The language of Engineering Education in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Abstract

Engineering was defined by the Royal Academy of engineering as the creative use of scientific principles to invent, design, build, maintain and improve structures, machines, devices, systems materials and processes. From the creation of simple tools to the complex engineering machineries which abounds now, the journey has been chronicled into series of epoch Industrial revolutions are periods in modern human history where innovative technologies are used in ensuring rapid change in the socio-economic condition of people globally. The fourth industrial revolution is an era of massive technological breakthrough. The era is driven by technologies such as automation and robotics, additive manufacturing and the industrial internet. This study conceptualized the language of engineering education in the era of the fourth industrial revolution as the means through which the knowledge of engineering education is communicated. Findings from the study revealed that the industrial revolution is responsible for some changes in engineering education and it has with it immense opportunities for the conduct of the discipline. Some of the opportunities of the fourth industrial revolution on engineering education is the overhauling of production processes, the possibility of remote monitoring of engineering projects will also be made possible as a result of the technologies brought about by the fourth industrial revolution The study therefore recommends that that efforts be intensified on developing the languages in which engineering education is communicated in the fourth industrial revolution.