Industry 4.0 and Hands-On Sustainable Education

Dear Colleagues,

The field of engineering and manufacturing is experiencing a substantial paradigm shift across the globe due to the digitization of data, machine learning and connected devices under the name Industry 4.0. The main focus of Industry 4.0 is the optimization of automation and computer adoption from the third industrial revolution. Powerful computers that continually analyze incoming data over the internet communicate with each other, creating cyber-physical systems, the Internet of Things and systems to efficiently and effectively drive the manufacturing sector, equipped with advanced manufacturing technologies.

For instance, the product development framework is being redesigned for a streamlined process to accommodate these technologies and increase process automation. The importance of this trend is demonstrated by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM). The NCDMM, via the America Makes National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, promotes collaborative efforts between industries, academia, government agencies, etc.

This growing complication in advanced design and manufacturing requires engineers' profound understanding of innovative concepts from proper training and problem-handling skills. To this end, there is an urgent need for the suitable assessment and evaluation of the current state, followed by the modernization and transformation of courses and delivery methods in engineering programs and other STEM disciplines. In this Special Issue, we solicit manuscripts to share innovative education ideas and give an overview of various hands-on and/or active learning technologies for a strengthened learning environment so that students can be trained to meet the industrial needs of the future workforce.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Hands-on learning to promote sustainable education;
• Active learning pedagogies for sustainable education;
• Emergent technologies in STEM education classrooms;
• Innovative course development in STEM education;
• Effective bridge programs.

We would like to thank you for your collaboration.

Dr. Jaejong Park
Dr. Michael H. Gyamerah
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• industry 4.0
• active learning
• sustainability
• STEM education
• hands-on