Tim Workman, NRC-IIT 6 October 2010 Technology, the Future, and Change : Emergent Trends in Learning

NRC Institute for Information Technology Specializing in: –3D imaging, modeling, and visualization –Learning and collaborative technologies –Human-computer interaction –Intelligent internet applications –Natural language processing –Data and text mining Research Labs focused on: –Augmented Reality –Service Oriented Systems –People Centered Technologies –Semantic Web Technologies

A Period of Significant Social Change Society is changing, in terms of demographics, priorities, and how people consume information “Stop talking about Alternative Training Delivery – it is now the way that all training will be conducted. Legacy training models are no longer an option...” –Commander, Combat Training Centre, CFB Gagetown “If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less…” –General Eric Shinseki, US Army Chief of Staff Policy is currently driven by people who’s personal experiences and understanding may no longer be wholly relevant

Advanced Learning and Technology Represents... Methodologies and technologies that enhance learning processes, cognitive function, knowledge transfer, memory and retention, and both individual and collective performance Applies to Training & Education and Operational Performance Support

Challenges Identified: Government Participants Lack of standards between organizations / departments Lack of situational awareness between organizations / departments for potentially synergistic initiatives, projects, content, past research, etc Training models are being shaped to fit available / existing tools, versus shaping tools to fit emergent problems / models Organizations tend to pre-position the solution space Too much redundant “basic” research and not enough scaffolding to emphasize “applied” research Challenges in matching the right resources to the problem that provides cost and process efficiency

Opportunities Identified: Workshop Participants A national Centre of Excellence for Advanced Learning and Technology could provide / facilitate: –Framework for discussion / collaboration between stakeholders –Technology “sandbox” to develop / trial / showcase emergent technologies, capabilities, and methods –Knowledge integration, coordination, and warehousing –Advice to policy, standardization, and interoperability –Needs assessments and prioritization of effort –Synthesis of requirements across government organizations to support industry engagement, innovation, etc –Access to vendors, organizations, stakeholders within and across the ALT ecosystem –Alignment of stakeholder capabilities to opportunities

Online Government Advanced Research and Development Environment The purpose of ONGARDE is to provide government (security cluster) organizations with a common virtual environment within which collaboration, experimentation, and resource sharing can occur. Intent is to –Eliminate redundant / individually funded efforts and create a collective resource pool –Create a unified research agenda based on priority areas of importance / impact –Target research and development investment against Key Performance Indicators / Return on Investment metrics –Leverage “whole of government” capabilities, resources, and user-base to maximize the value proposition and impact

Project OnGARDE designed as… A collaboration framework between government organizations to facilitate, expand, and optimize mutually supportive efforts An initiative designed to: –Support “coal-face innovation” by linking operational organizations with advanced institutional support –Eliminate historic “distance” and barriers between operators and academia at the organizational levels –Establish new models for industry collaboration A technology infrastructure that will enable government organizations to collaborate within a common virtual environment for the purposes of research, development, and evaluation of emergent methodologies and technologies

ONGARDE Partnership Co-hosted with the Canadian Defence Academy –Manages Canada’s ADL Co-lab –Provides Canadian Forces training policy guidance to all branch –Creates CF research agenda for learning concepts –CF representatives to NATO on use of commercial platforms for training –CF managing authority for Defence Learning Network and DND Learn, the enterprise LMS / LCMS –Within “whole of government” mandate, actively collaborates with other government departments to unify efforts and agendas New partners welcome

Immersive Reflexive Engagement Trainer Project The purpose of the IRET project is to blend a number of technologies to allow soldiers to train within a blended live- virtual environment –Primary application is judgmental training for ROE and use of force –Secondary application for development of engagement skills with primary and secondary weapons. 24-month project (complete summer 2011) Three core components –Multimodal command interfaces (voice and laser) –Cognitive modeling of tasks / behaviours –Augmented reality visualization systems

Clandestine Labs Project Current stakeholders include RCMP, CPKN, Canadian Police Research Centre(CPRC), NRC-IIT, and DND Intent is to develop “proof of concept” in a police training context that highlights: –Personalized Learning / Personal Learning Environments –Competency & Proficiency Measurement / Management –Intelligent Tutoring / Assessment High-level agreements should be in place by end-Oct Three trial user groups: –National police force (RCMP) –Regional police force (volunteer?) –Municipal police force (volunteer?)

Clandestine Labs Project Proposed “course” intended to parallel existing efforts –Frame of reference / contrast –Content conversion Require “hard problems” to solve –Training tasks –Learning outcomes Need a “wish list…”

QUESTIONS / DISCUSSION Timothy Workman, CD, MDE Project Manager – Strategic Partnerships National Research Council Institute for Information Technology