Program

Explore the accepted sessions for The Learning Ideas Conference 2026 below!

Our program will also include a featured panel discussion and keynote talks from:

  • Dr. Maciej Pankiewicz, Senior Research Investigator and Associate Director at the Penn Center for Learning Analytics, University of Pennsylvania

  • Megan Torrance, CEO of TorranceLearning

  • Dr. Candace Thille, Associate Professor and Faculty Director for Adult and Workforce Learning at the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, Stanford University

  • Dr. Margaret Korosec, Director of Digital Education and Learning Innovation, University of Leeds

The complete conference program, including session times, will be published in April.

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Re-Introducing Social-Emotional Learning: From Buzzword to Practice

Dennis Ibude, Ph.D., Teach Emotions Inc., Brooklyn, New York, USA

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is often spoken about as a trending buzzword in education, but its true power lies in its practical application. This presentation, led by Dr. Dennis Ibude, Ed.D. in Social-Emotional Learning, reframes SEL as an essential framework for teaching, learning, and student success.

Participants will explore what SEL really is—beyond theory or jargon—by grounding it in real classroom, school, and community practices.

Educators will leave with not just an understanding of SEL, but with tools to make it visible, relevant, and actionable for students, staff, and families. This is more than a conversation about SEL—it is a roadmap for creating schools where emotional intelligence and academic excellence work hand-in-hand.

Keywords: Doctorate Led Social-Emotional Learning

Re-Introducing Social-Emotional Learning: From Buzzword to Practice

Dennis Ibude, Ph.D.

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is often spoken about as a trending buzzword in education, but its true power lies in its practical application. This presentation, led by Dr. Dennis Ibude, Ed.D. in Social-Emotional Learning, reframes SEL as an essential framework for teaching, learning, and student success.

Participants will explore what SEL really is—beyond theory or jargon—by grounding it in real classroom, school, and community practices.

Educators will leave with not just an understanding of SEL, but with tools to make it visible, relevant, and actionable for students, staff, and families. This is more than a conversation about SEL—it is a roadmap for creating schools where emotional intelligence and academic excellence work hand-in-hand.

 

What Works in Adult Education? Considerations for Online Public Safety Training in the Digital Age

Chantelle Ivanski, Ph.D., and Drew Pitchforth, Canadian Police Knowledge Network, Prince Edward Island, Canada

The Canadian Police Knowledge Network (CPKN) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to leveraging technologies to provide high-quality learning solutions for police and public safety personnel across Canada. This presentation will explore evidence-based best practices in adult education, with a particular focus on adapting online learning for police and public safety professionals in the digital age.

As the demands on police and public safety personnel evolve, so too must the approaches to their training, ensuring both rigour in content and relevance to real-world scenarios. Drawing on findings from our recent literature review of current research in adult education, we will examine strategies for creating engaging online learning environments that foster active participation and knowledge retention…

Keywords: Public Safety Training, Adult Education

What Works in Adult Education? Considerations for Online Public Safety Training in the Digital Age

Chantelle Ivanski, Ph.D., and Drew Pitchforth

The Canadian Police Knowledge Network (CPKN) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to leveraging technologies to provide high-quality learning solutions for police and public safety personnel across Canada. This presentation will explore evidence-based best practices in adult education, with a particular focus on adapting online learning for police and public safety professionals in the digital age.

As the demands on police and public safety personnel evolve, so too must the approaches to their training, ensuring both rigour in content and relevance to real-world scenarios. Drawing on findings from our recent literature review of current research in adult education, we will examine strategies for creating engaging online learning environments that foster active participation and knowledge retention.

We will then present a case study of our Canadian Credible Leadership Cohort, highlighting our evidence-based methods for facilitating a collaborative and contextualized learning environment that responds to the unique challenges police and public safety professionals face today. We will also explore the creation of our Canadian Credible Leadership portal as means of leveraging technology to enhance the online learning experience.

Attendees will leave with actionable insights and tools to enhance the effectiveness of their online training programs while meeting the evolving needs of the sector.

 

Managing Difference, Reducing Polarization: Conflict-Resilient Learning for Today’s Organizations

Melody Jackson, Ph.D., and April Johnson, J&J Neutrals, Difference Management Institute, Daytona Beach, Florida, USA

Organizations are caught between two urgent realities: persistent workplace conflict and growing resistance to traditional diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. As DEI programming becomes politically polarized, leaders face the challenge of fostering collaboration without alienating segments of their workforce. This session introduces a pragmatic, skills-based alternative: a difference-first approach to conflict management training. Drawing on the Difference Management Institute’s “Ten Considerations of Difference” and four conflict resolution preferences (avoidance, confrontation, mediation, litigation), participants will explore how everyday differences—not just identity categories—shape workplace tensions. By shifting the focus from identity-based awareness to behavioral and relational skill development, organizations can reduce polarization while equipping employees with practical tools to navigate conflict constructively. The session combines conceptual framing with scenario-based learning applications. Attendees will engage in interactive case exercises that illustrate how differences in communication styles, decision-making, and risk tolerance play out in team conflicts…

Keywords: Difference Management, Learning Cultures, Organizational Learning, Workplace Polarization

Managing Difference, Reducing Polarization: Conflict-Resilient Learning for Today’s Organizations

Melody Jackson, Ph.D., and April Johnson

Organizations are caught between two urgent realities: persistent workplace conflict and growing resistance to traditional diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. As DEI programming becomes politically polarized, leaders face the challenge of fostering collaboration without alienating segments of their workforce. This session introduces a pragmatic, skills-based alternative: a difference-first approach to conflict management training. Drawing on the Difference Management Institute’s “Ten Considerations of Difference” and four conflict resolution preferences (avoidance, confrontation, mediation, litigation), participants will explore how everyday differences—not just identity categories—shape workplace tensions. By shifting the focus from identity-based awareness to behavioral and relational skill development, organizations can reduce polarization while equipping employees with practical tools to navigate conflict constructively. The session combines conceptual framing with scenario-based learning applications. Attendees will engage in interactive case exercises that illustrate how differences in communication styles, decision-making, and risk tolerance play out in team conflicts. Strategies for integrating difference-first conflict training into leadership development, onboarding, and digital learning platforms will also be shared. This approach moves beyond compliance and culture wars to create learning environments that are resilient, inclusive, and adaptable. Participants will leave with actionable strategies to design and implement conflict management training that supports collaboration, strengthens organizational culture, and reframes learning as a practical solution to division rather than a source of it.

 

Using F.E.A.R. to Engineer Competent and Confident Learning Spaces

Breanna Jackson, The Refining Company, LLC, Gresham, Oregon, US

There are some people who operate as if nothing scares them at all. They raise their hand without hesitation, ask questions without second-guessing themselves, and articulate their value without apology—projecting an air of effortless self-assuredness.

But what if everything is not as it seems? What if that ease is not innate, but intentional—built through calculated sequences and a script rehearsed to near-perfect performance?

True confidence is not a single act, but a lifestyle. When cultivated through learning, it becomes office confidence. And office confidence doesn’t flourish in isolation—it thrives in environments where people feel safe enough to speak, contribute, and be seen…

Keywords: Engagement, Confidence, Facilitation, Culture, Inclusion

Using F.E.A.R. to Engineer Competent and Confident Learning Spaces

Breanna Jackson

There are some people who operate as if nothing scares them at all. They raise their hand without hesitation, ask questions without second-guessing themselves, and articulate their value without apology—projecting an air of effortless self-assuredness.

But what if everything is not as it seems? What if that ease is not innate, but intentional—built through calculated sequences and a script rehearsed to near-perfect performance?

True confidence is not a single act, but a lifestyle. When cultivated through learning, it becomes office confidence. And office confidence doesn’t flourish in isolation—it thrives in environments where people feel safe enough to speak, contribute, and be seen.

As learning practitioners, we have the opportunity—and responsibility—to create those conditions. In this session, we’ll explore four practical steps for designing learning spaces where participation feels worthwhile and fear feels manageable. Together, we’ll examine how intentional learning environments can move spaces—and the workplaces they influence—from cautious to courageous, inviting people to share, question, and contribute with confidence.

 

Exploring Teacher Perceptions of Boredom and Engagement among Secondary Latino ESL Students: A Qualitative Inquiry

Tamara Jacobson, Ph.D., Middlesex College, Warren, New Jersey, USA

Exploring Latino secondary ESL students’ engagement with classroom materials is essential to improving educational outcomes. Many teachers face challenges in supporting student engagement with peers, materials, and instructional resources. Teacher development not only enhances instructional practice but also supports students in building positive identities, forming peer relationships, acquiring workplace skills, and developing integration strategies. The problem addressed in this study is that secondary ESL teachers, serving the largest segment of ESL students, reported frustration with outdated and unengaging curricula due to budget constraints. These limitations leave students feeling marginalized and discriminated against.

The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine secondary ESL teachers’ perceptions of Latino students’ engagement. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory provided the framework for considering cultural sensitivity, while his zone of proximal development highlighted the importance of social interaction in learning…

Keywords: Education, Teacher Perceptions, Student Engagement, Creative Curriculum, Student Boredom

Exploring Teacher Perceptions of Boredom and Engagement among Secondary Latino ESL Students: A Qualitative Inquiry

Tamara Jacobson, Ph.D.

Exploring Latino secondary ESL students’ engagement with classroom materials is essential to improving educational outcomes. Many teachers face challenges in supporting student engagement with peers, materials, and instructional resources. Teacher development not only enhances instructional practice but also supports students in building positive identities, forming peer relationships, acquiring workplace skills, and developing integration strategies. The problem addressed in this study is that secondary ESL teachers, serving the largest segment of ESL students, reported frustration with outdated and unengaging curricula due to budget constraints. These limitations leave students feeling marginalized and discriminated against.

The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine secondary ESL teachers’ perceptions of Latino students’ engagement. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory provided the framework for considering cultural sensitivity, while his zone of proximal development highlighted the importance of social interaction in learning. Three research questions guided the study: (a) What concerns do secondary ESL teachers have about curricula and materials related to engagement? (b) What concerns do teachers identify regarding student motivation, depression, discrimination, and boredom? (c) What modalities, approaches, and materials do teachers believe would be more engaging and culturally responsive?

Data collection included semi-structured interviews with fifteen participants and free-form responses from 138 participants via a Qualtrics questionnaire. Content analysis revealed three themes: (1) antiquated classroom materials hinder engagement, (2) differentiated instruction is essential, and (3) culturally responsive curriculum is effective. Findings provide implications for leadership and teacher development, emphasizing the need for innovative, culturally creative instructional programs and motivating lessons that foster achievement and global readiness.

Reimagining Degree Completion Through AI-Enabled Prior Learning Assessment: A Case Study from Manhattan School of Music

Fiona Jaramillo, Ed.D., and Lisa Springer, Ed.D., EIE Partners, Trumbull, Connecticut, USA

As higher education reevaluates traditional pathways to degree attainment, innovative models that recognize professional experience as meaningful learning are gaining momentum. This session presents a case study of a groundbreaking Bachelor’s degree completion program developed for the Manhattan School of Music, in which students may earn up to 90 credits through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) and complete their degree in just one year. Central to the success of this model is an AI-enabled application and review tool designed to streamline portfolio creation, improve reviewer consistency, and reduce the administrative burden typically associated with PLA processes.

We will share insights from the program’s design, demonstrate how AI augmented both the student and evaluator experience, and discuss early indicators of impact on access, equity, and scalability. Participants will gain a practical understanding of how AI can support…

Keywords: Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), AI-Enabled Evaluation, Degree Completion Pathways, Experiential Learning, Higher Education Innovation

Reimagining Degree Completion Through AI-Enabled Prior Learning Assessment: A Case Study from Manhattan School of Music

Fiona Jaramillo, Ed.D., and Lisa Springer, Ed.D.

As higher education reevaluates traditional pathways to degree attainment, innovative models that recognize professional experience as meaningful learning are gaining momentum. This session presents a case study of a groundbreaking Bachelor’s degree completion program developed for the Manhattan School of Music, in which students may earn up to 90 credits through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) and complete their degree in just one year. Central to the success of this model is an AI-enabled application and review tool designed to streamline portfolio creation, improve reviewer consistency, and reduce the administrative burden typically associated with PLA processes.

We will share insights from the program’s design, demonstrate how AI augmented both the student and evaluator experience, and discuss early indicators of impact on access, equity, and scalability. Participants will gain a practical understanding of how AI can support large-scale, high-quality assessment of experiential learning and how this model can be adapted by institutions seeking flexible, workforce-aligned degree pathways. This project offers a replicable framework for expanding educational opportunities for adult learners and working professionals whose prior experience merits formal academic recognition.

Digital Resilience in Teacher Education: The Role of School Leadership in Strengthening Work-Integrated Learning Across Contexts

Thuthukile Jita, Ph.D., and Loyiso Jita, Ph.D., University of the Free State, Free State, South Africa and LS Spencer, Ed.D., Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, Texas, USA

The pressure of digital transformation has become one of the most significant contemporary challenges that educational institutions around the world face, especially in contexts characterized by deepening inequalities and multiplying crises. This article investigates how institutional digital resilience is framed by leadership practices, professional learning cultures, and policy environments in schools. Framed by an interpretivist paradigm, this research adopts a comparative qualitative case study design, analyzing institutional documents and annual reports from two divergent educational contexts. Institutional documents were analyzed to identify patterns in how institutions conceptualize, plan for, and realize digital strategies.

The findings have a number of cross-cutting insights: Firstly, distributed leadership is an enabling condition that permits shared ownership of digital transformation responsibilities at multiple levels of the organization. Secondly, communities of practice act as necessary social structures which maintain peer learning and build collective competence in digital matters…

Keywords: Digital Resilience, Work-Integrated Learning, School Leadership, Teacher Education, Comparative Education

Digital Resilience in Teacher Education: The Role of School Leadership in Strengthening Work-Integrated Learning Across Contexts

Thuthukile Jita, Ph.D., LS Spencer, Ed.D., and Loyiso Jita, Ph.D.

The pressure of digital transformation has become one of the most significant contemporary challenges that educational institutions around the world face, especially in contexts characterized by deepening inequalities and multiplying crises. This article investigates how institutional digital resilience is framed by leadership practices, professional learning cultures, and policy environments in schools. Framed by an interpretivist paradigm, this research adopts a comparative qualitative case study design, analyzing institutional documents and annual reports from two divergent educational contexts. Institutional documents were analyzed to identify patterns in how institutions conceptualize, plan for, and realize digital strategies.

The findings have a number of cross-cutting insights: Firstly, distributed leadership is an enabling condition that permits shared ownership of digital transformation responsibilities at multiple levels of the organization. Secondly, communities of practice act as necessary social structures which maintain peer learning and build collective competence in digital matters. Thirdly, a strong leadership vision is also a driving force in bringing policy intent into effective practice at the grassroots, often enabling institutional strategies and everyday teaching to converge. Fourthly, the study seeks to illustrate the role of crises as accelerators for digital innovation but also as bringers of digital inequities that are far-reaching and thereby work against long-term resilience. Lastly, policy coherence across institutional, national, and departmental levels shores up preparedness by guiding consistent and sustainable digital practices.

This study adds to the increasing scholarship on digital resilience by elaborating on how leadership, collaboration, and structural support interact. It also makes the case that resilient digital ecosystems are developed not just by technological investments, but also by strong, enabling leadership cultures, supportive professional learning communities, and policies that advance equity and long-term sustainability. Implications for practice and research include stronger leadership development, targeted capacity-building initiatives, and comparative work across diverse educational systems.

Designing Human–AI Workflows for Learning: A Practical, Tool-Agnostic Framework

Michelle Jung, Mesa Community College, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

As AI becomes embedded in learning design across education, training, and workplace development, practitioners face a common barrier: not a lack of tools, but a lack of structure. Many educators and learning professionals use AI reactively, resulting in inconsistent outputs, unclear processes, and unpredictable quality. This session offers a simple, tool-agnostic framework for structuring human–AI workflows that can be applied in any learning context, regardless of platform or model.

Participants will examine how learning tasks can be decomposed into components, assignable either to humans or to AI models, and how guardrails, constraints, and quality checks can improve reliability and reduce revision workload. Through short demonstrations and guided examples, attendees will see how small changes in workflow design can significantly improve clarity, consistency, and scalability across instructional materials, training modules, assessments, and content development…

Keywords: AI Workflows, Instructional Design, Learning Development, Human-AI Collaboration, Scalable Frameworks

Designing Human–AI Workflows for Learning: A Practical, Tool-Agnostic Framework

Michelle Jung

As AI becomes embedded in learning design across education, training, and workplace development, practitioners face a common barrier: not a lack of tools, but a lack of structure. Many educators and learning professionals use AI reactively, resulting in inconsistent outputs, unclear processes, and unpredictable quality. This session offers a simple, tool-agnostic framework for structuring human–AI workflows that can be applied in any learning context, regardless of platform or model.

Participants will examine how learning tasks can be decomposed into components, assignable either to humans or to AI models, and how guardrails, constraints, and quality checks can improve reliability and reduce revision workload. Through short demonstrations and guided examples, attendees will see how small changes in workflow design can significantly improve clarity, consistency, and scalability across instructional materials, training modules, assessments, and content development.

This session is not a technical training and does not assume AI expertise. Instead, it introduces an adaptable mental model that participants can use with any AI system, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, NotebookLM, and enterprise-level copilots. Attendees will leave with a one-page workflow template and a clearer understanding of how human judgment and AI support can be integrated to enhance learning design processes.

Hands-On Lab: Build Your Own Human–AI Learning Workflow

Michelle Jung, Mesa Community College, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

This hands-on workshop provides a structured space for participants to design a practical, reusable human–AI workflow tailored to their own learning context. Building on the introductory framework (attendance at Session 1 not required), this session guides participants through a step-by-step process to create a workflow they can immediately implement in their teaching, training, or development work.

Participants will identify a recurring learning design task from their own environment—such as creating course materials, developing training modules, rewriting instructions, designing assessments, producing scenario-based practice, or generating support materials for learners. Using a scaffolded template, they will break that task into components, determine the ideal distribution of human and AI responsibilities, define constraints and guardrails, and craft a reusable workflow or prompt-set that can be applied repeatedly and adapted over time…

Keywords: Workflow Design, AI Collaboration, Instructional Systems, Professional Development, Applied Practice

Hands-On Lab: Build Your Own Human–AI Learning Workflow

Michelle Jung

This hands-on workshop provides a structured space for participants to design a practical, reusable human–AI workflow tailored to their own learning context. Building on the introductory framework (attendance at Session 1 not required), this session guides participants through a step-by-step process to create a workflow they can immediately implement in their teaching, training, or development work.

Participants will identify a recurring learning design task from their own environment—such as creating course materials, developing training modules, rewriting instructions, designing assessments, producing scenario-based practice, or generating support materials for learners. Using a scaffolded template, they will break that task into components, determine the ideal distribution of human and AI responsibilities, define constraints and guardrails, and craft a reusable workflow or prompt-set that can be applied repeatedly and adapted over time.

The session is fully tool-agnostic and emphasizes thinking, not software. Participants may optionally test their workflows using any AI system available to them, though no specific platform will be required or demonstrated. Throughout the workshop, the facilitator will circulate to offer guidance, troubleshoot challenges, and help attendees refine their systems to fit their organizational needs.

By the end of the session, each participant will leave with a completed, personalized workflow that reduces cognitive load, increases consistency, and enhances the quality of AI-supported learning design.

Innovating Health and Social Services Together: The Power of Collaborative Workshops

Sanna Juvonen, Tampere University, Uusimaa, Finland

The presentation introduces a learning method: knowledge creation in facilitated workshops within the health and social sector. Workshop activity is defined as a planned, goal-oriented, and participatory process in which experts collaboratively develop new ideas, solutions, and practices. The central research question explores the opportunities that knowledge-creation workshops offer for developing future services and conceptualizing the health and social sector.

Collaborative workshops were examined in three qualitative studies conducted as part of development projects at Finnish higher education institutions between 2018 and 2020. The first study analyzed small-group discussion in face-to-face workshop using cultural-historical activity theory, focusing on contradictions and possibilities for knowledge expansion. The second and third studies moved to a digital format due to the COVID-19 pandemic…

Keywords: Cultural-Historical Activity Theory, Facilitation, Health and Social Care, Knowledge Creation, Workshop

Innovating Health and Social Services Together: The Power of Collaborative Workshops

Sanna Juvonen

The presentation introduces a learning method: knowledge creation in facilitated workshops within the health and social sector. Workshop activity is defined as a planned, goal-oriented, and participatory process in which experts collaboratively develop new ideas, solutions, and practices. The central research question explores the opportunities that knowledge-creation workshops offer for developing future services and conceptualizing the health and social sector.

Collaborative workshops were examined in three qualitative studies conducted as part of development projects at Finnish higher education institutions between 2018 and 2020. The first study analyzed small-group discussion in face-to-face workshop using cultural-historical activity theory, focusing on contradictions and possibilities for knowledge expansion. The second and third studies moved to a digital format due to the COVID-19 pandemic, where the role of facilitation and artifacts became increasingly important in supporting interaction. The results show that active facilitation and shared artifacts enable collaboration, fostering the emergence of new perspectives and solutions.

The research highlights five key impact themes in evaluating continuous education programs: the importance of motivation, collective competence, workplace resources, the role of the education provider, and the societal impact of education. Understanding these themes supports the development of educational programs that meet the needs of working life and changes in the health and social sector.

The most significant contribution lies in combining the knowledge-creation approach with cultural-historical activity theory. This combination offers a new way to analyze short-term workshop exercises and enriches understanding of how workshops function as platforms for multidisciplinary collaboration and learning. The findings can be utilized in joint development processes between education, research, and working life.

Crisis Navigation Through Social Support: Faculty Perspectives in Lebanon

Ibrahim Karkouti, Ed.D., and Teklu Bekele, Ph.D., The American University in Cairo, Cairo Governorate, Egypt and Thomas DeVere Wolsey, Ed.D., Tarragona, Spain

Drawing on principles of mindful leadership, social support has the potential to enhance job performance, alleviate stress, sustain quality relationships, decrease employee turnover, effect change, and transform workplace culture. Guided by House’s social support framework and McNamara’s leadership model, this phenomenological case study examined how faculty members understand the support they require to continue teaching during periods of political instability, economic strain, and social unrest. Interviews with ten full-time faculty at a private university in Beirut, a city navigating ongoing crises, revealed the central role of clear communication, collegial relationships, mentoring, and transparency in sustaining academic work through uncertainty. Participants also emphasized that contingency budgeting and informed financial decisions help buffer the economic challenges they face. Based on these insights, the study proposes several recommendations for policy and practice.

Keywords: Faculty, Higher Education, Leadership, Persistence, Social Support

Crisis Navigation Through Social Support: Faculty Perspectives in Lebanon

Ibrahim Karkouti, Ed.D., Teklu Bekele, Ph.D., and Thomas DeVere Wolsey, Ed.D.

Drawing on principles of mindful leadership, social support has the potential to enhance job performance, alleviate stress, sustain quality relationships, decrease employee turnover, effect change, and transform workplace culture. Guided by House’s social support framework and McNamara’s leadership model, this phenomenological case study examined how faculty members understand the support they require to continue teaching during periods of political instability, economic strain, and social unrest. Interviews with ten full-time faculty at a private university in Beirut, a city navigating ongoing crises, revealed the central role of clear communication, collegial relationships, mentoring, and transparency in sustaining academic work through uncertainty. Participants also emphasized that contingency budgeting and informed financial decisions help buffer the economic challenges they face. Based on these insights, the study proposes several recommendations for policy and practice.

Self-Leadership – the Strategy No One Teaches You

Neelu Kaur, Sattvic Living LLC, Forest Hills, New York, USA

We live in a world that rewards speed, productivity, and constant comparison-where everyone seems to have an opinion about what we should be doing. Between social media noise and AI-driven advice, it’s easy to lose sight of our own inner compass.

But here’s the truth: sustainable leadership doesn’t come from external validation-it comes from self-trust.

In this transformative 45-minute session, Neelu Kaur, organizational psychologist and best-selling author of Be Your Own Cheerleader guides high-achievers to step out of the information storm and return to their own grounded wisdom. You’ll learn to recognize when fear or over-achievement is leading the way, and how to re-center in the calm authority of your truest self…

Keywords: Leadership Development, Professional Development, Self Awareness

Self-Leadership – the Strategy No One Teaches You

Neelu Kaur

We live in a world that rewards speed, productivity, and constant comparison-where everyone seems to have an opinion about what we should be doing. Between social media noise and AI-driven advice, it’s easy to lose sight of our own inner compass.

But here’s the truth: sustainable leadership doesn’t come from external validation-it comes from self-trust.

In this transformative 45-minute session, Neelu Kaur, organizational psychologist and best-selling author of Be Your Own Cheerleader guides high-achievers to step out of the information storm and return to their own grounded wisdom. You’ll learn to recognize when fear or over-achievement is leading the way, and how to re-center in the calm authority of your truest self.

You’ll explore: • How to identify when fear-not wisdom-is driving your choices. • Research-backed methods to strengthen internal trust and emotional authority. • How redefining your relationship with time unlocks creativity, clarity, and better decision-making. • Simple techniques to quiet external noise and amplify your authentic leadership voice.

This isn’t just a mindset shift-it’s a leadership edge.

When you lead from self-trust, you make faster, wiser, and more aligned decisions that elevate your business, your team, and your impact.

Are you ready to move from outer approval to inner authority—and lead from the inside out?

Organizational Learning as a Factor Enhancing Human Resource Competitiveness in Innovative Small and Medium Enterprises

Ana Kazaishvili and Nana Gadelia, Caucasus International University, Tbilisi, Georgia

The competitiveness of human resources has become a critical factor determining organizational resilience and innovation capability, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in rapidly changing economic environments (Maclean, Appiah and Addo 2023). In Georgian innovation-active SMEs, the need to enhance workforce adaptability, stimulate innovative behavior, and ensure long-term employee retention is increasing amid growing competitive pressures.

The aim of this study is to determine how organizational learning influences the enhancement of human resource competitiveness in innovation-driven small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and to identify the most significant learning practices and mechanisms that contribute to the development of employee competencies and innovative activity…

Keywords: Organizational Learning, Human Resource Competitiveness, Innovation-Active SMEs, Knowledge Sharing, Workforce Capabilities

Organizational Learning as a Factor Enhancing Human Resource Competitiveness in Innovative Small and Medium Enterprises

Ana Kazaishvili and Nana Gadelia

The competitiveness of human resources has become a critical factor determining organizational resilience and innovation capability, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in rapidly changing economic environments (Maclean, Appiah and Addo 2023). In Georgian innovation-active SMEs, the need to enhance workforce adaptability, stimulate innovative behavior, and ensure long-term employee retention is increasing amid growing competitive pressures.

The aim of this study is to determine how organizational learning influences the enhancement of human resource competitiveness in innovation-driven small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and to identify the most significant learning practices and mechanisms that contribute to the development of employee competencies and innovative activity.

The theoretical framework of the study draws on contemporary concepts of organizational learning and dynamic capabilities, forming an integrated model that links learning practices, knowledge-sharing culture, and managerial support to key components of HR competitiveness, including innovative initiative, professional flexibility, organizational commitment, and overall workforce capability (Rizq and Parveen 2025).

The empirical part of the study is based on a mixed-method research design, including a survey of employees from Georgian innovation-driven SMEs and semi-structured interviews with HR specialists. The aim is to assess the predictive impact of organizational learning elements on human resource competitiveness indicators. The findings demonstrate the influence of organizational learning on employees’ innovative behavior, adaptability, engagement, and long-term organizational commitment.

This study contributes to the scientific understanding of organizational learning in the context of small economies and emerging markets by providing new empirical evidence specific to Georgia—a setting that remains underexplored in international research. The practical recommendations derived from the findings may be used by SME leaders and policymakers to design employee development systems and strengthen the innovation potential of Georgian enterprises.

Stop Training Dysfunction

Stephanie Ketron, Westgate Resorts, Orlando, Florida, USA

For decades, learning and development teams have been positioned as solution providers for every performance gap tasked with creating more courses, more programs, and more content each time results fall short. Yet in practice, many of these performance challenges persist because the root causes were never learning problems to begin with. They were system problems.

This session introduces a systems-diagnostic approach to learning strategy that positions L&D not as content producers, but as enterprise performance architects. Drawing from real-world application within a 10,000+ employee hospitality organization, this presentation demonstrates how cross-functional visibility across operations, HR, technology, and frontline leadership reveals that performance breakdowns most often stem from fragmented workflows, disconnected platforms, unclear leadership accountabilities, and process friction that traditional training simply cannot resolve…

Keywords: Systems Diagnostics, Performance Enablement, Enterprise Learning Strategy, Cross-Functional Integration, Capability Design

Stop Training Dysfunction

Stephanie Ketron

For decades, learning and development teams have been positioned as solution providers for every performance gap tasked with creating more courses, more programs, and more content each time results fall short. Yet in practice, many of these performance challenges persist because the root causes were never learning problems to begin with. They were system problems.

This session introduces a systems-diagnostic approach to learning strategy that positions L&D not as content producers, but as enterprise performance architects. Drawing from real-world application within a 10,000+ employee hospitality organization, this presentation demonstrates how cross-functional visibility across operations, HR, technology, and frontline leadership reveals that performance breakdowns most often stem from fragmented workflows, disconnected platforms, unclear leadership accountabilities, and process friction that traditional training simply cannot resolve.

Attendees will explore a practical diagnostic framework for determining when learning solutions are appropriate and when process redesign, technology alignment, or leadership governance interventions must occur first. The session will showcase how learning leaders can embed themselves across business functions to identify system barriers early, integrate enablement solutions across platforms, and significantly increase the adoption and business impact of learning technologies.

Participants will leave with a replicable enterprise diagnostic model, questions to guide root-cause discovery, and examples of how systems-first thinking reduces wasted training spend while accelerating capability, execution, and organizational performance.

Human Creativity vs. Artificial Intelligence: AI-driven Content Effectiveness in Social Media Marketing in the Retail Sector in the Georgian Market - A Context Analysis

Lia Khmiadashvili and Ana Kazaishvili, Georgian National University, Tbilisi, Georgia

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have fundamentally transformed digital marketing practices, enabling unprecedented capabilities in content creation, audience segmentation, and campaign optimization (Wang 2025). AI systems, particularly those leveraging machine learning and generative models, offer scalability and data-driven personalization that traditional marketing approaches, reliant on human labor alone, cannot easily match (Wang 2025; Smith & Hutson 2024). Simultaneously, scholars in creativity research underscore persistent limitations of AI in replicating nuanced human ideation, where human–AI collaboration often yields superior creative outcomes compared with either agent working alone (Holzner, Maier and Feuerriegel 2025). Within this evolving landscape, questions remain about how AI-driven content performs in social media marketing environments relative to human‐created content, especially in culturally specific retail markets such as Georgia’s, where local language, norms, and consumer trust dynamics shape engagement outcomes…

Keywords: AI-Driven Content, Human Creativity, Social Media Marketing

Human Creativity vs. Artificial Intelligence: AI-driven Content Effectiveness in Social Media Marketing in the Retail Sector in the Georgian Market - A Context Analysis

Lia Khmiadashvili and Ana Kazaishvili

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have fundamentally transformed digital marketing practices, enabling unprecedented capabilities in content creation, audience segmentation, and campaign optimization (Wang 2025). AI systems, particularly those leveraging machine learning and generative models, offer scalability and data-driven personalization that traditional marketing approaches, reliant on human labor alone, cannot easily match (Wang 2025; Smith & Hutson 2024). Simultaneously, scholars in creativity research underscore persistent limitations of AI in replicating nuanced human ideation, where human–AI collaboration often yields superior creative outcomes compared with either agent working alone (Holzner, Maier and Feuerriegel 2025). Within this evolving landscape, questions remain about how AI-driven content performs in social media marketing environments relative to human‐created content, especially in culturally specific retail markets such as Georgia’s, where local language, norms, and consumer trust dynamics shape engagement outcomes.

This study conducts a context analysis of human creativity and AI content effectiveness in social media marketing within the Georgian retail sector, drawing on interdisciplinary literatures from marketing, AI creativity research, and regional consumer behavior. Based on survey, article shows which content performs better and is more effective. More than that, which content is more valuable for business owners: organic images and videos created by graphic designer and videographer or content that is developed by AI. Survey observes metrics such as reach, impressions, CPM (cost per mile), CTR( Clickthrough Rate), Link Clicks, Landing page views, CPC(Cost Per Click)and so on.

This study advances both scholarly understanding and practical application by elucidating how AI-driven content performs relative to human-generated creative content in social media marketing within the Georgian retail sector. While global research has established the theoretical capabilities of AI in digital marketing (e.g., enhancing personalization, automation, and scalability), there remains a notable gap in region-specific evidence regarding how these capabilities translate into meaningful engagement and commercial outcomes in culturally distinct markets such as Georgia.

Human-Centered AI for Smart Energy Systems: New Competencies for the Future Workforce

Juergen Koeberlein-Kerler, Ph.D., IBK Ingenieurbuero Koeberlein GmbH & Co. KG, Bavaria, Germany and Tetiana Bondarenko, Ph.D., V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine

The rapid integration of smart energy systems—ranging from intelligent building automation to distributed smart grids—marks a fundamental transformation of how energy is produced, managed, and consumed. As these systems grow increasingly complex, the future workforce must develop new interdisciplinary competencies that merge technical expertise with digital, analytical, and human-centered skills. This contribution explores how human-centered artificial intelligence (AI) can support the development of these competencies in higher education and workplace learning environments.

The paper identifies three core skill domains essential for future professionals in the energy and building sectors: (1) System Thinking and Interdisciplinary Integration, enabling learners to understand interactions between smart homes, smart grids, IoT infrastructures, and AI-based decision-making tools…

Keywords: Human-Centered AI, Smart Energy Systems, System Thinking, Data Literacy, Workforce Competencies

Human-Centered AI for Smart Energy Systems: New Competencies for the Future Workforce

Juergen Koeberlein-Kerler, Ph.D., and Tetiana Bondarenko, Ph.D.

The rapid integration of smart energy systems—ranging from intelligent building automation to distributed smart grids—marks a fundamental transformation of how energy is produced, managed, and consumed. As these systems grow increasingly complex, the future workforce must develop new interdisciplinary competencies that merge technical expertise with digital, analytical, and human-centered skills. This contribution explores how human-centered artificial intelligence (AI) can support the development of these competencies in higher education and workplace learning environments.

The paper identifies three core skill domains essential for future professionals in the energy and building sectors: (1) System Thinking and Interdisciplinary Integration, enabling learners to understand interactions between smart homes, smart grids, IoT infrastructures, and AI-based decision-making tools; (2) Data Literacy and AI Competence, covering the ability to interpret real-time energy data, apply machine-learning models, and critically evaluate AI-generated recommendations; and (3) Human-Technology Interaction and Ethical Awareness, fostering responsible implementation of automated energy systems with attention to user needs, transparency, and sustainability.

To support these emerging skill sets, the paper proposes innovative learning technologies and didactic approaches, including AI-driven learning platforms, digital twins of energy systems, immersive simulations, and adaptive learning environments. These tools enable learners to experiment with realistic scenarios, visualize system behavior, and receive personalized feedback that enhances both conceptual understanding and operational competence.

By aligning human-centered AI with modern pedagogical strategies, this work demonstrates how universities, vocational training institutions, and industry partners can collaboratively prepare the workforce for a rapidly evolving energy landscape. The findings highlight the transformative role of learning technologies in cultivating agile, reflective, and future-ready professionals who can navigate the challenges and opportunities of smart energy systems.

Come to Camp AI! Write your syllabus statement and design an AI assignment!

Shiao-Chuan Kung, Ed.D., Yuning Gao and Yani Su, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, New York, USA

In response to the explosive adoption of generative AI, we facilitated professional development events to help faculty address the use of AI in their college classes. Two cohorts of instructors at a large urban college participated in 3-day events that we called “Camp AI.” The learning goals included building AI literacy and critical awareness (bias, limitations, ethical use), supporting faculty in understanding and integrating generative AI in teaching and fostering a cross-disciplinary community of practice across departments and schools. Participants went beyond listening to presentations and participating in discussions; they experimented with generative AI tools in a supported environment and created useful course materials.

The format of Camp AI was synchronous online. Professors engaged with presenters, facilitators, tools, and each other for a total of twelve hours. They participated in presentations, tool explorations, and discussions in affinity groups…

Keywords: Generative AI in Higher Education, Professional Development, AI Literacy, Teaching with AI Tools, Academic Policy and AI

Come to Camp AI! Write your syllabus statement and design an AI assignment!

Shiao-Chuan Kung, Ed.D., Yuning Gao and Yani Su

In response to the explosive adoption of generative AI, we facilitated professional development events to help faculty address the use of AI in their college classes. Two cohorts of instructors at a large urban college participated in 3-day events that we called “Camp AI.” The learning goals included building AI literacy and critical awareness (bias, limitations, ethical use), supporting faculty in understanding and integrating generative AI in teaching and fostering a cross-disciplinary community of practice across departments and schools. Participants went beyond listening to presentations and participating in discussions; they experimented with generative AI tools in a supported environment and created useful course materials.

The format of Camp AI was synchronous online. Professors engaged with presenters, facilitators, tools, and each other for a total of twelve hours. They participated in presentations, tool explorations, and discussions in affinity groups. They worked individually on deliverables and presented their work to peers. In preparation for camp, we asked professors to research policies and guidelines regarding AI by a journal in their field and by their professional association. Two deliverables were expected from each participant--a syllabus statement related to generative AI and an assignment that addressed generative AI for a future course.

Twenty-four hundred students would be potentially affected because of their professors’ participation in Camp AI. The impact of Camp AI will expand as instructors from two other colleges will join us for the 3rd iteration in January. We will sustain engagement with our participants through camp reunions where they will share insights and sample student work after implementing assignments in their classes. They will present at future iterations of camp and help build a community of practice. We will continue to highlight ethical reflection, transparency, and critical AI literacy and position learning about generative AI as a shared journey.

CulturNAO: A Humanoid Robot as a Tutor in a Simulation-Based Training Activity for New Immigrants

Gila Kurtz, Ph.D., Dan Kohen Vacs, Ph.D., Rina Polonsky, and Polina Solovyeva, Holon Institute of Technology, Central District, Israel

Navigating a new society requires adult immigrants to acquire complex cultural norms and values quickly, often sharply different from those of their cultures of origin. To meet this need, we introduce CultureNAO, a four-phase Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) activity augmented by Generative AI (GenAI), designed for adult immigrants. The activity focuses on Israeli, a culturally embedded communicative style of directness, which immigrants may find challenging or confrontational. The activity immerses learners in simulated job interviews and marketplace negotiation scenarios with a NAO Humanoid Robot. The robot uses natural language, emotional expressions (gesture, posture, gaze, tone of voice), and GenAI-driven adaptive dialogue to model and mediate the practice. The study evaluates the activity using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Results from 50 participants showed…

Keywords: Cultural Gap, New Immigrants, Simulation, Humanoid Robots, GenAI

CulturNAO: A Humanoid Robot as a Tutor in a Simulation-Based Training Activity for New Immigrants

Gila Kurtz, Ph.D., Dan Kohen Vacs, Ph.D., Rina Polonsky, and Polina Solovyeva

Navigating a new society requires adult immigrants to acquire complex cultural norms and values quickly, often sharply different from those of their cultures of origin. To meet this need, we introduce CultureNAO, a four-phase Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) activity augmented by Generative AI (GenAI), designed for adult immigrants. The activity focuses on Israeli, a culturally embedded communicative style of directness, which immigrants may find challenging or confrontational. The activity immerses learners in simulated job interviews and marketplace negotiation scenarios with a NAO Humanoid Robot. The robot uses natural language, emotional expressions (gesture, posture, gaze, tone of voice), and GenAI-driven adaptive dialogue to model and mediate the practice. The study evaluates the activity using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Results from 50 participants showed a highly positive reception across all TAM constructs, with a strong consensus on Perceived Ease of Use (M=4.5, scale 1-5) and Perceived Usefulness (M=4.4). Perceived Usefulness was the strongest predictor of Behavioral Intentions (r = .50), suggesting that the robot’s educational value is the primary motivator for future use. This work demonstrates that GenAI-enhanced HRI can serve as an effective, emotionally safe, culturally mediated learning environment.

Building Reflective Practitioners: Integrating Self-Reflection Across a Business Law Curriculum

Barbara Laemmlein, Ph.D., and Carola Berneiser, Ph.D., Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Frankfurt, Germany

This proposal is about introducing an instructional design that embeds self-reflection as a sustained competency within the Bachelor’s program in Business Law at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. The approach links two curriculum components: an early module on Personal Development and Self-Competence and a structured reflective assignment integrated into the mandatory Practical Study Semester (BPS).

The model positions reflection not as a one-time activity, but as a continuous developmental process. In the initial module, students engage in guided reflective practices—including learning journals, peer feedback, and facilitated coaching—to examine learning behaviors, communication preferences, and team dynamics. During the internship semester, these competencies are deepened through Reflection Reports that explicitly connect academic content with workplace experience…

Keywords: Higher Education, Personal Development, Self-Reflection, Competency-Based Learning, Curriculum Design

Building Reflective Practitioners: Integrating Self-Reflection Across a Business Law Curriculum

Barbara Laemmlein, Ph.D., and Carola Berneiser, Ph.D.

This proposal is about introducing an instructional design that embeds self-reflection as a sustained competency within the Bachelor’s program in Business Law at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. The approach links two curriculum components: an early module on Personal Development and Self-Competence and a structured reflective assignment integrated into the mandatory Practical Study Semester (BPS).

The model positions reflection not as a one-time activity, but as a continuous developmental process. In the initial module, students engage in guided reflective practices—including learning journals, peer feedback, and facilitated coaching—to examine learning behaviors, communication preferences, and team dynamics. During the internship semester, these competencies are deepened through Reflection Reports that explicitly connect academic content with workplace experience.

Early evaluations indicate that this longitudinal structure strengthens students’ self-awareness, capacity for self-directed learning, and ability to transfer transversal skills into professional contexts. The session would present key design principles, implementation insights, and assessment strategies, and discuss how reflective practice can be operationalized at scale within applied higher education programs.

This contribution offers a replicable model for embedding reflection across the student lifecycle and provides implications for curriculum development aimed at preparing practice-oriented graduates for complex professional environments.

Flipped Learning in Fashion and Culture: Rasch Analysis of MCQ-Based Student Performance

Ngan Yi Kitty Lam, Ph.D., School of Fashion and Textiles, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

Flipped learning is increasingly adopted to enhance engagement and deepen understanding in fashion and culture education. Extending prior work on an interactive AI-supported framework, this study evaluates student learning under a flipped model using Rasch analysis of multiple-choice question (MCQ) responses. Fifty-eight undergraduates enrolled in a 13-week general education course in fashion and culture (September–December 2025) completed three 10-item MCQ quizzes covering fashion theory, history, and cultural contexts. We applied the dichotomous Rasch model to estimate student ability (logits) and item difficulty, and examined measurement quality via item/person fit (infit/outfit), person and item reliability, separation indices, and targeting using a Wright (person–item) map. Unidimensionality was inspected through principal components analysis of residuals. The Rasch calibrations yield an interval-level profile of student performance across the ability continuum and flag items that are overly easy, overly difficult, or misfitting, informing targeted item revision within the flipped design…

Keywords: Flipped Learning, Fashion and Culture Education, Rasch Analysis, Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs), Student Performance

Flipped Learning in Fashion and Culture: Rasch Analysis of MCQ-Based Student Performance

Ngan Yi Kitty Lam, Ph.D.

Flipped learning is increasingly adopted to enhance engagement and deepen understanding in fashion and culture education. Extending prior work on an interactive AI-supported framework, this study evaluates student learning under a flipped model using Rasch analysis of multiple-choice question (MCQ) responses. Fifty-eight undergraduates enrolled in a 13-week general education course in fashion and culture (September–December 2025) completed three 10-item MCQ quizzes covering fashion theory, history, and cultural contexts. We applied the dichotomous Rasch model to estimate student ability (logits) and item difficulty, and examined measurement quality via item/person fit (infit/outfit), person and item reliability, separation indices, and targeting using a Wright (person–item) map. Unidimensionality was inspected through principal components analysis of residuals. The Rasch calibrations yield an interval-level profile of student performance across the ability continuum and flag items that are overly easy, overly difficult, or misfitting, informing targeted item revision within the flipped design. Targeting results indicate how well the MCQ set matches the cohort’s ability distribution, while reliability and separation indices support the meaningful discrimination of individual differences. The Wright map provides actionable insight into coverage gaps and potential ceiling/floor effects. Findings are discussed in relation to flipped learning activities (pre-class videos and concept-check exercises, and in-class application tasks) to consider how assessment reflects intended knowledge and reasoning. The study demonstrates the utility of Rasch modeling for producing defensible, invariant measures of learning in a domain characterized by heterogeneous prior knowledge, and offers a practical analytic template for fashion and culture educators seeking evidence-driven course improvement.

Human-Centered Learning in the Era of AI: Drama-Based Approaches for Building Relational Skills

Jessica Leahey and Allen Liedkie, Steps Drama Learning and Development LLC, Lewes, Delaware, USA

As organizations move rapidly into an AI-augmented world, the capabilities people most need to thrive at work are increasingly human: empathy, communication, judgment, adaptability, and self-awareness. AI can automate tasks and deliver information, but it cannot navigate interpersonal nuance, read emotion, or build the trust required for effective collaboration. Traditional training often struggles to develop these skills because it tells people how to behave rather than showing them the impact of their behavior in real time.

This interactive workshop introduces a drama-based approach that prepares people for the workforce and improves everyday workplace behavior by making the invisible visible. Built on our Steps to Change methodology, the session uses embodied, dramatized scenarios drawn from real organizational life. By watching, experimenting, and reflecting on live behavioral patterns, participants surface the habits, assumptions, and reactions that shape culture and performance—insights no AI tool can fully replicate…

Keywords: Workplace Behaviors, Managing, Psychological Safety, AI, Communication

Human-Centered Learning in the Era of AI: Drama-Based Approaches for Building Relational Skills

Jessica Leahey and Allen Liedkie

As organizations move rapidly into an AI-augmented world, the capabilities people most need to thrive at work are increasingly human: empathy, communication, judgment, adaptability, and self-awareness. AI can automate tasks and deliver information, but it cannot navigate interpersonal nuance, read emotion, or build the trust required for effective collaboration. Traditional training often struggles to develop these skills because it tells people how to behave rather than showing them the impact of their behavior in real time.

This interactive workshop introduces a drama-based approach that prepares people for the workforce and improves everyday workplace behavior by making the invisible visible. Built on our Steps to Change methodology, the session uses embodied, dramatized scenarios drawn from real organizational life. By watching, experimenting, and reflecting on live behavioral patterns, participants surface the habits, assumptions, and reactions that shape culture and performance—insights no AI tool can fully replicate.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Identify behavioral patterns that influence workplace culture and performance, using dramatized scenarios to make these patterns visible and discussable.

Practice essential workforce readiness skills—communication, collaboration, adaptability, and constructive challenge—through guided, emotionally grounded interactions.

Apply at least two drama-based techniques to their own learning programs, onboarding processes, leadership development initiatives, or team interventions.

Design learning environments that mirror real workplace dynamics, enabling learners to rehearse successful behaviors before they step into high-stakes situations.

This session offers a powerful, human-centered approach to building future-ready workplaces—by strengthening the one thing AI can’t replace: how we behave with one another.

Applying Walldorf’s Framework for the Cultural Adaptation of European Virtual Patient Resources In Southeast-Asian Healthcare Curricula

Yew Kong Lee, Ph.D., Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Andrzej Kononowicz, Ph.D., Jagiellonian University, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland

Virtual patients (VPs) are an e-learning resource comprising simulated clinical cases that can be used by healthcare students to develop their clinical reasoning skills (accurate diagnosis and treatment selection involving decision-making based on a patient’s symptoms, past history, physical examination and investigations) in preparation for working with actual clinical patient cases. The EU-funded CHAPTER-SEA project aims to adapt VPs from a library of 200 European cases for use in Southeast-Asian (SEA) (i.e. Malaysia and Indonesia) curricula, where cultural and health system settings may be contextually different.

In this project, three Malaysian and two Indonesian universities selected 6 cases each (total 30 cases) from an open-access online VP library (iCoViP) which would be modified for local settings…

Keywords: Virtual Patients, Southeast Asia, Europe, Medical Education, Culture

Applying Walldorf’s Framework for the Cultural Adaptation of European Virtual Patient Resources In Southeast-Asian Healthcare Curricula

Yew Kong Lee, Ph.D., and Andrzej Kononowicz, Ph.D.

Virtual patients (VPs) are an e-learning resource comprising simulated clinical cases that can be used by healthcare students to develop their clinical reasoning skills (accurate diagnosis and treatment selection involving decision-making based on a patient’s symptoms, past history, physical examination and investigations) in preparation for working with actual clinical patient cases. The EU-funded CHAPTER-SEA project aims to adapt VPs from a library of 200 European cases for use in Southeast-Asian (SEA) (i.e. Malaysia and Indonesia) curricula, where cultural and health system settings may be contextually different.

In this project, three Malaysian and two Indonesian universities selected 6 cases each (total 30 cases) from an open-access online VP library (iCoViP) which would be modified for local settings. A modified cultural differences framework from Jens Walldorf et al. was used to systematically map adaptations required in 5 pilot cases based on eight elements (Diagnostics, Therapeutics, Professional Role, Ethics, Medical language, Sociocultural/sociolinguistic, Healthcare system, Epidemiology).

A total of 28 academics (14 Malaysians, 9 Indonesian, 3 Polish, 2 Swedish) adapted the cases between Jan-Sept 2025 into four settings (pre-clinical medicine, clinical medicine, nursing and pharmacy). From the 30 cases selected, the most common reasons for selection were high-prevalence cases (n=11), life-threatening cases (n=5), rarely seen cases (n=5), block or PBL-related cases (n=5). From the six pilot cases, analysed using the eight elements, the most common adaptations were sociocultural/sociolinguistic adaptations (n=31), diagnostic procedures (n=26), medical language (n=19); the lowest were epidemiological adaptations (n=2), therapeutic procedures (n=4) and professional roles (n=7).

In summary, the most common adaptation for virtual patients were sociocultural/ sociolinguistic adaptations with the lowest being epidemiological (disease patterns) adaptations. The framework allows for systematic adaptation and expansion of available e-learning resources into environments where they are not yet available.

AI Epistemic Beliefs Driving Adaptive Expertise Through AI-Self-Regulated Learning in Medical Education

Yu-Feng Lee and Chin-Sheng Lin, Ph.D., Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan; Min-Hsien Lee, Ph.D., Jyh-Chong Liang, Ph.D., and Chin-Chung Tsai, Ed.D., National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei City, Taiwan

Self-regulated learning (SRL) enables lifelong learning in medicine and underpins the development of adaptive expertise (AE), key to clinical performance. As artificial intelligence (AI) advances, medical students increasingly use AI tools to support SRL. However, we observed wide variation in students’ trust of AI outputs, mirroring differences in clinical performance. While prior research on internet learning links epistemic beliefs to SRL, evidence in generative-AI contexts is limited. It remains unclear how students’ conceptualizations of AI-generated knowledge, as their AI epistemic beliefs (AI-EB), shape AI-supported SRL (AI-SRL) and, in turn, AE. This study proposes a novel framework that links AI-EB, AI-SRL, and AE among medical students. It examines whether AI-EB directly and indirectly predicts AE through AI-SRL.

We surveyed 677 medical students at a Taiwanese medical school, assessing AI-EB (with subscales of uncertainty, multiple-sources, unstructured knowledge, and justification), AI-SRL, and AE. The results showed that “uncertainty” and “justification” were positively associated with AI-SRL, whereas “multiple-sources” exhibited a strong negative association (β=-0.75, p<0.001). AI-SRL, in turn, positively predicted AE…

Keywords: AI Epistemic Beliefs, AI-Supported Self-Regulated Learning, Adaptive Expertise, Mindset-Oriented AI Education

AI Epistemic Beliefs Driving Adaptive Expertise Through AI-Self-Regulated Learning in Medical Education

Yu-Feng Lee, Chin-Sheng Lin, Ph.D., and Jyh-Chong Liang, Ph.D.

Self-regulated learning (SRL) enables lifelong learning in medicine and underpins the development of adaptive expertise (AE), key to clinical performance. As artificial intelligence (AI) advances, medical students increasingly use AI tools to support SRL. However, we observed wide variation in students’ trust of AI outputs, mirroring differences in clinical performance. While prior research on internet learning links epistemic beliefs to SRL, evidence in generative-AI contexts is limited. It remains unclear how students’ conceptualizations of AI-generated knowledge, as their AI epistemic beliefs (AI-EB), shape AI-supported SRL (AI-SRL) and, in turn, AE. This study proposes a novel framework that links AI-EB, AI-SRL, and AE among medical students. It examines whether AI-EB directly and indirectly predicts AE through AI-SRL.

We surveyed 677 medical students at a Taiwanese medical school, assessing AI-EB (with subscales of uncertainty, multiple-sources, unstructured knowledge, and justification), AI-SRL, and AE. The results showed that “uncertainty” and “justification” were positively associated with AI-SRL, whereas “multiple-sources” exhibited a strong negative association (β=-0.75, p<0.001). AI-SRL, in turn, positively predicted AE. Additionally, “justification” had a positive direct effect on AE (β=0.33, p<0.001). Notably, “unstructured knowledge” had a negative direct effect on AE (β=-0.32, p<0.001) but a positive indirect effect via AI-SRL (β=0.19, p<0.05). Overall, AI-EB predicted AE directly and through AI-SRL, with “multiple-sources,” “justification,” and “unstructured knowledge” particularly influential, while AI-SRL partially buffered the negative effect of “unstructured knowledge.”

These results suggest that AI education should move beyond tool training toward mindset-oriented instruction. Educators should help students question, verify, and accept AI uncertainty, and to justify, rank, and cross-check sources, enacting mature AI-EB into competencies. We also propose three AI-SRL strategies: AI-assisted mind mapping, AI-supported self-assessment, and conditional metaconceptual prompts to structure AI outputs into conceptual understanding. Together, these findings position AI-SRL as a practical pathway linking AI-EB to AD in lifelong medical learning.

IGIP SESSION

Transforming Engineering Education with Mini-RPGs (Role-Playing Games): Experiential Learning for Leadership and Interdisciplinary Teamwork

Cristo Leon, Ph.D., and James M. Lipuma, Ph.D., New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, USA

Engineering education requires graduates to excel in technical problem solving as well as in collaboration and teamwork. However, many undergraduate engineering programs privilege individual performance and problem sets, leaving few opportunities for students to practice communication, coordination, and shared decision-making in team contexts. This paper introduces Engineers of Order and Chaos, a two-page tabletop simulation that strengthens teamwork and soft skills in undergraduate engineering. Grounded in the Components of Role-playing in Experiential Learning Framework, the simulation positions students as “engineer-adventurers” who coordinate their efforts to resolve technical challenges within a 45-minute class session.

The simulation addresses a persistent issue in classroom practice: nominal teams often fail to function as collaborative units. Through structured character creation, shared resources, and collective decision points, the simulation promotes…

Keywords: Collaborative Pedagogy, Experiential Learning Framework, STEM Problem-Solving

Transforming Engineering Education with Mini-RPGs (Role-Playing Games): Experiential Learning for Leadership and Interdisciplinary Teamwork

Cristo Leon, Ph.D., and James M. Lipuma, Ph.D.

Engineering education requires graduates to excel in technical problem solving as well as in collaboration and teamwork. However, many undergraduate engineering programs privilege individual performance and problem sets, leaving few opportunities for students to practice communication, coordination, and shared decision-making in team contexts. This paper introduces Engineers of Order and Chaos, a two-page tabletop simulation that strengthens teamwork and soft skills in undergraduate engineering. Grounded in the Components of Role-playing in Experiential Learning Framework, the simulation positions students as “engineer-adventurers” who coordinate their efforts to resolve technical challenges within a 45-minute class session.

The simulation addresses a persistent issue in classroom practice: nominal teams often fail to function as collaborative units. Through structured character creation, shared resources, and collective decision points, the simulation promotes active participation from all group members. Its mechanics highlight the tension between deliberate team planning during in-session play and creative improvization, while a structured debriefing links in-game decisions to reflections on communication, leadership rotation, and mutual support.

As a methodology paper, the contribution lies in the description of the simulation's design rationale, implementation protocol, and evaluation instruments. Scenarios are short, re-playable, and require minimal preparation, allowing integration into existing courses. A mixed-method strategy combining surveys and instructor observations documents changes in students' perceived teamwork skills and engagement. Preliminary pilots show that students experience the simulation as an engaging, low-risk environment for practicing leadership and collaborative behaviors. The paper concludes by outlining guidelines for implementation, limitations, and directions for future research.

A Soft Skills Course for the Freshman Year Experience at a U.S. HBCU

Nancy Linden, Ph.D., and Jane Nichols, Savannah State University, Savannah, Georgia, USA

In today's competitive job market, soft skills have become essential for personal and professional success. This presentation, part of an online soft skills course developed for Savannah State University, now adopted statewide in Georgia, focuses on equipping students with critical interpersonal skills to excel in diverse environments.

The session will cover foundational soft skills such as effective communication, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving. Through engaging discussions, real-life scenarios, and interactive exercises, participants will learn to navigate the complexities of human interactions in various contexts, from academic settings to future workplaces.

Moreover, this presentation aligns seamlessly with the Freshman Year Experience (FYE) course at Savannah State University. By integrating soft skills training into the FYE curriculum…

Keywords: Soft Skills, Career, Asynchronous, HBCU, Leadership

A Soft Skills Course for the Freshman Year Experience at a U.S. HBCU

Nancy Linden, Ph.D., and Jane Nichols

In today's competitive job market, soft skills have become essential for personal and professional success. This presentation, part of an online soft skills course developed for Savannah State University, now adopted statewide in Georgia, focuses on equipping students with critical interpersonal skills to excel in diverse environments.

The session will cover foundational soft skills such as effective communication, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving. Through engaging discussions, real-life scenarios, and interactive exercises, participants will learn to navigate the complexities of human interactions in various contexts, from academic settings to future workplaces.

Moreover, this presentation aligns seamlessly with the Freshman Year Experience (FYE) course at Savannah State University. By integrating soft skills training into the FYE curriculum, we aim to foster a holistic educational experience, empowering first-year students to build confidence and enhance their academic journey.

Attendees will also gain valuable insights into how these skills can enhance their academic performance, enrich their campus life, and ultimately prepare them for successful careers. This initiative reflects our commitment to cultivating well-rounded graduates who are not only academically proficient but also equipped with the vital soft skills necessary for thriving in today’s dynamic world. Join us in shaping the future leaders of Georgia through the transformative power of soft skills!

Building People-First Workplaces through Clarity Accountability and Human-Centered Leadership

Michael Lounsbury, PeopleOps Advisors, Roebuck, South Carolina, USA

In today’s workplace, employees rarely leave because of pay. They leave because of confusion. When expectations are unclear, communication breaks down, and accountability is inconsistent, teams quickly become disengaged, overwhelmed, and disconnected. This session offers a practical, people-first framework for leaders who want to strengthen performance, build trust, and reduce turnover through clarity-driven leadership.

Drawing from real experiences supporting small to mid-sized businesses across multiple industries, this presentation breaks down the three most common gaps that quietly undermine workplaces: unclear expectations, inconsistent accountability, and a lack of relational equity. Participants will learn how to identify these gaps early, align communication with organizational values, and implement systems that provide structure without sacrificing humanity…

Keywords: Leadership, Employee Retention, Accountability, Organizational Culture, Human Resources

Building People-First Workplaces through Clarity Accountability and Human-Centered Leadership

Michael Lounsbury

In today’s workplace, employees rarely leave because of pay. They leave because of confusion. When expectations are unclear, communication breaks down, and accountability is inconsistent, teams quickly become disengaged, overwhelmed, and disconnected. This session offers a practical, people first framework for leaders who want to strengthen performance, build trust, and reduce turnover through clarity driven leadership.

Drawing from real experiences supporting small to mid-sized businesses across multiple industries, this presentation breaks down the three most common gaps that quietly undermine workplaces: unclear expectations, inconsistent accountability, and a lack of relational equity. Participants will learn how to identify these gaps early, align communication with organizational values, and implement systems that provide structure without sacrificing humanity.

Attendees will leave with a simple clarity model they can apply immediately, a practical accountability approach that builds trust rather than fear, and actionable tools for recognition, connection, and feedback that increase motivation and belonging. This session is designed for leaders who want to elevate their culture, strengthen engagement, and create a workplace where people feel seen, supported, and aligned with their mission.

Whether you are a business owner, HR professional, nonprofit leader, or people manager, this session equips you with the strategies needed to lead with both confidence and compassion in a rapidly changing work environment.

Exploring the Impact of ChatGPT on Chinese International Students’ Academic Motivation: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective 

Meitong (Susie) Lu, Guangming School Affliated to Shenzhen University, Guangdong, China

This study investigates how ChatGPT influences Chinese international students’ academic motivation and perceived performance through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). As generative artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into higher education, it remains unclear whether such tools enhance or diminish learners’ intrinsic motivation, autonomy, and engagement. Using a sequential mixed-methods design, the research first surveys Chinese international students studying in the United States to identify participants' demographic profiles and ChatGPT usage patterns, then conducts semi-structured interviews with a purposive subsample to explore AI user experiences. The analysis focuses on how ChatGPT supports or challenges students’ sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in their academic pursuits. Findings are expected to reveal both motivational benefits and potential drawbacks of AI-assisted learning, offering practical insights for educators and policymakers seeking to foster culturally responsive, ethically grounded, and psychologically supportive applications of AI in international higher education.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT, Higher Education, Learning Motivation, Self-Determination Theory

Exploring the Impact of ChatGPT on Chinese International Students’ Academic Motivation: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective 

Meitong (Susie) Lu

This study investigates how ChatGPT influences Chinese international students’ academic motivation and perceived performance through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). As generative artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into higher education, it remains unclear whether such tools enhance or diminish learners’ intrinsic motivation, autonomy, and engagement. Using a sequential mixed-methods design, the research first surveys Chinese international students studying in the United States to identify participants' demographic profiles and ChatGPT usage patterns, then conducts semi-structured interviews with a purposive subsample to explore AI user experiences. The analysis focuses on how ChatGPT supports or challenges students’ sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in their academic pursuits. Findings are expected to reveal both motivational benefits and potential drawbacks of AI-assisted learning, offering practical insights for educators and policymakers seeking to foster culturally responsive, ethically grounded, and psychologically supportive applications of AI in international higher education.

IGIP SESSION

Beyond the Booth: Co-Creating Your Engineering Talent Pipeline with Faculty

Holly Maglin, Dominion Energy, Richmond, Virginia, USA

Traditional campus career fairs often result in superficial interactions that fail to effectively bridge the gap between engineering students and employers. This session introduces a transformative model of partnership-based recruiting that moves "beyond the booth" by integrating industry expertise directly into the academic experience. By collaborating with faculty, employers can align their outreach with specific course syllabi, replacing traditional 15-minute sales pitches with technical guest lectures, expert panels, and gamified networking.

Attendees will explore a specific case study demonstrating how co-created experiences allow industry experts to echo classroom lessons while providing students with a direct link between theoretical concepts and real-world application. Importantly, we will discuss how to scale these interventions across the student lifecycle, from building brand awareness with freshmen to providing technical mentorship for seniors…

Keywords: Faculty-Industry Partnerships, Engineering Education, Experiential Learning, Talent Pipeline, Career Readiness

Beyond the Booth: Co-Creating Your Engineering Talent Pipeline with Faculty

Holly Maglin

Traditional campus career fairs often result in superficial interactions that fail to effectively bridge the gap between engineering students and employers. This session introduces a transformative model of partnership-based recruiting that moves "beyond the booth" by integrating industry expertise directly into the academic experience. By collaborating with faculty, employers can align their outreach with specific course syllabi, replacing traditional 15-minute sales pitches with technical guest lectures, expert panels, and gamified networking.

Attendees will explore a specific case study demonstrating how co-created experiences allow industry experts to echo classroom lessons while providing students with a direct link between theoretical concepts and real-world application. Importantly, we will discuss how to scale these interventions across the student lifecycle, from building brand awareness with freshmen to providing technical mentorship for seniors. For faculty, this model reinforces curriculum relevance; for employers, it builds a sustainable, high-affinity talent pipeline. The session concludes with a practical "how-to" framework for building these high-impact partnerships, ensuring that individual contributors can play a role in both finding and shaping the next generation of engineering talent.

Assessment through the Lens of Educational Reforms: An Analysis of the Tensions Between Summative and Formative Approaches in Francophone Belgium

Hecham Maimouni and Reahda Kabir, University of Francisco Ferrer Brussels, Haaltert, Belgium

Between 2022 and 2025, our interventions in primary schools across the French-speaking Community of Belgium revealed a persistent difficulty among teachers in clearly distinguishing key assessment concepts such as summative assessment, formative assessment, numerical grading, descriptive feedback, or analytic scales. During training sessions and individual or collective interviews, one recurring observation emerged: for many teachers, assessment remains a conceptually blurred domain where terms are sometimes confused or used interchangeably, without full awareness of their pedagogical implications.

This uncertainty does not stem from a lack of interest or competence, but rather reflects the long-standing influence of a deeply rooted culture of numerical grading. Several teachers continue to consider that a scored test given during the learning process constitutes “formative assessment,” while others believe that providing a general comment qualifies as “qualitative assessment.” The distinction between function…

Keywords: Formative Assessment, Summative Assessment, Numerical Grading Culture, Teacher Agency, Professional Development

Assessment through the Lens of Educational Reforms: An Analysis of the Tensions Between Summative and Formative Approaches in Francophone Belgium

Hecham Maimouni and Reahda Kabir

Between 2022 and 2025, our interventions in primary schools across the French-speaking Community of Belgium revealed a persistent difficulty among teachers in clearly distinguishing key assessment concepts such as summative assessment, formative assessment, numerical grading, descriptive feedback, or analytic scales. During training sessions and individual or collective interviews, one recurring observation emerged: for many teachers, assessment remains a conceptually blurred domain where terms are sometimes confused or used interchangeably, without full awareness of their pedagogical implications.

This uncertainty does not stem from a lack of interest or competence, but rather reflects the long-standing influence of a deeply rooted culture of numerical grading. Several teachers continue to consider that a scored test given during the learning process constitutes “formative assessment,” while others believe that providing a general comment qualifies as “qualitative assessment.” The distinction between function (to certify or to regulate learning) and form (numerical or descriptive) appears particularly difficult to grasp.

Our interviews also highlight a central point: despite the availability of formative tools and the institutional possibility of using non-numerical assessments, a large majority of teachers still wish to maintain numerical grading scales. This attachment is justified by perceived practical needs: readability for families, alignment with report cards, preparation for the CEB, or the belief that students would be less motivated without points.

In light of these findings, one possible avenue for improvement could lie in both initial and in-service teacher education. Teacher educators might play a key role by strengthening conceptual clarity around assessment and by emphasizing the potential benefits of formative assessment as a tool that could support learning, structure progression, and enhance professional agency. Such a shift would require sustained, coherent, and carefully guided professional development.

Faith and Flourishing: Psychological, Philosophical, and Educational Perspectives on Wellbeing and Religion in Adolescence

Lydia Mannion, Ph.D., and Richard Casey, Ph.D., Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, Ireland

The intersection of wellbeing and religion has been a central concern within the fields of education and psychology, with growing interest in how faith traditions and practices contribute to human flourishing. While adult populations have been the primary focus, comparatively less is known about adolescents, particularly within post-primary education contexts. This presentation investigates the relationship between religion and wellbeing amongst post-primary school students. It begins by outlining psychological perspectives on religion, including developments in the emerging field of neurotheology, which examines the neural correlates of religious experience. A review of the literature is then provided, highlighting evidence linking religiosity with both positive and negative wellbeing outcomes in adults and adolescents across various international contexts. In addition to educational and psychological perspectives…

Keywords: Religion, Wellbeing, Post-Primary Schools, Religious Coping, Adolescence

Faith and Flourishing: Psychological, Philosophical, and Educational Perspectives on Wellbeing and Religion in Adolescence

Lydia Mannion, Ph.D., and Richard Casey, Ph.D.

The intersection of wellbeing and religion has been a central concern within the fields of education and psychology, with growing interest in how faith traditions and practices contribute to human flourishing. While adult populations have been the primary focus, comparatively less is known about adolescents, particularly within post-primary education contexts. This presentation investigates the relationship between religion and wellbeing amongst post-primary school students. It begins by outlining psychological perspectives on religion, including developments in the emerging field of neurotheology, which examines the neural correlates of religious experience. A review of the literature is then provided, highlighting evidence linking religiosity with both positive and negative wellbeing outcomes in adults and adolescents across various international contexts. In addition to educational and psychological perspectives, the presentation also considers philosophical questions concerning the nature of flourishing, meaning, and the role of faith in shaping conceptions of wellbeing. The analysis considers the extent to which faith functions as a resource for resilience, a potential source of strain, or both, within the developmental period of late adolescence. Finally, the implications of these findings for post-primary education are discussed, with particular attention to how schools might address the role of faith and spirituality in supporting holistic wellbeing.

AI Curiosity as a Catalyst for Innovative Thinking: A Mindset-First Framework for Modern Learners

Stacy McCracken, Ph.D., Impact and Lead, Austin, Texas, USA

With AI projects failing to deliver the productivity gains and returns on investment that organizations expected, leaders must look beyond technical skills, tools, and prompt engineering toward a more foundational driver of innovation: people. Emerging research, including recent findings from a study of working professionals, shows that growth interest in AI relates more strongly to innovative thinking than a general growth mindset alone. This curiosity about intelligent technologies signals a needed shift in how capability development is approached in the AI era.

This session introduces the Curiosity Circuits Model, a mindset-first framework describing four innovative thinking skills: Questioning, Observing, Experimenting, and Connecting. When these skills are practiced intentionally, they create conditions where insight, adaptability, and new ideas can emerge more easily. Paired with NOTICE, a simple reflective framework, learners strengthen their ability to challenge assumptions and expand the range of ideas they are willing to explore…

Keywords: Leadership Development, Growth Mindset, Growth Interest in AI, Innovative Thinking, Learning Design

AI Curiosity as a Catalyst for Innovative Thinking: A Mindset-First Framework for Modern Learners

Stacy McCracken, Ph.D.

With AI projects failing to deliver the productivity gains and returns on investment that organizations expected, leaders must look beyond technical skills, tools, and prompt engineering toward a more foundational driver of innovation: people. Emerging research, including recent findings from a study of working professionals, shows that growth interest in AI relates more strongly to innovative thinking than a general growth mindset alone. This curiosity about intelligent technologies signals a needed shift in how capability development is approached in the AI era.

This session introduces the Curiosity Circuits Model, a mindset-first framework describing four innovative thinking skills: Questioning, Observing, Experimenting, and Connecting. When these skills are practiced intentionally, they create conditions where insight, adaptability, and new ideas can emerge more easily. Paired with NOTICE, a simple reflective framework, learners strengthen their ability to challenge assumptions and expand the range of ideas they are willing to explore.

Rather than treating AI as a shortcut or a threat, we’ll treat it as a thinking partner so that leaders and learners can test ideas quickly, see patterns, expand their thinking, and solve real business challenges.

Participants will leave with practical tools and strategies for designing learning experiences and tiny experiments that strengthen AI curiosity, expand innovative thinking skills, and enhance leadership development. By approaching AI with a people-first strategy, leaders and educators can enhance problem-solving capability, critical thinking, and comfort with uncertainty—skills that matter now more than ever.

From Color to Competency: Using Insights Discovery to Build Behavior-Based Leadership Development

Stacy McCracken, Ph.D., Impact and Lead, Austin, Texas, USA

Organizations invest heavily in leadership competency models and personality assessments, yet many still struggle to translate these insights into day-to-day behaviors leaders can actually practice. This session demonstrates how Insights Discovery and the Transformational Leadership (ITL) model can be aligned with organizational values and competencies to create a clearer, more personalized approach to leadership development.

Drawing on the eight transformational leadership dimensions, participants will see how competencies such as Strategic Agility, Organizational Communication, Continuous Improvement, and Coaching/Feedback can be mapped to specific color energy preferences and practical behaviors to customize development within existing models.

Using a simple framework and real-world examples, including competency mapping across Agile Thinking, Leading Change, Communicating with Impact, and Facilitating Development, this session shows…

Keywords: Leadership Development, Insights Discovery, Competency Mapping, Transformational Leadership, Behavior Change

From Color to Competency: Using Insights Discovery to Build Behavior-Based Leadership Development

Stacy McCracken, Ph.D.

Organizations invest heavily in leadership competency models and personality assessments, yet many still struggle to translate these insights into day-to-day behaviors leaders can actually practice. This session demonstrates how Insights Discovery and the Transformational Leadership (ITL) model can be aligned with organizational values and competencies to create a clearer, more personalized approach to leadership development.

Drawing on the eight transformational leadership dimensions, participants will see how competencies such as Strategic Agility, Organizational Communication, Continuous Improvement, and Coaching/Feedback can be mapped to specific color energy preferences and practical behaviors to customize development within existing models.

Using a simple framework and real-world examples, including competency mapping across Agile Thinking, Leading Change, Communicating with Impact, and Facilitating Development, this session shows how to move from abstract leadership expectations to observable, teachable, and coachable behaviors. Participants will leave understanding how to create competency-to-Insights alignment in their own organizations, helping leaders better recognize their strengths, overextensions, and growth areas while making leadership development more personalized, actionable, and aligned with organizational goals.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to: - Identify how Insights Discovery and the ITL model can strengthen existing leadership competency models. - Understand how mapping organizational values and competencies to ITL dimensions and color energy preferences reveal practical development pathways. - Translate abstract leadership expectations into behaviors leaders can practice, observe, and coach.

Empowerment or Dependency? ChatGPT’s Impact on Higher Education Students’ Academic Self-Efficacy

Hagit Meishar-Tal, Ph.D., and Meital Amzalag, Ph.D., Holon Institute of Technology, Holon, Israel

This study examines the impact of ChatGPT use on students’ academic self-efficacy in higher education. As generative AI tools become increasingly prevalent in academic contexts, questions arise regarding their influence on learners’ confidence and autonomy. Employing a quantitative research design, data were collected through a structured online questionnaire completed by 296 higher education students.

The results reveal that students’ academic self-efficacy tends to be higher when they work without ChatGPT compared to when they use it. While ChatGPT use enhances students’ confidence during task performance, it simultaneously undermines their belief in their ability to complete similar tasks independently. Moreover, academic self-efficacy without ChatGPT shows significant positive correlations with perceived creativity and critical thinking, whereas self-efficacy with ChatGPT does not…

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Self Efficacy, Creativity, Critical Thinking, Dependency

Empowerment or Dependency? ChatGPT’s Impact on Higher Education Students’ Academic Self-Efficacy

Hagit Meishar-Tal, Ph.D., and Meital Amzalag, Ph.D.

This study examines the impact of ChatGPT use on students’ academic self-efficacy in higher education. As generative AI tools become increasingly prevalent in academic contexts, questions arise regarding their influence on learners’ confidence and autonomy. Employing a quantitative research design, data were collected through a structured online questionnaire completed by 296 higher education students.

The results reveal that students’ academic self-efficacy tends to be higher when they work without ChatGPT compared to when they use it. While ChatGPT use enhances students’ confidence during task performance, it simultaneously undermines their belief in their ability to complete similar tasks independently. Moreover, academic self-efficacy without ChatGPT shows significant positive correlations with perceived creativity and critical thinking, whereas self-efficacy with ChatGPT does not.

These findings suggest that although generative AI tools can temporarily enhance students’ sense of capability, they may also foster overreliance and weaken the intrinsic link between self-efficacy and personal cognitive traits. The study highlights the importance of promoting balanced and reflective AI integration in education—one that supports creativity, critical thinking, and independent learning while mitigating the risks of technological dependency.

The Limits and Challenges of Using Technology at a Teacher Training School in Africa

Leonel Vicente Mendes, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

This study aims to analyze the limits and challenges of integrating Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) as tools to stimulate the production and construction of knowledge in teacher training processes in Guinea-Bissau, with a focus on the intersection between training, technology use, and institutional instability. The integration of ICTs has the potential to enrich the educational environment by fostering active, critical, and creative engagement among both educators and learners. The research was conducted in the city of Bissau, at the Higher School of Education (ESE), encompassing the Tchico Té and 17 de Fevereiro campuses, which are responsible for training secondary and primary school teachers, respectively. A qualitative approach was employed, using semi-structured interviews with faculty and students from both units, conducted between March and June 2025…

Keywords: Education, Teacher Training, Technology, Guinea-Bissau

The Limits and Challenges of Using Technology in Teacher Training at an African University

Leonel Vicente Mendes

This study aims to analyze the limits and challenges of integrating Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) as tools to stimulate the production and construction of knowledge in teacher training processes in Guinea-Bissau, with a focus on the intersection between training, technology use, and institutional instability. The integration of ICTs has the potential to enrich the educational environment by fostering active, critical, and creative engagement among both educators and learners. The research was conducted in the city of Bissau, at the Higher School of Education (ESE), encompassing the Tchico Té and 17 de Fevereiro campuses, which are responsible for training secondary and primary school teachers, respectively. A qualitative approach was employed, using semi-structured interviews with faculty and students from both units, conducted between March and June 2025. Data analysis was organized into three main sections: "Initial Teacher Training", which explores ESE's teacher education policies. "Challenges of Integrating Technology into Pedagogical Practice and Teacher Training", which addresses the effects of political instability on training processes, including the lack of resources and insufficient training in the use of ICTs; and "Continuing Education and Innovation at the American Corner", which highlights the role of the U.S. Embassy-supported “American Corner” in promoting technological advancement and ongoing training. The study concludes that while the integration of ICTs holds significant potential for enhancing teacher education by introducing innovative and engaging approaches to teaching and learning, these benefits are hindered by the fragility of the institution and the broader political instability in the country. This instability leads to the discontinuity of educational policies at ESE and limits the effective use of ICTs in teacher education.

IGIP SESSION

Engineering Pedagogy in the AI Era: Redesigning Biomechanics Education through Ethical and Competency-Based Approaches

Jorge Meneses, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia

The rapid rise of artificial intelligence is reshaping how engineering students learn, question, and make sense of complex ideas. In this experience, we share how an undergraduate Applied Biomechanics course, as part of a Bioengineering program, was redesigned to embrace these changes without sacrificing rigor, critical thinking, or the human elements that make engineering education meaningful.

Grounded in Engineering Pedagogy, Competency-Based Learning (CBL), and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the redesign introduced Large Language Models (LLMs) as supportive learning companions during students’ pre-class preparation. Rather than treating AI as a shortcut, students learned to use it as a scaffold that could clarify difficult concepts, offer multiple perspectives, and lower the initial barrier of approaching dense biomechanical readings. Alongside these benefits, we emphasized the ethical responsibilities that come with AI use: verifying information, acknowledging its contributions, and maintaining ownership of one’s intellectual work…

Keywords: Engineering Pedagogy, Competency-Based Learning, Ethical and Responsible AI, Student-Centered Design, Biomechanics Education

Engineering Pedagogy in the AI Era: Redesigning Biomechanics Education through Ethical and Competency-Based Approaches

Jorge Meneses

The rapid rise of artificial intelligence is reshaping how engineering students learn, question, and make sense of complex ideas. In this experience, we share how an undergraduate Applied Biomechanics course, as part of a Bioengineering program, was redesigned to embrace these changes without sacrificing rigor, critical thinking, or the human elements that make engineering education meaningful.

Grounded in Engineering Pedagogy, Competency-Based Learning (CBL), and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the redesign introduced Large Language Models (LLMs) as supportive learning companions during students’ pre-class preparation. Rather than treating AI as a shortcut, students learned to use it as a scaffold that could clarify difficult concepts, offer multiple perspectives, and lower the initial barrier of approaching dense biomechanical readings. Alongside these benefits, we emphasized the ethical responsibilities that come with AI use: verifying information, acknowledging its contributions, and maintaining ownership of one’s intellectual work.

Across three iterative Design-Based Research cycles (problem analysis, design + development, implementation + evaluation), student reflections and classroom observations revealed a consistent pattern: when used intentionally, AI helped students feel more prepared, more confident, and more capable of engaging deeply with biomechanical reasoning. It also encouraged the development of a new kind of engineering competency—understanding when to trust an AI-generated explanation, when to question it, and how to use it responsibly as part of the learning process.

This experience presents a practical, human-centered model for integrating AI into engineering courses. It highlights not only the evolution of the curriculum, but also the growth we observed in our students namely, their agency, their curiosity, and their emerging sense of responsibility as future engineers.

When the Machine Becomes the Muse: Reimagining Creativity for the AI Workforce

A.J. Merlino, Ph.D., Western Governors University, South Jordan, Utah, USA

Throughout history, people have asked where creativity comes from. The ancient Greeks called it mimesis, the act of imitating the natural and divine world. During the Renaissance, creativity was seen as a form of service to beauty and faith. The Industrial Age celebrated invention through mastery of process, and the Digital Age made creation accessible to everyone. Now, artificial intelligence has introduced a new source of inspiration, one that challenges how we define originality and creative intent.

This session explores AI as a collaborator and muse, expanding rather than replacing human creativity. Drawing from my experience as Executive Director of Learning Innovation and Workforce Solutions at Thinking Through AI, where we built generative AI learning systems for employers, and my current work leading the Creative Impact programs at Western Governors University, I will share how human and machine collaboration is reshaping how people think, design, and learn…

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Workforce Development, Creativity, Innovation, Design Thinking

When the Machine Becomes the Muse: Reimagining Creativity for the AI Workforce

A.J. Merlino, Ph.D.

Throughout history, people have asked where creativity comes from. The ancient Greeks called it mimesis, the act of imitating the natural and divine world. During the Renaissance, creativity was seen as a form of service to beauty and faith. The Industrial Age celebrated invention through mastery of process, and the Digital Age made creation accessible to everyone. Now, artificial intelligence has introduced a new source of inspiration, one that challenges how we define originality and creative intent.

This session explores AI as a collaborator and muse, expanding rather than replacing human creativity. Drawing from my experience as Executive Director of Learning Innovation and Workforce Solutions at Thinking Through AI, where we built generative AI learning systems for employers, and my current work leading the Creative Impact programs at Western Governors University, I will share how human and machine collaboration is reshaping how people think, design, and learn.

Participants will see examples of AI-assisted creativity in communication, design, and learning experience development, and will reflect on the philosophical and ethical questions that come with it. Instead of reducing human originality, AI can amplify curiosity, encourage experimentation, and strengthen reflection.

Attendees will leave with practical approaches for integrating AI as a creative partner in education and workforce training, building a new kind of literacy that values imagination and critical thinking as much as technical fluency. This is creativity redefined for an era where humans and machines learn and make meaning together.

Collaborative Intelligence Frameworks: The Future of Organizational Learning & Competitive Advantage

Cally Mervine Kiser, Federal Government, Washington, D.C., USA

Every L&D leader faces the same puzzle: with AI everywhere, which strategies actually build lasting competitive advantage, and which deliver short-term efficiency bumps?

This session cuts through the noise. Instead of chasing the latest AI tools, we explore collaborative intelligence frameworks and deliberate strategies that integrate human judgment and AI capabilities to transform the fundamental way organizations learn and operate. I've spent the past year reviewing over 25 peer-reviewed studies published between 2020 and 2025, and the patterns are striking: organizations that build true learning ecosystems (where human creativity and emotional intelligence work alongside AI's processing power) consistently outperform their peers.

The numbers tell a compelling story. Research from the MIT Sloan Management Review indicates that…

Keywords: Collaborative Intelligence, Organizational Learning, Human-AI Collaboration, Knowledge Management, Competitive Advantage

Collaborative Intelligence Frameworks: The Future of Organizational Learning & Competitive Advantage

Cally Mervine Kiser

Every L&D leader faces the same puzzle: with AI everywhere, which strategies actually build lasting competitive advantage, and which deliver short-term efficiency bumps?

This session cuts through the noise. Instead of chasing the latest AI tools, we explore collaborative intelligence frameworks and deliberate strategies that integrate human judgment and AI capabilities to transform the fundamental way organizations learn and operate. I've spent the past year reviewing over 25 peer-reviewed studies published between 2020 and 2025, and the patterns are striking: organizations that build true learning ecosystems (where human creativity and emotional intelligence work alongside AI's processing power) consistently outperform their peers.

The numbers tell a compelling story. Research from the MIT Sloan Management Review indicates that organizations that combine traditional organizational learning with AI-specific approaches are 1.6 times more effective at navigating uncertainty. Even more dramatic: 83% of employees feel prepared for knowledge disruption from employee turnover, compared to just 39% of organizations taking a piecemeal approach. Recent studies confirm these frameworks drive measurable gains in team creativity, innovation processes, and collaborative problem-solving.

We will work through four practical pillars: smart task allocation between people and machines, knowledge systems that effectively retain what matters, capability building that extends beyond prompt engineering, and culture change that lasts. You will leave with ready-to-use assessment tools, pilot program templates, and metrics frameworks - not just theory, but approaches you can test in your learning environment. The goal is straightforward: this will help you build organizations that learn faster and remember better than your competition.

Building an Algorithmic Workforce: How AI is Creating a "Human Premium" Paradox in Financial Services

Paul Monk, Alpha Development, Ontario, Canada

In 2024, 89% of executives reported that their workforce required improved AI skills – but only 6% were engaged in “meaningful” upskilling efforts (BCG/IBM). 2025 has therefore seen a massive upsurge in demand for digital skills development – AI, data, and cyber are now considered the new baseline for entry-level roles in many industries, including financial services.

However, a paradox is also quickly emerging. As machines become increasingly competent and autonomous at handling tasks, human judgement is becoming ever-more valuable. This ‘algorithmic workforce’, where human talent and intelligent systems operate side-by-side, will generate a "human premium" around skills such as adaptability, strategic thinking and ethical judgement…

Keywords: AI Reskilling, Human-Led Finance

Building an Algorithmic Workforce: How AI is Creating a "Human Premium" Paradox in Financial Services

Paul Monk

In 2024, 89% of executives reported that their workforce required improved AI skills – but only 6% were engaged in “meaningful” upskilling efforts (BCG/IBM). 2025 has therefore seen a massive upsurge in demand for digital skills development – AI, data, and cyber are now considered the new baseline for entry-level roles in many industries, including financial services.

However, a paradox is also quickly emerging. As machines become increasingly competent and autonomous at handling tasks, human judgement is becoming ever-more valuable. This ‘algorithmic workforce’, where human talent and intelligent systems operate side-by-side, will generate a "human premium" around skills such as adaptability, strategic thinking and ethical judgement.

This engaging & fast-paced session allows attendees to actively review 3 real-world, practical case studies on the ‘human premium’ paradox. While centered on Financial Services, the insights and takeaways can be applied to any organization: 1. Rebuilding Finance & Risk skillsets for AI-enabled workflows 2. Developing Leaders for a permanently-transforming workplace 3. Evolving Commercial Skills as AI becomes part of the client journey

Creating Innovative Presentations for Higher Education using the Pecha Kucha Method

Laila Montaser, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt

This research seeks to introduce a groundbreaking, innovative, pioneering learning technique as an alternative to the boring traditional PowerPoint presentations. I have discovered that using Pecha Kucha (PK) as a distinctive presentation method in the medical field has been effective, allowing our Diploma, M. Sc., and MD postgraduate students in Clinical Pathology to share medical topics and engage with others in a concise, and memorable manner. I instructed my postgraduate students i) on creating visually appealing PK slide designs to enhance engagement using graphics and images, ii) on selecting the best pictures that can capture the audience's interest and how to download high-resolution images from the internet, and iii) the method for recording their video presentations in advance with audio commentary…

Keywords: Higher Education, Learning, Pecha Kucha, Postgraduate Students, Video Recording

Creating Innovative Presentations for Higher Education using the Pecha Kucha Method

Laila Montaser

This research seeks to introduce a groundbreaking, innovative, pioneering learning technique as an alternative to the boring traditional PowerPoint presentations. I have discovered that using Pecha Kucha (PK) as a distinctive presentation method in the medical field has been effective, allowing our Diploma, M. Sc., and MD postgraduate students in Clinical Pathology to share medical topics and engage with others in a concise, and memorable manner. I instructed my postgraduate students i) on creating visually appealing PK slide designs to enhance engagement using graphics and images, ii) on selecting the best pictures that can capture the audience's interest and how to download high-resolution images from the internet, and iii) the method for recording their video presentations in advance with audio commentary. These PK presentations are recognized for conveying narratives using visuals instead of words and are usually concise. They utilize overall presentation duration of 6 minutes and 40 seconds. This is vital in presentations since the time allotted is limited, and delivering key information is extremely important. The outcomes showed a growth in students' slide preparation skills and speaking abilities. The students also display a positive understanding that using online video recordings enhances their speaking skills and rhetoric. They clearly stated that video recording is an encouraging element that can be utilized to enhance their speaking abilities. PK presentations assist students in acquiring essential skills that are engaging, attractive, and enjoyable for the audience, which is advantageous in classrooms. We are transforming genuine human connection by means of inclusive social interaction and technology. Consequently, it is proposed that video recording could serve as an alternative method for instructors, particularly in times of crisis. My goal is to motivate a new wave of innovators by delivering outstanding and respected presentations while speaking English fluently both nationally and internationally.

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