Future of Learning Conference 2009

Review of the Future of Learning Conference

Hosted by Ashridge Business School in partnership with the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business Executive Education Unit and Mt Eliza Executive Education, Melbourne Business School.

Wednesday 19 August

After a brief welcome by Ashridge CEO, Kai Peters, participants were straight up on their feet and selecting between one of three workshops, on outdoor learning, creating a ‘container’ for high-impact learning, and working with metaphors from sport and music.

Those choosing the outdoor option disappeared off into the Ashridge gardens with Angela Jowitt and Rachel Sceats, whilst the ‘containers’ group worked with facilitator Liz de Wet on the use of space, rhythm, depth and engagement. Edmund King led the third group through three metaphors, of an Aussie Rules football game, sports coaching and a symphony orchestra rehearsal.

After a short time-out, the group reassembled for Angela Whelan’s and Dr. Chris Dewberry’s fascinating keynote on The effects of ‘ego depletion’ on learning and performance. Angela and Chris described how our ‘ego’, a finite resource of brain energy, is depleted by processes such as decision-making, emotional control and delayed gratification. Once depleted, our future performance, including the ability to learn effectively, is impaired. A gloomy outlook for highly pressured and stressed executives one might think, but thankfully Angela and Chris revealed some possibilities for restoration and renewal.

Thursday 20 August

Emeritus Associate Professor Chris Breen opened the second day, basing his keynote session, Re-cognising learning and teaching: opening the space of possibility, on ideas from the fields of complexity science and ecosystemic thinking. He involved the audience in a fun and challenging consideration of the role of the teacher as ‘perturber’ of a learning environment, shifting their emphasis from learning output to teacher input.

Delegates were then straight into a full day of parallel presentations and workshops relevant to executive education, higher education and learning more broadly. Virtual action learning, ‘brain friendly’ learning, sustainability, leadership, web 2.0 and ethics all featured.

After a well-earned break, delegates enjoyed the conference dinner. Kevin Warwick, Professor of Cybernetics at the University of Reading, catapulted the audience forward to a future of biologically-brained robots and neural implants during his after-dinner speech. Kevin revealed how current research - including the implanting in his arm of a device connected to his own brain - is paving the way for a future in which neural implants link the human nervous system with the internet. Fascinating, and ethically challenging stuff.

Friday 21 August

On the final morning of the conference, Dr. Robert Burke rallied the audience with his keynote, Futures Thinking: Using futures methodology to achieve a preferred future. Robert asked the audience to reflect on current leadership practice in educational institutions, how this might be contributing to the unsustainability of society, and what options there are to forge a different path into the future. Robert argued that in order to do this, it is critical that we are aware of our choices, plan further ahead, and pay close attention to aspects of the present that will influence what is possible in the future.

The group then moved into parallel sessions, which included workshops on curiosity, Generation Y, negotiating learning in the workplace and the ASCEND Johnson & Johnson women's leadership programme.

The conference closed with a short reflection on the three days and a wish that delegates were 'perturbed' and pushed to the edge of their comfort zone by at least one of the sessions during the conference. Elaine Rumboll closed with a welcome to the second Future of Learning Conference to be held at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business in August 2010.