ADVANCED DISTRIBUTED LEARNING
FORUM OF EXPERTS
Mr. Donald Clark
PlanB Learning, United Kingdom
Donald Clark is a Learning Tech Entrepreneur, CEO, Author, Researcher, Blogger and Speaker. He was CEO and one of the original founders of Epic Group plc, which established itself as the leading company in the UK online learning market, floated on the Stock Market in 1996 and sold in 2005. He has been involved at all levels of investment – angel, VC, growth, PE and IPO. As well as being the CEO of Wildfire an AI learning company, he also invests in, and advises, EdTech companies.
He came 28th on the TYTO Tech ‘influencer’ list and number two on the European’ EdTech influencer’ list in November 2024.
An investor and board member of learning companies such as Cogbooks (sold in 2021 to Cambridge University) and Learning Pool (sold 2021 for $200 million), he was also on the Boards of City & Guilds, Learn Direct, University for Industry and the Brighton Dome and Festival. He has published 5 books, on AI for Learning (1st & 2nd editions), Learning Experience Design, Learning Technology and Learning in the Metaverse. Alongside these he has completed a series of articles on over 250 learning theorists from the Greeks to the Geeks and over 30 podcasts derived from these articles.
Donald has over 40 years’ experience in online learning, video, games, simulations, adaptive, chatbot, social media, mobile learning, virtual reality and AI projects. He has designed, delivered and advised on online learning for many global, public and private organisations.
His interest in AI started at Dartmouth College in the US, continued in Expert Systems in the 1990s and in adaptive learning company CogBooks in 2013, also Learning Pool. He founded the world’s first AI content generation company ‘Wildfire’ in 2014 and has been involved in several many AI for Learning companies and projects.
An evangelist for the use of technology in learning, he has won many awards, including the first ‘Outstanding Achievement in E-learning Award’ and ‘Best AIM Stock Market Company’, ‘Most Innovative Online Product’, ‘Best Online Learning Project and ‘JISC EdTech Award’. Neon Elephant Award from Will Thalheimer in 2023 and in 2024 the Edufuturists Outstanding Achievement Award.
An award-winning speaker at national and international conferences, he has delivered keynotes in the UK, Europe, US, Africa, Australia, Middle and Far East. Last year he spoke in Singapore, Senegal, South Africa, US, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Spain and Portugal.
…… also a regular blogger (15 years+) on learning technology.
Books
AI for Learning (2020) https://amzn.to/3HmAcIN
Learning Experience Design (2021) https://amzn.to/3zDMdYk
Learning Technology https://www.amazon.co.uk/Learning-Technology-Complete-Guide-Professionals/dp/1398608742
Learning and the Metaverse (2022) https://tinyurl.com/2hw6s269
AI for Learning 2nd edition (2024) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Artificial-Intelligence-Learning-Generative-Development/dp/1398615668
Blogs
Series on 200 learning theorists, from the Greeks to the Geeks https://bit.ly/3OdrPBs
Podcasts
Great Minds in Learning 36 podcasts https://greatmindsonlearning.libsyn.com/
The Learning & Development Podcast with David James https://bit.ly/3zzCGSd
Reimagining Education with James Manion bit.ly/32D2LSf
AI, Data, and Optimism with Leading Learning https://bit.ly/3tEyQUa
AI is the New UI with John Helmer apple.co/3qF8oas
Enhancing learning experiences using AI with Learning Science bit.ly/3FJGdNR
The History of Learning and the Learning of History apple.co/3sMjXQ2
Videos
Don't lecture me! bit.ly/3HmLOtT
TEDx Talk More pedagogic change in 10 years than last 1000 years bit.ly/3quRxqU
2500 years of learning in 25 minutes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWF_EJWqyeU&t=710s
On Leadership ISPI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67tLtm6mEes&t=1s
AI changes everything!
AI changes the very nature of work as well as why, what and how we learn. It also changes why, what and how we assess. Recent advances and massive investments in AI mean it cannot be ignored. Donald will outline why AI will become the primary technology in learning and assessment. He will draw upon the many real projects he has delivered using AI over the last ten years in a practical session showing you what can be done while recommending criteria for success, as well as failure. Real projects in real organisations with real learners.
Mr. Geoff Stead
Geoff Stead is learning technologist, and digital product leader who has built innovative teams and learning products used by millions of learners worldwide. He bridges theory, and practice. As Chief Product Officer for Babbel, the language learning app, he led the pivot to a multi-product business launching 4 new products (B2C & B2B), rejuvenated the core app and expanded rapidly in the US. At MyTutor he has used AI and hybrid tutoring to improve personalised impact. He is co-author of "Engines of Engagement – A Curious Book About Generative AI", written together with Sae Schatz and Julian Stodd and winner of the best tutorial award at I/ITSEC 2024.
Generative AI as a tool for Learner Engagement
To achieve the best learning outcomes, learners must be actively ‘engaged’ – not simply present in a classroom or logged into an online course. Learner engagement has always been an important factor in learning, but as we increasingly rely on self-directed and distributed learning modalities, designing for ‘engagement’ becomes ever more important. What can we do – as educators, instructional designers, and learning technologists – to increase stickiness, and engagement with the resources we create? We’re in a moment of technological flux. Generative AI has accelerated the evolution of how we use technology to support – or even supplant – training and learning. It has also created new frictions by challenging long-held beliefs and introducing uncertainty, even chaos, into established protocols and methods. Yet, while Generative AI can distract learners – offering them easy pathways to intellectual disengagement – it also creates new opportunities for maintaining learners’ attention, curiosity and investment in learning. Geoff has spent the last decade building consumer facing learning products, where engagement and app-stickiness are crucial for learning success. This session explores methodologies and lessons learned in crafting learning technologies that draw learners back for more, with a particular focus on how AI can enhance learning impact.
Major General Rami Saari
Finland
Opening Ceremonies
Panel Members:
USA
Dr. Sae Schatz is the Executive Director of the Partnership for Peace Consortium, a multinational program focused on security cooperation through education, research, and collaboration based in Garmisch, Germany. Her expertise lies at the intersection of human cognition, technology, and data, with experience in government, industry, and academia. From 2015 to 2022, she directed the U.S. Department of Defense’s Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative, where she helped shape the “future learning ecosystem” and was recognized for her contributions to enterprise data services. Sae is also a published author and speaker, with works including Engines of Engagement: A Curious Book About Generative AI and keynote presentations at events like the NATO Conference of Commandants. She holds a PhD in Modeling and Simulation with a focus on human systems.
Finland
Hello, I am Lauri Vase. I am a passionate educational technology designer. In my current role in the Finnish Defence Forces, I have helped to transform our National Logistics Schools education to use modern digital pedagogy tools. My main focus has been assisting our educators to build their courses using Moodle. I design and implement digital learning strategies that make the learning experience more accessible, interesting and lively for our students.
By my educational background I am an arts teacher from Aalto University. Already during my studies, I was interested in combining tech with education. I participated in multiple different gamification projects and I was greatly interested especially in Virtual Reality and Extended Reality. I have an inquisitive and playful mind that has always led me to test the newest technologies. Pondering their possibilities. That same interest has led me now to AI.
Canada
Dr. Jeela Jones is the Manager of the Project Management and Innovation Office (PMIO) with the Canadian Advanced Distributed Learning Centre (C-ADL). She is a leader in Technology Enabled Learning (TEL) with over twenty years of experience in the education sector. Her professional experience includes project management, quality assurance, instructional design and eLearning, course and program evaluation, as well as training delivery and staff development. She holds a PhD in education (specializing in teaching, learning, and evaluation) and a master’s degree in education (specializing in adult education and human resources). Dr. Jones serves as the Canadian representative for the NATO Learning Technology Interoperability Group (NLTIG) and The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP) Human Resources & Performance Group (HUM 23).
Romania
Mr. Gigi Roman, an Advanced Distributed Learning Program Manager, spearheads the online courses and content management at NATO School. His responsibilities encompass the design of new products and the cultivation of strategic relationships for the organization's learning management system, authoring tools, and collaboration solutions.
In addition to his role as an ADL Program Manager, Mr. Roman serves as the Course Director for the NSO eLearning Instructional Design Course (S7-126) and holds a NATO Instructor Certification. His active participation in the Advanced Distributed Learning Working Group and the Educators Working Group of the PfP Consortium of Defense Academies and Security Studies Institutes further underscores his commitment to the field.
Before his current role at NATO School, Mr. Roman played a pivotal role in the development of web-based content and the adaptation of instructional materials for online delivery within the NATO and PfP Community. His prior experience also includes working with various groups at the Military Academy, International Security Network, George C. Marshall Center, and PfP Consortium, where he honed his skills in online content management, project management, and classroom training. He is the author of several articles on online learning and online content management and published in Germany, US, Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Switzerland and, he is invited to international events to speak about eLearning and technology use in education and training. Currently he is actively engaged in contributing to a range of projects centered on cutting-edge technologies, such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and Artificial Intelligence.
Panel Chair
United Kingdom
I have been working in Defence for eight years, supporting Training and Education at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom.
In that time, I have managed and maintained our Defence Learning Management System, driven standardisation in Training Design and established an innovative methodology for the delivery of online learning content. Now, as Head of J7, I am responsible for Futures, Education Operations and Research, providing training and governance as well as strategic direction through an 80-strong team.
Utilising AI to support effective training design
This panel will provide an interactive session for the use of AI. Panel will take questions live from the audience, will have generated questions through AI based on audience generated activity as well as a digital submission option through Slido.
Panel Discussion