Four Industrial Revolution

The fourth industrial revolution is the bringing together of digital, physical and biological systems. “It doesn’t change what we are doing, but it changes us” (Klaus Schwab). Technology and digital media are not just tools. They change how we think and how our brains work. With neuroplasticity, our brains are being rewired the more they use digital technologies and the less they use more traditional ways of doing and thinking. Future focus is no longer on growth, but on maximizing human well-being (OCLF: Setting Directions). This is being accomplished by improving efficiency, adding quality to quantity, preserving our fragile climate, and making inequalities visible and less acceptable. It is estimated that five million jobs will be lost to technology by 2020. The fourth industrial revolution allows for thinking feely, creatively, and divergently. This is what our students need to learn (OCLF: Improving the Instructional Program). They need the ability to self-reflect, solve problems creatively, work in teams, communicate clearly in many media, and contribute to the well-being of others as global citizens.