We are currently working towards the new industry model called the Fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0. This new model will fundamentally change the way we live, work, and relate to one another. Disruptive innovations are the driver of these changes due to technological advantances. To survive as a business in such a disruptive environment we need to be aware that we are not developing quick and short term solutions. The aim is to create innovations that are both viable and long term sustainable. In short: we need sustainable innovations.

Integrated thinking will lead to sustainable innovations

Integrated thinking is a combination of different types of thinking that is able to deal with complexity where different and opposing ideas exist. Traditionally opposing ideas are managed by seeking compromises or by choosing one idea at the expense of the other. Through integrated thinking there will be an inclusion of the opposing ideas to generate creative new ideas in order to find more viable and sustainable solutions.

#Edtechhack for integrated thinking

In our current education system the lecture formats and examination formats do not really stimulate integrated thinking and do not prepare us for the Industry 4.0 (Severengiz et al.,2018). The ever-growing amount of content and competencies that we need to learn, lead to a more superficial learning process instead of a learning process that prepares us for the challenges that lie ahead. We need to consider that the artificial intelligence (AI) will soon outperform our capabilities of linear thinking and logical thinking. For that reason eduction systems should include more technology, innovation and creativity to be better prepared for the near future.

In the education system new technologies, such as gamification, are nowadays being introduced. Gamification has great potential to learn integrated thinking as games have the possibility of combining theoretical knowledge and daily practice. However the first results show that gamified teaching formats and examination formats lead to roughly the same test results as traditional formats (Severengiz et al.,2018).

In my opinion these first results show that the traditional education system influences the perception of the new (gamified) system. Increasing complexity in the teaching and examination formats, puts a challenge on all stakeholders (the student, the school and the businesses where these students will start their carreer) who are used to the traditional education system. The challenge will be that a fundamental change is needed on the simplified view of the world and the idea that an education degree is the sum of single grades that is achieved in a time-efficient way.

#HackTheSystem

To educate ourselves to be prepared for the fourth industrial revolution with the availability of artificial intelligence (AI), we must hack the system including probably our own beliefs and build something new. Introducing complexity in the education system (or any other traditional system) will not be easy as every stakeholder has its good reasons to justify that it worked in the past and it probably still works in the short term.

The good news is that the new technologies that are already available, does not prevent anyone to start learning to anticipate the coming revolution. #HackYourWayIn #IntegratedThinking

Norbert Bol

Literature

Severengiz, M., Roeder, I., Schindler, K., & Seliger, G. (2018). Influence of Gaming Elements on Summative Assessment in Engineering Education for Sustainable Manufacturing. Procedia Manufacturing, 21, 429-437.

Photo’s by Marc van der Chijs (Main), York Exponential (Industry 4.0), michael pollak on Foter.com / CC BY (Think), Thomas Hawk on Foter.com / CC BY-NC (Hack)

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