21st-Century Skills and the Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Critical Future Role for Online Education

Online education is often represented as the future of education. But what is the future of society in which that education will be delivered? Many economists and futurists predict growing disruption in multiple industries caused by the accelerating evolution of 21st-century technologies, including artificial intelligence, robotics and automation, nanomaterials, and additive manufacturing. This tsunami of change comes on top of recent transformations in business processes enabled by digital platforms and networks. The future of work will be a landscape in constant flux, with no job or career guaranteed. Structuring education as a menu of predefined disciplines and degrees may no longer be optimal. To help the learner survive and thrive in a VUCA environment (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity), we may need to teach so-called 21st-century skills – flexibility, adaptability, observation, empathy, creativity, innovation, learning how to learn. Many of the skills are inherently metacognitive and fractal, demonstrating the same basic principles at various levels of detail and knowledge. In this context, we should explore new ways to structure online education as well. How do we teach 21st-century skills in an online environment? What is the least amount we really need to teach, given that most subject-specific content is already available on the internet? How do we use online platforms to support learners through real-world practice and coaching? The answers may be critically important to our future, not just as individuals but as communities and a global society.