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How South African universities can contribute to preparing the future workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2020
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| _version_ | 1867614134197026816 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Wessels, Lizette |
| author2 | Fourie-Malherbe, Magda |
| author_browse | Fourie-Malherbe, Magda Wessels, Lizette |
| author_facet | Fourie-Malherbe, Magda Wessels, Lizette |
| author_sort | Wessels, Lizette |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2020. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/108143 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:47:12.516Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publishDateRange | 2020 |
| publishDateSort | 2020 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/108143 How South African universities can contribute to preparing the future workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Wessels, Lizette Fourie-Malherbe, Magda Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Department of Curriculum Studies. Universities and colleges -- South Africa Fourth industrial revolution -- South Africa College graduates -- Knowledge and learning UCTD Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2020. ENGLISH ABSTRACT : The Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) is a complex phenomenon. Its transformative nature holds implications for South African universities, graduate employability and the workplace. Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, automation and digital technology, amongst others, have already transformed the world of work. Consequently, mismatches between graduate skills and workplace requirements have emerged which exacerbate the already high levels of unemployment in South Africa. Universities that do not adapt to the speed of innovation will become obsolete. As far as its core function, teaching and learning is concerned, a radical reconsideration of current curricula and pedagogy will be required, including the technological enhancement of teaching and learning practices. This begs the question as to how the key functions of South African universities, particularly those related to teaching and learning, should be transformed to better prepare the future workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The aim of this study was to undertake a scoping review to explore this question in more depth, presenting possible scenarios of change to be considered. Linked to the above, the sub-objectives that informed the study related to determining the role of South African universities in preparing the future workforce. Furthermore, I attempted to review, analyse and identify key themes from the scoping review results, in order to summarise and group findings together. The exploration of the literature and published research on innovative teaching and learning practices was focused on finding ways of better preparing and equipping students with the required skills for future jobs in the Industry 4.0 workplace. The results were used for developing conceptual models as a representation of the findings deriving from the scoping review. These models could inform transformation and innovation relevant to South African universities, particularly teaching and learning, to better prepare the future workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This is a non-empirical study that integrated the human capital theory as theoretical framework. The adoption of the interpretivist paradigm was largely aimed at exploring and making sense of the Fourth Industrial Revolution phenomenon. Within the interpretive paradigm, the study followed an exploratory qualitative approach. The primary research method for this study was a scoping review which formed the basis for the development of two conceptual models. The main focus of the scoping review was on gaining a comprehensive understanding of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the implications thereof for South African universities, with specific reference to teaching and learning as one of the core functions of a university. A protocol with predefined search strategies and terms was used to search publishers’ databases for relevant resources. Development of the conceptual models commenced after conducting a broad review of literature by consulting peer-reviewed journal articles, books/monographs, conference papers and other relevant resources, to identify and outline the core concepts and possible relationships in the different models. The result of this study could point to developing better practices towards equipping students with the required skills, thus improving graduates’ future success in the Industry 4.0 workplace. The conceptual models and findings provide a transformation roadmap - giving direction in preparing the future workforce and initiating a new University 4.0. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Die Vierde Industriële Revolusie (Nywerheid 4.0) is 'n komplekse fenomeen. Die transformerende aard daarvan hou implikasies in vir Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite, studente en die werksplek. Kunsmatige intelligensie, masjienleer, outomatisering en digitale tegnologie, onder andere, het die wêreld van werk verander. Gevolglik het wanverhoudings tussen gegradueerdes se vaardighede en werkplekvereistes ontstaan, wat die reeds hoë vlakke van werkloosheid in Suid-Afrika vererger. Universiteite wat nie aanpas by die spoed van innovasie nie, sal in die toekoms nie meer relevant wees nie. Wat die universiteit se kernfunksie, onderrig en leer, betref, sal 'n radikale hersiening van huidige kurrikulums en pedagogie nodig wees, insluitende die tegnologiese verryking van onderrig- en leerpraktyke. Die vraag is dus hoe die sleutelfunksies van Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite, veral dié wat verband hou met onderrig en leer, getransformeer sal moet word om die toekomstige werksmag vir die Vierde Industriële Revolusie beter toe te rus en voor te berei. Die doel van hierdie studie is dus om 'n omvangsbepaling te onderneem om hierdie vraag in meer diepte te ondersoek en moontlike scenario's van verandering voor te stel. Gekoppel aan bogenoemde, hou die subdoelwitte wat die studie onderskryf verband met die bepaling van die rol van Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite in die voorbereiding van die toekomstige werksmag. Addisioneel is daar gefokus op die ontleding en identifisering van sleutel-temas en -terme om die bevindings saam te vat en te groepeer. Die eksplorasie van die navorsingstudies en meer spesifiek navorsing oor innoverende onderrig- en leerpraktyke is gemik op die ontdekking van nuwe innoverende maniere om studente beter voor te berei en toe te rus met die nodige vaardighede vir toekomstige werksgeleenthede in die Industrie 4.0 werkplek. Die resultate is gebruik vir die ontwikkeling van konseptuele modelle wat as 'n skematiese voorstelling van die bevindinge wat voortspruit uit die omvangsbepaling, dien. Hierdie modelle kan transformasie en innovasie wat relevant is vir Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite, veral ten opsigte van onderrig en leer, inlig om hulle toe te rus om die toekomstige werksmag vir die Vierde Industriële Revolusie beter voor te berei. Hierdie nie-empiriese studie het die menslike kapitaalteorie as teoretiese raamwerk gebruik. Die studie is gedoen binne 'n interpretivistiese paradigma aangesien dit hoofsaaklik daarop gerig is om die Vierde Industriële Revolusie-verskynsel te ondersoek en beter te verstaan. Binne die interpretatiewe paradigma het die studie 'n verkennende kwalitatiewe benadering gevolg. Die primêre navorsingsmetode vir hierdie studie was 'n kwalitatiewe bestek-oorsig wat die basis gevorm het vir die ontwikkeling van twee konseptuele modelle. Die hoof-fokus van die omvangsbepaling-resensie was om 'n omvattende begrip van die Vierde Industriële Revolusie en die implikasies daarvan vir Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite, met spesifieke verwysing na onderrig en leer, as een van die kernfunksies te ontwikkel. 'n Protokol met voorafbepaalde soekstrategieë en terme is gebruik om as riglyn te dien vir soektogte na relevante studies op uitgewersdatabasisse. Die ontwikkeling van die konseptuele modelle is gebaseer op die analise en interpretasie na 'n breë oorsig van die beskikbare navorsingstudies bestaande uit tydskrifartikels, boeke/monografieë, konferensie verrigtinge en ander relevante bronne gedoen is. Daar is gepoog om die kernbegrippe en moontlike verhoudings in die verskillende modelle te identifiseer, illustreer en te omskryf. Die resultate en bevindinge van hierdie studie kan ‘n bydrae lewer tot die ontwikkeling en daarstelling van innoverende en verbeterde praktyke om studente met die nodige vaardighede toe te rus, en sodoende die sukses van gegradueerdes se indiensnemings mootlikhede in die toekomstige Vierde Industriële Revolusie werkplek verbeter. Die konseptuele modelle en bevindings bied 'n transformerende padkaart en kan as 'n rigtingaanwysing dien ter voorbereiding van die toekomstige werksmag en die inisiëring van 'n nuwe Universiteit 4.0. Masters 2020-02-26T06:30:47Z 2020-04-28T12:21:46Z 2020-02-26T06:30:47Z 2020-04-28T12:21:46Z 2020-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/108143 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xiv, 171 pages ; illustrations, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Universities and colleges -- South Africa Fourth industrial revolution -- South Africa College graduates -- Knowledge and learning UCTD Wessels, Lizette How South African universities can contribute to preparing the future workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution |
| title | How South African universities can contribute to preparing the future workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution |
| title_full | How South African universities can contribute to preparing the future workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution |
| title_fullStr | How South African universities can contribute to preparing the future workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution |
| title_full_unstemmed | How South African universities can contribute to preparing the future workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution |
| title_short | How South African universities can contribute to preparing the future workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution |
| title_sort | how south african universities can contribute to preparing the future workforce for the fourth industrial revolution |
| topic | Universities and colleges -- South Africa Fourth industrial revolution -- South Africa College graduates -- Knowledge and learning UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/108143 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wesselslizette howsouthafricanuniversitiescancontributetopreparingthefutureworkforceforthefourthindustrialrevolution |