ADVANCED DISTRIBUTED LEARNING
FORUM OF EXPERTS
Mr. Badrul Khan
McWeadon Education
Badrul H. Khan, Ph.D. is a world-renowned speaker, author, educator and consultant in the field of e-learning and educational technology. Professor Khan has the credit of first coining the phrase Web based instruction and popularizing the concept through his 1997 best-selling Web-Based Instruction book which paved the way for the new field of e-learning. Known as the founder of modern e-learning, Dr. Khan has been honored with many awards and worldwide acclamation throughout his career. In recognition of his unique contribution to the field of e-learning coupled with his services to worldwide e-learning communities, Egyptian E-Learning University Council on August 13, 2012 appointed Dr. Badrul Khan as an honorary distinguished professor of e-learning. Professor Khan is a United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) 2015 Hall of Fame Inductee. He is recognized as one of the Leaders in Open and Distance Education in North America. He is the host of KDW - Khan's Digital World TV Show on FOX 5 Plus, Washington, DC., and the Founder of GyanBahan, the Knowledge Carrier - a practical application of competency-based lifelong e-learning.
SMART Learning Framework: Realty Check for AI and AGI
AI‑enhanced SMART Learning Framework offers that clarity. It serves as a practical reality check—helping us recognize when we add technology that doesn’t truly support learning, and when we overlook elements that genuinely matter. Its purpose is to guide us toward AI‑supported learning that is human‑centered, responsible, and focused on real learner growth rather than the excitement of new tools.
Dr. Jennifer Solberg
Jennifer Solberg, Ph.D., is the founder and CEO of Quantum Improvements Consulting (QIC). Her company specializes in designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating emerging technology for training and performance. She received her Ph.D. in Cognitive and Experimental Psychology from the University of Georgia in 2004. As a Research Psychologist with the U.S. Army Research Institute, her work focused on mobile, game-based, and simulation-based training. At QIC, she leads a growing team of learning science professionals and engineers.
Designing AI and Automated Technology People Trust
AI-driven features are ubiquitous in learning software. However, these features only work if learners see the value in them. Decades of research shows trust is a critical factor in successful collaborations between people and automation. What does it mean to trust AI and automation, and how is it different from trusting a person? How do you design solutions learners will trust? In this session, you’ll get an introduction to research about trust in AI and automated systems. We’ll define trust in the context of human-technology collaboration and the factors that influence trust, including transparency, reliability, error management, and usability. We will discuss considerations for designing AI elements that support human-technology trust and how to measure it. You’ll leave with an understanding of what research says about what trust is and isn’t, how it applies to your work, and how you can maximize it in the design of AI-based learning experiences.
Panel Members:
Ukraine
Col. Maksym Tyshchenko (Ph.D.) Head of ADL Scientific Center of the National Defence University of Ukraine. His research and educational activities are focused on Advanced Distributed Learning implementation into the process of military training. He is a member of several international working groups dedicated to using information technologies in military education and training. He is Director of the Ukrainian Partnership Centre of the Advanced Distributed Learning Partnership Network under the US government program Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative. He is the author of numerous publications on questions of information technologies and e-Learning.
Dr. Jenna Vekkaila, Finnish Defence Forces
Dr. Jenna Vekkaila is the Head of the Production Sector at the Learning and Image Services Unit of the Finnish Defence Forces Shared Services Centre. With two decades of experience in human sciences and pedagogy across research, development, and education, she leads the Defence Forces’ centralized production of learning materials under the guidance of the Defence Command.
Mr. Ryan Williams, NATO ACT
Ryan Williams supports Learning Technologies at NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, where he focuses on modernizing distributed learning across the Alliance. His work centers on advancing NATO’s Joint Advanced Distributed Learning (JADL) environment and integrating emerging technologies like AI-enabled development and immersive training tools.
Ryan is passionate about practical, scalable solutions that help multinational learners train more effectively. He regularly collaborates with NATO nations, partners, and industry to explore the future of digital learning and training innovation.
Commander Senior Grade. Geir Belgen Isaksen, Norwegian Defence University College
Norway
TBD - Industry
Panel Chair
Mr. Gigi Roman, NATO School, Oberammergau
Romania
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.
From Simulations to AI: Real‑World Defence Education and Training with Emerging EdTech
This year's panel brings together civilian and military experts to discuss how emerging technologies are practically integrated into advanced distributed learning for training and education. The session addresses concrete use cases of AI‑supported course and content production, simulations, XR, and data‑informed learning design across defence, higher education and vocational contexts. Aligned with the conference areas “Learning in practice, practice in learning”, “Learning tools”, “Learning methodology” and “Learning technology”, the panelists will share lessons identified from projects involving AI‑assisted authoring, video and animation, blended and multimodal delivery, and cross‑platform implementation. Participants will gain practical insights on what works, what does not, and how to scale secure, interoperable and pedagogically sound solutions within NORDEFCO nations and partner organizations.
Panel Discussion