportunity area for designing these technologies considering more accessible approaches through flexible technology approaches; (d) this study’s results are a valuable source of information to identify the design requirements for accessible products and service systems. The last section provides a detailed explanation of the findings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education 4.0: Mobilizing for Sustainable Development)

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