ADVANCED DISTRIBUTED LEARNING
FORUM OF EXPERTS
Ulla-Maaria Koivula Engeström Hull
Ulla-Maaria Koivula Engeström Hull is the founder and CEO of ThingLink, a Finland-based technology company providing scalable immersive learning solutions for colleges, public authorities, and enterprise organizations across Europe, North America, and Asia. With PhD studies in organizational learning and information systems, her experience and current work focuses on user-generated immersive environments, simulations, and AI-guided learning for rapid skills development and assessment.
Modernizing Military Training with User-Generated Immersive Simulations: A Scalable Method for Rapid Operational Competence Development
Modern defense organizations face an increasing need to develop, evaluate, and adapt operational competencies rapidly, often across distributed units, regions, and operational contexts. Traditional training models, which rely heavily on centralized exercises, classroom instruction, or infrequent large-scale simulations, struggle to meet the speed, scale, and adaptability required by today’s security environment. This presentation introduces a flexible simulation approach for fast and scalable operational competence development, based on user-generated, AI-guided immersive learning environments built directly from real-world operational contexts. The method enables personnel to practice decision-making, procedures, and situational awareness within digitally captured physical environments, supported by adaptive guidance and structured reflection. Drawing on initial studies and early deployments in vocational, professional, and high-risk operational training with critical infrastructure and defense industry contexts, the presentation highlights practical examples on how guided hands-on simulations: - Accelerate the acquisition of operational skills - Support repeated, low-risk practice in real or realistic environments - Enable faster identification of competence gaps - Provide actionable data for formative assessment and targeted development Beyond individual learning outcomes, the keynote argues that practice-mode simulations offer a new model for competence evaluation and development at scale. When deployed regionally or across distributed units, these environments enable defense organizations to assess readiness, identify capability gaps, and rapidly align training with evolving operational requirements. The presentation concludes by positioning fast, scalable competence development as a strategic advantage in modern military training, particularly in contexts where adaptability, decentralization, and readiness must be achieved under constrained time and resources.
Mr. Chris Tompkins
Chris Tompkins is the VP of Business Development for Rustici Software, a company that provides software to improve compatibility across the L&D ecosystem. He is an expert in the standards (like SCORM and xAPI) and uses his technical expertise to support eLearning RFP and procurement. Chris has an MBA from Belmont University, focused on Entrepreneurship and Negotiations. Building on previous work at HP/Compaq and XM Satellite Radio, he has over fifteen years of experience matching the right technical solution to a client’s needs.
Where Standards and AI Frame Your Learning Ecosystem: An Overview of the State of the Industry
eLearning standards, especially SCORM 1.2, have played a key role in learning and training for decades. With the prevalence of AI, a new question has arisen: How and where does AI fit with the standards, including SCORM, xAPI, and cmi5? In this session, Chris Tompkins will review the history, evolution, and current relevancy of eLearning standards as it relates to government and military training. Chris will then discuss how AI and standards can – and can’t – work together as well as where AI can enhance your training ecosystem. Finally, he’ll share where standards and AI might be headed.
Learning technology
Åsa Vikner and Annica Strand
Åsa Vikner – Project Lead, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden Åsa leads projects at RISE focused on learning technology, digital capability development and innovation-driven transformation. She brings experience from both applied research and previous roles in communications and large organizational environments.
How can learning technology enable agile and scalable capability development?
In a rapidly evolving security environment, learning and capability development must keep pace with operational demands. This session explores how learning technology and innovation methodologies can enable agile, scalable and continuously developing learning ecosystems. The speakers will share high-level experiences from working with Ukrainian and Swedish authorities on technical capability development and innovation in response to a changing operational reality. The session will reflect on common challenges, emerging patterns and key lessons learned when bridging technology, learning and organizational transformation under pressure. Participants will gain insight into how learning technology can move beyond traditional training delivery to become a strategic enabler for resilience, adaptability and long-term capability development in complex defence and security contexts.
Learning technology
Col Maksym Tyshchenko and Lt Col Olena Rybchuk
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.
The dialogical approach in the development of critical thinking
Critical thinking is one of the key competencies of a modern officer, especially in conditions of information overload and the need for quick and effective decision-making. Traditional teaching methods based on the transfer of ready-made knowledge often prove insufficient for developing the ability to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information. The dialogical approach offers an alternative model of learning based on active interaction between participants in the educational process and the creation of space for critical reflection. The study, conducted at the National Defense University of Ukraine, aimed to examine the impact of critical thinking and communicative tolerance on the effectiveness of military management. The results demonstrated positive correlations between these competencies, confirming the need to integrate training programs that focus not only on developing logical thinking skills but also on building the ability to engage in constructive dialogue in stressful and conflict situations. An important aspect of the dialogical approach is the development of metacognitive skills-awareness of one's own thought processes during operational planning, identification of cognitive biases (such as confirmation bias or groupthink), and stereotypes. A system of questions and tasks has been developed to help officers identify heuristics and errors in thinking in their own judgments and those of their colleagues, which is especially critical in fast-paced combat situations.
Learning Methodology
Dr. Kalle Saastamoinen
Dr. Kalle Saastamoinen is a senior researcher in defense technology with a PhD in applied mathematics and over 25 years of experience in military and academic research. He specializes in simulation, AI, and operational analysis. Since March 2025, he has worked at the Simulator Centre of Excellence, Finnish Army Academy, leading AI and modeling applications in military training. Dr. Saastamoinen is an active contributor to NATO's scientific efforts, participating in research groups like SAS-181 and MSG-232. He presented on "LLM Assisted Scenario Generator" at NATO's M&S meeting in Warsaw in October 2025.
Artificial Intelligence as Part of Army Simulators
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into land forces simulation platforms offers significant potential to improve training realism, decision-making support, and operational adaptability in multi-domain environments. This presentation discusses ongoing research within the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) on how AI—particularly large language models (LLMs), generative agents, and real-time analytics—can be applied to simulators such as VBS. Current studies explore how AI could assist scenario generation through structured natural language input, provide doctrinally aligned options for Courses of Action (COAs), and support the automation of After Action Review (AAR) feedback through language-based summarization. Other lines of research include adversary behaviour modeling using generative approaches and reinforcement learning to enhance the realism and responsiveness of simulation entities. These activities are aligned with NATO’s MSG-232 and MSG-229 initiatives and support the long-term goal of integrating AI capabilities with Modelling and Simulation as a Service (MSaaS) architectures. Special attention is given to the practical challenges of deploying AI tools on edge devices and enabling simulation-based training in decentralized or degraded environments. The presentation highlights conceptual use cases, early architecture prototypes, and opportunities for joint development across the Nordic countries. This work supports Nordefco’s objectives of fostering interoperability and strengthening the regional defence education ecosystem through shared innovation in simulation and training technologies.
Practical use of (emerging) learning technologies
Captain-OF 2 Martin Blom Pedersen
Military officer leading a team of specialists working with innovative and practice-oriented digital learning solutions for military education. Focused on integrating digital solutions into training that supports leadership development and operational needs.
Making Blended Learning Work in Practice-Oriented Military training.
This presentation shares experiences from leading a specialist team developing blended learning for practice-oriented military training. The focus is on making digital learning work alongside classroom instruction and hands-on training, while maintaining operational relevance. The presentation highlights practical design choices, challenges, and lessons learned when integrating digital tools into military training. The aim is to provide concrete and transferable insights for instructors and leaders working with blended learning in a Nordic defence context.
Designing and developing learning assets
Digital Advisor Kjetil Hansen
Kjetil Hansen is a digital advisor and transformation leader with exerience spanning both the public and private sectors. His main background is from consulting and project management, where he led large-scale digital initiatives involving digital workplace platforms, CRM implementation, DevOps delivry, and AI-enabled tools. He currently works within the Norwegian military organization; The Norwegian Defence University College - supporting digitaization efforts in complex, security-critical enviornments. His background combines hands-on delivery experience with leadership roles in change management, agile execution and technology adoption. His digital perspective is shaped by years of working in diverse company sectors such as consulting, oil and gas, fintech and technology.
From Digital Ambition to Real Impact: Why Leadership - Not Technology - Decides Success
Military organizations invest heavily in advanced digital technologies to improve readiness, situational awareness, and decision superiority. Yet many digital initiatives still fail to deliver their intended operational impact. Systems are deployed and platforms are implemented, but behaviors and decision‑making often remain unchanged. This presentation argues that the primary barrier to digital success in military organizations is not technology, but leadership. Drawing on experience from both military and civilian digital transformation efforts, the talk explores why digital capability does not automatically emerge from system deployment, and why leadership practices designed for stability often struggle in digital operating environments. It highlights the gap between technological potential and organizational behavior, and explains how leadership culture, incentives, and decision structures shape whether digital initiatives translate into real operational effect. This session is aimed at military leaders and decision‑makers who want to move beyond digital ambition and ensure that technology investments translate into real, usable capability at all levels of the organization.
Practical use of (emerging) learning technologies
Sales Manager, M.Ed., Maarit Röynä
Maarit Röynä (M.Ed.) works at Mediamaisteri, a digital learning solutions provider with extensive experience collaborating with security and safety organizations. Working closely with clients, she helps organizations design and improve digitally enabled training and competence development for complex, high-reliability, and regulated operational environments.
Practical AI for Training & Capability Development: From Content Automation to Adaptive Learning
Generative AI is rapidly becoming a practical and reliable tool for training and capability development in defence, security and public-sector organizations. Rather than replacing subject-matter expertise, AI enables organizations to scale high-quality training, accelerate content production and personalize learning, while maintaining control, security and ethical standards. This 30-minute auditorium session presents concrete, real-world examples of how generative AI is already being used to support training design, content creation, scenario-based exercises and learning analytics. The focus is on what is feasible today, not future speculation. Participants will gain a clear understanding of how AI fits into modern, technology-based training ecosystems and how it can be deployed safely and responsibly in mission-relevant and safety-critical environments. No technical background is required.
Learning technology
Major Artur Derkach
Before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I worked at the Odesa Court of Appeal, first as a judicial assistant for four years. I then served as Head of the IT Department at the same court for three years, leading the development and maintenance of core information systems and IT services. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, I was mobilized into the AFU. Since 2024, I have been Head of the IT Department at the Military Academy (Odesa), where I have been responsible for information systems, infrastructure modernization, and coordination of digital transformation initiatives. Since spring 2025, I have also been working as a Research Fellow at an R&D department dedicated to studying and implementing lessons learned since the start of the full-scale invasion. In this role, my work is specifically focused on collecting, analyzing, and translating operational experience into practical improvements—primarily in the area of information systems and their supporting processes, as well as related tasks directly driven by wartime requirements.
A Reality of Cadet Training in Wartime: Rapid Validation of Distance Education Tools and Experience-Driven Implementation
The full-scale war forced a rapid dispersion of training capacities and cadets, putting continuity and quality of military education under significant pressure. This situation created an urgent need to adopt and combine distance-learning techniques at scale, often without a sufficient material and technical base. As a result, our institution had to identify alternative approaches and quickly validate new practices that could sustain instruction, assessment, and feedback in a distributed environment. At the same time, a constant flow of operational experience has been collected, processed, and translated into substantially different training requirements for cadets, affecting both curriculum content and instructional methods. This presentation outlines an experience-driven cycle of “need → tool → rapid validation → implementation,” and shows how information systems can support this cycle by enabling coordination, learning content delivery, progress tracking, feedback collection, and controlled rollout of updated training practices. The talk concludes with practical observations on what helped accelerate implementation, what typical constraints emerged, and which system-level principles increase resilience of military education under wartime conditions.
Practical use of (emerging) learning technologies
Mr. Cem Kumsal
Cem Kumsal serves as the Learning Technology Staff Officer at NATO Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (HQ SACT), where he leads enterprise-level initiatives in digital learning, interoperability, and training technology innovation. He chairs the NATO Training Technology Conference (NTTC) series and coordinates NATO’s participation in major interoperability events, including CWIX. His work spans the transition from legacy learning platforms to a unified Moodle-based solution for the entire Alliance, the development of learning data standards, and the integration of modern technologies such as LTI, xAPI, XR, and AI-enabled learning tools. He regularly collaborates with NATO nations, partners, industry, and academia to advance the Alliance’s education and training ecosystem.
From Legacy Systems to a Unified NATO Digital Learning Environment: Enterprise Transformation, Interoperability, and the Road Ahead.
NATO is entering a decisive phase in its digital education and training transformation. As the Alliance moves from fragmented legacy platforms to a unified enterprise learning environment, the focus is shifting from “systems” to an interoperable learning ecosystem capable of supporting multinational readiness, rapid adaptation, and cognitive advantage. This session shares how NATO HQ SACT is shaping this transformation through the deployment of a standardised Moodle-based environment, the retirement of legacy systems, and the adoption of modern interoperability frameworks such as LTI, xAPI, and data-centric models. It highlights lessons learned from transitioning from ILIAS to Moodle Workplace, building multi-tenant structures for NATO, partners, and eITEP, and preparing the foundation for scalable, secure, multinational learning delivery. The presentation explores governance, technical integration, cybersecurity considerations, and the role of nations in ensuring future interoperability. Participants will gain practical insights into what this shift enables in terms of modern learning, analytics, exercises and wargaming across the NATO enterprise.
Learning technology
Victoria Grønning Iverssøn and Stefan Astrup Madsen
Stefan is a warrant officer-II in the Danish Army and a learning consultant at the RDDC. He uses the experience from teaching in the front line to make his impact relevant and give it a practical approach. Adding experience from a career in physiotherapy and osteopathy, he adds knowledge of neurology from the cognitive, emotional and motor skill domains to learning activities, in order to make the activities as task specific and impactful as possible.
What your brain wish you knew about learning - A neurophysiological guide to facilitate learning that actually sticks
“This talk reveals the neurophysiological truths your brain wishes you understood. Through a blend of brainwave dynamics, memory formation, stress physiology, hormonal signaling, and embodied cognition, we uncover how learning is shaped moment for moment inside the nervous system. You’ll discover why some “brain states” facilitates insight while others shut learning down, why rest and pauses are not luxuries but biological necessities, and how subtle shifts in attention, breathing, and environment can transform the depth and durability of what we learn. This is learning science made practical, human, and immediately usable as an invitation to design learning experiences that work with the brain, not against it.”