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The 30^th Annual Global, Cross-Sector Conference and Exhibition on Digital Learning

Shaping the Future of Learning

Welcome to OEB 2024, the global, cross-sector conference on technology-supported learning and training. Every year, OEB pushes the boundaries of EdTech and learning technology, by fostering dialogue and collaboration between high-level decision-makers from the education, business, and government sectors. Over the course of this transformative two-day event, you'll encounter the latest innovations and insights that are shaping the future of digital learning.

Whether you're looking to harness the potential of new technologies, develop pivotal policies, or drive forward the conversation about the digital revolution in education, OEB 2024 is the place to be. Join us to explore the themes and trends that are defining the future of learning!

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This Year's Theme

Theme 2024

Brace for Transformation:
The Courage to Redefine Learning

In an era defined by climate change, global conflicts, and democracies under pressure, the roles of learning and education are increasingly vital. Education, historically a foundation of hope and progress, now faces the challenge of staying relevant and effective in a rapidly changing world. This situation highlights the urgency for a significant shift in our approach to learning, moving towards an anti-fragile mindset where we not only withstand but also grow stronger from the challenges and changes we face.

More on this year's theme

In an era defined by climate change, global conflicts, and democracies under pressure, the roles of learning and education are increasingly vital. Education, historically a foundation of hope and progress, now faces the challenge of staying relevant and effective in a rapidly changing world. This situation underscores the urgency for a significant shift in our approach to learning, moving towards an antifragile mindset where we not only withstand but also grow stronger from the challenges and changes, we face.

As we stand at this critical juncture, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies are playing a transformative role in both education and the workforce. This shift is not about machines replacing humans but rather augmenting our capabilities. AI offers the chance to take on some of the most monotonous and repetitive tasks, freeing up humans for more complex and creative endeavours. This technology enables us to focus on fostering wisdom and adaptability, essential skills in a job market profoundly influenced by AI. Traditional skills, while still valuable, are no longer the sole determinants of success.

In this transformative era, the goal is to not only impart knowledge but to augment human intelligence, enhancing our ability to think, learn, and innovate. As machines excel at their designated functions, humans have the unique opportunity to excel at being human – to engage in higher-level thinking, emotional intelligence, and creative problem-solving.

This period of change is more than a challenge; it's an unparalleled opportunity to redefine learning. Our focus should shift towards developing abilities that embrace wisdom, adaptability, and an antifragile approach, crucial for thriving in a dynamically evolving world. Embracing these changes requires not just new skills, but a new mindset - one that sees continuous learning, adaptability, and resilience as key to navigating the future.

It's time to brace not for hardship, but for a profound transformation that redefines the essence of learning, competences, and knowledge. We are at the threshold of an era where every step forward is a stride towards wisdom, vision, and antifragile strength. Brace for transformation, embrace it with courage, and prepare to augment your human potential in ways previously unimaginable.

More on this year's theme

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OEB 2024 Keynote Speakers

Keynote Speakers

Plenaries feature world-class keynote speakers: proven experts with contributions that will take you on a journey far beyond conference themes. Bringing new perspectives and new impulses for innovation. Speakers will include:

Payal Arora

Professor of Inclusive AI Culture, Utrecht University

Payal Arora PhD. (Columbia Univ. NYC), is a Professor of Inclusive AI Cultures at Utrecht University and co-founder of FemLab, a feminist futures of work initiative and Inclusive AI Lab. She leverages her two decades of user experiences in the Global South to help shape inclusive AI enabled designs and policies. Payal is the author of 100+ journal articles and award-winning books including “The Next Billion Users” with Harvard Press. Forbes named her the ‘next billion champion’ and the ‘right kind of person to reform tech.’ Her new book with MIT Press “From Pessimism to Promise: Lessons from the Global South on Designing Inclusive Tech” has gained traction in the international media, covered by the Financial Times, BBC Tech Decoded, and the UX magazine, among others. About 150 international media outlets have covered her work including The Economist , 99% Invisible, Tech Crunch, and The Boston Globe. She has consulted for the public and the private sector including UNHCR, Spotify, KPMG, Adobe, IDEO, Google, and GE and sits on several boards including for the UN, and the World Women Global Council in New York. She has given more than 350 keynotes and invited talks in 67 countries for events such as ACM Facct, Copenhagen Tech Festival, re:publica, COP26, World Economic Forum, Swedish Internet Foundation, alongside figures like Jimmy Wales and Steve Wozniak, and TEDx talks on the future of the internet and innovation. She is a Rockefeller Bellagio Resident Fellow alumnus and is Indian, American, and Irish and calls Amsterdam her home.

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Martin Bean

The Bean Centre, CEO, Australia

Professor Martin Bean CBE, CEO of The Bean Centre, is a visionary leader shaping the future of education and work.
Co-author of the book "Toolkit for Turbulence," Martin equips leaders with tools and strategies to navigate change, seize opportunities, and foster resilient teams.
Currently a Professor at the University of New South Wales, Martin's expertise lies in exploring the evolving landscape of work and lifelong learning. He shares his knowledge as a mentor at Mentor List, connecting Australia's brightest minds.
Previously, Martin served as Vice-Chancellor and President of RMIT University, an institution with over 80,000 students in Melbourne, Australia. He also held the position of Vice-Chancellor at The Open University, the United Kingdom's largest academic institution, and served as General Manager of Microsoft's global Education Products Group in Seattle, Washington.
Acknowledged for his contributions to education, Martin has received prestigious awards, including an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of London and appointment as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to higher education.

Kyle Bowen

Deputy CIO, Arizona State University

Kyle Bowen is Enterprise Deputy CIO at Arizona State University where he is responsible for enabling how the ASU community experiences technology to learn, work and thrive. A self-described storyteller, Kyle is passionate about transforming education with a learner and student-centered approach. He was previously the director of innovation for teaching and learning with technology at Penn State University. By collaborating across the institution, he advanced faculty professional development, space design, learner creativity, and data science efforts. Kyle also formerly served as the director of learning informatics at Purdue University, a role that shaped the university’s strategy to improve student attainment through award winning emerging technologies. Kyle is an entrepreneur, teacher, and regular speaker on innovations in higher education. Co-author and editor of more than 20 books on design, development, and usability, his past work has appeared in the New York Times, USA Today, and the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Jane Bozarth

Director of Research, The Learning Guild, United States of America

Jane Bozarth, the Director of Research for The Learning Guild, is a veteran classroom trainer who transitioned to digital learning in the late 1990s and has never looked back. In her previous job as leader of the State of North Carolina’s award-winning eLearning program, Jane specialized in finding low-cost ways of providing online training solutions. She is the author of several books, among them "eLearning Solutions on a Shoestring", "Social Media for Trainers", and "Show Your Work: The Payoffs and How-To’s of Working Out Loud". A popular international conference presenter, Jane holds a doctorate in training and development. She lives in Durham, NC, USA with her husband and Thomas the corgi.

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Derek Bruce

Leadership and Culture Manager, TESCO

Derek Bruce is a globally recognized HR thought leader and Chartered FCIPD professional with deep expertise in Learning, Leadership, and Talent Development. As Head of Learning, Leadership & Talent Development at Tesco, he brings a strategic approach to empowering teams and organisations. An MBTI Type II and NLP Master Practitioner, Derek combines psychological insight with practical skills to foster impactful growth. A passionate mentorship advocate, he also founded Derek Bruce Associates to champion personal and professional development. Known for his dedication to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Derek is as committed to creating inclusive workplaces as he is to expanding his impressive collection of Adidas Stan Smith and Superstars sneakers.

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Rafael Fernández Qundez

Head of Talent, MOEVE , Spain

Rafael Fernández Qundez is a seasoned HR professional with an extensive career in Human Resources Management, having worked for leading multinational companies across various industries, including automotive (PSA Peugeot-Citroën), retail banking (Caja Madrid Group), corporate and investment banking (Société Générale), and the oil and gas sector (CEPSA). Currently, he serves as Head of Talent at CEPSA, a major Spanish energy company, where he drives corporate-level talent initiatives.

With a strong belief in HR as a key driver for business success, he has led significant organisational change and talent management projects. His expertise spans Talent Management, Change Management, Learning & Development, and People Management, where he has designed and implemented impactful HR strategies that align with business goals across diverse cultural and geographical settings.

In addition to his corporate role, he has been a professor at IE Business School in Spain since 2007, teaching HR in Executive MBA programs, Executive Education, and other senior-level courses. His passion lies in developing creative, business-aligned HR initiatives and helping organisations foster talent and leadership development.

Timandra Harkness

Writer, Author of the Book "Technology is Not the Problem"

Timandra is a regular on BBC Radio, writing and presenting BBC Radio 4’s FutureProofing and other series including How To Disagree, Steelmanning and Political School. BBC Radio documentaries include Data, Data Everywhere, Divided Nation, What Has Sat-Nav Done To Our Brains, and Five Knots. She was resident reporter on all 8 seasons of social psychology series The Human Zoo and is now the spare presenter for Radio 4’s Profile.

Her book Big Data: does size matter? published by Bloomsbury Sigma in 2016, came out in an updated paperback edition in June 2017. Her second non-fiction book, Technology is Not the Problem will be published on May 23rd 2024 by Harper Collins.

Since winning the Independent newspaper’s column-writing competition, she has written for many publications including the Telegraph, Guardian, Sunday Times, Unherd, BBC Focus magazine, WIRED, Unherd, the New Statesman, Men’s Health and Significance (the journal of the Royal Statistical Society).

Timandra chairs and speaks at public events for clients including Cheltenham Science Festival, the Royal Society, the British Council, the Royal Geographical Society, the RSA, the Institute of Ideas, the British Library, Wellcome Collection, the Alan Turing Institute, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and many others.

After performing improvised & stand up comedy, & touring with a tented circus, she formed the first comedy science double-act in the UK with neuroscientist Dr. Helen Pilcher. Since then she has written and performed scientific and mathematical comedy from Adelaide (Australia) to Pittsburgh PA.

In 2010 she co-wrote & performed Your Days Are Numbered: The Maths of Death, with stand-up mathematician Matt Parker. They performed the show to average audiences of 100.3 and 4 star reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe, then toured it in the UK and Australia. Timandra’s science comedy since then includes cabaret, gameshows, and solo live show Brainsex (with Socrates the rat).

Timandra has a BA in Film and Drama with Art & Art History, a BSc in Mathematics & Statistics, and an MA in Philosophy from Birkbeck College, where she is now researching for an MRes in Philosophy. She is a member of the Royal Statistical Society Council of Trustees, and Chair of the editorial board of their journal, Significance.

Gerd Leonhard

CEO, The Futures Agency

Gerd Leonhard is a renowned futurist, known for his focus on the "4Ps": People, Planet, Purpose, and Prosperity. With over 20 years of experience, Gerd has spoken at more than 2000 events worldwide, collaborating with top organizations like Microsoft, Google, and the European Commission. He is the author of the bestseller "Technology vs Humanity" and is recognized as one of the most influential Europeans by Wired magazine. Gerd is celebrated for his innovative "super-keynote" presentations and his expertise in digital ethics, sustainability, and future-focused economic strategies. His insights have been featured in major media outlets such as The Guardian, Harvard Business Review, and the BBC.

Michael Onyango

Agenda Setter, The 4gotten Bottomillions

Michael Onyango is the founder of Africa’s Forgotten Bottom Millions (4BM), a transformative WhatsApp platform that reaches over 500,000 people weekly, providing young Africans across several countries with access to career opportunities through digital technology. Since 2016, 4BM has shared over 500,000 verified opportunities, including scholarships, fellowships, grants, and job offers, helping young people gain skills and build successful careers.
Michael has been at the forefront of economic empowerment, chanmpioning the use of frontier technoolgies, leading initiatives across interdisciplinary sectors within governments, NGOs, and the private sector in Africa and globally. He served as a key member of the Distributed Ledgers and Artificial Intelligence Taskforce under the Ministry of ICT, Kenya, and was formerly the Minister responsible for Communication, Information, and Technology in the County Government of Kisumu.
Currently, Michael is a Senior Skoll Foundation Fellow, an alumni Fellow in Social Innovation from the Rockefeller Foundation, and serves on the Advisory Board of the African Blockchain Institute. He actively works with young Africans, leveraging technology to drive impactful change. Michael has also played a significant role in shaping Kenya’s creative industries, including co-developing the roadmap for the sector in collaboration with IBM, positioning it as a catalyst for economic growth and outlining strategies to double its contribution to Kenya’s GDP.

Maribell Reyes Millan

Director of Digital Education, Tecnológico de Monterrey

Dr. Maribell Reyes-Millán serves as the Director of Digital Education at Tecnológico de Monterrey, and thus, is responsible for the strategy, definition, and delivery of the educational offerings of courses taught in digital modalities (online and blended). She is also accountable for the learning enhancement through the use of technology in face-to-face courses. Her areas of expertise are the different educational models and frameworks for quality digital education, the incorporation of educational technology in the teaching-learning processes, and the implementation of digital education programs on international platforms. Her thorough knowledge and experience have led her to be a judge in the QS Reimagine Education competition and she has also published several articles in innovation and technology journals.

During times of crises such as the 2017 earthquake in México City, and the 2020 Pandemic, she led efforts to transform the institution from in-person to digital education.
A speaker in international conferences, she has also participated as an expert in educational innovation committees such as ECIU, Consortium for Benchmarking Framework for Online, Open, Smart, and Technology-enhanced Higher Education, ICDE, EDUTIC, among others.

She holds a PhD in Educational Innovation (2014) and an MBA (1998) from Tecnológico de Monterrey México, and a master's degree in information science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1993).

Renate Samson

Special Projects Lead, Ada Lovelace Institute

Renate is Special Projects Lead at the Ada Lovelace Institute, her current focus is on AI and education and the impact of digital life on 14-24 year olds.
In her first role at Ada, she was Interim Director (Society, justice and public services).
Before joining Ada, Renate worked as a digital and data policy advisor and advocate at the consumer organisation Which?, the Open Data Institute, in Government and in Parliament. She is the former Chief Executive of Big Brother Watch, where she launched the first campaign on the use of biometrics and facial recognition technologies. Prior to working in digital, data and AI policy and research, Renate made history and arts TV documentaries for the BBC and other international broadcasters.

Aleks Subic

Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive , Aston University

Professor Subic joined Aston University in August 2022 as Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive. He is a recognised global leader in technology and innovation in higher education, leading on Industry 4.0 strategy and digital transformations across the university sector and with industry and governments both in Australia and internationally. He has received a number of prestigious awards for his work, including the Australian Business Innovation Award and the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Award.

He is a passionate and lifelong advocate for multiculturalism, equity, diversity and inclusion, leading through clear actions and strategic initiatives at enterprise level. These include creating and appointing the first Dean of STEMM Diversity & Inclusion in Australia, establishing Women in STEMM Fellowships and mentoring scheme, Indigenous Research Fellowships, scholarships and internships programs, and creating an innovation precinct with start-up accelerators and industry incubators focused on founders from diverse backgrounds and access.

Oya Torum

Head of Global PM/EPC Training, Nordex Energy SE & Co. KG

Oya Torum, Head of Global PM/EPC Training at Nordex Energy SE & Co. KG, brings over ten years of experience in Learning and Development to the wind energy sector. Known for her ability to connect learning programs to real business impact, she leads teams and projects with a strategic mindset that makes a difference.

In 2013 she established the first Technical Academy for Turkey and the Middle East, helping transform the region into a key area of strength with a highly skilled workforce. Building on that success, she led the development of a global training department for the Project Management and EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) business unit.
Recognized for her leadership and vision, Oya was selected for her company’s Top Management Leadership Development Program. She also led a company-wide initiative to boost the efficiency of L&D departments, sponsored by higher management.

Currently, she is taking on a new challenge: managing a new project to design a learning program to enhance at improving “first-time-right” results in production of wind turbine components.

Passionate about digitalization and efficiency, Oya stays at the forefront of trends and tools, implementing technology that drives real improvements in daily work. Outside of work, she enjoys the same energy and commitment on the tennis court, and, of course, the windsurf board.

Ellen Wagner

Managing Partner, North Coast EduVisory LLC

Ellen Wagner is an accomplished learning technology professional with career experiences in academic, commercial, and non-profit organizations. She has worked as a tenured professor and university administrator, was a founding ed tech entrepreneur, a senior executive of publicly traded software companies, a journal editor, and a board member of a number of start-up ed tech companies. Her areas of expertise include ed tech, emerging tech, change management, instructional systems design and learning engineering, and digital learning (online and eLearning).

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Featured Highlights

Conference Highlights

Inspiring and Visionary Keynotes

New Perspectives & Impulses for Innovation

Date Thursday, Nov 28 Time 17:45 – 19:00 Room Potsdam I

The OEB Annual Debate: This House believes the Collection, Storage and Use of Non-Essential Data on Students Should be Heavily Restricted

As educational institutions and EdTech companies increasingly rely on collecting, storing and using student data - from academic performance to personal information - are we truly enhancing educational outcomes, or are we sacrificing student privacy along the way?

With the rapid growth of online learning, vast amounts of sensitive data are being stored, often without clear guidelines and with minimal oversight. Are the potential risks of privacy breaches, misuse of personal information, and the erosion of student autonomy simply too high a price to pay for the promise of personalised learning?

Should outright restrictions be placed not only on non-essential data collection but also on the ways this information is stored and used? Or does the promise of data-driven education justify these risks? Can even the strictest regulations and highest security standards genuinely make data handling safe, or is limiting data handling to only the most essential information the last viable solution? In our quest to improve education, are we willingly overlooking the long-term consequences for student autonomy and privacy?

Ellen Wagner

Managing Partner, North Coast EduVisory LLC

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Renate Samson

Special Projects Lead, Ada Lovelace Institute

Martin Bean

The Bean Centre, CEO, Australia

Jane Bozarth

Director of Research, The Learning Guild, United States of America

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Moderator

Michael Onyango

Agenda Setter, The 4gotten Bottomillions

Shannon Tipton

Owner, Founder, Learning Rebels, LLC

A workplace learning expert for 30+ years, Shannon Tipton fights for learning that sticks. As the founder of Learning Rebels®, she fixes training that’s broken and develops learning that delivers business results. Known for her Rebellious Rebuilding™ Framework, Shannon’s approach to learning reinforcement invites curiosity and strategy into workplace learning.

She is the author of Disruptive Learning and a global speaker. Join her in the fight for learning that sticks and results that matter at learningrebels.com.

Panel

Date Thursday, Nov 28 Time 14:30 – 15:45 Room Bellevue

Harnessing XR Technologies for Education and Training

This session will showcase innovative uses of Extended Reality (XR) and Virtual Reality (VR) in educational and training environments. Case studies will highlight how augmented reality is used in rural chemistry labs, VR for hospitality training, and national rollouts of XR in vocational education. Participants will gain insights into best practices and limitations of immersive technologies in various sectors including astronaut training.

Frank Samson

Reseacher, DHBW Heidenheim, Germany

Frank Samson is a software engineer and researcher with a master's degree in Embedded and Mobile Systems. His research focuses on extended reality technologies, particularly in the areas of accessibility, education, and learning. Currently, he is a researcher and software developer at Aurelia Labor, DHBW Heidenheim. His work includes developing an AR Chemistry Lab application, AR indoor navigation for higher education, and accessibility features for an authoring tool. Frank is dedicated to ensuring that technology is accessible to all users, including those with diverse abilities and those from underserved communities.

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Bart Boelen

Educational Technology, Research, Coaching, Teaching, University of Applied Sciences Leuven Limburg, Belgium

Bart is researcher, lecturer and coach in educational technology at UC Leuven Limburg, Belgium. He supports colleagues and teams in the development of hybrid courses. He is also involved in research projects in the broad field of hybrid learning and educational technology. Currently the field of XR and AI in learning!
In the past he was the driving force behind educational innovation at the T2-campus in Genk, implementing mobile learning and VR/AR in technical training.

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Frederik Jan van der Meulen

Researcher, NHL Stenden University, Netherlands

Matthew Day

Instructional Systems Designer, European Astronaut Centre, Germany

Matt has over 25 years experience in the training field across a range of industries, designing, developing and implementing Instructor Led, E-Learning and blended courses. Since 2012 Matt has been employed by Telespazio Germany as an Instructional Systems Designer, working at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany. Matt works in the Space Training Team, helping to train Astronauts in preparation for missions to the International Space Station (ISS), and also the ground crew who support their operations. He was instrumental in setting up a video production team at EAC and regularly produces instructional videos for use on ground and in space. Matt is also one of the trainers for the EAC Instructional Techniques Course, which is part of the certification process for Astronaut Instructors at EAC.

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Moderator

Gilly Salmon

CEO, Education Alchemists. Ltd, United Kingdom

Professor Salmon is the founder and CEO of Education Alchemists Ltd - formed around her life's work including Carpe Diem learning design, pedagogical transformation, online education, technology-enhanced teaching, the 5 stage model, e-tivities, and Education 4.0. Until recently Professor of Learning Transformation and pro-vice-chancellor at universities in the UK and Australia, she is now based in London with all workshops offered fully digitally and worldwide. She is a well-known keynote speaker and workshop leader. Her books E-moderating and E-tivities are considered seminal texts

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Accessible Virtual Chemistry Laboratory through Augmented Reality: Opportunities and Challenges, Frank Samson

At DHBW Heidenheim's Aurelia lab, we developed an Augmented Reality (AR) chemistry lab app that allows students to virtually conduct basic experiments and interact with lab equipment. A preliminary study assessed the app's usability and potential benefits for both students and educators, with feedback used to enhance the prototype. We will present our findings and the improved version of the app based on these results.

Nation-Wide Implementation of XR-Technologies, Overview of the XR-Actionplan Flanders, Belgium, Bart Boelen

How do you deploy XR-devices to all VET-schools nationwide? How do you provide support for effective pedagogical implementation at school level? This presentation shows the results and output of a research conducted as part of the Flemish XR-actionplan.

Improving Hospitality Skills Using Virtual Reality: Adapting to Different Learning Styles, Frederik Jan van der Meulen

With my paper and research I can bring new knowledge to education, innovation on the hospitality part for all types of listeners. I would very much like to give this presentation at the OEB as this has the right vibe and the enthusiasm of the visitors.

Virtual Reality for Astronaut Training, Matthew Day

The Astronaut training flow and how Video and VR fit into it. The pros and cons of video/VR for Astronaut training and some real use cases of both.

Podcast

Date Thursday, Nov 28 Time 19:15 – 20:15 Room King

The Future Trends Forum – Live Podcast Recording

THIS IS A SIGN-UP SESSION *

Join Bryan Alexander for a special live recording of The Future Trends Forum at OEB 2024. This unique podcast explores the future of higher education through interactive, open conversations with leading experts, visionaries, and innovators. In each session, Bryan kicks off with key questions, then opens the floor to lively discussions where the audience can engage directly. Stay tuned and get ready to be part of an exciting and thought-provoking dialogue, live and in-person!

* Due to the limited space available, early registration is essential to secure your spot. Don't miss out on this opportunity to engage closely with experts and peers—register now for your Sign-in Session!

Bryan Alexander

Futurist, Researcher, Writer & Teacher, Georgetown University, United States of America

Bryan Alexander is an internationally known futurist, researcher, writer, speaker, consultant, and teacher, working in the field of how technology transforms education.

He completed his English language and literature PhD at the University of Michigan in 1997, with a dissertation on doppelgangers in Romantic-era fiction and poetry.

Then Bryan taught literature, writing, multimedia, and information technology studies at Centenary College of Louisiana. There he also pioneered multi-campus interdisciplinary classes, while organizing an information literacy initiative.

From 2002 to 2014 Bryan worked with the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE), a non-profit working to help small colleges and universities best integrate digital technologies. With NITLE he held several roles, including co-director of a regional education and technology center, director of emerging technologies, and senior fellow. Over those years Bryan helped develop and support the nonprofit, grew peer networks, consulted, and conducted a sustained research agenda.

In 2013 Bryan launched a business, Bryan Alexander Consulting, LLC. Through BAC he consults throughout higher education in the United States and abroad. Bryan also speaks widely and publishes frequently, with articles appearing in venues including The Atlantic Monthly, Inside Higher Ed. He has been interviewed by and featured in the Washington Post, MSNBC, US News and World Report, National Public Radio, the Chronicle of Higher Education, the National Association of College and University Business Officers, Pew Research, Campus Technology, and the Connected Learning Alliance.

He recently finished Academia Next: The Futures of Higher Education for Johns Hopkins University Press (forthcoming fall 2019). His two most recent books are Gearing Up For Learning Beyond K-12 and The New Digital Storytelling (second edition) .

Torunn Gjelsvik

Secretary General, International Council for Open and Distance Education, ICDE, Norway

Torunn Gjelsvik from Oslo, Norway, is the Secretary General of ICDE - International Council for Open and Distance Education. With specialization in open, flexible, distance and online learning, Torunn is a strong advocate for inclusive, scalable and sustainable education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Gjelsvik holds a Masters’ degree in Nordic languages and literature, and her education background includes French, History, Management and Strategic communication. She started working with development of distance and online education in 2000, and has held various national and international leadership positions within the field.
Gjelsvik’s international experience covers advocacy, policy advice, international networks and partnerships, global events and cross-country project management related to the global field of open, flexible, distance and online education. She is often seen as a speaker or panelist at international education conferences around the globe.

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How To

Date Friday, Nov 29 Time 12:00 – 13:00 Room Queen

Learning to Love the Camera

THIS IS A SIGN-UP SESSION *

This workshop will be looking at how to love the camera when working online,, it will guide people into best practices, working on presentation, voice, and tips to help 'love the camera' and therefore enhance the learning experience, and make it as eficacious as possible. Hopefully it will be fun too!

* Sign-up Sessions are intimate, small-group sessions designed for hands-on collaboration and in-depth discussion. Due to the limited space available, early registration is essential to secure your spot. Don't miss out on this opportunity to engage closely with experts and peers—register now for your Sign-in Session!

Sarah Finch

Actor, theatre director, teacher and workshop leader , RSC, Disney, BBC and in film

Sarah works as an actor, workshop leader (voice, presentation, acting), and director . As an actor, she has worked for the RSC, BBC, Disney, in the West End. She also teaches and directs Shakespeare in Cuba, Italy, Morocco, and GB. She is also currently leading a theatre course for theatre undergraduates from various North American universities. She has recently returned from the Edinburgh Festival where she performed ‘Etty…in transit’, a play based on the diaries and letters of Etty Hillesum; WW2; this now has invitations to play in Ireland and Austria.

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Işıl Boy Ergül

Founder, Teacher X

Dr. Işıl Boy Ergül completed her undergraduate studies in English Language Teaching at Istanbul University, her master’s degree in Educational Technologies at the University of Manchester, and her PhD in Educational Technologies at Bahçeşehir University, where she also taught postgraduate courses. In 2015, Dr. Ergül was recognized as an Apple Distinguished Educator. She has served as a lecturer and advisor at Yıldız Technical University and worked as a teacher trainer for Pilgrims in the UK.

For over a decade, Dr. Ergül has delivered a wide range of educational technology training programs both in Turkey and internationally. She is the founder of the Educational Technologies Summit (ETZ), the teacher training platform TeacherX, and CertifiX, a blockchain-based certificate management system for students. Through TeacherX, she has collaborated with over 500 schools and supported more than 25,000 teachers.

Dr. Ergül is also the Turkish ambassador for the European Training Foundation, where she leads content development for the AI group. Recently, she translated UNESCO’s “Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research” into Turkish. She delivers keynote speeches at conferences on educational technology and AI in education.

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Panel

Date Thursday, Nov 28 Time 16:15 – 17:30 Room Bellevue

Metaverse, VR, and Pedagogical Escape Rooms for Competency Development

This session examines the design and implementation of immersive learning environments using Metaverse and VR technology, addressing both the opportunities and limitations. Discover how pedagogical escape games can enhance subject integration, teamwork, and 21st-century skills. Experience firsthand how virtual escape rooms can spark student interest in critical languages through engaging, game-based challenges.

Marina Petrova

Senior UX Designer/Media Designer, ESMT Berlin, Germany

Marina is a Senior UX Designer and Media Designer at the Learning Innovation Lab at ESMT Berlin. She brings over a decade of experience in creating engaging digital products and media for learning in higher education and beyond. With a background in architecture, filmmaking, and education, Marina fuses innovative design frameworks, media, and learning science to cultivate impactful learning experiences.

Piia Siitonen

University teacher, University of Eastern Finland, Finland

Madeline Shellgren

Director of Global Outreach, Online Learning Consortium, United States of America

Madeline (Maddie) Shellgren serves as the Online Learning Consortium’s (OLC) Director of Global Outreach, providing oversight on the implementation of the organization’s global strategy, with a focus on collaborations, initiatives, communications, special programming, and the global experience. Prior to this position, she worked as OLC’s Director of Community Strategy and Engagement, working as the lead innovator, designer, and project manager of the OLC's portfolio of engagement opportunities. Maddie has dedicated her professional life to teaching and learning related initiatives and has strategically sought out opportunities that give her a multi-dimensional perspective on learning and development.

Moderator

Philipp Höllermann

Chief Transformation Officer, DWG - A Klett Company, Germany

Philipp Höllermann is an expert in digital transformation, e-learning, and higher education. His work focuses on digitizing (learning) processes, mobile, social and blended learning, open innovation, and artificial intelligence. Mr. Höllermann is a member of several digital learning initiatives, such as the German Forum for Higher Education in the Digital Age, the Network for Digital Education, and Bitkom, and regularly appears as a speaker on topics related to online learning and digital transformation. He currently works as Chief Transformation Officer (CTO) at DWG, one of the largest education holdings in Germany.

Mission in the Snow: Team Building in the Metaverse, Marina Petrova, Claudia Ocera

The "Mission in the Snow" project presentation offers participants hands-on insights and practical skills in utilizing XR/VR for soft-skill building. Attendees will explore a real case study of an immersive technology experience in business education at ESMT Berlin. They will learn how to create engaging and interactive learning environments and understand the benefits and challenges of integrating XR/VR into a higher education environment.

UEF Pakoteekki VR – Virtual Escape Room in Pharmacy Education, Piia Siitonen

Pedagogical escape games can be used in higher education to enhance integration of subjects and simulate real-life scenarios and tasks. The UEF Pakoteekki VR represents a pioneering approach in pharmacy education, integrating virtual reality (VR) technology to create an immersive escape room experience.

Leveraging Virtual Escape Rooms for Competency Development, Madeline Shellgren

Explore the innovative use of virtual escape rooms as a dynamic learning strategy through the OLC STARTALK E-SCAPE project, which engages 11th-16th grade students in critical language learning. This session will demonstrate how virtual escape rooms, with their playful and story-based challenges, can spark interest in languages like Arabic, Chinese, and Russian, while also supporting the development of real-world competencies. Participants will experience these immersive escape rooms firsthand and discover how to integrate them into their own teaching practices to foster creativity and engagement in learners.

How To

Date Friday, Nov 29 Time 14:30 – 15:30 Room Bishop

From Learning Styles and Digital Natives to Evidence-Based Strategies for Effective Digital Learning

THIS IS A SIGN-UP SESSION *

This session will debunk common learning myths and misconceptions, offering an engaging and accessible discussion that bridges the gap between science and practice. Participants will explore scientific background, relevant facts and history behind these myths, while learning key factors that lead to effective multimedia digital learning – grounded in sound scientific evidence.

Yvonne Konstanze Behnke

Strategy, Training, Consulting for Corporate Learning, E-Learning Professional

Dr Yvonne Konstanze Behnke, an L&D strategist, scientist, designer and e-teaching expert, has developed learning and development solutions for two decades, integrating strategy, didactics, science, design, and AI for companies and institutions.
She spent eight years researching and teaching psychological, didactic and instructional design foundations of multimedia learning at Humboldt University zu Berlin. Dr Behnke has published over 20 papers and book chapters, sharing her expertise at conferences, corporate events, and workshops. Her book on debunking learning myths is set for release by Haufe in early 2025.

Rasmus Benke-Aberg

Team Lead – Digital Education Hub Community, Stifterverband, Germany

Rasmus is Team Lead of the European Digital Education Hub (EDEH) for the German NGO Stifterverband. In this role he works together with the European Commission to implement EDEH and to build up a community of practitioners of digital education in Europe.

Rasmus has previously been the Director of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), Secretary General of OBESSU and Vice-President of the Lifelong Learning Platform. He has a Master’s Degree in European and International Relations from Linköping University.

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Panel

Date Friday, Nov 29 Time 14:30 – 15:45 Room Potsdam I

Innovative Strategies for Teachers' Professional Development and Lifelong Learning

This session will explore innovative initiatives designed to enhance teaching practices and promote lifelong learning. Participants will learn how competitive, digital resource-driven challenges can engage and motivate teachers, fostering creative and effective pedagogical approaches. This session will also cover strategies for integrating lifelong learning into educational institutions, with a focus on creating demand-driven, high-quality opportunities for professional growth.

Erica Coutrim

Head of Secondary School, Berlin Bilingual School, Germany

Dr. Erica Coutrim, Ph.D. in Education from USP, the leading university and research institution in Latin America. A specialist in Digital and Multilingual Education, I have over 20 years of experience leading and participating in large-scale educational projects, strategies, and research, impacting more than 60 million children and teachers across Latin and North America, Africa, and Europe. My Ph.D. in Education is intertwined with my personal story, fueling my passion for education. My mission is to help students access meaningful, innovative, and inclusive learning opportunities. I am deeply committed to advancing diverse and multicultural learning environments and to transforming the education sector through evidence-based practices, collaborative approaches, and innovative thinking.

Patricia Fernanda Mancebo May

Educational Advisor, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Netherlands

Learning Developer and Process Manager at the TU Delft Extension School for Continuing Education. She oversees the Online Course Development Process and advises course teams on the design of MOOCs and other professional education courses to ensure these continue to meet users’ needs. She works with an Agile approach incorporating design-thinking methodologies in daily tasks and promoting transformation and innovation in education.

Moderator

Jacques Dang

Secretary of the Board, L'Université Numérique, France

As secretary of the board for L'Université Numérique, the French digital university, and AUNEGe, the French OER repository for management & economics, Jacques leads collaborative initiatives in technological R&D, in cooperation with French universities, high-tech companies and academic partners around the globe. The projects involve next-generation networks, open and distance learning as well as evaluation and learning analytics.

Jacques also chairs, together with the ICDE Secretary General, the francophone working group for the implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on OER; this working group includes representatives from UNESCO, national UNESCO commissions, virtual universities or ministries for Higher Education from various francophone countries in West & Central Africa. He represents L'Université Numérique for participation in the UNESCO dynamic coalition for OER.

He is a member of the board of various international initiatives, including ICoBC, the International Council on Badges & Credentials.

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Teachkathon - Self-Professional Development and Motivation for Continuous Learning, Erica Coutrim

Results of self-instructive and collaborative professional development for teachers in German Schools as a tool for engagement, motivation and creativity by respecting and considering teachers' individualities.

Designing Lifelong Learning Experiences for Professionals, Patricia Fernanda Mancebo May

How can we ensure a more demand-driven education and transform the university into a lifelong learning institution, offering diverse, innovative educational opportunities? Since 2013, the Extension School at Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands) has been tackling this challenge. In this session, we will explore TU Delft’s approach to online course design and discuss new learning solutions that are currently being developed.

Julie Dirksen

Learning Strategist, Usable Learning

Julie Dirksen is the author of the bestselling book Design For How People Learn, and the new book Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change. She is a learning strategy consultant with experience creating learning experiences for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to technology startups to grant-funded research initiatives. She loves brains, and games, and evidence-based practice. Her MS degree is in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University and she’s been an adjunct faculty member at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and a Learning Guild Guildmaster. She’s happiest whenever she gets to learn something new. You can find her at www.usablelearning.com.

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Hands-on and Interactive Workshops

Dive Deep & Gain Practical Skills on our Pre-Conference Day

Presentation

Date Wednesday, Nov 27 Time 09:00 – 10:00 Room Presentation Panel

Nurturing Wellbeing: Can Online Schools Address the Needs of Students?

Drawing on comprehensive Cambridge research, this session will showcase the diverse strategies used by Cambridge's online schools to support student wellbeing, such as dedicated programs, specialist support and nurturing strong teacher-student relationships. Additionally, it will examine ongoing initiatives to further strengthen these efforts, underscoring the significance of holistic development in the online education landscape.

Louis Bone

Online Schools Development Manager, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, United Kingdom

Louis Bone is an education professional with 14 years of experience. He has taught across various age ranges in the UK and internationally, managing teams focused on academic and pastoral progress. Louis also excelled in teaching online before transitioning to his current role as the Online School Development Manager at Cambridge. In this capacity, he oversees the approval process for UK schools and maintains strong relationships with them.

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Learning Café

Date Friday, Nov 29 Time 14:30 – 15:30 Room Bellevue

Unlocking the Future: Integrating Generative AI in Higher Education

The presentation addresses the pressing challenge of enhancing personalized learning experiences and improving educational outcomes in an era where traditional teaching methods often fall short of meeting diverse learner needs.

Gila Kurtz

Dean, Holon Institute of Technology (HIT), Israel

Gila Kurtz is the Dean of the Instructional Technologies Faculty at Holon Institute of Technology (HIT) in Israel. For serval years she was the Academic VP of a company that provided e-Learning solutions for the corporate industry. Gila has been a visiting scholar at the University of Maryland University College, University of California Berkeley, Syracuse University and University Roma, TRE.

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Gabriel Schaepman

Learning & Development Consultant, Swiss Re

Gabriel is a results-oriented learning and development consultant with more than 25 years' experience. He works full-time in a F-500 company in the financial services industry. Most recently, he designed outcome-based in-house MOOCs at Swiss Re, a leading provider of reinsurance and other insurance-based forms of risk transfer.
He published the award-winning iPad APP "Sales&More" and developed experiential learning simulations in the leadership area.

One of his favorite topics is measuring the value of L&D investments, determining the ROI of training.
Lifelong learning and meaningful employment are what Gabriel lives and breathes: over the years he has earned three Masters degrees, studying economics, corporate finance, Human Resources, change, agile and corporate learning.

Gabriel is married, lives in Switzerland and loves to ride his motorbike through the Alps.

Board Room

Date Thursday, Nov 28 Time 12:00 – 13:00 Room King

Let’s play! - A Few Words on How to Promote Research and Teach History through Games Effectively

THIS IS A SIGN-UP SESSION *

Discover how an archaeologist and a game developer collaborated to create educational video games that have been played over 2 million times globally. How does an academic lecturer use video games to teach future history teachers, science communicators, and historical game designers? Learn from case studies on how academics are using video games to engage students and enhance learning across diverse fields.

Wacław Kulczykowski

Assistant Professor , University of Gdańsk

Dr. Wacław Kulczykowski is an archaeologist in the Department of Historical Education at the Institute of History of the University of Gdańsk (Poland). His research draws on modern forms and methods of popularizing historical knowledge. Educator, science promoter, member of the Council for the Promotion of Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences, co-creator of scientific computer games "Excavate!" and "Waterworks!" which are based on the results of his scientific research, and the originator and lecturer of the "History & Games" course for students of history. Coordinator of the newly created (2024) field of study: Historical game design.

Ellen Wagner

Managing Partner, North Coast EduVisory LLC

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Network at the Fringe Events

Panel

Date Friday, Nov 29 Time 12:00 – 13:15 Room Potsdam I

New Models for Tertiary Education

What does it take for an organisation like a university to transform itself to embrace change and innovation - and where do you start to help it take the first steps? This panel of university leaders will explore not only what they do differently in their organisations and how this might be applied elsewhere, but also how they address some of the key challenges facing higher education today. How to realise the transformative potential of higher education will be at the heart of this conversation.

Manuel Dolderer

Founder, CODE University Of Applied Sciences

Manuel is a serial founder, learning experience designer, international advisor and keynote speaker with a mission to provide students of all ages, nationalities, cultural and financial backgrounds with impactful learning experiences that empower them to develop a new mindset full of curiosity, self determination and entrepreneurial spirit.

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Stephanie Levy

CEO of Schools, 42 Berlin and 42 Wolfsburg, Germany

Stephanie is the CEO of the 42 Wolfsburg and 42 Berlin Schools. She is dedicated to providing international students with access to top level tech education and professional development opportunities while increasing diversity in the tech industry. Her professional experience includes expanding business development as the General Manager DACH at Inspera AS, and developing new virtual internship programs as the Senior Director of Operations, Global Internships at CIEE, the Council on International Educational Exchange. Stephanie’s focus is on intercultural collaboration, innovation, sustainability, and the future of work. Her goal is to support the 42 Wolfsburg and 42 Berlin teams and students, and facilitate the growth of the 42 partnerships and network.

Kyle Bowen

Deputy CIO, Arizona State University

Oliver Janoschka

Managing Director, Hochschulforum Digitalisierung (German Forum for Higher Education in the Digital Age)

Oliver Janoschka has served as managing director of the Hochschulforum Digitalisierung (German Forum for Higher Education in the Digital Age, abbreviated: HFD) since its inception in 2014.

Before founding HFD, Janoschka worked in the field of higher education in various European Member States for more than seven years. He has a proven track record of facilitating international policy projects, serving for example as director of projects for the European Association on Lifelong Learning in Higher Education (EUCEN) in Barcelona and Brussels and as lecturer and project coordinator for the Bosch Foundation in the Western Balkans. He holds a master’s degree in educational management, sociology and psychology from the University of Hamburg.

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Lori Niles-Hofmann

Senior Learning Strategist, NilesNolen

Lori Niles-Hofmann is a senior learning strategist with over 20 years of L&D experience across many industries, including international banking, management consulting, and marketing. Her specialization is large-scale digital learning transformations. She is passionate about helping companies navigate the ambiguity of change and acts as a trusted adviser to CLOs worldwide. After leading and completing numerous EdTech implementations, she has developed the data-based methodologies and frameworks that will empower your L&D teams to move from business support function to strategic business driver. She is the author of the LinkedIn Learning courses "Data-Driven Learning Design" and "Upskilling and Reskilling your Workforce" with over 100K participants. Lori is based in Canada, with one foot in Europe

Links

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Learning Café

Date Thursday, Nov 28 Time 16:30 – 17:30 Room Charlottenburg III

Challenges for Student Success in the Humanities and Engineering

Join this Learning Café to explore how student success strategies are evolving in response to diverse learning backgrounds and the integration of AI in coursework. Discover six key strategies for fostering student success and learn how to adapt them to contemporary challenges. Engage in discussions on how AI is reshaping education in both the humanities and engineering and compare outcomes across these fields to better understand the impact of these innovations.

Tamara Powell

English Professor, Kennesaw State University

Dr. Tamara Powell is a professor of English at Kennesaw State University (KSU) in the Atlanta metro area in Georgia in the US. Her research interests include African American literature and open educational resources. She co-authored Open Technical Communication (https://alg.manifoldapp.org/projects/open-technical-communication), and it won the 2022 OE Global Award for Excellence in the Open Reuse/Remix/Adaptation category (https://awards.oeglobal.org/awards/2022/open-reuse-remix-adaptation/ope…).

Tamara began teaching online in 2001 and has been hooked on this exciting and versatile medium ever since. Every semester, she tries new techniques to increase student engagement and successful completion of classes.

She has won several honors and awards, including Best Paper Award for “Student Success Innovations vs. Faculty Workload Concerns: How to Find a Balance for Success” at The Thirteenth International Conference on Mobile, Hybrid, and On-line Learning eLmL 2021 in Nice, France.

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Brayden Milam

Programme Manager , Kennesaw State University, United States of America

Stephen Bartlett

Associate Director , Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences Office of Digital Education, Kennesaw State University, United States of America

An online educator for 14+ years and former Associate Director of the RCHSS Office of Digital Education at Kennesaw State University for 6+ years, Stephen Bartlett has been involved with the evolving world of e-learning for more than half his teaching career. In addition to the thousands of students who he has taught a variety of world history topics, he has also trained 500+ faculty in online pedagogy and presented at e-learning conferences in the United States and internationally.

Presentation

Learning Café

Date Thursday, Nov 28 Time 12:00 – 13:00 Room Koepenick I

Transforming Online Education in Wartime: Empowering Ukrainian University Teachers through Project-Based Learning

This Learning Café will explore the challenges of delivering online education during wartime, focusing on empowering Ukrainian university teachers to design and deliver effective online courses. Emphasis will be placed on student well-being, engagement, resilience, and inclusivity amidst the disruptions of war.

Ihor Katernyak

Associate Professor, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (Ukraine)

Ihor Katernyak is affiliated with Ivan Franko National University of Lviv in Ukraine. He holds a PhD in Physics and Mathematics and serves as an Associate Professor in the Electronics & Computer Technology Department. His research interests encompass e-learning, knowledge management, digital transformation in education, entrepreneurship, tech startups, technology transfer, and open innovation. He has been published in reputable journals such as Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning, Universal Journal of Education Research, and Interactive Technology and Smart Education, among others.
Furthermore, he initiated a series of events including the "Idea Marathon" (held annually from March to May), "Innovation Spring" as a brokerage event (held annually in April), and "Startup Jam" (held from November to December). These events are designed to inspire young researchers and students to explore their ideas in the contexts of value innovation and tech startups. In addition, he is an expert in Innovation policy and ICT4Dev.
Ihor Katernyak is also the founder and CEO of the Ukrainian Distance Learning (UDL) System NGO.

Henrik Hansson

Professor, Stockholm University , Sweden

I am currently a Professor of Computer and Systems Sciences at Stockholm University, a role I've held since 2019. Before that, I served as an Associate Professor in the same department from 2009 to 2019.

My educational background includes a PhD in Educational Sciences and Audiology, which I earned from Stockholm University and Karolinska Institutet in 1993. Prior to that, I completed a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences at Stockholm University in 1989. My career in the field of audiology began even earlier when I qualified as an Audiologist at the University College of Health Sciences in Gothenburg in 1987.

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to lead and manage 16 large-scale international research and development projects, funded by organizations such as the EU, Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency), the Swedish Institute, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). These projects have taken me across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America, where I’ve collaborated with diverse teams to drive innovation in technology, education, and digital transformation.

One of my greatest passions is guiding the next generation of researchers and professionals. I’ve had the privilege of supervising 12 PhD students and mentoring over 300 bachelor’s and master’s students throughout their academic journeys. It’s incredibly rewarding to see their growth and the impact they go on to make in their fields.

My research focuses on the intersection of technology and learning, with interests in technology-enhanced learning, capacity-building, digital transformation and sustainability, e-Health, e-Learning, culture and digitalization, and AI. I’m driven by a vision of how technology can be harnessed to create innovative solutions that promote digital inclusion and support sustainable development on a global scale.

Kati Kasanen

Senior Lecturer, University of Eastern Finland

Kati’s responsibilities as a senior lecturer primarily revolve around teaching and guidance, with a particular focus on initial guidance and planning for university studies throughout the entire academic journey. Kati actively contributes to pedagogical development in her daily teaching practice and is a member of the UEF’s “Excellent Teaching Practitioner” network. Additionally, from 2021 to 2024, Kati dedicates 50% of her time to facilitating online pedagogy.

In terms of research, Kati’s interests intersect with the concept of ability. She specializes in evaluating educational practices and conducts socio-psychological and educational policy analyses related to abilities, including entrepreneurial abilities, within the context of education. Drawing from her prior work experience, Kati recognizes the importance of the ability concept, particularly in school and educational psychology. Recently, she has also explored multidisciplinary approaches in research and teaching across different faculties. Her facilitator role has sparked an interest in distance learning and related issues, such as exam practices and trust. Also, Kati and the facilitator team studies their own work and its impact. Let's meet and discuss these matters together!

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Plenary

Date Wednesday, Nov 27 Time 17:45 – 19:00 Room Potsdam III

Join The Learning Battle, an Open Mic Arena!

This plenary is designed to challenge you on multiple levels. Are you ready to speak in front of a group? Will you listen attentively to different arguments? Can you critically analyze learning approaches for their strengths? Of course, you can! And with each contribution lasting just 3 minutes, it’s micro-learning at its finest.

Join the Learning Battle and share your recent projects with a community of passionate learning experts! Or, if you prefer, listen to what others have been working on, understand their methodologies, and ask meaningful questions to fully grasp their ideas. The Learning Battle ensures that everyone leaves with valuable insights. By listening to all the participants, you’ll get a sense of who they are, what’s happening in the learning world, and who you might want to connect with during the conference.

What’s the format? It’s simple and engaging, consisting of four steps:

Open Stage: There’s an open stage with a microphone, and Inge de Waard as the master of ceremony. Inge will invite people from the audience to take the stage (by a show of hands).

Three-Minute Pitches: Each person who takes the stage has 3 minutes to highlight their new learning or teaching idea.

Q&A: After each 3-minute pitch, the audience can ask a question to test the presenter in a friendly manner.

Audience Voting: After the pitch and Q&A, the audience votes by means of applause. The louder the applause, the higher the decibels (points) the presenter receives. The person with the highest applause at the end wins the Learning Battle Cup.

OEB is all about networking and sharing knowledge. To truly embrace this, you need to dare to speak up. This informal spotlight gives you the chance to do just that. From a brief 3-minute pitch, the audience can gauge who you are, what you’re working on, and whether they want to connect with you during the conference.

Participating in the Learning Battle gives you a sense of empowerment. You spoke up in front of an audience – you are the master of your professional life. You rule! This event is intended to playfully bring everyone up to speed with what’s happening and who is driving change in the learning field. And with Inge de Waard guiding the event, you’re in great hands.

The Learning Battle is a perfect warm-up to the OEB conference. So come alone, invite a friend, or bring a daring colleague and join this vibrant group of learning experts.

Inge de Waard

Learning Strategist and Connector, EIT InnoEnergy, Belgium

Inge de Waard is the learning strategist at EIT InnoEnergy, she is a longtime researcher, activist, award-winning learning innovator and (e)Learning coordinator. She developed multiple online & hybrid courses, co-designed AI tools, and embedded learning innovations. Inge coaches and co-creates international, blended curricula with engineers and teachers, and explores innovative learning formats. Her expertise is recognized by peers, resulting in additional co-authored papers, invited talks and keynotes in both academic and professional conferences, workshops and seminars. She recently founded the Power Elders initiative to spotlight role models who changed their lives at any age beyond 50. Most of all, she likes to connect with people and share stories.

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Donna Carroll

Senior Coordinator of Professional Development for Teaching & Learning, Maastricht University

Dr. Donna Carroll is the Senior Coordinator of Professional Development for Teaching & Learning at Maastricht University. She is responsible for overseeing and delivering a full programme of training activities for university teaching staff, ensuring they are equipped to foster an effective learning experience for their students. Her experience as a former Lecturer of Physics and Mathematics in the UK and the Netherlands, as well as her years as a Higher Education Assessment Expert, have also provided her with insights into the practical challenges educators face in creating meaningful assessment and adopting AI tools effectively for teaching and learning.

Board Room

Date Thursday, Nov 28 Time 16:15 – 17:15 Room Knight

Exams in the Era of ChatGPT: Combining the Didactical and Practical Perspective

THIS IS A SIGN-UP SESSION *

This session will explore various exam formats through both didactical and practical lenses, examining how AI can be integrated to enhance assessment practices. Participants will critically assess different approaches to evaluation, discussing potential benefits of AI in improving exam methods and outcomes.

Julia Jochim

Team Lead Digital Media, Euro-FH

Julia is the head of the digital media and e-learning team at Euro-FH, a German long-distance university. With a passion for innovative education, she is committed to creating diverse and engaging digital learning materials for students. Julia's current focus is on integrating artificial intelligence into higher education, aiming to revolutionize the learning experience for the AI era. Her main interests include enhancing teachers' AI teaching competencies, developing students’ AI skills, and devising new AI-integrative exam formats to better meet the evolving needs of students in the digital age.

Presentation

Date Wednesday, Nov 27 Time 09:00 – 10:00 Room Presentation Panel

Imaginative Futures for Foreign Language Education

Among all the different fields of education, foreign language education may be the most affected by GenAI because it impacts the core objective of foreign language education, which is to teach students how to communicate proficiently in a foreign language. As a result, it is important to reflect upon imaginative future scenarios for foreign language education as we will do in this presentation; these scenarios are an invitation for further reflection, discussion, and dialogue about foreign language learning in the AI era.

Katrien Dewaele

French Teacher and Researcher , UCLeuven-Limburg (UCLL, belgium), Belgium

Katrien Dewaele is a lecturer French at the Faculty of Teacher Education of UCLeuven-Limburg (UCLL, Belgium). She is also a researcher at the Centre of Expertise ‘Education & Development’ of UCLL. Her research focuses on how to facilitate learning processes in an evidence-informed way and enhanced by technology. In her teaching practice and research work, she bridges the gap between insights from educational research and classroom practice. Katrien is an expert within the field of foreign language didactics and has already shared this expertise in several publications, at (inter)national conferences, and in teacher training programs with Teacher Design Teams.

Secure your place for #OEB24

Workshop Header

OEB 2024 Pre-Conference Workshops

Pre-Conference Workshops

Develop Practical Skills and Acquire a Deeper Knowledge

Book your place in advance as seats are limited!

If you are registered for the main conference already, you can add workshops to your account via this link.
If you need to register for the main conference as well, please follow this link.

You want to visit OEB just on the Pre-Conference Day and want to book a workshop without the main conference?
Please use this form.

FD1 Full-day Event

Date: Wednesday, Nov 27
Time: 10:00 – 16:30
Room: Schoeneberg I / II / III
Price: 195.00 €
Status: places available

FD1 Full-day Event

Date Wednesday, Nov 27 Time 10:00 – 16:30 RoomSchoeneberg I / II / III Price: 195.00 € Status: places available

FD1 - Hands-on Practical Workflows with AI Tools

Workshop leaders

Bernard Goldbach

Professor, Technological University of the Shannon, Ireland

Frances O'Donnell

Instructional Designer, Atlantic Technological University

Frances O Donnell is an experienced instructional designer at Atlantic Technological University with a strong background in digital technology and online learning. Among other qualifications, Frances holds a Masters in Applied Practice (Education), a Professional Diploma in Innovation, Creativity and Leadership, and a Higher Diploma in Interaction Design (UX). She has conducted research in educational change, collaborative teaching, innovative learning environments, and AI in academic assignments. Frances is a regular contributor to TeachNetIreland, where she shares tips for utilising educational technology. She frequently questions conventional approaches to educational technology to foster creativity and enhance learning engagement.

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During this hands-on workshop, participants will use both their personal laptops and their mobile phones to complete guided demonstrations of several services that use large language models to modify or originate materials used in teaching settings and collateral used by businesses. At specific intervals, participants see use cases in which AI-enhanced workflows can be applied. This is an intense training programme requiring participants to produce and evaluate content suitable for reuse in education and business settings. The facilitators of this training programme have upskilled students in university computer labs and during corporate training events.

Agenda:

• 15 min: Introduction/Welcome
• 90 min: Session 1: AI for Personal Knowledge Management
• 30 min: Coffee Break
• 60 min: Session 2: Personal Digital Transformation
• 60 min: Lunch Break
• 50 min: Session 3 - Part 1: Insights and Knowledge Management
• 30 min: Coffee Break
• 50 min: Session 3 - Part 2: Insights and Knowledge Management
• Wrap Up with afternoon coffee break

Outcomes:

• Operate a smartphone's camera, search function, and audio capture.
• Find and save items from an online web page.
• Use a laptop that allows domains ending in .ai and .io suffixes.
• Demonstrate basic English language proficiency as the session will be conducted in English.

Audience:

Project Managers, Workshop Leaders, Chief Learning Officers, Director of Studies, Educational Technology Experts, Curriculum Developers, Digital Learning Specialists, E-Learning Developers, Training Specialists, Education Consultants, Academic Affairs Administrators, Head of Enterprise Learning, Manager of Competence and Performance, Learning Architects, Instructional Technology Coordinators, Education Policy Advisors, Digital Transformation Strategists

FD2 Full-day Event

Date: Wednesday, Nov 27
Time: 09:30 – 16:00
Room: Pavillon
Price: free of charge
Status: places available

FD2 Full-day Event

Date Wednesday, Nov 27 Time 09:30 – 16:00 RoomPavillon Price: free of charge Status: places available

FD2 - Speexx Exchange: Shaping the Future of Work - The digital learning event for HR and L&D

Lori Niles-Hofmann

Senior Learning Strategist, NilesNolen

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Laura Overton

Analyst - Explorer - Writer - Facilitator, Learning Changemakers, United Kingdom

I am an experienced international speaker, author and facilitator with a passion for exploring, challenging and sharing. I believe that the role of learning leaders in the changing workplace is to unlock the potential of business and people. My goal has always been to help learning leaders ensure that their organisations are equipped and ready through outcome-led and evidence informed practice.

Together we will co-create the future of learning - one where learning leaders will become business critical as they uncover new ways to add value. As the founder of Towards Maturity- I led a global research programme for 15 years, bringing a community of practitioners, policy makers, experts and suppliers together to investigate how learning innovation delivers business value.
I continue to investigate, to explore , to communicate insights and facilitate collaborative change in the industry through workshops, coaching and sounding board work via #LearningChangemakers and as co-founder of Emerging Stronger.

Tracking the L&D learning innovation journey since 2003, I have authored/ co-authored of over 70 major research reports and, as a regular contributor to industry publications I have written over 300 articles. I continue to play an active role in research working with the CIPD and other significant industry bodies.

As an industry change maker, I regularly share good practice findings as a keynote presenter at conferences around the globe and through masterclasses, webinars and seminars. I have served on several advisory boards including the original LPI Capability Map, the CIPD Professional Map and Learning boards, the Online Educa Global Council and the original Distributed Electronic Learning Group for the UK government.

I am an academic fellow of the CIPD, a fellow of the RSA and the first female recipient of the Learning and Performance Institute’s Colin Corder Award for outstanding achievement. I was also the first recipient of the Learning Technology award for outstanding achievement and regularly appear in the top influencer lists for our industry.

I am always willing to work with LearningChangemakers across the industry so please contact me if you would like to find out more about my writing, facilitation, coaching or soundingboard work.

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Jo Cook

Director, Lightbulb Moment

Jo Cook is Director of her company Lightbulb Moment, which specialises in developing, facilitating and training others to deliver great live online training sessions, virtual classrooms, webinars and blended, digital programmes. Jo has a background in teaching, technology and journalism. She facilitates, speaks, writes, blogs and tweets on L&D topics and part-time is the Deputy Editor of Training Journal magazine and website. Jo’s background includes further and higher education, the charity sector, small and large organisations, including CNN News and Bupa International.

Armin Hopp

Founder , Speexx, Germany

Armin Hopp is co-founder and president of Speexx, the world’s leading digital language skills testing and learning platform. He is also president of the International Council on Badges and Credentials (ICoBC) He´s passionate about family, digital learning, EdTech, HR tech, learning transformation, guitars – and Speexx.

Empowering People in large organizations worldwide through Speexx Coaching™, digital language training, and skills assessment for all team members.

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Marc Zao-Sanders

Founder & CEO, Filtered

Chaired by international speaker, author and L&D facilitator Laura Overton, this annual hands-on workshop has earned a reputation as the must-attend an annual fixture at OEB. This year’s edition will delve into the evolving landscape of work, addressing key trends such as digital transformation, remote work, and the integration of AI into all aspects of work. A variety of top-tier industry experts and thought leaders will share insights on emerging technologies, workforce agility, and strategies for fostering a culture of continuous learning and development. Attendees will gain practical knowledge on navigating future challenges and leveraging innovations to enhance productivity and employee engagement, positioning their organizations for success in a rapidly changing global economy.

Outcomes:

• Gain insights into the evolving landscape of work, focusing on digital transformation, remote work, and the integration of AI.
• Learn from top-tier industry experts and thought leaders about emerging technologies and workforce agility.
• Explore strategies for fostering a culture of continuous learning and development within organizations.
• Acquire practical knowledge and tools to navigate future challenges and leverage innovations effectively.
• Enhance productivity and employee engagement by implementing insights from the workshop.
• Position organizations for success in a rapidly changing global economy through strategic planning and adaptation.

M1 Morning Event

Date: Wednesday, Nov 27
Time: 10:00 – 13:00
Room: Charlottenburg I
Price: 95.00 €
Status: fully booked

M1 Morning Event

Date Wednesday, Nov 27 Time 10:00 – 13:00 RoomCharlottenburg I Price: 95.00 € Status: fully booked

FULLY BOOKED! - M1 - Brace for Transformation: Integrating AI Literacy, Emerging Technologies, and Digital Equity

Workshop leader

Courtney Teague

Deputy Director, Digital Promise Global, United States of America

Dr. Courtney L. Teague is the Deputy Director of Internal Professional Learning & Coaching for the Digital Equity team at Digital Promise. She collaborates across school districts, external partners, and Digital Promise to help craft a synchronized approach to defining instructional strategy and instructional tech coaching, mentoring, professional learning, and efficiency. Before Digital Promise, she served as a technology training integration specialist, special education teacher, and digital learning system administrator on assignment at McKinsey & Company. Dr. Courtney is the author of “The Uncommon Coach” and “How to Win Students and Inspire Them.” As a member of the Forbes Council, her writings appear on Forbes.com. Dr. Courtney’s current research focuses on coaching, diversity, digital equity and inclusion, powerful instructional technology use, and leadership development.

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This interactive and thought-provoking workshop will explore the transformative potential of AI literacy and emerging technologies within the framework of digital equity. Participants will engage in hands-on activities and collaborative discussions, culminating in the development of actionable strategies to promote digital equity in their educational settings.

Agenda:

• 15 min: Introduction/Welcome
• 45 min: Part 1: Understanding the Digital Equity Framework
• 45 min: Part 2: AI Literacy and Emerging Technologies
• 30 min: Coffee Break
• 60 min: Part 3: Hands-On Activities
• 45 min: Part 4: Collaborative Roadmap Creation
• 15 min: Part 5: Actionable Takeaways
• 10 min: Wrap-up

Outcomes:

• Understand Digital Promise’s Digital Equity Framework: Gain a deep understanding of the five key domains of the Digital Equity Framework and their importance in promoting inclusive and equitable learning environments.
• Explore AI Literacy and Emerging Technologies: Examine the role of AI literacy and emerging technologies in bridging digital divides and enhancing learning outcomes.
• Develop Practical Skills: Engage in hands-on activities to develop skills and strategies for integrating AI literacy and emerging technologies in education.
• Create Actionable Takeaways: Collaborate to create a personalised roadmap for implementing digital equity initiatives in participants' own contexts.

Audience:

Educators, Administrators, Professional Development Providers, Policy Makers, Tech Coaches .

It is designed for participants with basic internet navigation skills, a basic understanding of generative artificial intelligence and basic use of Chat GPT.

M2 Morning Event

Date: Wednesday, Nov 27
Time: 10:00 – 13:00
Room: Koepenick II / III
Price: 95.00 €
Status: places available

M2 Morning Event

Date Wednesday, Nov 27 Time 10:00 – 13:00 RoomKoepenick II / III Price: 95.00 € Status: places available

M2 - A European Maturity Model for Micro-Credentials in Higher Education

Workshop leader

Paul den Hertog

Consultant, SURF

Paul is a sailor, designer and senior consultant for lifelong learning and flexible education at SURF, with over 20 years of experience in Higher Education innovation. As a designer, he works on creative interventions that support HEIs in their digital transformation. As a consultant and project manager he is working actively on the combination of Micro-credentials and the European Digital Identity Wallet, which will allow all Europeans to access and share their educational credentials in a privacy-friendly manner.

Speakers

Laura Widger

Assistant Head of Department (Education), South East Technological University, Ireland

Kerstin Schoerg

Head of digital teaching and learning, SFU, Austria

Join our interactive workshop to explore the Maturity Model for European Micro-Credentials, developed by the European Digital Education Hub (EDEH). This model supports senior managers in European Higher Education Institutions in implementing the EU Council Recommendation on Micro-credentials. Participants will review the latest academic insights on business developments, marketing, technology, and quality assurance, and engage in a multidisciplinary discussion to develop an implementation strategy. The workshop aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the institution's current status and future directions, guiding strategic resource and technology investments. The use of the maturity model will enhance internal communication and facilitate long-term planning for institutional change.

Agenda:

• 30 min: Welcome/Introduction in the Maturity Model for Micro-Credentials
• 60 min: Assessment and Socratic Dialogue
• 30 min: Coffee Break
• 30 min: Revision of the First Results
• 45 min: Reflection and Wrap-up

Outcomes:

• Gain practical insights into the effective implementation of Micro-credentials within their institution.
• Acquire tools and strategies to strengthen the integration and utilization of Micro-credentials.
• Develop a deeper understanding of the benefits and challenges associated with Micro-credentials in educational settings.
• Explore case studies and examples of successful Micro-credentials implementation.
• Collaborate with peers to discuss best practices and innovative approaches in Micro-credentials adoption.

Audience:

Quality Assurance IT management, programme developers, general management in Higher Education

M3 Morning Event

Date: Wednesday, Nov 27
Time: 10:00 – 13:00
Room: Charlottenburg II
Price: 95.00 €
Status: places available

M3 Morning Event

Date Wednesday, Nov 27 Time 10:00 – 13:00 RoomCharlottenburg II Price: 95.00 € Status: places available

M3 - Benefit from Golden Eggs: Transformative Pedagogical Models for Future Learning

Workshop leaders

Gilly Salmon

CEO, Education Alchemists. Ltd, United Kingdom

Links

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Rod Angood

Managing & Visual Director, Education Alchemists Ltd, United Kingdom

Rod Angood, BA, MBA. is MD & Principal Visioning Director at Educational Alchemists (UK). Previously he held senior roles as Executive Director of Information Technology & Information Systems at two UK universities. His first career was as a Royal Naval Officer in the Submarine Service. He brings extensive experience of leadership development, strategy & organisation.

Rod is now an established Graphic Artist providing ‘Artist in Residence’ services to Carpe Diem & Futuring workshops, supporting keynote speeches with real time artistic images,and educators with pictures & diagrams that explore concepts, ideas & models.

Join us for an intensive and collaborative workshop to acquire or revise proven pedagogical principles and models designed for the future. Engage with researched and impactful scholarly frameworks, practical foresight for uncertain educational contexts, and opportunities for inclusive and successful transformations in teaching and learning. The workshop includes the 5-stage learning and teaching model, e-tivities, Carpe Diem learning design, and innovation and implementation frameworks, presented by the original researcher. Participants will receive checklists and handouts for ongoing use.

Agenda:

• Introduction/Welcome
• Golden Egg 1: 5 Stage Model
• Golden Egg 2: E-tivities
• 30 min: Coffee Break
• Golden Egg 3: Carpe Diem Learning Design
• Golden Egg 4: Quadrants of Learning Innovation
• Wrap-up

Outcomes:

• Confidence in immediately deploying seminal concepts
• Ability to start further ‘down the line’ when exploring ways of learning & teaching
• Understanding the role of using well researched frameworks to own context, goals and learners' needs
• Immediately improving your own and others learning and teaching with digital technologies
• Saving research and time whilst improving quality

Audience:

Academics, lecturers, learning professionals L & D professionals Online teachers, tutors, e-moderators, and networking leads Learning designers and learning technologists

M4 Morning Event

Date: Wednesday, Nov 27
Time: 10:00 – 13:00
Room: Charlottenburg III
Price: 95.00 €
Status: fully booked

M4 Morning Event

Date Wednesday, Nov 27 Time 10:00 – 13:00 RoomCharlottenburg III Price: 95.00 € Status: fully booked

FULLY BOOKED - M4 - The Blended Learning Design Game

Workshop leaders

Margreeth Themmen

Project Leader, NHL Stenden University, Netherlands

Margreeth Themmen (MEd) has worked for 25 years in different roles in higher education, the last 10 years as an educational developer and consultant for faculty at NHL Stenden University. Her goal is to create highly qualified education.

She has a master’s degree in educational renewal and innovation and the last 10 years she has her focus on Blended Learning. She is projectleader of developing a Centre for Teaching and Learning.

Patrick van Aalst

Educational Consultant, NHL Stenden, Netherlands

Patrick van Aalst (Mped) has worked at a university of applied science for the past 13 years; first teaching interaction design in a multimedia design bachelor’s program, later as an educational innovation trainer and consultant. He has a master’s degree in pedagogy and specialized in educational innovation and design thinking.

Join us for a dynamic workshop where we introduce the Blended Learning Design Game, a fun and effective tool for designing robust blended learning programs. This game helps educational teams prototype curriculum designs by starting with a learning outcome and working backward to connect various teaching and learning activities across different modalities, such as online, on-site, workplace, and independent study. Participants will create blended design prototypes that include diverse learning activities, their resulting products, and various assessment methods. Our approach combines principles of blended learning, design thinking, and Diana Laurillard’s Conversational Framework.

Agenda:

• Welcome/ Introduction to Blended Learning Design
• Round 1 of explanation and practicing
• Round 2 of explanation and practicing
• 30 min: Coffee Break
• Round 3 of explanation and practicing
• Round 4 of explanation and practicing
• Wrap-up

Outcomes:

• Gain a better understanding of blended learning.
• Explore a wide range of teaching, learning, and assessment methods.
• Learn to design blended learning programs independently or collaboratively in groups.

Audience:

Educational consultants, learning designers, teachers

TUD Morning Event

Date: Wednesday, Nov 27
Time: 11:00 – 14:30
Room: Koepenick I
Price: free of charge
Status: places available

TUD Morning Event

Date Wednesday, Nov 27 Time 11:00 – 14:30 RoomKoepenick I Price: free of charge Status: places available

Engineering Pedagogy meets Educational Technology: Perspectives for TVET Specialists

Thomas Koehler

Professor, Technische Universität Dresden

Chair Educational Technology (TU Dresden Vocational Education Institute 2005), studied Physics, Psychology, Sociology @ FSU Jena & Swarthmore College, Ph.D. Communications Psychology (FSU Jena 1999), Facultas Docendi Learning-Teaching Research & Multimedia Learning (Uni Potsdam 2006) -- Director CODIP Center for Open Digital Innovation and Participation, Chairman GMW Society of Media in Science, Board LFV-OS Leibniz Research Alliance Open Science -- www.tu-dresden.de/codip

!This is a closed session. If you are interested in participating, please contact: @email

The Workshop has been designed to comparatively map online education and engineering pedagogy. It is part of a transnational training program for Indonesian vocational education and higher education students and junior researchers and further participants with focus EdTech and has been worked out between the TU Dresden Institute for Further and Continuous Education (TUD FaCE, Germany) and the Indonesian Ministry of Education Directorate General of Higher Education (DIKTI, Jakarta).

Agenda:
Trends in Online Education: Data and AI
Digital Transformation in TVET
Engineering Education in Virtual Spaces

Audience:
Participants may be invited or request participation. Usually a background in either TVET, Engineering Education or EdTech is expected, with an international comparative profile.

A1 Afternoon Event

Date: Wednesday, Nov 27
Time: 14:30 – 17:30
Room: Koepenick II / III
Price: 95.00 €
Status: fully booked

A1 Afternoon Event

Date Wednesday, Nov 27 Time 14:30 – 17:30 RoomKoepenick II / III Price: 95.00 € Status: fully booked

FULLY BOOKED! - A1 - Embracing Creativity in the Age of AI: The Increasing Importance of Creativity for Learning

Workshop leader

Joitske Hulsebosch

Consultant Innovative learning with technology, Ennuonline, Netherlands

Joitske Hulsebosch is owner at Ennuonline company in the Netherlands. Ennuonline has 15 years of experience in innovative learning with tech. She wrote 3 books and is fervent blogger on ennuonline.com. Ennuonline offers courses on learning & AI and tailor-made advice for organisations. She has a background in the development sector (worked in Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Mali and Chile). Her clients are hence often internationally- oriented organizations like the Ministry of Defense, Wageningen University and the AIDSfonds.

Links

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Speakers

Steven van Luipen

Owner , Van Luipen Advies

Steven van Luipen is an independent consultant. He facilitates professional learning networks, learning activities and programs, mostly technology supported, online or blended.

Steven works primarily in the public domain. His approach is practice oriented. He is an expert in sharing knowledge within and across organizations about present-day themes, such as the increasing importance of technology and data.

His aim is to help his customers get a better understanding of shared issues, agree on lasting solutions and ultimately improve their performance.

Links

Twitter

Ite Smit

Director, WerkLeer

Ite led the Business School at a social housing organization in the Netherlands for over ten years. She was responsible for learning initiatives that spanned from personal craftsmanship to organizational development. Additionally, Ite workeds as an independent advisor for the Dutch Government, focusing on Digital Learning Environments and digital skills. Currently, she is enhancing her own skills in coding to create generative art.

Links

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Explore the transformative potential of generative AI in boosting creativity and innovation in learning. This workshop covers the development of generative AI, showcasing practical examples of its application in education and professional growth. Participants will engage in hands-on activities using AI for text, images, and sound, gaining practical tools and innovative strategies to enhance teaching and learning. Join us to broaden your perspectives and accelerate innovation with AI-driven creativity.

Agenda:

• 15 min: Introduction/Welcome
• 45 min: Part 1: Embracing Creativity in the AI Age
• 30 min: Coffee Break
• 75 min: Part 2: Hands-on Sessions: AI Tools for creative learning
• 15 min: Part 3: Reflective Discussion and Ethical Considerations
• 15 min: Conclusions and Wrap-up

Outcomes:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the significance of creativity in an AI-dominated world.
• Learn how to utilize AI tools for creative assignments, such as those designed for digital art, music composition, and storytelling.
• Obtain ideas for integrating AI tools into lessons and courses to enhance learner engagement and improve learning outcomes.
• Explore new creative possibilities enabled by generative AI and reflect on their implications for learning methodologies.

Audience:

Learning and development professionals and Teachers in higher education at any sector.

A2 Afternoon Event

Date: Wednesday, Nov 27
Time: 14:30 – 17:30
Room: Charlottenburg I
Price: 95.00 €
Status: places available

A2 Afternoon Event

Date Wednesday, Nov 27 Time 14:30 – 17:30 RoomCharlottenburg I Price: 95.00 € Status: places available

A2 - An OEB Prompt-A-Thon: Learn to Deploy Ethical Human-AI Collaborations in Educational and Other Professional Contexts

Workshop leader

Jeanne Law

Professor of English & Director of First-Year Writing Program, Kennesaw State University, United States of America

Jeanne Law is a Professor of English. Her research includes multimodal languaging and generative AI technologies for writers. She is co-author of The Writer’s Loop: A Guide to College Writing and a founding author for Multimodal Mondays blog series. She has authored chapters on information literacy in several edited collections. Her work is also regularly featured in public media, including The Chronicle of Higher Education. She has authored seven Coursera courses on gen-AI use, featuring her Rhetorical Prompt Engineering Framework. Jeanne is a mentor for AAC&U’s AI Pedagogy Institute and has chapters on gen-AI accepted by Computers & Composition and Routlege. She has presented for multiple audiences on the ethical use of gen-AI.

Speakers

Tamara Powell

English Professor, Kennesaw State University

Links

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Didwi de Bruin

Education Advisor, Rotterdam Mainport Institute, Netherlands

Brayden Milam

Programme Manager , Kennesaw State University, United States of America

Join educational experts from Rotterdam Mainport Institute and Kennesaw State University for an engaging Prompt-A-Thon! Participants will explore interdisciplinary research on generative AI usage by over 2,000 students and learn a tested framework for ethical prompting. The workshop includes an interactive practicum where you will create AI-infused, ethical outputs suitable as open education resources (OER). You will also learn to interpret and apply various OER licenses and the five R's of openness—retain, reuse, revise, remix, redistribute—to customize your own L&D documents.

Agenda:
• 35 min: Introduction and Presentation of Data
• 10 min: Large Group Organisation for Prompt-A Thon
• 5 min: Ice Breakers
• 35 min: Learning the Rhetorical Prompting Framework and Ethical Output Qualifiers
• 30 min: Coffee Break
• 70 min: Guided Prompt-A-Thon
• 20 min: Table Reports, Ethical Outputs, Challenges, Successes

Outcomes:
• Enhanced Understanding: Gain a comprehensive understanding of how ethical generative AI collaboration can revolutionize content creation.
• Practical Skills: Acquire practical skills in infusing generative AI into teaching, learning, and communication practices.
• STEAM Education Insights: Explore benefits and strategies for integrating Arts and Humanities with STEM disciplines using a rhetoric-based prompt engineering framework.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with educators, researchers, and practitioners from across Europe and the U.S.
• Professional Development: Participate in an interactive workshop with deliverables and best practices sharing.
• Earn a Kennesaw State University digital badge and certificate of completion for professional development.

Audience:
Educators, writers, L&D specialists

A3 Afternoon Event

Date: Wednesday, Nov 27
Time: 14:30 – 17:30
Room: Tegel
Price: 95.00 €
Status: places available

A3 Afternoon Event

Date Wednesday, Nov 27 Time 14:30 – 17:30 RoomTegel Price: 95.00 € Status: places available

A3 - Empowering University Teachers in the Digital Age: Leaving No One Behind

Workshop leader

Vesa Paajanen

Senior Lecturer, University of Eastern Finland, Finland

Vesa Paajanen is a senior lecturer in animal physiology. In current position as a facilitator of online and blended learning at University of Eastern Finland he is using 50% of the working load on teaching higher education and rest time helping his colleagues to turn their teaching online and to develop pedagogically useful online learning environments. In higher education his is focused in Flipped Classroom & learning analytics to support each student in a personal way.

Speakers

Kati Kasanen

Senior Lecturer, University of Eastern Finland

Links

Twitter

Sanni Pirttilä

University teacher, University of Eastern Finland, Finland

Sanni Pirttilä works at the University of Eastern Finland as a university teacher in the Deparment of Geographical and Historical Studies, and also she serves as a Facilitator for Online and Blended Pedagogy in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies.

Piia Siitonen

University teacher, University of Eastern Finland, Finland

This half-day pre-session workshop addresses the challenges and opportunities in transitioning to digital learning environments in higher education. Drawing from the University of Eastern Finland's experience, where peer-support facilitators have been instrumental in promoting online and blended learning, the workshop will showcase effective practices to encourage digital adoption. Participants will engage in round-table discussions to share experiences and explore solutions to support teachers hesitant about digital pedagogy. The session aims to equip educators with strategies to enhance teaching resilience and adaptability, ensuring equitable and accessible learning opportunities.

Agenda:

• Introduction/Welcome
• Part 1: Presentation on Experiences
• 30 min: Coffee Break
• Part 2: Comparison of Support Practices
• Part 3: Session to compare the practices of support used in different institutes
• Wrap-up

Outcomes:

• Learn how peer-support can assist teachers in higher education to effectively integrate digital technology.
• Share models of pedagogical support and discuss potential pitfalls related to their implementation.
• Understand the challenges faced by teachers in higher education who struggle to adopt digital teaching methods and acquire tools to mitigate these obstacles in online and blended learning environments.

Audience:

Practitioning teachers, department and faculty level leadership, employers developing support for online teaching at the institutional level.

A4 Afternoon Event

Date: Wednesday, Nov 27
Time: 14:30 – 17:30
Room: Charlottenburg II
Price: 95.00 €
Status: places available

A4 Afternoon Event

Date Wednesday, Nov 27 Time 14:30 – 17:30 RoomCharlottenburg II Price: 95.00 € Status: places available

A4 - Universal Design for Learning (UDL) 3.0: What's New & Why It Matters

Workshop leader

Richard Powers

Online Operations & Learning Designer for Virtual Exchange, University of Stuttgart (Professional School of Education), Germany

A well-known and recognized e-Learning expert, Prof. Emer. Richard Powers is currently a Professor, Trainer and Learning Designer with the University of Stuttgart in Germany, where he teaches blended learning courses to develop competences in digitalization and diversity for pre-service teachers across five universities. He is an EU eTwinning Ambassador for Germany.

He teaches Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Project-Based Learning with eTwinning & Erasmus+ for Interculturality, and Digital Accessibility. Prof. Powers won the 2022 Teaching Award for Excellence at Stuttgart University, receiving Euro 10.000 for his research and future projects.

Remotely, Professor Powers develops, implements and evaluates UDL and synchronous "online-live" training programs for 4,000 faculty at City Colleges of Chicago.

He routinely teaches and trains faculty in Stuttgart and Chicago how to teach online with Moodle, ILIAS and Brightspace in webinars via Webex and Zoom. His DAAD and eTwinning/Erasmus+ virtual exchange & blended mobility classes involve student teachers from Germany, Turkey, the Ukraine, North Macedonia, France, Spain, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria and Nepal.

Links

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Join this dynamic and interactive 3-hour workshop to explore CAST.org's revised Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. The new UDL framework emphasizes cultural and learner variability, replacing traditional "checkpoints" with "prompts" to address biases and distractions, enhancing learner engagement and fostering lifelong learning attitudes. The workshop will delve into the principles of Engagement, Representation, and Action & Expression, promoting empathy, play, and joy in lesson design to create inclusive educational environments. Participants will engage in collaborative activities and personal reflection to understand the history and transformative potential of UDL in today's multicultural, digitalized, and neurodiverse classrooms.

Agenda:

• 15 min: Welcome
• 40 min: Part 1: Introduction to UDL and Principle of Representation 3.0
• 55 min: Part 2: Engaging Students through UDL 3.0
• 30 min: Coffee Break
• 45 min: Part 3: Action & Expression in Practice
• 10 min: Wrap-up amd Ways to Stay Connected

Outcomes:

• Describe the purpose and intent of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
• Explain how UDL shifts traditional pedagogic models from both learner's and instructor's perspectives.
• Demonstrate how UDL 3.0 advances equity, inclusion, sense of belonging, and addresses neurodiversity compared to earlier versions.
• Revise current lessons and curriculum using UDL principles and generative AI.
• Reflect on integrating play and joy into learning experiences to enhance engagement and enjoyment.
• Engage in meaningful exchanges with international colleagues to explore current trends and challenges in educational design.

Audience:

Curriculum or Training Development Managers, Specialists; Higher Education Deans, Instructional/Learning Designers

A5 Afternoon Event

Date: Wednesday, Nov 27
Time: 14:00 – 17:00
Room: Tiergarten I / II / III
Price: free of charge
Status: fully booked

A7 Afternoon Event

Date: Wednesday, Nov 27
Time: 14:30 – 17:30
Room: Bellevue
Price: 95.00 €
Status: places available

A7 Afternoon Event

Date Wednesday, Nov 27 Time 14:30 – 17:30 RoomBellevue Price: 95.00 € Status: places available

A7 - enABLing a Team-Based Approach to Learning Design

Workshop leader

Andy Clegg

Interim Head of Academic Development, University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Andy utilises over 30 years of Higher Education (HE) and industry experience to bring currency, legitimacy, and credibility to the student experience. As a Senior Fellow and National Teaching Fellow, Andy has a demonstrable track record of leading strategic change and delivering real enhancement to learning and teaching through innovative approaches to curriculum design and crafting creative solutions to contemporary agendas and ‘wicked’ problems across the HE sector. Andy delivers high quality pedagogic enhancement in partnership with students, staff and employers through the provision of transformative Continuing Professional Development (CPD) aligned to the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) and the mentoring of staff to support inspirational learning and teaching. Drawing on specialisms in curriculum design, student engagement, education for sustainable development, work-based learning, statistical literacy, technology enhanced learning and the strategic design and delivery of active blended learning.

Andy is an advocate for play and creativity in HE and is a certificated facilitator of the Lego Serious Play® (LSP) Methodology. He uses this approach to craft more playful, tactile, auditory, and visual approaches to learning, drawing on the real-time use of LSP and the power of metaphor and storytelling as a ‘complexity killer’ to engage students in learning and teaching.

Andy has been described as ‘one of the most innovative and enterprising academics working in the field of employer engagement’ and has nationally championed the employability agenda. As an early adopter of employability pedagogies, his record of industry engagement and leadership has served to strengthen sector credibility with employers. Allowing him to unlock and map pedagogic opportunities with industry partners to make student learning ‘real’ through applied and action-based approaches to learning and teaching which, underpinned by an invaluable industry context, stimulates and inspires learning and enhances student employability. As Professional Development Lead at the University of Portsmouth, responsible for the University’s accredited provision, Andy champions the UKPSF and staff engagement with Fellowship. He believes in a relational and curatorial approach to mentoring and works to create inclusive cultures where staff have the opportunity to engage with emergent pedagogies, thus enhancing their confidence, self-efficacy and pedagogic competencies within safe, aspirational spaces for engagement, collaboration, self-discovery and personal reflection.

Andy is currently leading on enABLe, the University of Portsmouth's approach to supporting a team-based approach to learning design. Andy was instrumental in helping to shape and develop the overall enABLe initiative, designing the activities within the enABLe toolkit. As Master enABLEr, Andy works with the facilitation teams across the University and is currently developing a methodology to track the impacty of enABLe.

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Discover the enABLe initiative from the University of Portsmouth, designed to enhance learning design in Higher Education through a team-based approach. Aligned with Active Blended Learning (ABL) principles, enABLe provides a structured framework for teams to collaborate on creating engaging learning activities, courses, and modules. Participants will delve into the enABLe toolkit through hands-on activities, gaining practical experience in collaborative learning design and developing detailed storyboards for new course development. This workshop aims to deepen understanding of ABL principles, underscore the value of team-based learning design approaches, and showcase how initiatives like enABLe can influence institutional policies and practices.

Agenda:

• 15 min: Introduction/Welcome
• 60 min: enABLe #1: Creating Shared a Vision and Values
• 30 min: Coffee Break
• 45 min: enABLe #2: Getting Started with Course Design
• 45 min: enABLE #3: Distinguishing Features
• enABLE #4: Planning Actioning
• Wrap-up

Outcomes:

• Gain insight into the enABLe initiative and its application in team-based learning design.
• Understand the principles and benefits of active blended learning in higher education.
• Acquire hands-on experience in using the enABLe toolkit to facilitate effective learning design.
• Collaborate with peers to develop practical skills in creating student-centered online learning experiences.
• Increase knowledge of how team-based approaches can enhance institutional capability in learning design.
• Reflect on the potential impact of initiatives like enABLe on policy and practice at participants' institutions.

Audience:
Academics, Learning Designers, Professional Development in Higher Education, Workbased Learning, Training providers

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Conference Subthemes and Formats

Subthemes

Eleven inter-related subthemes with questions and topics that will be explored at the conference are set out below. By bringing together participants from the education, workplace learning and government sectors we will be critically examining these issues and the opportunities and challenges that are changing the world of learning.

Formats for Active Participation

The diverse session formats on offer at the OEB Global Conference represent the wide range of interactive opportunities for facilitating knowledge transfer among all participants involved in education, training and learning. These formats are thoughtfully designed to spark inspiration, generate new insights, showcase innovative methods and cutting-edge approaches, foster engagement, and provoke thoughtful discourse. By actively participating, you will immerse yourself in the most pioneering ideas that are shaping the future landscape of learning innovation.

Seize the chance to be at the helm of transformation in learning and leadership. Witness ground-breaking talks, explore innovative solutions, and return as a harbinger of progress in your domain.

Pre-Conference Workshops

Half day and full day workshops before the main conference to develop in-depth, practical skills. Prior registration is required.

Plenary Keynotes

World-class keynote speakers share their take on pertinent issues on the future of learning.

Annual Debate

Parliamentary-style Debate Plenary Session bringing two opposing sides to the stage, allowing for a lively exchange of views on an important motion.

Spotlight Stage

Talks, interviews and debates featuring leading experts, thinkers, innovators and practitioners who create the future of learning.

Presentation Panels

Short presentations curated into a larger session and chaired by a moderator, followed by a lively and informative Q&A.

Learning Cafés

Concurrent group discussions in a large open room with round tables to exchange ideas and actions with peers.

Discussion Panels

Thought-provoking opinions by a panel of experts, followed by a moderated dialogue with an active, participating audience.

How Tos

Hands-on peer-learning exercises to take back and implement proven strategies in your working environment.

Boardroom Dialogues

A facilitator-led networking event around a specific theme or community that encourages attendees to connect around shared interests.

Discovery Demo Space

Discover free tools, next generation materials and pre-release products on an informal basis.

Exhibition Seminars

Free to attend, these sessions showcase insights and solutions of leading industry suppliers.

Interactive & Networking Formats

Networking opportunities abound, allowing peers to connect, collaborate, and share insights in the field of technology-enhanced learning.

Conference Header

The 30th Annual Global, Cross-Sector Conference and Exhibition on Digital Learning

Shaping the Future of Learning

Programme Overview Image MAP

Theme Header

This Year's Theme

Theme 2024

Brace for Transformation:The Courage to Redefine Learning

More on this year's theme

Keynote Header

OEB 2024 Keynote Speakers

Keynote Speakers

Payal Arora

Links

Martin Bean

Kyle Bowen

Jane Bozarth

Links

Derek Bruce

Links

Rafael Fernández Qundez

Timandra Harkness

Gerd Leonhard

Michael Onyango

Maribell Reyes Millan

Renate Samson

Aleks Subic

Oya Torum

Ellen Wagner

Links

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Featured Highlights

Conference Highlights

Inspiring and Visionary Keynotes