June 2017
Digital Leaders Week Launch, Virtual Worlds for Real Experiences

Daden Fieldscapes and Google Expeditions,
Gamification and Enabling 360 Technologies in Education,

Cutter IT Journal Executive Update on Disruptive Technologies,

Open University Collaboration Funding, Impact of AI on Society

Business Mentoring and Technology Strategy,

Recent Articles and Presentations, Upcoming Events.

 

Welcome to the GAETSS June 2017 Newsletter. This month the main themes are digital disruption and the use of 360 degree and virtual/augmented/mixed reality technologies for education.

 

In this Edition

·       Digital Leaders Week Launch

·       Virtual Worlds for Real Experiences

·       Daden Fieldscapes and Google Expeditions

·       Gamification and Enabling 360 Technologies in Education

·       Cutter IT Journal Executive Update on Disruptive Technologies

·       Open University Collaboration Funding

·       Business Mentoring and Technology Strategy

·       Impact of AI on Society

·       Featured Upcoming Conferences and Seminars

o   Thaisim 2017

o   Serious Play Conference Washington

·       Recent Articles and Presentations

·       Future Events Listing

 

Digital Leaders Week Launch

Images from the Launch of Digital Leaders Week at the London Stock Exchange

Monday June 19th saw the launch of Digital Leaders Week at the London Stock Exchange. Digital Leaders (www.digileaders.com) is a not-for-profit organisation committed to promoting the use of digital technologies across both public and private sectors, acting as a catalyst for transformational change and knowledge sharing. The choices of the London Stock Exchange as the venue for the launch event and the speeches from Frances Maude and Matt Hancock were most appropriate and reflected on the transformational change involved with the “Big Bang” when the Stock Exchange “went digital” some years ago.

I was privileged to be invited to this event in which the start of Digital Leaders Week was announced with the symbolic ringing of the Stock Exchange “Digital Bell” at 08:00 on Monday as the marker for the start of the day’s trading. Digital Leaders Week has a packed programme of events and activities across the UK, details of which can be found at  http://digileaders.com/week/

I have posted pictures of the launch at  https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwortley/albums/72157682367635983 and a YouTube video of the launch and the speeches at https://www.youtube.com/gEMw3AaR17c

.

Virtual Worlds for Real Experiences

Images from Professor Shailey Minocha’s Inaugural Lecture at the Open University

The Open University (OU) at Milton Keynes was the venue for Professor Shailey Minocha’s inaugural lecture on the topic of “Virtual Worlds for Real Experiences”. I had been fortunate enough to meet Shailey at the Open University recently at a meeting to explore potential collaboration on wearable technologies where she has been involved in several projects researching the impact of wearable technologies on health and well-being, especially amongst the older population. It was during this serendipitous meeting that I discovered that we had many common experiences and connections, especially in the use of virtual worlds such as Second Life for education.

Professor Minocha’s inaugural lecture focused on the impact and potential of technologies in three main strands – social media, virtual/mixed/augmented reality and wearable devices. One of the elements covered in the virtual reality section of the presentation was the use of technology applications such as Google Expeditions and Daden Fieldscapes which are discussed later in this e-newsletter.

The inaugural lecture was very informative and professional and well-received by a large audience. I have posted images of the lecture at  https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwortley/albums/72157682332877684

For more details of Professor Minocha’s research interests, go to  http://www.shaileyminocha.info/

 

Daden Fieldscapes and Google Expeditions for Education

Images of Google Expeditions and Daden Fieldscapes bringing 360 degree Learning into the Classroom

Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality applications are beginning to find their way into the classroom as 360 degree image and video content becomes increasingly accessible and affordable to create. Two of the applications which were featured in Professor Minocha’s inaugural lecture are Google Expeditions and Daden Fieldscapes. Both of the applications can add real value to immersive education by leveraging virtual world technologies in a classroom environment.

Google Expeditions is a mobile application that works with the Google Cardboard headset. The Expeditions application acts as a gateway to a large library of immersive content that enables students to experience visits to both real and virtual places guided by their teacher. The screenshot used in this newsletter illustrates a trip to a coral reef, one of a vast library of places around the world. This approach encourages innovative teachers to inspire students by taking them to previous inaccessible places. For more details of Google Expeditions, go to  https://edu.google.com/expeditions/

Daden’s recently launched Fieldscapes solution uses a different approach to virtual field trips based on the use of virtual environments based on real places. In partnership with the OU, they have been piloting Fieldscapes to Skiddaw in the UK where the Fieldscapes application blends real and virtual worlds to illustrate the geology of the region. See more details on the Fieldscapes Facebook page at  https://www.facebook.com/fieldscapesvr/

 

Gamification and Enabling 360 Technologies in Education

Combining 360 Degree Video Technologies with Gamification to Stimulate Learning

The Beaconing EU project http://beaconing.eu/ focuses on the serious use of games and gamification for enhancing education and transforming the way students learn today. I am involved in the Beaconing project through my Milan-based serious games experts at Imaginary who recently produced a video about Beaconing and STEM Education (see https://www.youtube.com/dJA7ohE9X8g&t=9s)

I am planning to incorporate the Beaconing principles of “serious play” and “flipped classroom” into my keynote presentation at the upcoming Thaisim 2017 conference where I will be illustrating the practical use of gamification and enabling 360 degree video technologies in the classroom. Although the 360 degree video clips I have produced for the conference game have similar characteristics to the Google Expeditions and Daden Fieldscapes applications, the way they are used to stimulate student interest, motivation and enquiry will be quite different. I aim to demonstrate how gamification strategies can easily be applied to 360 degree and immersive VR content to not only motivate learning but also achieve additional learning / developmental outcomes.

The Thaisim conference will be the first pilot of this approach and I aim to publish the results in my next e-newsletter.

 

Cutter IT Journal Executive Update on Disruptive Technologies

The Cutter Business Technology Journal and Disruptive Technologies that Shaped my Mass Mitec Business

My most recent article for the Cutter Business Technology Journal was a reflection on disruptive technologies for business, how their impact has changed over the years and the lessons to be drawn from experience. I used my own experience of disruptive digital technologies within my digital media business, Mass Mitec.

My company was born in 1984 with the original intention to become a leading consultancy on the strategic use of technology for business development. It was built around several years working for British Telecom and IBM and my involvement in advising companies on the use of technology for competitive advantage. I introduced disruptive technologies within my own business as a means of practicing what I was preaching and amongst the technologies I was an early adopter for was the Polaroid Palette film recorder that I used to make my own business presentations on 35mm slide.

The use of an IBM PC and Polaroid Palette was very innovative in 1985 and generated a lot of corporate interest for both presentation services and digital imaging with the consequence that Mass Mitec became one of the leading presentation services companies in the UK.

With the launch of software packages like Harvard Graphics and Microsoft Powerpoint, I recognised the growing market for self-designed presentations and paved the way for me to leverage another disruptive technology, the Diskfax, as a mechanism to set up in 1992 a national network of retail digital imaging outlet in partnership with Prontaprint, growing rapidly to over 100 High Street outlets across the UK and offering a 24 hr turn-round for professional quality visual aids.

My business strategy to evolve from presentation services to presentation technologies through this partnership arrangement fell to pieces when Prontaprint were acquired by a Printing Company who saw the opportunity to use this imaging network to feed their print factories and almost overnight I was forced to completely re-engineer my business.

Articles from the Cutter Business Technology Journal is available online at  https://www.cutter.com/journals/cutter-business-technology-journal

Open University Collaboration Funding

ACTIS Project Funding for Collaboration with Open University on Wearables

Following a recent workshop at the Open University (OU) held in partnership with Medilink East Midlands, applications are now being invited for collaboration projects with the OU on Wearable Technologies. If you have a project idea, you can submit it to the Open University using a downloadable form from  :-

http://www.medilinkem.com/opportunities/2017/06/12/funidngopptheou?utm_

The deadline is Friday June 23rd

Business Mentoring and Technology Strategy

There are very few, if any, businesses, organisations and industries that are not affected by technology either in the shape of unprecedented opportunities for growth or disruptive threats that demand transformation. I am involved in an increasing amount of business coaching/mentoring for companies and individuals wanting to develop their businesses. Some of these coaching contracts come through the European Commissions H2020 support for small businesses and some through contacts made through this e-newsletter.

If you are interested in business coaching or support through my involvement in a non-Executive Director roles or would simply like to discuss a specific need, please contact me at david@davidwortley.com

 

Impact of AI on Society

Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Unlocking Human Potential or a Serious Threat to Humanity

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is gaining an increasing amount of attention over recent weeks with quite divergent opinions on its impact of business and society ranging from a very positive perspective as a mechanism to unlock human potential to a view which sees AI as one of the biggest threats ever faced by humanity. Stephen Fry recently gave a lecture in which he expressed serious concerns about the future impact of AI whilst Rohit Talwar is currently conducting surveys within the business community to assess current thinking.

 

I addressed the impact of AI on Society in my “Gadgets to God” book (www.gadgetstogodbook.com) which articulates my opinions in the statement on the back cover which reads “I was born into a world in which human beings used their skill and intelligence to get the best out of machines and I will leave this world where machines will be using their skill and intelligence to get the best out of human beings”

 

My biggest fear is that humans will become so dependent on technology for every aspect of our lives that we lose the essential characteristics and developmental needs that make us human. I count myself as very fortunate to be a “baby boomer” and to have lived through arguably the most disruptive and exciting period of human history. I fear it will n ot be so easy for future generations.

 

Featured Upcoming Conferences

Presenting at an International Conference

Over the coming months, I am due to make presentations and/or submit papers at a number of national and international conferences whose details are shown below :-

Thaisim 2017

Thaisim Conferences are rich in cultural experience and practical uses of games and simulations for Education

The Thaisim 2017 conference is due to be held shortly in Bangkok where I will be piloting a “360 Degree World Quiz Game” in a keynote presentation on the use of 360 degree technologies for education.

For details of the conference, go to http://www.thaisim.or.th/

Serious Play Conference Washington

 

The Serious Play Conference, now in its 7th year, is a leadership conference for professionals who embrace the idea that games can revolutionize learning. Speakers, who come from all parts of the globe, share their experience creating or using games in the corporation, classroom, healthcare institution, government and military and offer tips on how to move game-based education programs ahead.

At Serious Play, attendees listen, share and participate actively in informal sessions dedicated to the discussion of the future of serious games.

For details of the conference go to  http://seriousplayconf.com/

Recent Articles, Videos, Presentations and Papers

A comprehensive list of archived articles, presentations and videos can be accessed at my website – http://www.davidwortley.com/conferences.html

The most recent updates are shown below :-

Date

Article/Presentation Title

Comments

Apr 2017

360 Degree Budget Video Making Part One

View Presentation

Presentation and video on choosing a camera and making 360 degree videos

Apr 2017

360 Degree Budget Video Making Part Two
View Presentation

Presentation on hints and tips for making budget v360 degree videos

Apr 2017

Games Industry Adaptive Roadmap
View Presentation

CGAT 2017 presentation of the CRe-AM project findings for the Games Industry.

Apr 2017

The Role of Digital Earth Technologies in Digital  Medicine
View Presentation

The ISDE 2017 presentation

Apr 2017

Various 360 degree Videos
View YouTube Channel

A selection of 360 degree videos illustrating potential applications for this technology

Apr 2017

Business Opportunities in the Digital Age
View Cutter Business Technology Journal

The business opportunities and challenges arising from developments in digital photography and video

Apr 2017

Wearable Technologies Case Study
View Digital Medicine Journal

A personal review of 3 consumer wearable devices and associated mobile applications

Apr 2017

Tackling the Challenges of the Aging Society
View Healthcare Informatics Journal

A review of various initiatives using Gamification and enabling technologies to address health and sustainability issues associated with the Aging Society

 

Upcoming Events Listing

 

Below is a list of forthcoming conferences – also accessible at http://www.davidwortley.com/events.html

 

 

Date

Event Name / Description

Location

Web URL

 

 

 

 

Jun 22-23

IGBL 2017 - Irish Games Based Learning Conference

Cork, Ireland

http://www.igbl-conference.com/

 

June 24-25

MEIT 2017

Chongqing, China

http://www.meit2017.org/.

 

Jun 26-29

ILRN 2017 - 3rd Immersive Learning Research Network Conference

Coimbra, Portugal

https://immersivelrn.org/ilrn2017/

Jun 27

Westminster Forum - UK tech post-Brexit: investment, influence and policy priorities

London, UK

http://www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk/conference/britain-technology-17

Jun 28 - Jul 1

Mobile World Congress Shanghai

Shanghai, China

http://www.mwcshanghai.com/

 

June 29-30

Thaisim 2017

Bangkok, Thailand

TBA

 

Jul 3-5

Edulearn 2017 - International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies

Barcelona, Spain

https://iated.org/edulearn/

 

Jul 10-14

ISAGA 2017

Delft, Netherlands

http://www.isaga2017.com/

July 12-14

Playful Learning

Manchester, UK

http://conference.playthinklearn.net/blog/

July 18-20

Serious Play 2017

Washington, USA

http://seriousplayconf.com/

 

Sep 6-8

Game-On' 2017

Carlow, Ireland

https://www.eurosis.org/cms/?q=taxonomy/term/391

Sep 11-12

NHS Health and Care Innovation Expo

Manchester, UK

https://www.england.nhs.uk/expo/

Sep 21-22

Serious Games Conference

Singapore

http://2017conf.seriousgamesconference.org/

Sep 27-29

World Education Day 2017 Conference

Dalian, China

http://www.worldeduday.org/

Oct 2-3

Games for Health Europe 7th Annual Conference

Netherlands

http://www.gamesforhealtheurope.org/

Oct 4-6

ECGBL 2017 European Conference on Game-based Learning

Graz, Austria

http://www.academic-conferences.org/conferences/ecgbl/

Nov 9-11

WCBME 2017 - World Congress on Biomedical Engineering

Xian, China

http://www.bitcongress.com/wcbme2017/programlayout.asp

 

Nov 14-16

2017 WISE Summit: "Co-Exist, Co-Create: Learning to Live and Work Together

Doha, Qatar

http://www.wise-qatar.org/2017-summit-education-coexist-cocreate

Nov 28-30

GIANT Health Conference 2017

London, UK

http://www.gianthealthevent.com/

 

 

If you would like any presentations, videos or documents circulated to my network, I am happy to provide this service free of charge for any material relevant to readers of this newsletter. If you are interested, contact me at david@davidwortley.com.

 

Best Wishes for a Better Future for all Mankind

 

David Wortley FRSA

Founder and CEO GAETSS – Gamification and Enabling Technologies Strategic Solutions

Shaping the Future of Business and Society through Human Development and Motivation

President of the European Chapter of the International Society of Digital Medicine

Landline: +441327811827

Mobile Phone : +447896659695

Email : david@gaetss.com, president@isdm.eu

Skype: davidwortley

Web: http://www.gaetss.com

 

If you no longer wish to receive these newsletters, simply reply with the word UNSUBSCRIBE and I will remove you from the mailing list.