Future scenarios in workplace learning
Keynote speakers were:
- Norbert Pachler of the Centre for Excellence in Work-Based Learning for Education Professionals at the Institute of Education. See Norbert's presentation (PDF, 1,764kB).
- Martin Douglas of Pavilion TMS. See Martin's presentation (Office document, 3,243kB).
- Paul Crow of Excalibur Communications. See Paul's presentation (Office document, 2,283kB).
Presentations were followed by a Futures Technology Workshop designed to create scenarios in work based learning 2012. The following scenarios were produced.
Scenario 1 - Projecting Handheld Device - This is a projecting Handheld Device that supports in workplaces such as pharmaceutical companies, healthcare settings, chemical industries etc with projection, multi-band communication and multimedia. The device is capable of receiving and sending any kind of information, from the universal WiFi connection expected in 5 years time. The tutor can send images etc to be projected for group discussion in the workplace and the student can sketch out diagrams and capture images to send back their tutor.
Scenario 2 - Connecting Student Doctors - Handhelds are employed as part of a system connecting student doctors with experts and/or tutors. The scenario involves a consulting room in a hospital, with a student doctor and a critically ill patient. The trainee doctor uses a mobile device that will record and display video, the room has a PC next to the bed, and a wall mounted larger information screen for displaying patient information, such as X-rays, calendars & case histories. The student can use the PC to search databases etc for information. Using their handheld (which has facilities for speech to text conversion), they can record case notes that are automatically added to the patient's records. Or if necessary the trainee can use it to contact a more experienced clinician, who may be elsewhere and who can supply advice or information via voice and video. The student uses this technology to record their experiences for later reflection and it can also be shared with peers for joint reflection and stored as a learning object for future use eg by tutor via large screen.
Scenario 3 - My Life Space - Is the collection of life experiences, work experiences and associated prompts to learning and reflection. This envisaged scenario is much bigger than an eportfolio and includes work experience, academia, qualifications, competencies, case studies of things that you've actually done. Mobile devices will handle and transfer items to and from the life store silo. The mobile device will remind you that you're learning all the time, at work, in an educational institution, touring or at home and to prompt you to record that learning. The process will be multi input, through voice and tablet as well as being a file store. The device will help your learning as it responds to the way that you organise your work. With appropriate viewing permissions set, a university or college tutor or employer could come along to your life store and look at what you've done, how you've worked at certain tasks, how you've handled situations etc.
Scenario 4- 'Just in time' training networks - Using mobile devices to connect workers and experts in a multi-location setting such as a group of residential schools for children with a disability, such as Asperger's Syndrome. In this work setting, there is a large team of care workers surrounding the children, who get little training. The nature of the work is that they have to learn as they go along, because each child is really individual. This is a problem for the managing of that care. Mobile devices could be used for tapping into peer expertise, local expertise and remote expertise, through video connections between their phones. Users could consult their phone to see who is available among fellow workers, SMS all those who are available and then initiate a video call to whoever responds. The phones can also capture stories, through video and voice recording, which could be edited into a suitable snippet. This edited story could then be uploaded to a private video sharing community YouTube style site for access by appropriate colleagues.