RETHINKING OUR EDUCATION TO FACE THE NEW INDUSTRY ERA

The aim of the paper is to consider the role education plays in evolving industrial contexts and the need of applying transformative approach to the processes of integration of industry and education. Evolution of education has proven its conservative nature and a high level of resistance to changes and transformation. The gap between the industry's needs and the scope and quality of competencies offered generally by education is revealing the increasing need to find new educational models to face the new era of smart digital connected world. Authors undertook a literature review on the main stages of industrial and educational shifts through the history. Mapping the industrial peculiarities of each stage with the educational contexts allowed the authors to identify the critical aspects of each milestone and find the disparities that in many cases cause the inability of education to cope with the challenges created by Industry 4.0. In conclusion, authors emphasise the urgent need for suitable educational models in shaping the environments in which students learn as well as the content they are learning to face the future challenges of the new industry era. In this context, the authors refer to Learning Analytics - an emerging interdisciplinary area - as a major sophisticated tool to support Education in complying with the growing need for advanced skills in industry.