Perspective Chapter: Sustainable and Resilient ODeL Practices for the Industry 5.0 Paradigm – Application of Digitalization to Support Authentic Knowledge Creation

Abstract

Students’ digital competency is key in open distance learning (ODeL) space. In addition, engagement in online interactive learning through social and cognitive networking is essential. This chapter reports the online facilitator’s experiences on the sustainable and resilient learning practices in interactive ODeL classroom. It draws from the connectivism theory that emphasizes the importance of the students’ abilities to live, work and thrive in the interconnected learning community. This qualitative autoethnographic case-study is an inquiry into the ODeL mathematics education students’ interactive learning processes. A case study in this chapter takes the form of a story that is enhanced by theory and practices aligned with the researcher’s experiences. The self-observation notes that the author has drafted from practices in own online classroom are connected to literature to explore the interactive practices in an ODeL context. Digitalization in teaching enhances students’ connectivism practices for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). This enables students to connect socially and cognitively to acquire multidimensional thinking and in-depth learning to enhance authentic learning. In essence, the ODeL facilitator should apply sustainable teaching through digitalization to support students to adhere to interactive sustainable practices to flourish in the interactive learning systems, and to attain the industry 5.0 skills.

1. Introduction

Societal values within the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) era align with beliefs that the usage of digital tools can support the inquisitive nature of those who learn. The necessary inquisitiveness enhances participation in social and cognitive networks that can benefit students to advance creative critical thinking and authentic learning. Facilitators of learning and students in the 4IR learning society must be equipped with appropriate values, knowledge, and practices to advance the industry 5.0 competences which is the envisaged future in education [1]. However, the appropriate values are viable through the set societal ethical standards. For example, even in online learning, through utilization of digital resources, originality or authenticity should be prioritized in knowledge creation to avoid plagiarism.

My narrative in this chapter departs from my concern of interactive learning practices in an ODeL learning context. It seems complicated for the current cohort of ODeL students to network through social and digital means and be able to develop authentic critical creative thinking. Currently, the 4IR means of digitalization in the education sphere are challenged with lack of originality, where students fail to maintain academic integrity practice, such as avoiding plagiarism. In this sense, the preparation of students for the industry 5.0 competencies is not possible. Through lack of originality and plagiarism practices, sustainable practices are not maintained in ODeL, focused on mathematics education in this chapter. The lack of sustainable practices in learning at an ODeL space hinder cognitive development that aligns with the needs of the workforce of the 5IR era. The present ODeL students are included as the workforce of the future in the 5IR. However, the concern in this chapter is that the student cohort that is trained and prepared for the demands of the 5IR is not coping well with interactive learning and in the education space that has a wealth of knowledge. This is because they rely on the existing information and knowledge, and they find it hard to transform and align their thinking and knowledge-creation abilities with the plethora of existing knowledge.

The purpose of this chapter is to give a perception of the online facilitator’s experiences and insight into the sustainable practices in the online classroom of students who study mathematics teaching qualification. The group of students that were studied, were prospective teachers who were learning and were equipped with relevant skills to teach mathematics in the digital era. The following questions were asked in this chapter: What are my interpersonal experiences,

• in view of how sustainable and resilient learning practices are affected by a plethora of digital information leading to plagiarism?

• as an ODeL facilitator in supporting students to apply skills that can assist them to advance authentic knowledge creation?

The questions asked resonate with the notion of students’ abilities to “live, work, and thrive in the interconnected community” [2]. This means that with a plethora of knowledge from social networks through digitalization, students should be able to evaluate the information at their exposure and use it to build a cognitive network that is original and authentic. Sharing my experience of ODeL facilitation to support sustainable and resilient mathematics education practices, is a way of addressing the culture of academic plagiarism elevated by the world of digital information, to propagate a call for the need for ethical practices in the 4IR era to advance the expertise needed in the future, that is, in the 5IR era. In the following sections, literature is discussed, and the theory of the digital age is engaged in a discourse on how students respond to digital network creation for sustainable social and cognitive networks.

2. Literature review

Literature in this chapter affirms that sustainable and resilient mathematics education encompasses the education processes that task facilitators with teaching skills that assist students in developing the necessary skills to learn along machines. Furthermore, the literature follows a discourse on the essence of digitalization in supporting sustainable and resilient mathematics education processes, the impact of digitalization on authentic learning, and academic plagiarism in digitized ODeL environments. The discourse leads to the synthesis that shows the influence of the current interactive learning practices as aligned with the impact on social and cognitive networks.

2.1 Sustainable and resilient mathematics education practices

The Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) mission is part of the targets of sustainable development in societies by 2030. Based on the United Nations (UN) ESD goals, ESD covers the development of values and transformative actions that lead to problem-solving, ability to recognize the needs for a sustainable society, acceptance of modern society, and ability to tackle problems in the immediate society [3]. Through ESD, educational activities must empower students as builders of the society. The ESD further promotes competencies, skills, and attitudes such as ability to think in multidimensional and integrative ways, communicate, and cooperate with other problem-solvers. In line with the right attitude through empowerment by the ESD, students need an attitude to respect relations and connections; as well as the attitude to participate proactively [3, 4]. The key facilitator actions necessary to empower the 4IR student with ESD competencies include transformative pedagogies that promote proactive, interactive, and in-depth learning. In addition, pedagogy that is ESD aligned must support activities that are aligned with students’ experiences, and promote cooperative learning through group activities, allowing students to collaborate in doing investigations and completing academic discussions [3, 4]. The envisaged implementation of ESD and assumed students’ response aligns with the student’s ability to connect the acquired knowledge with inquiry characteristics such as critical thinking and exploration that promotes authenticity in knowledge production. Research has shown that inquiry in learning designates a process where students explore situations to discover real-world facts that will aid in problem-solving [5, 6, 7, 8]. In addition, research confirms that learning by inquiry to achieve authentic learning, promotes a sustainable practice of inquiry-based learning (IBL) that is student-centered, promotes students’ ability to ask critical questions as they learn, collect information, and examine it; produce solutions to problems, make decisions, rationalize conclusions, and take actions. The IBL-aligned teaching strategies engage students actively in an authentic scientific discovery process where they can identify the problem, explore the problem, and provide the solution [8]. IBL designates an appropriate skill for sustainable education.

Practices that involve learning by inquiry are possible through teaching, that is, through inquiry-based facilitation, teaching that orientates students to active thinking processes, how to think, and how to be thorough in critical thinking [7, 8, 9, 10]. The inquiry-based driven teaching helps learners to inquire, formulate hypotheses, collect data, test the hypotheses, and ultimately formulate theories from their self-tested hypotheses. Such practices build mathematical resilience. Mathematical resilience refers to a positive approach to learning mathematics that supports students to overcome barriers they encounter when learning mathematics [11]. Considering this, this chapter refers to resilient ODeL mathematics education practices as students’ ability to adapt to challenging problem-solving processes through digital networks to acquire authentic critical thinking and maintain sound ethical practices. Even when problem-solving seems difficult, resilient practices assist students in refraining from plagiarizing, but resorting to self-directedness urging inquisitiveness through asking pertinent questions. Resilient practices complemented by authentic learning through inquiry contribute sustainable mathematics education practices, that can help students to thrive in societal spaces that have ample knowledge that can be effortlessly accessed through social and digital networks. Furthermore, mathematical resilience implies that students must approach mathematical problem-solving with confidence and persistence, including a willingness to research, reflect, and discuss [11]. Sustainable and resilient practices of learning enable students to maintain originality and create authentic ideas out of the wide continuum of information they can access using digital technology.

2.2 The essence of digitalization in mathematics education

In education, digitalization refers to a process of translating text and images into a digital format that can be processed through a computer; and the tools for digitalization are outlined as computer, smartphone, internet, and more [12]. In addition, the ways of digitalization are outlined as sharing of online knowledge, digital support material, online social groups, and more [12]. Digitalization creates smart education systems, that can provide content around the world and create an interactive system for teaching and learning [13]. In addition, the authors argue that digitalization implicates an approach in artificial intelligence which is a mathematical code aligned with some algorithms; and can influence individuals’ thinking. Artificial intelligence in educational settings implies smart robots programmed as teachers [13, 14]; which probably provides ample knowledge that prohibits critical inquiry for both teachers and learners. Sustainable digitalization should prioritize digital transformation when the existing ways of sustainability yield low results. Mathematics education in diverse societies yields lower production in terms of knowledge sustainability for problem-solving skills that can be applied to ailing societies, economies, and environments. Exposure to the digital world with all relevant information, has turned individuals who learn into dependable individuals rather than individuals who are able to inquire and explore the existing and current to better their skills of critical thinking and knowledge creation. Hence, reliance on existing sources of information that are forever transforming destroys authenticity and creative thinking. I maintain in this chapter that digitalization should instead increase the abilities of knowledge creation for example, that the complementarity of humans and machines for the industry 5.0 paradigm is viable where humans can create information that they can use to operate machines for machines to yield advanced models that humans can explain and apply. From the wide spectrum of information that is obtained from knowledgeable others and digital networks, individual students can apply inquiry-based practices of collecting information, examining, analysing, deducing, operating, and informing the machines with deduced data and allow the machines to act on the data to produce functional models. Such sustainable practices show resilience in the complementary role of an individual’s interaction with digital technology in knowledge production. In this way, resilience yields authenticity impacted by understanding that digital transformation poses high demands of knowledge that will fit into the competitive social, economic, and environmental spaces we live in. Sustainable and resilient mathematics education practices of the digital era should not lead to despair and lack of thinking, but to integration that can enhance knowledge that is authentic to fit in the existing space of knowledge and strategies of realistic problem-solving.

2.3 The impact of digitalization on authentic learning

Authentic learning also referred to as deep learning, refers to engagement with diverse activities in learning, for example, reference to real-world problems with solutions, conducting case studies, learning through problem-based activities, and engagement in virtual communities of practice [10]. Relatively, authentic learning can be viable in mathematics education through usage of relevant authentic material. The probable authentic material for sustainable and resilient mathematics learning refers to modeling exercises that pose the real situation, thus learning in the real-world environment; ultimately, being able to analyse models and create real mathematical connotations [15, 16, 17]. Modeling in mathematics, that is, learning in the real world, creating and analysing models to create real-life models and new knowledge, contributes to autonomous and authentic learning. While the expectations are that authentic mathematics materials must improve knowledge-acquiring strategies to original strategies where humans must be able to learn along and inform machines, things turn vice versa as in the digital era, humans retrieve knowledge from the machines and present it as their own. Digital learning turned out to be an opportunity for cheating [18] and reproducing knowledge. Digital transformation in authentic mathematical modeling is aligned with the usage of computers to handle models, though, such may not lead to sophisticated results. The implication is that where machines fall short, humans are supposed to interact and bring in their expertise to aid the machine. Considering this, it means authentic learning is essential for digital transformation to prepare the students for the demands of industry 5.0. The machine should not be used to plagiarize but to enhance knowledge and production for the sustainability and resilience in education, social and economic spheres.

2.4 Academic plagiarism in digitalized ODeL environments

Plagiarism refers to claiming false authorship of information, also intellectual theft [19]. Concerns are raised about academic plagiarism that it has spread in many educational contexts, and it is difficult to understand, fight, and detect [20]. This chapter looked at plagiarism in the ODeL contexts on assignments that are formative or continuous assessment tasks. Academic plagiarism is influenced by different practices, and such contribute to mathematics education learning practices that are unsustainable toward cognitive development. It is not always the case where plagiarism occurs because of deliberate cheating. According to, most students plagiarize because they lack understanding of different types of academic plagiarism, and skills to circumvent it [19]. Other causes were outlined as weak language and academic writing skills, saving effort, easy access to online resources, conventional assignments, types of assessment design executed, inadequate digital literacy, short timeframe, saving time, and challenge to balance personal, professional, and academic life [19, 20, 21]. The authors studied plagiarism and outlined the causes that align mostly with students’ practices, and facilitator practices that align with conventional assignments and types of assessment design executed. In this chapter, I agree with the outlined causes, however, I emphasize that facilitation practice in the ODeL space needs to be transformed so that it supports students’ critical analysis of study material and the online information at their exposure.

2.5 Synthesis

Transformative pedagogies aligned with ESD as influenced by digitalization are bound to support sustainable teaching practices to empower students with sustainable learning practices for adaptation in the ever-increasing world of digital information. Facilitation of learning that relies on producing dependable students prohibits the ability to apply sustainable learning practices, therefore, contributing complete reliance on digital information and ultimately lack of academic integrity in knowledge creation. Figure 1 denotes the effects of sustainable and resilient practices through digitalization. In addition, the impact of digital dependability is outlined.

Figure 1.

Effects of sustainable and resilient practices through digitalization. Source: Author.

Sustainable learning practices inculcate skills, such skills build resilience characteristics such as confidence, persistence, and willingness to research, reflect, and discuss (Figure 1). Attaining sustainable and resilient learning practices yields sustainable digitalization that contributes smart education system for interactive learning and authenticity. Lack of sustainable and resilient practices produces reliance on digital information enhancing digital dependability and academic plagiarism.

3. Theory of the digital age

This report aligns the pragmatist view of inquiry with the sustainability and resilience of mathematics education practices. That is, subjective and objective practices combine to balance the act of inquiry. In narrating my experiences in the online classroom, I apply a pragmatic stance that sustainable mathematics education is experimental, should contribute to change toward society and environment; and enable those who learn to operate actively at cooperative levels [7, 22]; and along the digital resources to solve common problems encountered. Considering this, subjective-objective social and individual cognitive networks remain essential in the establishment of sustainable resilient mathematics education practices. The pragmatic inquiry into learning mathematics should be enhanced by considering connectivism as a theory of the 4IR, that is, a theory of the digital age as discovered by Siemens (2004). Connectivism aligns with sustainability in the social context that is digitally orientated as it capitalizes on students’ abilities to “live, work and thrive in the interconnected community” [2]. The implications of the connectivism theory are that the objective of teaching based on the connectivism theory is to stimulate knowledge networks through modeling [2]. The theory of the digital age plays an essential role in network creation. I considered network creation from two points of view, that is, social networks and mental or cognitive networks. Connectivism theory asserts that acquiring knowledge is distributive, that is, it is everywhere through networks of connections established among society members, between individuals, organizations, and technology as a link to all [23]. In addition, the author argues that the characteristics of a successful network are connectivity, openness, autonomy, and diversity. Connection networks differ, some can be local connections, and some can go as far as world connections [23]. In such connections information is extensive and individuals can harvest as much information as they can. In terms of mental networks, connectivism as a theory of the mind bases natural connections on patterns that are both distributive and associative [23]; distributive in the neural system of the brain, and associative, where there is complementary interaction between two or more neurons. Within the social and mental or cognitive networks, several principles support connectivism (Table 1).

Learning and knowledge rest in diversity of opinions. Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources. Learning may reside in non-human appliances. The capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known. Nurturing and maintaining connections are needed to facilitate continual learning. The ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill. Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivism learning activities. Decision-making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of a shifting reality. While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate affecting the decision.

Table 1.

Principles of connectivism. Source: Ref. [24].

Furthermore, Siemens 2005 developed a connectivism framework that emphasizes the essence of internet technology in shaping the students’ thinking and in transforming the way learning occurs. The connectivism framework recognizes students as digital natives whose learning depends on autonomy, connectedness, diversity, and openness. Therefore, the current study argues that connectivism is a guiding lens in an ODeL teaching and learning environment where students must be efficient users of digital resources, utilize the same resources to network, build online social relations or learning communities, and they must be able to connect with all sources of knowledge, acquire and build knowledge, and ultimately be able to expand their knowledge and share to contribute knowledge.

3.1 Sustainability and resilience in the interconnected digital community

In adaptation to social and mental networks for inquiry, the application of sustainable practices for knowledge creation is essential. Sustainable learning practices ensure resilience in learning to enable students to advance sustainable decision-making toward sustainable decision-making toward authentic knowledge creation (Figure 2).

Figure 2.

Sustainability and resilience in the interconnected learning community. Source: Author.

In addition, it is necessary to maintain resilience to thrive in the interconnected community of learning. Figure 2 outlines the resilient learning practices as among others, the development of capacity to know more, thus acquiring more knowledge through research, reflection, and discussion. Such characteristics as those of resilience enable connections and networks to accumulate the necessary knowledge. In essence, the connectivism characteristics support the notion that knowledge is distributive with technology as a link to all, requiring sustainable education practices is imperative through sustainable learning practices for students to advance interactive learning systems.

4. Methodology

This report draws from the autoethnographic qualitative case-study inquiry into the ODeL mathematics education students’ interactive learning process. A case study in this chapter takes the form of a story that is enhanced by theory and practices aligned with the researcher’s experiences. In my story of analysing a case of interactive learning in ODeL learning space, I share the self-observation notes I have drafted from the students’ practices in the interactive classroom; in addition, my notes are supported by analyses of students’ peer interactions in the interactive classroom, as well as inquiries directed through email to me as the facilitator.

Autoethnography designates a qualitative research methodology utilized by researchers whose interest lies in narrative descriptions and evocations of the lived experience ([25], p. 8). In addition, autoethnography involves the author as a researcher crafting creative narratives shaped out of the author’s personal experiences within a culture and addressed to varied academic audiences. This report is based on the author’s experience as a mathematics teacher, facilitator, mathematics education practitioner and researcher in a blended teaching context. That is, a practitioner in both face-to-face as well as in open distance e-learning contexts.

The research field encompasses the interactive learning situation in an ODeL context, including the students and the learning encounter. In autoethnographic research the researchers’ life experiences are the primary source of information, therefore, several ways can be incorporated into the data collection process [26]. The autoethnographic researchers immerse themselves in the research field and record everyday occurrences in an in-person or online community ([27], p. 3). For example, data can be collected through (1) self-observations by taking ethnographic field notes; (2) self-reflective data from the autoethnographic researcher’s journal of reflections related to the research; (3) use of pertinent and accessible data such as artifacts, documents, photographs, letters, and diaries [26]. In this autoethnographic research, data is collected from the interactive learning session; notes I have written from my lived experience in facilitating interactive learning, and commentaries in an ODeL interactive learning context. Triangulation for quality control [26], was achieved in this research through several forms of inquiry into the case, mainly self-observation, analysing notes I have collected, and commentaries into the students’ online interactions and students’ individual queries seeking individual support to work and thrive in the interactive learning process.

Analysing data from autoethnographic study can be drawn from known qualitative analysis methods, for example through general descriptive qualitative research, narrative strategies of analysis, ethnographic research analysis, and more [26]. I draw upon descriptive qualitative research analysis strategy and narrative thematic analysis in this chapter of data analysis. The thematic structure incorporated encompasses reports on occurrences in the interactive classroom, explanations, and descriptions of events. To apply ethics in autoethnographic research, it is essential the researcher focuses on own experiences and feelings, rather than characterization; and anonymity and confidentiality through using pseudonyms must be maintained [26]. I base my arguments on my classroom experiences; there is no character in reference; the students are not characterized, and their names, qualification, specific module name, and code are not revealed in this chapter. Table 2 reveals my autoethnographic engagement.

Methodology and approach	A qualitative case-study research inquiry into the ODeL learning process.
The ODeL Mathematics Education Facilitator	The autoethnographic researcher.
The research area	Interactive learning situation involves the mathematics education student and the interactive learning encounter.
Data collection	Data is derived from the facilitator’s notes and recollection of lived experiences and encounters in the interactive learning environment.
Reflexive writing	A heuristic process where new insights emerge.
The case study	A story that is theory-driven and that enhances theory.

Table 2.

Qualitative, autoethnographic study.

The reflexive writing of my lived experience encompasses a heuristic process, where prompts are used to arrive at new insights and judgment. I have drawn from my personal experience to describe, analyse, and interpret the ODeL mathematics education practice; and connect my insight to self-identity, traditions, and shared meanings [25].

5. Findings and discussion

I have been a life-long learner in mathematics and mathematics education, also, my orientation as a teacher has been on mathematics and related subjects. Therefore, I understand when students share the difficulty of studying mathematics and would want the teacher to be the knowledgeable other whom they must imitate in every step of problem-solving. Furthermore, I have read across research in mathematics education that criticizes traditional teaching as the cause of failure in achieving the learning outcomes in diverse content areas in mathematics. Continual reliance on the teacher and exposure to rote learning, contribute to plagiarism at a later stage of studying. When the teacher can no longer play the know-it-all role, students use existing material and social networks to plagiarize. Even to this day, mathematics education practices are encouraging rote learning that is sustainable for a short period but cannot sustain knowledge for long-term memory. Resilience in learning mathematics is a factor that needs attention, to alleviate the challenges of short-term knowledge for promotion while knowledge cannot be sustained for contribution in development of real-life context to meet the human needs and wants. The case study findings are based on discussions about social and cognitive networking in an online classroom. I also discuss the shortcomings that transpire from an interactive learning system.

5.1 Social and cognitive networking in an online classroom

ODeL learning facilitation encompasses both closed practices that support individual learning and open practices that encourage learning networks through online collaboration and connections. Mostly, closed teaching practices that focus on individual students include fixed material like a direct study guide and prescribed textbooks with memory-related assessments. However, an open teaching system encourages networking where a learning group collaborates to explore concepts together to attain group competency which yields individual competency [28]. Furthermore, to enhance cognition, open teaching supports students to explore using diverse materials where they evaluate the excess information that exists in relation to the content at their exposure. This enables them to judge and make decisions about what they need to know, and what they already know, and determine new knowledge that must be declared.

To facilitate a learning network in an interactive classroom, I developed content-based discussion forums where all students were encouraged to participate through mark allocation, where they all had an equal chance to throw in ideas about content-related matters. Discussion forums are important in online classes to enhance interactions among students [29]. The social networking in an online classroom that I engaged students in had an instruction that students must complete some content-based activities as (1) individuals and post activities in the forum; and some activities as (2) a team, collaborating to advance cooperative learning and read other groups’ posts and comment on the posts. Students were not grouped by the facilitator but had to individually network within the module site to find a team to work with. The criteria for mark allocation in group work were (1) belonging to a group/finding a group, (2) cooperative skill collaboration to complete the activities; (3) posting teamwork—all activities completed and posted; and (3) participating in the classroom discussion—individually reading three posts and commenting. The aim of a group form for networking was to enable students to share ideas and to learn from one another through collaboration in a specific group and through networking in the whole classroom. Individual posts were meant to assess (1) the student’s ability to access information individually, (2) their confidence to post their own ideas on the forum platform, and (3) cognitive networking abilities through finding and reading additional material to advance in-depth learning and integration of own experience.

5.1.1 Sustainable and resilient practices through digitization

Not all students can thrive in an interactive classroom though utilizing relevant gadgets to network and access diverse opinions to structure individual interactive depth learning for alignment with individual experiences. A total of 280 students enrolled and were part of the interactive online learning. However, 39% (110) of students did not post any individual work, were not traced in any group, they did not participate completely in the discussion forum or interactive learning. These students were found to have participated only in written assignments that demanded no sharing of information through the classroom social network. In such assignments, the only source was found to be the material uploaded as a study guide and a prescribed book. In-depth learning was found to be lacking where students rely only on the material developed by the facilitator. The evidence was reliance on online material uploaded which prohibited IBL; lack of authenticity and creative learning and encouraged false authorship. Most students did not account for nor alert me of their challenges, other than one student who shared her frustration in a direct email to me stating: I understand the instructions of how the activities are done, but right now I am struggling to add my work in the discussion forum let alone create a group. Though I managed to guide the only student who shared her frustrations with me, I was concerned about the 109 students who were not sharing any challenge through any accessible platform, and who were nowhere to be found on the online platform. I had to conclude that perhaps they might be having gadget problems, digital literacy challenges, or a lack of confidence and persistence to identify themselves with the online community.

Of the 280 students who participated 61% (170) participated in either both group and individual activities or partially, in one activity. Table 3 shows the record of those who fully or partially participated in the interactive learning session.

12 (7%) students did not post individual work but belonged to groups. 44 (26%) students completed the individual work but belonged to no group. 51 (30%) experienced some challenges and could not post attachments to display the graphics they were supposed to share. Only 63 (37%) of those who participated in the blog managed to successfully post all tasks including graphic attachments; and participated in groups.

Table 3.

Students’ participation in the interactive session.

Students (37%) worked hard to utilize the online interactive learning platform, to share ideas within the network, and to learn from the information shared by other students. This is relatively a major percentage in the group that participated through individual and group interaction. In the utilization of digital resources to participate in the interactive learning platform, 30% of students could not post attachments to display the graphics/pictures and diagrams they were supposed to share. This has shown that students still need digital literacy skills to partake fully in interactive learning, moreover, in an ODeL context. However, students had shown resilience through sharing what they could to be part of the online community. Within this 30% that were willing but experiencing challenges, some used email mode of communication to seek help from the facilitator. Table 4 outlines the students’ clarity-seeking questions to enhance their knowledge of how to operate gadgets for participation in the interactive online learning platform.

I do not understand if we must type our work and upload it; if we must upload, how do we attach pictures of drawings? thanks for the clarity on how to post the assignment, but how do we post the diagrams? I do not understand clearly in terms of drawings; how are we going to draw; do we browse images and upload or how are we going to do it?

Table 4.

Students’ challenges toward interactive online learning.

The connectivism traits require efficient usage of technology to learn and share information and expand own knowledge. Inquisitiveness remains a basic character that drives an individual to develop persistence to want to know more. The students had shown resilient learning practices as they were willing to share their authentic, sketches, diagrams, and pictures.

In some instances, students have preferences, that is, work better as individuals than in a group. I have realized this from the 26% of students who were not belonging to groups but completed all individual activities and shared them on the social platform. The students contributed to the network but seemingly lacked collaborative and teamwork skills. On the contrary, there were students who could participate in a group and their work posted on the interactive platform based on group efforts (7%). Students display cooperative learning skills and, ability to thrive in teamwork, however, lack confidence in what they know as individuals. Students could not persevere through a need to know more from their peers through network criticism and comments. In the 26% that participated partially, no reasons were given for their failure to fully engage in the interactive classroom.

5.1.1.1 Critical peer analysis

Integration of students’ experience toward interactive learning accompanied by resilience through confidence in what one knows was evident in critical analysis of posted comments on peers. Comments have shown that within the network, competent students in diverse parts of the activity are able to share their expertise. Students alerted others of activities that were not well done. Table 5, outlines comments based on critical analysis and geared toward peer assistance.

Well done, your work is neat and well structured, however, you have left out activity 1.1. You made a numbering error. Your activity 1 answer should be activity 2 answer. Your work is good but information on drawing is missing. You have not included any diagrams as you are referring to them in the activity. Your explanation of visualization is good, also the example that you gave that learner learn by seeing, is good. However, you did not include any models for learners to see. Maybe you could use wood blocks of a square, rectangle, and circle. You could make learners see, and maybe invite others to demonstrate with the blocks to show a square, rectangle, and other figures.

Table 5.

Interactive peer critical analysis.

The comments outlined in Table 5 were exposed for all to read. Firstly, the students who posted comments like those in Table 5 indicated that they are able to make decisions regarding what they learn, the ability to contrast among chunks of knowledge and how to apply; and see information learned as a lens of transformation. Secondly, students who were part of the interactive classroom and could read comments were able to expand their knowledge in the subject.

5.1.2 How interactive learning increase sustainable and resilient learning practices

In relation to connectivism, interactive learning becomes successful when the online learning environment is characterized by connectedness, authenticity, openness, and diversity. The mentioned characteristics are possible to achieve when the interactive class facilitator enforces assessment or completion of activities that would need maximal usage of digital gadgets in networking, to learn through connecting, building, and expanding. Figure 3 shows the visual model of student’s interaction in an online interactive class for sustainable practices in relation to social and cognitive networking.

Figure 3.

Visual model for interactive learning.

In relation to utilizing digital resources to access information, 61% have shown to have relevant gadgets and are able to perform some activity in an interactive online classroom, though the interaction or participation level was different (Cf Table 1). The students were active members of the digital society within their interactive classroom. In essence, a graded content blog motivated students and they were able to participate in their majority.

Reading others’ posts contributed toward knowledge improvement whereas peer feedback contributed to individual learning. Students learn to critique and analyse others’ work and to apply critical analysis and decision-making toward their learning. Group motivation and competency have been shown to enhance individual motivation and competency. Students were able to practice research and investigation skills to gather information to complete tasks in a strive to obtain allocated grades. Though more students were focused on obtaining allocated grades, sustainable and resilient practices were acquired through their participation in an interactive classroom. Ability to answer and post all questions shows that students read widely and were able to access information. Metacognition is another important factor that seemed to have developed as students engaged in groups. Students were aware of how they learned as they had to play a part in a group and were given the chance to determine their own way of learning. Authenticity is achieved, as students cannot plagiarize other student’s work and post on the same platform. Active engagement in open learning is essential to circumvent plagiarism. In essence, the student gained knowledge that they can incorporate into the wide spectrum of online information and learned how to incorporate the available and easily accessible online information into their own experiences to create their own knowledge. I aver in this chapter that students who are not inquisitive, who do not search for information and analyse it critically, and who cannot cope in social and cognitive networks resort to the only available source and resort to plagiarism which is a major challenge in the current digital era.

Inclusivity is fully achieved through engaging students in both closed and open online activities. Students who cannot cope with closed questions and individual work are included in open methods of assessment through connectivism. Table 6 outlines the characteristics that the online facilitator and learning to support sustainable and resilient 4IR learning practices that can equip the future workforce of the industry 5.0.

4IR characteristics of online facilitation and learning	Effect on the 5IR space.
Connectedness	An element of digitization.; Connects individuals to ample knowledge, to the world of knowledge and students advance knowledge integration.
Inclusivity	Group identity and active online citizenship afford all a chance to belong, to learn from others, and to enlighten others through peer support.
Self-regulated learning	Skills are attained through peer influence. Firstly group competency, group determination, and group cognition, then motivation to self-regulation, leading to individual competency, individual determination, and individual authentic cognition.
Peer support	Should be maximized to create a supportive online interactive learning environment.
Peer feedback	Yields deep knowledge of concepts substantive conversation and deep understanding that contribute toward intellectual quality.

Table 6.

Sustainable and resilient ODeL facilitation and interactive learning practices.

5.2 Shortcomings that emanate from interactive learning classroom

While other students’ comments show deep understanding of concepts and enlighten others, other students still comment for marks. A full mark could not be allocated to a student who does not apply a critical analysis skill, for example, for comments like well done; you have done such a good work. In large classes, some students refrain from participating, looking at the 39% (110) students who did not participate at all in the assessment that required sharing work through the discussion forum. Such students relied on other assessments for their marks. This shows that if all assessments were based on open learning, students would be compelled to be part of the interactive classroom. There are students who seemed not to be confident as individuals but managed to work with the group and obtained a group mark while individual marks were lost. Quality of performance is still an issue that still needs attention from the tutor. Group work in other groups was not showing rigor, for example, a group discussed a concept only in one sentence or uploaded incorrect solutions to some problems. Though there are shortcomings realized, further research on total engagement of students in open learning is still necessary, to alleviate the problem of plagiarism that occurs through closed learning and adherence to only uploaded sources for acquiring knowledge. Sustainable and resilient ODeL facilitation and interactive learning practices as in Table 6, are necessary toward supporting authentic learning in the 4IR era to build resilience and sustainability that is necessary for the industry 5.0 competency.

6. Conclusion

Authentic learning through critical inquiry, triggers creativity and critical thinking. These are attributes that align with 4IR practice to advance sustainable education practices necessary for industry 5.0. In addition, the attributes that are aligned with academic norms and values ensure ethical practices and positive responses to digitalization. The students who learn in an ODeL institution are full-time on gadgets to build social and cognitive connections. Essentially, module facilitators in any ODeL context, including the mathematics education context, should strive to engage students to live, work, and thrive in an online classroom; and to let them connect to a wide range of knowledge received through social and cognitive networks based on ethical, sustainable, resilient practices to create own, new, and authentic knowledge.