Developing a Curriculum for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Electrical Engineering Education

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-134-0_19How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR); Electrical Engineering Education; Curriculum development

Abstract

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is a global phenomenon that brings advancements in artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and robotics. It has brought about radical changes in societal and economic structures, necessitating the re-evaluation of curricula across various disciplines, including electrical engineering. Electrical engineering education needs to adapt to the changing demands and opportunities of the 4IR era. By aligning the curriculum with the emerging needs of industry and society, educational institutions can effectively prepare future electrical engineering students to contribute to and lead the transformative changes brought by the 4IR. This paper explores the necessary adaptations and enhancements required in electrical engineering education to align with the transformative impact of the 4IR. It reviews/evaluates the implications of the 4IR on the field of electrical engineering and identifies the key knowledge areas, skills, and competencies that need to be incorporated into the curriculum. By analysing existing literature, the emerging technologies, trends, and challenges in electrical engineering that are driven by the 4IR are identified. The research also explores pedagogical approaches and instructional methods that can effectively equip electrical engineering students with the necessary skills and competencies to thrive in the 4IR era. This includes examining innovative teaching methodologies, such as project-based learning, hands-on experiences, and interdisciplinary collaboration, to foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability. The paper proposes a framework for designing a 4IR-oriented curriculum that incorporates inter-disciplinary, project-based, problem-solving, and collaborative learning approaches. It also discusses the role of digital technology, industry partnerships, and social responsibility in enhancing the quality and relevance of electrical engineering education. The paper concludes with some recommendations for implementing and evaluating the proposed curriculum.

Copyright

© 2023 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - T. K. Magenuka
AU  - M. Sibanda
PY  - 2023
DA  - 2023/11/06
TI  - Developing a Curriculum for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Electrical Engineering Education
BT  - Proceedings of the 10th Focus Conference (TFC 2023)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 284
EP  - 298
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-134-0_19
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-134-0_19
ID  - Magenuka2023
ER  -