The OpenLearning Forum 2024 brought together educators and industry leaders to explore how AI is transforming education, corporate training, and lifelong learning. Hosted by Adam Brimo, CEO of OpenLearning, and David Collien, CTO of OpenLearning, the forum featured discussions on the opportunities and challenges of AI in learning.
Speakers including Cherie Diaz (Executive Director of Education Innovation), Chen Fong Tuan (Senior EVP, Group Human Capital at Maybank), Freddy Teo (Head of the National Centre of Excellence for Workplace Learning) and Andrew Napier (Principal Consultant at Learning Plan) shared their insights on the evolving role of AI in creating impactful, scalable learning experiences. The Academia and Industry Showcase further enriched the forum with case studies from institutions including Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), the Selangor Human Resource Development Centre (SHRDC), Hayat Technologies, and Western State University California.
Image: A snapshot of the panellists discussing the topic, “What’s Next? AI, eLearning and Corporate L&D” at the OpenLearning Forum 2024.
One of the standout themes of the event was the efficiency of AI-powered tools. Traditionally, course development could take over 30 days, but with solutions like OpenLearning’s AI Course Builder, organisations are now launching courses in as quickly as two weeks—not only saving time, but also applying best practices in learning design to their courses.
Here are the key takeaways from the forum, offering a glimpse into the future of AI-driven learning.
AI course design tools are transforming how institutions create microcredentials by streamlining development and ensuring alignment with industry needs.
At the forum, Cherie Diaz highlighted initiatives at Western Sydney University, where microcredentials are co-created with industry to address current and emerging skill demands. “I think the key consistent message that comes through is the eagerness to use AI to enhance ways of working, streamline processes, and free people up to actually spend more time on the value-add and the human connectedness side of their work.” She noted the potential of AI to enhance the design and development of such credentials, aligning learning experiences closely with both learner and employer needs.
Dr. Jehana Ermy shared UNITEN’s experience with OpenLearning’s AI Assistant in microcredential development. “Now with OpenLearning’s AI Assistant, course structure and module generation help a lot in the course production process, allowing us to deliver microcredential courses much faster.” This efficiency aids in addressing industry needs and bridging competency gaps for learners: UNITEN has already developed 33 industry-aligned microcredentials, with 37 more in the pipeline.
Key Takeaway: Leveraging AI in microcredential development enables institutions to address skills gaps effectively while scaling offerings to meet growing demands.
2. Redefining Assessment Design and Facilitation
The forum explored how AI is enhancing assessment design and facilitation, offering ways to create dynamic, learner-centred experiences. Active learning, creativity, and real-world problem-solving were central themes, with discussions focusing on the tools and approaches that enable these.
One of the challenges discussed was designing assessments that prioritise creativity and problem-solving—skills that AI cannot replicate easily.
David Collien showcased how OpenLearning's AI Course Builder empowers educators to design active learning experiences. He demonstrated how the AI Course Builder can generate engaging activities and assessments that are aligned to the intended learning outcomes.
He also shared an exciting glimpse of the upcoming AI Facilitation tool, which helps educators to provide meaningful feedback on learners' work more efficiently.
Key Takeaway: AI-powered tools are transforming assessment and facilitation by generating active learning activities and suggesting feedback.
AI tools are transforming the roles of educators, learning designers, and L&D professionals by automating time-consuming administrative tasks. This enables them to focus on mentorship, meaningful engagement, and crafting impactful learning experiences.
David Collien demonstrated OpenLearning’s AI Course Builder, showcasing how it streamlines course creation processes. By automating key steps, such as designing modules and activities, this tool reduces timelines from weeks to days. This efficiency gives educators and L&D teams more capacity to connect with learners and refine the learning experience.
Key Takeaway: AI tools enhance the capabilities of learning designers and educators to create engaging, learner-centred experiences by optimising their time and resources.
With industries evolving at an unprecedented pace, organisations have been equipping their workforce with relevant skills. AI-powered tools are revolutionising corporate training by delivering rapid upskilling and reskilling programs, ensuring employees remain competitive over time.
Chen Fong Tuan (FT) shared how Maybank is leveraging AI to address the rapidly changing dynamics of the financial industry. With fintech disrupting traditional banking models, FT highlighted the need for workforce upskilling to close skills gaps quickly. He emphasised Maybank’s efforts to enhance Learning and Development practices through AI and other advanced technologies, ensuring employees remain agile and prepared for evolving industry demands.
Andrew Napier highlighted how Learning Plan uses artificial intelligence to simplify corporate training, sharing examples such as an AI drowning detection system for swimming pools that distinguishes swimmers in distress from poor technique. Reflecting on industry trends, he noted: “The more I use AI technology to do my work, I fear I may be saying goodbye to some of the skills I once had," emphasising the importance of maintaining existing skills and adapting to new ways of working.
Key Takeaway: Integrating AI into corporate training is no longer optional – it’s essential for organisations seeking to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic market.
The integration of AI in education opens up exciting possibilities, but it also brings pressing ethical questions: How do we ensure data privacy? How do we mitigate potential biases? And how can we make AI-powered tools equitable and accessible to all?
During the forum, several speakers highlighted the importance of ethical guidelines to govern AI use in education. Transparency, inclusivity, and societal alignment emerged as key principles for responsible AI adoption.
Dr. Chua Wen-Shyan from the Selangor Human Resource Development Centre shared how his team incorporates these principles into their work. His upcoming course, Generative AI Essentials for Industry 4.0, emphasizes AI sovereignty—ensuring private data and chats remain secure while empowering users to build their own AI applications. This approach ensures trust and inclusivity as these technologies scale to reach diverse learner groups.
Key Takeaway: Including ethical considerations in AI education is essential to build trust and ensure long-term sustainability, especially as these tools become integral to learning experiences worldwide.
Collaboration between educators, businesses, and technology developers is critical for advancing AI in education. These partnerships ensure AI solutions address real-world needs and foster innovation.
Freddy Teo from Temasek Polytechnic highlighted how their institution has adapted structured training frameworks from Swiss and German models to develop robust workplace learning capabilities in Singapore. This collaboration with industry supports companies in addressing talent retention challenges and fostering skills development for business growth. Freddy also emphasised the importance of tools like JobTech, which leverage AI to personalise training programs and match individual skills gaps to career pathways.
Key Takeaway: Collaboration between academia and industry accelerates the impact of AI, ensuring that its benefits are widely accessible and aligned with industry needs.
The OpenLearning Forum 2024 highlighted how AI is transforming education and training by driving innovation in course design, workplace learning, and assessment facilitation. These advancements are empowering educators and organisations to meet evolving industry needs, foster meaningful engagement, and prepare learners for the future.
Ready to explore these possibilities? Schedule a demo or book a session with our consultant today to see how OpenLearning’s AI-powered solutions can transform your learning strategies and deliver impactful results.
Topics: Updates
