ITCILO Innovation Day 2021: holograms, 3D screens, and ... radio?

Let’s play two truths and a lie:

1. In 2042, all learning will be mediated by virtual and augmented reality.
2. The Director-General of the ILO became a hologram.
3. Old media, like radio and newspapers, are still relevant.

Can you guess which one is untrue?

Here are some hints:

My first appearance as a hologramme, for our @ITCILO #InnovationDay2021



The science fiction of my childhood is fast becoming the reality of today!



Nothing beats human contact but exciting alternatives are emerging for when circumstances require. #OneILO pic.twitter.com/3pZnbBSaBm

— Guy Ryder (@GuyRyder) October 22, 2021

As you can see, our DG is indeed a hologram and radio is certainly not dead. However, the future of learning and training encompasses more than just virtual and augmented reality. The possibilities are seemingly endless.

In celebration of complexity and creative thinking, this year’s Innovation Day showcased a range of technology, both new and old, that could be used in learning and training activities.

Here are our main takeaways from the event

Tom Wambeke opened the event and spoke about the importance of being open-minded, no matter your job or your team. According to him, the pandemic taught us that the only constant is change. The United Nations is changing, the Turin campus is changing, and we all need to be able to continue to adapt to these changes.

That’s why Innovation Day presents staff with the opportunity to try out the latest learning-related technology. And the upcoming Learning Innovation Lab, opening in 2022, will be the hub for experimentation where testing and iteration will play a key role.

Andreas Klemmer explained how the Centre anticipated change and quickly shifted to online learning and a promising new business model, even before the pandemic. Today, there are five times more participants in ITCILO online training activities than there were two years ago.

According to a recent external evaluation, only one quarter of respondents would prefer to go back to fully face-to-face training activities. Most people want blended learning experiences. The Centre is more prepared than ever to seize the future of learning and training, rebranding itself as an incubator of new training ideas and go-to provider of immersive learning methodologies.

When Guy Ryder, Director-General of the ILO, walked into the room, he was actually 175 kilometers away, in Geneva. But he saw us and we saw him, even if he was a hologram.

He inspired us to think about all the possible applications of this new technology, from demonstrating complex experiments in detail, without actually being there; connecting geographically scattered regional offices; organizing meetings in different places at the same time; and much more. 

Linda Deelen, head of the Enterprises, Microfinance, and Local Development team, pitched a project using a 3D LED screen as a backdrop, proving that a wall can be a window on a broader world.

When Tom introduced the technology, he pretended to push the screen backward until it seemed like we were zooming out of real life, pinching and pulling on our phones. He invited us to a museum, and a museum appeared, photos falling into frames.

Linda continued the presentation by introducing a new course on green jobs. She explained why the course was relevant today, as photos, videos, and words appeared on the screen behind her

Alessia Messuti, Programme Officer, interviewed guests live on air in a nod to community radio and highlighted the potential of repurposing of “old” media. She invited colleagues and friends to discuss topics like creativity, human connection, and sustainability.

Radio and podcasts are low-budget learning options with serious storytelling potential. The ITCILO has two podcast series out now (Communication for Development and e-Learning Design), as well as a tailor-made course on podcasting available upon request.

Everyone got to try out the virtual reality headsets and the hologram technology! Innovation Day is more than an event; it’s a safe space to experiment and have fun. We hope that everyone started their weekend in a creative mindset, ready to let their ideas simmer, waiting for the moment of inspiration to strike.

The new technology will remain on campus as part of the upcoming Learning Innovation Lab.

Couldn’t be there in person? Watch the full livestream on our YouTube channel.