Presentation title:  Telework/Telecommuting and e-education

Presentation summary:  Remote work and education have become more widespread during COVID-19 pandemic, and high levels of remote work are likely to persist. Businesses and Universities, in the MSc level, embraced remote work on a massive scale, with a significant number of employees now working from home. With the help of technology, businesses have been able to maintain productivity despite the physical distance between employees. Hybrid methods of working as well as of teaching and their impact is examined. Can AI can assist and facilitate our working approach? Can the rural-to-urban migration be inverted with the new modes of employability?

Presentation title: Metahealthcare and Public health: Opportunities and challenges in health, mental health and health promotion in the Metaverse era.

Presentation summary: The aim of the paper is to unravel the multiple effects of the Metaverse on public health, mental health and health promotion. The study implements the tool of a scoping systematic literature review via scientific database PubMed by combining topic-related keywords to identify research studies and case-studies or good-practices proposed. Through the articles included in the draft version of the systematic review, it is evident that the use of the Metaverse in various healthcare fields is expanding rapidly. The studies emphasize the importance of the ocular care community embracing innovation and virtual healthcare technology, the potential of the Metaverse in medicine to address cognitive decline and mental health issues, and explore the integration of the Metaverse into cardiovascular medicine. In other studies there is an emphasis on virtual reality (VR) exposure therapy in treating psychological disorders, the use of the Metaverse for medical education, such as with medical and nursing students, the implementation of a VR-assisted treadmill that can benefit stroke patients, the merging of AI and blockchain for immersive doctor-patient interactions, diagnosis, treatment, and data security, neurosurgical uses of advanced technology, including robotics and artificial intelligence, in surgery. Moreover, there are studies with recommendations regarding the integration of the Metaverse into healthcare and the associated ethical, legal, and social challenges, the focus on Metaverse technology in clinical neurorehabilitation, the advancing VR-based treatments and various concepts, potential applications and the impact of Metaverse technologies in the fields of medicine, healthcare, and mental health. Moreover, studies show the benefits of using the Metaverse and virtual reality technologies to improve the mental health of heart failure patients, technologies like 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and Metaverse applications that are transforming medical education and healthcare, the immersive technologies such as VR HMD and AR glasses, the reduction of anxiety and stress and potential success of surgical telementoring and the noninvasive localization of impalpable tumors. Also, there are studies focusing on the increasing importance of integrating advanced technologies like AI and other immersive tools into cytopathology, the use of virtual reality in the Metaverse for exercise therapy as both safe and effective in reducing disability, campaigns for early-onset colorectal cancer awareness, devices for measuring body curvature and skin wave fluctuations, improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms over multiple sessions of Cognitive Behavioral Immersion, and the adoption of VR in telerehabilitation.

Presentation title:  Public and personal actions for sustainable cities and social cohesion

Presentation summary:  In recent years, urban issues have become the subject of research and study, with the sustainability of the physical, economic, cultural and social urban environment as a key objective. Sustainability is indeed a challenge for local and public authorities, which recognise that achieving it is a continuous and complex process. Poverty, pollution, inequality between citizens and excessive consumption are problems that threaten social cohesion. Finding solutions is now an urgent necessity and concerns not only central and local authorities, but also individual citizens, since individual responsibility is crucial when it comes to collective effort. The purpose of this paper is to present issues related to ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’ and to assess the contribution of authorities and citizens to its achievement. It starts by describing the current situation and the problems faced by cities and the actions of the EU, Greece and local authorities. Subsequently and in conclusion, measures are proposed to raise awareness among citizens in order to promote actions that can be developed at an individual level by each citizen individually, with the aim of achieving the sustainability of cities and social cohesion in them.

Presentation title:   Digital games and gamified society: the two faces of Cain

Presentation summary:  In recent years, the term ludification of culture seems to be coming back more and more often. Digital games have infiltrated different aspects of our daily lives and have redefined the way we consume content. Gamification has affected the way we interact with our environment. Ultimately, how can we evaluate this experience? Do digital games come as a solution or a new problem?

Presentation title: Metaverse and video games: the role of the human-centered approach in digital transformation

Presentation summary:  In recent years, technological developments in the design of virtual reality, augmented reality and video game tools and environments have led to the emergence of the concept of the metaverse, a world where individuals can interact, explore and co-create in three-dimensional (3D) digital environments. This emerging digital world, while harbouring great potential for development for a multitude of sectors (e.g., education, business). However, scientific research has highlighted that disparities in individuals’ digital skills are widening, especially in terms of the complementary skills that an individual needs in modern societies such as adaptability, communication and collaboration skills, problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity and readiness for self-development.  In this context, the aim of this talk is to analyze the necessary contribution of post-universe design through the philosophy of human-centered approach aiming at a safe, sustainable, inclusive digital transformation of societies.

Presentation title:  Use cases for skills identification in the employment and education sector. Experiences from applying AI-driven technology in the field.  

Presentation summary:  Labour markets change at a rapid speed. While people have more diverse backgrounds and work experience, employers’ demand becomes more specific. Consequently, the matching between demand and supply in the labour market needs to be more granular and measurable. Possible skills gaps need to be addressed by education actors as accurately as possible. However, labour markets often function on the basis of job titles that neither convey sufficient information for the demand nor supply side. SkillLab reports on the development of AI-driven skill profiling technology that addresses the problem. Multiple use cases in the employment and education market will be presented.

Presentation title:    New skills and competences required by teachers and trainers for the use and teaching of AI

Presentation summary:  Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be defined as a computer system that has been designed to interact with the world in ways we think of as human and intelligent. Ample data, cheap computing and AI algorithms mean technology that can learn very quickly. The transformative power of AI cuts across all economic and social sectors, including education. UNESCO says AI has the potential to accelerate the process of achieving the global education goals through reducing barriers to accessing learning, automating management processes, and optimizing methods to improve learning outcomes. Education will be profoundly transformed by AI. Teaching tools, ways of learning, access to knowledge, and teacher training will be revolutionized. A European Joint Research Council policy foresight report suggests that “in the next years AI will change learning, teaching, and education. The speed of technological change will be very fast, and it will create high pressure to transform educational practices, institutions, and policies.” They say it is therefore important to understand the potential impact of AI on learning, teaching, and education, as well as on policy development. The study’s core findings underline the potential of AI to revolutionize pedagogical practices. By harnessing the power of AI, educators can personalize learning experiences, adapt to diverse student needs, and foster engagement. Furthermore, AI has the capacity to streamline administrative tasks, liberating educators to invest more time in instructional activities. Within the context of teaching AI itself, the research found that introducing students to the principles of AI and machine learning is vital for building digital competence. AI is a catalyst for the future of education. As we embrace AI in teaching and incorporate AI education, we empower students with the digital competencies required for success in the 21st century.

Presentation title: From Board Games to AI: Multi-Dimensional Approaches to Transformative Learning.

Presentation summary:  

From the need to cultivate critical and creative thinking to dealing with complicated social issues, modern education faces increasing hurdles. Disruptive techniques emerge as valuable tools in this scenario. Board game design, for example, engages planning and strategy skills, developing minds that are more suited to address issues creatively and effectively.

Lego Serious Play is another unique yet significant practice that is applicable in both education and business. It has the ability to unlock students’ creative potential in the classroom while also fostering communication and teamwork. This approach can be used in the corporate setting to discover process gaps and develop new solutions.

Narrative strategies such as Pixar storytelling and Fabula Cards are important in the learning process. They are not only useful for creating fascinating stories, but also for structuring information in an accessible, memorable manner, hence improving learning and retention. These strategies can be gamified to increase participation and are beneficial to emotional growth and empathy, which are essential abilities for any responsible adult.

Incorporating artificial intelligence into this mix enables large-scale educational customisation, assessing individual needs and altering approaches in real-time to maximize learning. This is more than just an educational technique; it is a long-term approach to addressing social difficulties at a young age. These kinds of tools can help reduce inequities by encouraging more inclusive and sustainable thinking from an early age.

Thus, by combining disruptive methodologies such as game design and Lego Serious Play with narrative tactics and upcoming technology such as AI, we are fostering the leaders, thinkers, and conscious citizens of the future.