The 4th Industrial Revolution and the Significance of Liberal Education, and the Need to Reform Its Curriculum

Abstract

This work briefly defines the meaning of the 4^th Industrial Revolution, and explains that the three problems produced by the Revolution are the need to redefine the meaning of humanity, to reframe the social structure, and to elevate the level of people’s lifetime job competences. Next, this work strongly argues that what is needed most in finding a solution for the three problems is creativity based on the convergence and integration among the so-called 4Cs or 6Cs. In addition, from drawing on a variety of data and previous research results, this work also clearly shows that liberal education is much more useful than major/concentration education when it comes to solving these three problems. Lastly, this work also points out that the reform of the liberal education curriculum in general, and its distribution system in particular, is necessary for the sake of heightening the level of creativity based on convergence and integration, and then suggests several ways of reforming these areas. With these kinds of reforms, liberal education could heighten the level of creativity based on convergence and integration and the possibility of solving the aforementioned three problems would be promoted.