Learning Factories in the Era of Digital Transformations

The digital transformation in economy changes the way we do business, manufacture products, transport goods, exchange information, or deliver services due to advances in automation and digital technologies. Educational programs in higher education need to be more flexible and adapted to the skills and needs that are evolving in the engineering fields. Curricula in higher education need to be adapted to the digital age, for example, by ensuring that engineering graduates understand the value of big data, the efficiency of robotics and automation. Digitalization and digital skills should be key characteristics of engineer training programs. The traditional educational process, which for centuries consisted of lecturing and seminars, found itself in a situation of the need to make new decisions not only in terms of lectures, but also in how to organize practical classes. Authors present several envisaged teaching scenarios meant to depict altogether a holistic process within this learning factory to address the identified requirements. The scenario encompasses all steps within the value chain. Authors present design a learning factory and teaching scenario. Teaching scenario focuses on critical thinking about digital technologies rather than sole experience and application in the learning factory. Overall, the concept implements the insights from our latest research projects with respect to Industry 4.0 and is work in progress.