I am a professor of chemistry and I have courses in English, in bilingual classes at High school ” Svetozar Markovic ” in Nis. I have presented a large number of examples of good teaching practice in Serbia and Europe since 2016, as well as guided many workshops about different methodology of teaching in the classroom. I am an ambassador for Scientix and also I have participated in a project “21st Century Schools” where I lead and mentored the seminars on behalf of the British Council in Serbia, which is being implemented in primary schools with cooperation of the Ministry of Education of Serbia. My interests are also focused on the application of information technology in teaching and I have done a lot of activities for students e.g. applying a hologram in teaching or creating a scale through different perspectives in the work of the laboratory. My mission is to create students who are open-minded and who can be critical thinkers.

How do you think does modern technology influence the way students collect and analyze information?  

Technology can help students to learn how to be collaborative through group work or work with applications through different programs. Students learn by doing with information through critical thinking, by observing, using  and modifying resources with the help of available data.

Can you give us examples from your practice when you successfully implemented technology in the learning process? 

The application of educational materials that can be found on various sites can be used in teaching, such as short educational films from National Geography website, Ted talks web resources for teaching or creating holograms directly in class and showing models of different forms of molecules. One of the possibilities was also the use of mobile apps, for example for measuring metrological data etc.

In your opinion, what is the most innovative trend, related to education? 

The application of new technologies in conditions that are specific for teaching during the school year 2020 and 2021 shows that digital technologies personalize the educational process and help in the individual work of students with special needs, as well as each student individually. Online learning could be interesting and even more fun than teaching in the classroom. 

What do you think is the future of traditional learning process? 

Students will be able to study and learn what they want, when they want, and as long as they want. A school environment is more favourable at home and technology has already become part of educational system. In future roll of a teacher will be to cooperate with students, lead them, in order to create and benefit from the possibilities of the digital world.

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Hello! I’m Pam and I’ve been working in various Marketing roles for several years. It’s exciting to watch as the world of Marketing continues to progress on new platforms, seeing execution with new and updated processes, and seeing creativity unfold in innovative ways. I especially enjoy watching startup companies bring brand new product and service ideas that potentially disrupt the marketplace. 

How would you determine the impact of today’s economic and political climate on the global e-Commerce? 

Ecommerce has continued to grow to be the consumer’s preferred place to shop and turn millionaire owners into billionaires. These powerhouse retailers are the gold standard, yet best practices can be learned and much information is readily available knowing where consumers go to purchase. Just as Red Box DVDs or Facebook were once the only players  in their industries — there’s always opportunity for competition to swoop in and take share.  

Do you think that creating a safe environment where all voices are welcome, heard and respected is essential for e-Commerce success? 

I certainly recommend that any business, ecommerce or otherwise,  maximizes both their consumer reach and ability to obtain the best talent by following these types of policies. I think in reality much of this does not occur in both small and large businesses. Often leadership shows preference to hiring “yes” people and demonstrates less interest in welcoming all points-of-view taken as equal value. I’ve also experienced (from top level to entry level) once feedback is given it’s assumed by each individual that their idea is the “right one” and will be applied, if not they feel they weren’t heard (and vice versa where it seems there was no action taken by companies after asking for employee feedback, so why should they speak up?). Investing in a strong HR team that wholeheartedly has buy-in at the top level can guide leadership on these principles by making them part of the company culture on an on-going basis. 

In your opinion, which are the best ways to humanize your brand in the age of social media and artificial intelligence? 

Video! Video is a way to show actual use of a product or demonstration of a service. Just like most of us had more video calls in 2020 than ever before in our lives, it really is the next best thing there is to real life. But also, videos showing real experiences not just self-promoting commercials.  

Also, customization! We now live in a world where we’re not all accepting of the one size fits all cookie-cutter anymore. If customizing an experience to individual preferences is a viable option, do it. 

In your opinion, how can you maximize the efficiency of your marketing campaigns? 

Plan things out and have the people and the tools to execute. Always create new ideas to test and continually optimize.  

What is your advice to all the people, who want to pursue career in the marketing industry? 

One of the hardest things to do is explain “marketing” to “non-marketing” people. Know that the Marketing discipline is vast. There’s a lot that gets shoved in to the “marketing” bucket depending on the company and the job description they decide to push out (which is often a copy/paste from other job descriptions). Figure out which specific pillars or subcategories of marketing you are most interested in. They may change over time, that’s fine! Get experiences in as many as you can! 

Find a mentor. And by that I don’t mean reach out to 25 people at one time with a question and get their responses and call the task completed. Find ONE mentor who you meet with regularly (regardless if it’s once a week, every other, month, or quarter – whatever) and stick to it for a long period of time. Ask questions, listen, take notes, re-read your notes, take action on what was discussed. And be the one to own setting it up on the calendar. You’re getting something for nothing, you do the grunt work. Say “Thank You” and express your gratitude regularly, someone’s time is rarely going to be this cheap. With a mentor, you’re also networking. This established person could provide some leads or even land you an internship or actual position. Take this seriously as I think many entry level people do not – at least I’m not seeing it. The times I have experienced people wanting a mentor it’s been the one and done, no follow-through or continuation – that’s not gonna cut it or be very valuable to yourself going forward.  

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I am an education enthusiast who loves teaching & learning; for more than 20 years. I was a freelance IT Trainer before I joined Global Indian International School, Singapore (Primary Cohort) as a Digital Learning Lead. Technology has made it possible for everyone to stay connected & this is why, here I am at European Digital Week International Conference sharing my experiences! 

In your opinion, which are the main trends that shape the education sector nowadays? 

I believe that having a mindset for change, looking forward for growth, adopting universal design for learning, more personalized learning, blended & project-based learning are some of the learning styles that needs to be taken into account when we talk about trends that can shape the education sector. In coming years and as a matter of fact, currently, we see a couple of growing trends, namely – SMART learning, the reliance of artificial intelligence, learning with gamification, big data, immersive learning with augmented Reality, virtual reality & blockchain technology. As technology has seeped into education, these growing trends can help customize various courses as per each learner’s need. 

How would you define the biggest current challenge for the education sector? 

The impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the education sector would be the biggest challenge. The key as educators is to minimize its negative impact. We all need to work on a path that can bring faster improvement in learning & schooling. New technology has brought a revolution indeed, but if teachers are not able to bring it to the classroom & are not comfortable with using devices, it would fail to be effective and efficient.  Another challenge would be for students who are unable to procure devices thereby affecting their learning. However, the biggest challenge that I can foresee is the youth getting increasingly attached to devices & becoming overly dependent on them. Digital health takes precedence especially in today’s pandemic era and thus, that should be us educators’ priority.  

Can you give us examples of digital innovations, successfully implemented in education? 

There is no doubt that technology in education is preceding & it is making learning more interactive, fun & collaborative. Digital innovations that have definitely taken over are e-learning, digital textbooks, virtual classes, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, various collaboration platforms & apps. Social media is also playing a big role in Educational Institutions. Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality is gaining more popularity & learning through gamification has made lessons very interesting. While teaching important concepts it shows students that learning is fun. 

How do you think will learning methods change in the next few years? 

As I shared my insights on this matter in my presentation ‘Paradigm Shift in Education – Present & Future’ we will see more student centric learning & teachers as a facilitator. Flexibility in the mode of learning will be the key. We all need to go beyond the traditional definition of a classroom, re-think learning & focus on people driven & inquiry-based learning. Competency-based education can break in the traditional method of teaching & learning, communication mechanism & more sophisticated programs would take a lead. Advancement in technology will make learning materials in the palm of learner’s hand & emphasis will be more on curiosity, imagination, design thinking & enquiry-based approaches. 

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I am an English language teacher from the city of Nis, Serbia. I have been teaching for 18 years. My primary field of interest is educational digital technology and I could call myself a tech-savvy. Apart from being a teacher, I am also a teacher-trainer. I am an author of several accredited PD programmes for teachers which promote the use of mobile apps in education, VR/AR technology and other types of edu-tech. I am a master-trainer with the British Council Serbia in the regional “21st Century Schools” project and a member of the national team of teacher-trainers within several nation-wide projects. I was presenter or a speaker at several national and international educational summits and conferences. In 2020 I won the award “the Best Educator in Serbia”. 

How would you best describe the education sector in 2021? 

I don’t know whether the term that comes to my mind actually exists (if it doesn’t, I will coin it) but I would say that the education sector is going through a “reflective fog”! The pandemic, social and physical distancing, online teaching represent the fog that still hasn’t cleared up. The fog made us slow down. It prevents us from seeing clearly the road ahead, from planning our route and preparing properly. At the same time that fog was “reflective”, because it showed us more openly many problems and issues that the education sector was or still is facing. We were going through a constant reform in the last decade or two, we were working on our digital competencies, but also on integration of other core skills into the curricula. The years of 2020 and 2021 tested the basis of the educational system, its flexibility, the effectiveness of the reforms. The new challenges made us stop and reflect on our decisions, and if we are wise enough, we will know what to do next when planning short-term and long-term goals.  

In your opinion, how can students be actively involved in the learning process? 

In order for students to be actively involved, they have to be challenged and motivated. They have to see the point, the benefit of being involved in the process. Twenty years ago, Prensky said that our students had changed and that students are not the people the educational system was designed to teach. Twenty years later this is more true than ever. If we want out students to be involved, we have to spark their curiosity, to empower them with a better learning experience, to teach them how to explore and understand the world around them.  

What are the main challenges when implementing AR and VR in the learning process? 

AR and VR are considered the fourth wave of technological innovations in the world of computing. Although the concept itself is not new at all, its practical availability and use in education sector is. Some people still think of it as something made for sci-fi movies, for gamers, as something unavailable and expensive for us and our classrooms. Also, this is not something physical that you can just bring into the classroom. Rather, you have to adopt and understand the concept, and since the concept is new, there is always the fear of something new, unknown that can rip us off our comfort zone.  

I thing teachers need proper information, more instructions and guidelines, they need to see more classroom-based examples, practical use for their subjects, available and free (or at least cheap) technology that can prove useful for them and their students. In one book I read one comparison that I liked a lot: using immersive technology in classroom is like rainbow. We know that there is an incredible reward at the end of that rainbow, but we are not sure where is the beginning of the rainbow, how to start the journey. 

Can you describe the most impressive technology innovations that will shape the future of education? 

Most new technologies take some time to make their way into education sector, if they do at all. We are still heavily relying on white chalk and green or black boards that were used 200 years ago (just don’t tell me that you have a whiteboard and a fancy colourful marker)! We have (partially) adopted PCs and the internet, but we are struggling with smartphones and mobile apps.  

For me, AR/VR technology, or should we call it immersive technology, is the cutting-edge technology that will develop a lot in the years to come and will find its way into many industries. It is innovative and impressive enough. However, I dare not say it will shape the future of education! Not because it doesn’t have the potential to do it, but rather because we have to want to use that enormous potential. The technology does not shape our system or our future. We do! The technology should not be our goal, but a tool that can help us achieve our goals!  

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I’m an archaeologist that focuses on military and maritime heritage, especially from the early modern age or the “age of discovery”. It is the best period in history to work, in my opinion! I work in the metropolitan area of Lisbon in Portugal, and I collaborate with many companies and national entities, with a special attention to modernize archaeology, not only to digitize it, but to find new ways of perceiving archaeology and how to communicate it. 

In your opinion, how did archaeology evolve in the last few years? 

We discover something new every day. Not only in Portugal, but in Europe and in all other continents. The more we dig, the more history we uncover, not only at a local level, but at a national and world level. In the last decade we saw an increase of the use of technology. Young archaeologists somehow understand better the needs of the future archaeology and how we must adapt to a world in constant change. We know for a fact that it is impossible to preserve everything in its place of origin, because so many factors like conflicts, climate change, construction work and agricultural practices make it impossible. A lot of heritage is going to be lost. At least physically. With the pandemic the archaeological community saw the digitization of cultural heritage as a way to preserve vestiges for a longer period of time. 

How do technology innovations help researcher and archaeologists? 

Archaeology is a destructive science. When we dig, we need to be extremely cautious to make sure everything is recorded correctly. When all those layers of dirt are removed, there is no turning back. Archaeology is a science with a clear disadvantage: we cannot implement the method of repetition. That leaves us with a bigger problem. Let’s say in 10 years from now, I want to investigate a certain place that does not exist anymore due to being demolished to construct a hotel. I believe that place deserves a new investigation, a newer perspective. And when I see the records and the reports, I don’t understand anything due to poor recording and storage conditions. Unfortunately, I am not joking, this has happened several times. I cannot dig that place again, as it does not exist anymore. History and debate are lost. The use of photogrammetry and 3D models is the biggest help we can have. If not all, but a lot of places that are endangered can be recorded with these resources, so we can have another chance at being able to see and be in those places and giving them a new perspective and open a new debate. 

In your opinion, what is the most efficient way to increase the overall interest in cultural heritage preservation? 

The most efficient way to increase interest in cultural heritage is by communicating it. The way that archaeology has been perceived and communicated so far is not the best example. It seems there is still a barrier between archaeologists and another barrier between archaeologists and the public. Sometimes, as an archaeologist, I cannot access certain information, as some archaeologists monopolize information. This problem is even more evident when the public cannot access the information and projects about their own cultural heritage and history. Archaeologists work for the people. The community has the right to know what is being done about their own heritage. If the community understands the value of their heritage, its history, meaning and importance, they will protect it. And in turn, companies that are operated by those same people will be more conscious about preserving cultural heritage. We need more and better platforms for divulgation, debates and dialoguing with between the public and the scientific community. Intellectual accessibility needs to be promoted. 

Can you give us examples of technology methods that you implemented in your work? 

It all started when I was still in the second year of my bachelor’s degree in archaeology. I was an intern excavating in a 14th century battlefield in the Center of Portugal. Me and some of my friends tried to implement photogrammetry to record the structures of the battle. We truly didn’t know if we were doing everything correctly, so we spent our evenings searching the internet and watching tutorials on YouTube till we got everything right. There weren’t many articles about the use of this technology in Portuguese archaeology back then. And it wasn’t that long ago, it was in the summer of 2018. 

I started to implement the use of photogrammetry and 3D models in my work at the end of 2019. My master’s degree dissertation in archaeology has a huge focus on the use of photogrammetry and laser scan in the recording and interpretation of monuments. In 2020, when I was working with a company in Lisbon, we had many wood structures and boats of the 17th to 18th century that needed to be recorded in the best way possible, so we used photogrammetry and 3D Models. Many artifacts are no longer drawn by hand and are later scanned so we can have it online. We now scan the artifact, and a computer draws it. This year, I submitted a project about digitizing the cultural heritage of an entire city and have it available for the public and scientists along with other technical information and documents. It awaits approval!  

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Hi I’m Weiwei Zong from China, nurtured in China, Singapore and USA. I work as a research scientist, but I am also passionate on education, philanthropy, art, and music. My motto is “brilliant life and pure love”.

How would you best define the education sector nowadays?

Since my background is on science, ideally, education is a playground to simulate the society, where you have so many roles with each one of them contributing in a different way. While some are dedicated to explore the unknown, some to serve and entertain other people, some coordinate and watch for any incidents, etc. Education sector would be an organization to carry out the simulation with the help from family and teachers as the frontline, schools, organizations, and government as the coordinator.

In your opinion, how did Covid-19 pandemic influence the education?

As a parent, ever since Covid-19, I’ve spent more time with my child and getting better idea of what is going on at school. So one positive impact that Covid has brought is the awareness of engagement into parenting and family time. My child’s school managed to have the hybrid learning where the children get to choose in person or online. My child has expressed great interest of going back to school. Another positive impact from Covid is they probably will appreciate school more. From the school perspective, workload gets doubled if not worse. Covid has actually played such a role in testing out the management and flexibility of the education system when facing the threat from the virus which is the common target for our human beings.

What are the major challenges for education? What about the opportunities?

The major challenge for education, in my opinion, is how to adapt to the changing trend. When facing the change, people can react very differently. The challenge here is how to find a solution to help each one of them feel accomplished.

This need can actually open up job opportunities for psychologists, therapists, musicians, scientists, engineers, etc. to be physically engaged in the everyday life of the education system.

Can you give us an example of successful technology implementation in education? Are modern tech innovations essential for the sector?

My child is a second grader. He has been using school distributed iPad since kindergarten where he has learned tons of science, math, and reading from the Apps there.

In your opinion, how will the sector evolve in the next five years?

WZ: It is really hard to predict the trend. I would expect more technology used in the classroom for the kids to be prepared for the job market later.

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I am an emerging technology subject matter expert, evangelist, and public speaker, specializing in blockchain/fintech, digital transformation, software development and digital content, currently working at the intersection of digital entertainment, augmented reality and blockchain for asset tokenization and NFTs.

After several years as a technology consultant and achieving his MBA, I started my career in the Entertainment Industry at Warner Bros. where along with developing and deploying all content management, vendor relationship and workflow processes and procedures for DVD authoring, I also represented Warner Bros. at conferences and Studio collaborations. I moved on to start the first independent DVD authoring facility, Advanced Media Post.

After I sold AMP, I worked at a variety of companies including NBCUniversal.  At SingularDTV/Breaker, and as Co-Chair of CompTIA’s Blockchain Advisory Council, I designed, developed, and evangelized the use of blockchain technology to support solutions for community currencies, rights and revenue management, and supply chain applications, among others.

What career mistake has given you the most important lesson?

My biggest career mistake was probably denying the truth about one of the businesses that I founded and ran. It was clear that market forces were working against the size of my business but I tried to find new revenue streams in order to keep it going. While one shouldn’t be fatalistic, it is important to be realistic. I should have either found a good exit strategy a few years earlier or simply wound it down and moved on. Speaking of exit strategies, that was the most important lesson I learned – have one. I didn’t. Had I developed a better exist strategy earlier in the company’s life, I would have been better positioned when the market turned against it.

What are the major technology trends that you have observed in 2021?

From an architectural perspective, I’d say the most important trend is convergence. We’re seeing multiple emerging technologies being utilized together to solve problems or deliver new innovations. For example, blockchain and AR for gaming, blockchain and IoT for supply chain monitoring, AI and IoT for home automation and voice control, AI and blockchain in DeFi/fintech, and more. There’s a lot of blockchain in there, which is one of my areas of expertise, but we’re finding that blockchain has a lot of use cases as part of the infrastructure of many solutions.

Of course, from a work logistics perspective, the pandemic has forced rapid innovation in work-from-home as well as remote event conferencing technology, which requires special tools to manage large groups of attendees when there are few or only one speaker. Quality of video and audio as well as security and management tools has been breathtaking and impressive. We’re also beginning to see virtual reality meet-ups to attempt to simulate the in-person experience.

In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge related to cultural heritage preservation at the moment?

Prioritization. There are so many problems in the world right now – climate change, hunger, war, poverty – and limited resources to address them and I believe that cultural heritage preservation often does not get the prioritization or attention it deserves. We all hear and see reporting on COP26 for climate change, but where is the coverage of endangered historic sites?

It may be up to us as individuals, non-profits and NGOs to fill that gap. It is critically important that our collective and societal cultural heritage is preserved. The key will be to do it in way that makes both social and business sense, so it is embraced by both by both philanthropic and business communities.  In addition, I believe it is possible to leverage consumers to prop up our cultural institutions by making the visitor experience fun and exciting enough to not only draw more traffic, but also create valuable repeat business.

What is the best way to improve the museum experience?

Bring it to life. I love museums and all cultural institutions. I have since I was a child. Science museums, art museums, heritage sites, I love them all, but these days they compete for attention from social media, gaming, videos, immersive media, etc. There have been some recent innovations, such as the Van Gogh Immersive Experience or the Pink Floyd Exhibition in Los Angeles which are on the right track. Giving people the opportunity to actively walk into the exhibit and, in the Pink Floyd case, immersive themselves in sights and sounds, adds another dimension to the experience. My concept of gamifying visitation is another way to take what is ordinarily a rather passive experience and add an active element to cultural institutions. It not only makes the visitation a game, but also encourages learning and an appreciation of the exhibits by making the visitors solve puzzles and riddles that are directly tied to the source material.

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