From 13 to 14 July 2023, the launching event of the GETES Foundation (the NATO DEEP eAcademy partner institution), took place at the International Congress Center in Katowice, Poland. This was the first meeting of the series of undertakings to be conducted worldwide in 2023. In addition to the presentations by VR researchers and educators, the meetings focused on shaping the ideas for global standardization of VR/AR/XR/SR technology usage in education, training, business, and skill acquisition. The summit provided unique opportunity for professionals, researchers, and administrators to share their knowledge and experience. Among foreign guests, four researchers from the National Defence University of Ukraine in Kyiv featured the event. Col Vasyl Osiodlo, Doctor of Psychological Sciences, Professor, Honored Worker of Education of Ukraine, laureate of State Prize of Ukraine in Science and Technology, Chief of the Humanitarian Institute, and Lt.Col Olena Rybchuk, PhD student, delivered presentation “Virtual Reality for Officers’ Training” sharing Ukrainian experiences and needs for application of new technologies in areas of education and training. The director of NATO DEEP eAcademy – Assoc. Prof. Piotr Gawliczek, deputy director of NATO DEEP eAcademy – Danuta Pietraszkiewicz, and NATO DEEP aAcademy VR Coordinator and Deputy Director of Technology Transfer Centre of WSB University – Karol Jędrasiak, PhD, contributed to the panel discussions while focusing on the importance and utility of serious gaming within the education and training systems of the NATO and NATO DEEP countries.
The organizers aimed at launching systematic cooperation with leading technological industries, military, gamedev and game studies researchers, extended reality specialists, medical engineers, data scientists, experts on the protection of cultural monuments, experts on teaching the use of direct coercion and patriotic attitudes, sociologists and psychologists, cybersecurity experts from Information Security Foundation, Silesian Center for Engineering Law, Technology and Digital Competence CYBER SCIENCE, The Kosciuszko Institute, in an effort to introduce global standards related to production, utilization and certification of new educational technologies. During specialized panels and workshops, the latest technical solutions related to serious gaming and extended reality technologies, and their applications in education, business and training were discussed. On the first day, Foundation milestones (2023-2027 perspective) were presented by the members of the GETES board of directors: PhD. Karol Jędrasiak, PhD Aldona Rosner (head of Future Competences Laboratory), Ewa Machnacz (EdTech Educator) and prof. Michał Kłosiński (head of Game Studies Research Centre, Silesian University). The level of ambition is as follows: a framework for technological and teaching glossary (2023), Skill Masters competition (2024), GETES Certificate for VR/XR teaching (2025), global edTech platform and centers of excellence in skill training (2026), and global audit services (2027). The dedicated workshops, organized together with participants from Central Institute for Labor Protection, European HealthTech Innovation Center and VRTechnology, focused on safety and health measures related to the use of VR technology in education and training with international experts providing rich empirical data about the good practices in higher education, biomedical and military practice.
During the series of debates, presentations, panels and workshops the participants showcased VR and AR technological solutions for training of mechanical and cognitive skills. The discussion identified many challenges and opportunities that need to be addressed. One of the priority areas for the initial period of the Foundation should be the search for shortcuts, solutions ready for dissemination, and the establishment of a global network for cooperation and promotion of the use of new technologies in vocational training. One such area is the use of technology at the intersection of military, sports and e-sports education, namely (MTS) multimedia laser shooting ranges. The second area is the creation of simulators for industries with the highest demand for skilled workers, such as automotive mechanics, with a focus on electric vehicles. The importance of standardizing existing solutions was recognized, leading to the conclusion that proactive measures should be taken to certify existing technology and build guidelines for future developments in education technology. Furthermore, participants were exposed to a range of supplementary activities, enhancing their overall experience with VR, AR, XR, and SR solutions. This event shed light on the evolving paths within the skill teaching industry, emphasizing the significance of educating professionals engaged in game design, particularly regarding safety measures and health aspects related to the new technologies for strategic European investments in vocational training and skills acquisition development, such as the Katowice Gaming and Technology HUB
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GETES Foundation, which stands for Global Education, Training and Serious Gaming Standards Foundation, is a global non-profit organization dedicated to shaping the future of education, training and e-sports. The foundation aims to develop standards for the use of new technologies, such as AI, VR/AR/XR, in the educational process, with a particular focus on vocational education in industrial, manufacturing, and military sectors. GETES brings together individuals interested in expanding educational opportunities in the digital environment, distance learning, and building connections between different sectors of higher education, industry, and manufacturing. GETES collaborates with specialists and institutions from more than 20 countries, central and local government institutions, public and private universities, military academies, business partners from many different industries, international organizations, and NGOs. GETES is forming scientific teams with the aim of developing standards and technological solutions for vocational skills training using new technologies. Foundation reaches out to educators, military experts, associations of electrical engineers, firefighters and police representatives, data scientists, local government representatives, medical engineers and game researchers to design solutions to the most pressing educational challenges for the future of skill training. A need to overcome educational islands and produce global standards and certification framework was expressed by all participants.
The NATO DEEP eAcademy is following the latest trends and solutions in the realm of new technologies and serious gaming which is a reliable and effective tool compared with traditional methods of training. This area is systematically explored by the NATO DEEP eAcademy jointly with its partner institutions, while GETES Foundation is of special importance. Next involvements focusing on serious gaming and educational use of breakthrough technologies will follow.