Warnborough College Ireland hosted its first eConference on April 28th, co-sponsored by our partners, IVETA and SkillNET. The theme was “Sustainable Innovative Teaching + Learning“.
24 speakers from around the world came together to share their knowledge, expertise and experience on the theme. The day was packed with practical insights coupled with the latest research.
The conference was opened by Dr Kenneth Vella, the IVETA’s European Vice-President, and our President, Dr Brenden Tempest-Mogg. Presentations were introduced and managed by Dr Julian Ng.
Dr Brenden Tempest-Mogg 
Dr Kenneth Vella 
Dr Julian Ng
The conference structure saw the first half of the morning dedicated to speakers from Australia and Asia due to the timezone differences. Dr Vicky Roberts kicked off proceedings with a session about preparing teachers to effectively cascade their Training of Trainer (TOT) skills. This was followed by Md Saiful Bari and Md Humayun Kabir from Bangladesh outlining their vision of e-Primary education as a form of sustainable development and empowerment for developing nations.
Md Saiful Bari 
Dr Issariya Woraphiphat 
Dr Ardian Setiawan
Michael Belgica, Piriya Boonphokai and Dr Issariya Woraphiphat from the Siam Business Administration College (SBAC) explained how they blended course content and design to shift learning online. This was followed by Dr Ardian Setiawan from the State Polytechnic University of Malang with the Indonesian perspective of the same issue.
Hans Bernd Richter 
Prof Noel Kufaine 
Mehdi Belkhair
Hans Bernd Richter (Germany) gave us all a fantastic brain-teasing puzzle to solve, as a lesson in teaching and learning. Dr Noel Kufaine from Namibia investigated effective teacher training causes and effects before Antonio Fernandez Perez and Mehdi Belkhair blew the audience away with a hands-on look at Augmented Reality (AR) in the teaching of vocational subjects.
Antonio Fernandez Perez 
Dr Irina Ainoutdinova 
Dr Urs Hauenstein
From Russia with love, Dr Irina Ainoutdinova and Dr Tatiana Tregubova showcased their system for preparing teachers to deliver e-learning, while Dr Urs Hauenstein demonstrated Swiss precision with his unique take on X-preneurship, or the entrepreneurial skills needed as a key competency for sustainable and holistic development.
The event paused for a short lunch break before Dr John Gaal, IVETA president, welcomed participants back.
Dr John Gaal 
Dr Benjamin Onoriode Irikefe 
Md Hussin Alam
Dr Benjamin Onoriode Irikefe launched in an impassioned presentation about how TVET can be a useful tool for combating violent crime and volatile activities in Nigeria. Md Hussin Alam from the University of Wroclaw, Poland examined the role of technology in formal education settings.
Dr Maurice Dimmock, chair of ASIC, shared experiences learnt about conducting accreditation audits during a pandemic, while Dr Giovanni Crisona of our partner, SkillNet Alliance, introduced the fascinating concept of Virtual Mobility for students.
Dr Maurice Dimmock 
Dr Giovanni Crisona 
Laura Barrios
Dr Tulio Barrios and Laura Barrios presented on effective assessment practice at vulnerable schools from Chile, while Dr Julie Furst-Bowe represented North America’s efforts to supplement online learning with specially-designed instructional kits. Dr Frank de Jong of Aeres University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands proposed the unique Regional Learning model whereby schools worked with local businesses and government to allow their students to resolve real-world issues. Finally, Dr Sandra Poirier and Dr Mary Ann Remsen closed the event with some interesting models on online instruction that were sustainable and expandable.
Dr Julie Furst-Bowe 
Prof Dr Frank de Jong 
Dr Sandra Poirier
In between, polls and question and answer sessions allowed participants to interact with each other, and to learn from specific speakers. As per the feedback, the friendly atmosphere with a chance for ‘serious learning’ afforded the conference a very convivial and positive environment for such a long online session. This has spurred us on to more conferences for the future.
Check out our MindFULL conference in June on mental health awareness.
