EDUCATION 4.0: TRANSFORMING COMMUNICATION PRACTICES IN CONTEMPORARY SCHOOL SYSTEMS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17019004Keywords:
Education 4.0, communication , practices, digital learning, school systems and digital literacyAbstract
This study examined how Education 4.0 is transforming communication practices in contemporary school systems in Rivers State. The study was guided by three objectives, three research questions and one null hypothesis. This study adopted descriptive survey research design with a population of 4961. This comprised of 306 lecturers and 4,655 undergraduate students from the Faculty of Education from the two state-owned universities in Rivers State. The sample size of the study was 593, this includes 440 undergraduate students obtained using Taro-Yamane's formula while 50% of 306 lecturer was chosen using a non-proportionate sampling technique, yielding 153 lecturers in total. A 40-item self-developed instrument title "Education 4.0: Transforming Communication Practices in Contemporary School Systems Questionnaire (ETCPCSSQ)" served as the tool for data collection. The instrument was properly assessed by three research experts. The reliability of the instrument was determined through a pilot study which was analysed using Cronbach alpha, a composite coefficient of 0.82 was established. Means and standard deviation were used to answer research questions. The z-test statistical tool was used to test the hypotheses at the significance level of 0.05. The findings revealed, among others, that the use of artificial intelligence, digital communication platforms and the integration of digital tools into the school system improved interactions between school administrators and teachers, made communication within the school system more interactive and student-centered and improved inclusivity in communication. Given these results, the study concluded that it is clear that education 4.0 signifies a radical change in the way that communications and learning are organized in contemporary educational systems. It adopts learner-centered, tech-driven strategies that promote diversity, teamwork, and lifelong learning in place of conventional teacher-centered methods. Based on these, the study recommended among others, that curriculum planners should create and incorporate thorough digital literacy and digital citizenship programmmes that equip all participants with the knowledge and abilities to communicate effectively and responsibly within the educational system.
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