Emerging Technologies in Youth Education “Threshold to Society 5.0”

Abstrak

Background: Emerging technologies are revolutionizing youth education by introducing novel tools and methods that significantly enhance learning experiences. This transformation is crucial as it paves the way to Society 5.0, a future where digital advancements seamlessly integrate with everyday life to address complex societal challenges and foster human-centric innovation. Such progress promises to redefine educational paradigms and societal interactions. Methods: The study adopted a descriptive survey design, involving a sample of 350 teachers from 25 secondary schools and 10 universities across the West African region. Data were gathered using the "Emerging Technologies in Youth Education and Development Questionnaire (ETYEDQ)," which had a reliability coefficient of 0.85. Questionnaires were distributed to teachers through Google Forms. Data collected were analyzed descriptively and hypotheses were tested using t-test, and ANOVA at significance level of 0.05. Results:
The study found that teachers viewed emerging technologies as crucial for enhancing educational outcomes and fostering youth innovation. Secondary school teachers appreciated digital classrooms and educational apps, while university lecturers valued online courses and virtual labs. However, barriers such as inadequate infrastructure, lack of teacher training, and unequal access to technology, especially in rural areas, were identified. Conclusion: Emerging technologies are essential for youth empowerment and societal innovation in West Africa. To overcome the challenges, it is recommended that stakeholders invest in technological infrastructure, provide professional development for educators, and implement policies for equitable technology access. These steps could significantly improve education and empower youth in alignment with Society 5.0 goals.