Religious Education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Challenges and Opportunities in Nigeria

Abstract

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is the current and developing environment in which changing technologies and trends such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) are changing lifestyle and nature of work. The 4IR presents a number of implications for skills development and general education. This paper looked into Religious Education in the 4IR to determine the challenges and opportunities in the Nigerian context. The research employed a 
qualitative approach using unobtrusive research techniques which include documentary and conceptual analysis for authoritative sources to conceptualise and contextualise the 4IR and religious education in Nigeria. The findings of the study showed technological infrastructure, digital divide, content localization, quality control and misinformation, balancing traditional and technological approaches, preservation of cultural and religious heritage, ethical considerations and teacher training and professional development are common challenges of 4IR in Nigerian context. The study therefore recommends that government should invest in the development of infrastructure and human, technical, and financial capacity to develop the education system to participate in the 4IR as several opportunities 
were open religious education.