Keywords

1 Introduction

Industry has been constantly affected through technological evolution and innovation, which have led to changes in the production process, the labor market and, consequently, the educational system [1]. In this context, comes the concept of Industry 4.0, born from initiatives adopted by the academic, industry and German government, which aims to increase the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector of this country through the convergence between the industrial production system, information and communication [2].

As a result of this new industrial revolution, developed through digitization and robotics [1], Education 4.0 tends to combine information available in the real and virtual world [2]. With regard to education, it is highlighted that this is one of the sectors that has been most quickly impacted [3], in view of its inspiration in Industry 4.0 and the possibility of developing digital technological skills at all levels, including processes, teaching-learning [4]. However, it should be noted that despite this importance, studies on Education 4.0 can be considered incipient. In this context, the questions that will guide this research work arise: how is the academic scientific production related to “Education 4.0”? What would be the research gaps pointed by researchers of this theme? How can they be grouped?

In order to find an answer to these questions, this research aims to identify research gaps related to Education 4.0, as well as to present a possibility of them being grouped. In order to provide a holistic view of content published and indexed in structured databases, SCOPUS will be used as an object of study. It is noteworthy that SCOPUS currently has the largest database of abstracts and citations, providing a panoramic view of world scientific production in the various areas of knowledge [5]. This research is justified considering that there are few indexed works in structured databases, such as SCOPUS and Web of Science, addressing this theme, which indicates the lack of research on the subject and the need for exploration. of the object of study in the international academic scope.

The research is structured, besides this Introduction, in four more sections. In the second section, will be presented and discussed the subjects Industry and Education 4.0, which were used in the theoretical basis of this study. In the third section, the methodological procedures adopted during this research work will be described. In the fourth section, the results obtained from the data collection will be presented and discussed. Finally, the research will present the conclusions obtained from the investigation.

2 Theoretical Background

The innovations generated by education 4.0 go beyond the boundaries of organizations and are identified in education systems. The results are already proven by the creation of jobs that did not exist and the disappearance of some due to robot replacement and process digitization [1]. In this context, Education 4.0 is characterized by the interference of technologies created by industry 4.0 in the teaching process, bringing them into the educational environment [6]. The Industry 4.0 concept is very convenient especially for the basic engineering sciences such as computing, electronics and machine engineering, bringing significant innovations in training suitable and qualified students for the industry [7]. This new teaching model encompasses online activities with its content available on digital platforms and utilization of Artificial Intelligence resources It is noteworthy that the addition of these resources and tools with the change in the teaching methodology are contributing to the improvement of the quality of learning and the development of the teaching-learning skills, abilities and autonomy of the students, improving the students commitment and consequently the performance in the teaching. A collaborative environment is needed among students where, upon completion of activities and challenges, awards are given for completing tasks and feedback for actions taken during the exercises [4].

3 Method

Research on the agenda can be classified as basic, exploratory and qualitative approach. As a method, the bibliographic research was adopted and, as a technical procedure, the literature review was chosen. Exploratory research aims to gain greater familiarity with a given phenomenon or gain new insights into the researched theme [8].

Data were collected from the SCOPUS database in July and August 2019, using the descriptors “education 4.0”, “learning 4.0”, “teaching 4.0”, “educating 4.0”, “educational 4.0”, “education OR educating OR learning OR teaching OR educational” and “industry 4.0” OR “industries 4.0” OR “smart manufacturing” OR “smart factory” OR “intelligent manufacturing” OR “manufacturing 4.0” OR “fourth industrial revolution”. For the purpose of this study, we considered the indexed works in the above-mentioned database from 2014 to 2020. It is noteworthy that the data obtained from this investigation were tabulated, treated and will be presented in the next section [7].

4 Results

The gaps of the most relevant publications on Education 4.0, Industry 4.0 and their Scopus indexed variations were analyzed, based on 28 articles and two reviews. The publications containing the searched terms were published between 2014 and 2020. As it is a recent field of knowledge, of the 30 publications made 12 of them did not obtain citations, according to Table 55.1.

Table 55.1 Scıentıfıc gap of 30 most cıted works
Full size table

It is noteworthy that no articles produced by the same author were identified in more than one publication, which demonstrates the lack of a reference in this field of knowledge and the originality proposed by the theme. The Journal with the greatest contribution to the most relevant gaps was Procedia Manufacturing.

In relation to the identified gaps, the “Mapping the necessary skills and competences that should be included in the curriculum frameworks for I4.0 training” and “Proposing an educational approach based on the student’s practical experience” were highlighted in 25 citations.

The gaps highlighted elements that contained indications of improvement in technologies, as well as the elements around the improvement of Education 4.0 processes. Importantly, within the identifications, both the need for Education 4.0 to serve as the basis for Industry 4.0, as well as the need for the innovations proposed by Industry 4.0 to make education more contextualized for the world where technologies are essential for the various activities of society. From the identified gaps, it was possible to compose five groups addressing similar characteristics about Education 4.0 that can be seen in Table 55.2.

Table 55.2 Scıentıfıc gap groups
Full size table

The first cluster is marked by the importance of the challenges encountered in Education 4.0, in corporate terms, involving sustainability, intellectual capital, innovation and business competitiveness. As for the needs of individuals, it focuses on engagement, motivation, trust and flexibility. Technological solutions are also considered relevant. Environments that can insert these topics promote the insertion of simulation of competitions, as well as stimulate creativity [9].

Stand out in the second cluster, concepts about learning, skill and training [1, 10]. Although the gaps indicated adaptations to specific professions (accounting and nursing), the need to adapt vocational education (both technical and undergraduate) to emerging technologies is evident [11, 12].

The third cluster prioritizes PBL, gamification, and inverted classroom practices. PBL is proposed with an appropriate learning approach to provide an experience that facilitates the development of Industry 4.0 skills and competencies. Gamification uses elements found in games fostering situations of conflict, cooperation, interaction under rules clarified previously to those involved. The inverted classroom consists of the student’s performance of school activities at home and the completion and/or completion of the school environment under the supervision of the teacher [6, 13, 14].

The fourth cluster addresses the importance of technology in the context of Education 4.0. There is a significant lag in the school environment, especially in early childhood education, a delay of 15–20 years, which makes the issue of monitoring Industry 4.0 technologies far from reality [15]. In this cluster, the importance of using applications in the school environment is also mentioned. When applied in the academic field, it is possible to present a real scenario for students to solve, although implementation difficulties are lacking in the pro-activity of teachers and course coordinators. For the experiences of this classroom approach to have better references, a larger range of tabulations of unsuccessful experiences are required to be reported to the academic community [6].

E-learning within the academic environment, especially at universities, is of great use in preparing educational institutions for challenges regarding enrollment goals, as well as making the study environment more student-friendly. What makes this relationship more conducive to students is the flexibility that digital tools provide in accessing content, adjusting the pace of study according to the specific needs of each university student [16]. The five mentioned groups can cover the most important aspects that Education 4.0 demands on education stakeholders (emphasizing students, school staff and teachers), as well as on the resources needed for its implementation and success, prioritizing technological infrastructure and human resources.

5 Conclusion

This study aimed to identify research gaps related to the Education 4.0 theme, as well as to present a grouping of the findings according to their similarities. There was a need for synergy between Education 4.0 and Industry 4.0, as well as the importance of education becoming more contextualized in an environment where technologies are essential for the diverse activities of society.

The groups of gaps that could be constituted were: mapping and evaluation of challenges and solutions; pedagogical alignment, analysis of new teaching approaches; use of Industry 4.0 technologies in Education 4.0 and organization and updating of digital platforms.

The most relevant academic contribution that could be obtained through these studies was the perception that this field of knowledge is apparently distant from its maturation, because the amount of articles produced was insignificant, and many of the articles that made up the list have not yet been cited. Another contribution was the possible trends that were identified in the study, mainly supported by the five delimited groups. Regarding the applied contribution, there was a great need for technical training and alignment among the various stakeholders present in education, so that technology can in fact add to the productivity of those at the forefront of educational institutions (staff and teachers), as well as more satisfactory student performance.

As a suggestion for future studies, comparative cases are suggested in which two distinct groups of students may receive pedagogical content in different situations: one group under e-learning tools, gamification or even applications, while a second group had access to the same content, although without any apparatus available to the first group, according to the more traditional teaching-learning relationships adopted in the last century.