Presentations
Seeing is Believing: VR in Workplace Training
When we are armed with the right technology, it can serve as a bridge between us and our environment, making learning and trainings a truly contextualised, collaborative and engaging experience in any setting. Join this session in which VR is shown to be that bridge.
Wojciech Bednaruk
Learning Technology Senior Manager, PwC
Wojciech has gathered almost 20 years of experience in a wide range of learning technology fields. He implemented Learning Management Systems in Canada, Central & Eastern Europe and Africa together with setting up digital learning functions to complement traditional L&D teams. He designed and developed many online learning programmes, always eager to experiment in bridging his technical expertise with organisational design, coaching and change management. His new interests include the ethics of new technologies as the power of technology permeates social and psychological realms.
Tom Wambeke
Chief Learning Innovation, ITCILO
A United Nations Senior Executive with 20 years of work experience in managing capacity development programmes with focus on learning innovation and digital transformation. Worked with cross-functional teams on innovation projects across more than 50 countries. Diplomas from the University of Leuven and University of Antwerp (Belgium) and executive certificates from the University of Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Public speaker on Innovation, Strategic Foresight and digital transformation. Author of different toolkits, publications. Chief Learning Innovation of the Training Centre of the International Labour Organization since 2015. Specialized in providing sustainable learning solutions with the objective to generate impact and organizational change.
As a certified international facilitator (IAF) actively involved in strategy facilitation, participatory knowledge sharing, networked learning and ICT4Development. Passion for complexity adaptive thinking, intentional serendipity, foresight analysis and futures exploration.
The Programme he is leading has a double mandate: to strengthen the Centre’s in-house capacity to apply state-of-the art learning, communication and knowledge sharing methods and technology, and to provide learning, innovation and communication services to outside partners on a global scale. In this context he works closely together with UN agencies, development banks, international organisations, governments and NGO’s.
Thomas Grønlund
Training Project Manager, Global Wind Organisation
Thomas manages training development projects in global wind industry. Thomas had a long career in the Royal Danish Navy, Training and Education branch, before joining Global Wind Organisation in August 2020. His key focus areas are pedagogical and didactic development and design with an uncompromising curiosity in the pursuit of how we can design teaching that meets the taxonomic ambitions of the set learning goals. In 2016 Thomas presented his project "Didactic Ambitions in e-learning" at OEB. The same year his publication "The Military Instructor's Handbook" was published by the Danish Defense College in Danish and English language and is now syllabus on the Danish Defense NCO instructors training. Thomas holds a Master in Adult Learning and HR Development from Aarhus University.
Moderator
Willi Bernhard
Professor, Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences
Willi Bernhard is a Professor at the Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences. As an expert in digital engineering at the Department of Computer Science, he works as an engineer, lecturer, researcher, consultant and book author in the fields of computer simulation, serious games and digital education. He is a member of the board of Swiss Engineering STV Basel and head of the special interest group Digital Collaboration of the Swiss academic e-learning community.
Reaching Ambitious Learning Objectives By Using VR, EdTech and Traditional Training Methods, Thomas Grønlund
Too many learning objectives, that would be met in class by group discussions, collaboration and practical training, risk to be met by unambitious EdTech based learning activities.
Thomas will introduce a taxonomic framework developed for global training of employees in the wind industry, and will present examples of how to use virtual reality training in work safety courses to reach complex learning objectives. All participants are invited to share their own knowledge and experiences with EdTech solutions.
Outcomes:
- Deeper or broadened insight on digital possibilities in teaching and learning designs
- Enhanced focus on the need for alignment between learning objectives, learning activities and evaluations/assessment
- Curiosity or courage to utilize more advanced EdTech
- Joy and satisfaction in sharing and putting own experiences into perspective
Virtual Reality Applications and Immersive Learning within the United Nations, Tom Wambeke
During the pandemic a specific webinar fatigue generated a new need to move beyond traditional Zoom and Gloom webinars. The Virtual Reality immersive learning experiences generated in a few UN agencies restored the capacity to be again in the same (virtual room), with a specific form of embodied learning and a touch of immersiveness which is lacking in a lot of technology enhanced learning solutions. This presentation explores the methodological recipe, which can uplift the VR initiative from gadget status towards a more deep form of learning.
Outcomes:
Participants will be exposed towards practical lessons learned from a series of pilot projects and will have the possibility to see how VR theory connects with VR practice into a large organisation, with the possibility of being inspired to start their own VR initiative.
- Immersive Learning moves beyond learning technology and needs an adapted pedagogical strategy
- Immersive Learning is currently scaling up and will be part of the new normal
-To move from pilot to a scaled strategy you need a multi-dimensional strategy that touches technology, logistics, pedagogical guidance, trained experts and a solid learning vision
VR and Ethical Design for Learning, Wojciech Bednaruk
Virtual Reality brings considerable promise as an ultimate immersive and engaging learning experience. As the VR technology becomes easier to use, the instructional design models become more accepted, VR becomes a viable option for L&D teams. However VR brings interesting ethical areas of inquiry. VR is a fundamentally different learning technology that changes the power dynamics between the subjects and objects of the learning processes. It gives the designers the tool that requires ethical sensitivity more than any other learning tools in the past.
You will gain understanding of how best to:
- Include the ethical considerations in the VR instructional design process
- Include a user-centred approach within the embodied cognition theory of learning
- Focus on learner well-being and emotional safety in the VR based learning environment
Virtual Reality Safety Training: a First-hand Experience Report from the Field about Failures and Successes
From afar, the added value of virtual and extended reality technology for training on safety-related topics seems obvious.
But it is not only because of Corona that the large-scale introduction and self-evident use of XR technology in the safety-relevant area has not yet taken place. Learning from the reasons responsible for this and bringing the (obvious) benefits to bear better and faster is crucial for success in the post-Corona era.
Learning Outcomes:
- Dos and don'ts when starting projects with XR technology
- Designing trainings with XR from a didactic perspective
- Outlook on XR tech trends in the post-Corona era