The Impacts and State of Readiness on Implementation of Fourth Industrial Revolution in Rural Higher Education Institutions and Public Sector

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20505542

N.N. Simelane¹, J.T. Mofokeng², W. Maluleke³, and J.K. Lekganyane⁴) School of Health Care Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa¹,  Department of Criminology and Security Science, School of Criminal Justice, College of Law, University of South Africa², Department Criminology and Criminal Justice, Faculty of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, University of Limpopo (UL), Polokwane, South Africa³,  Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Faculty of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, UL, South Africa⁴)

The extent of the changes in technology and its influence on the public sector takes place at a higher rate. Consequently, the rural Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and public sector are attempting to improve their service delivery by implementing digital technologies, using the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) to invalidate the traditional methods of delivering essential services. Worryingly, the two (02) sectors are reportedly taking long time to adopt and implement the use of 4IR, with the necessity of embracing the associated impacts and state of readiness largely ignored. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the impacts and state of readiness of rural HEIs and public sector to implement the 4IR for efficient and effective service delivery, inclusive of the usage of educational technologies and connectivism pedagogies in the HEI selectively. The qualitative research approach was employed, supported by the case study research design. Semi-structured Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), with the Interview Schedule Guide, were integrated for data collection, which were purposively solicited from thirty (30) participants, involving three (3) Senior Managers, two (2) Middle Managers, fifteen (15) employees of Vhembe District Municipality and 10 academics. This study employed inductive Textual Content Analysis (TCA) to analyse its data. This study found that most participants agree that the HIEs and public sector were not ready to fully implement the 4IR because they have not yet infused the digital roadmaps into their development and integrated plans.