Learning Layers goes to Brunnenbauertage – Part 1: The event and our contributions
This week (from Wednesday morning to Friday afternoon) the Learning Layers project was actively present at the German construction sector event “Brunnenbauertage” hosted by Bau-ABC on their premises in Rostrup. With two blog postings I try to give a picture of the events and our contributions (Part 1) and of the conversations we had there with different participants from the construction sector.
As a professional event of well-builders and borehole builders (Brunnenbauer) the conference part of the Brunnenbauertage event has a longer history (this one was already the 65th). As an enrichment, Bau-ABC has started to organise a professional exhibition every third year. Whilst the start was modest (only five exhibition stalls in the beginning), also the this part has gained importance and now there were over 100 exhibitors with stands and demonstration areas. Altogether, the event was attended by over 650 participants. On the spot, the following activities were running parallel to each other:
- The conference sessions (and workshops on specific topics on construction techniques) were running in separate conference rooms;
- The exhibition stalls were accommodated in an a huge exhibition tent that also provided the space for foyer presentations;
- In several workshop halls and in the surrounding outdoor areas there were dedicated demonstration areas with scheduled demonstrations of drilling techniques and machinery.
We had planned in advance some presentations and then worked out a plan for several activities to be carried out in the exhibition area. Altogether, we were present in the following ways:
- In the conference area Melanie Campbell organised a workshop that was addressed to the training of Horizontal Drilling specialists and brought insights into the role of the Baubildung.net platform. (The workshop was attended also by Werner Müller, Graham Attwell and Dirk Stieglitz.
- In the exhibition area the Learning Layers stall served as an info-point and contact point for all activities. We had posters on AchSo!, Baubildung.net, Learning Toolbox and the Reflect App. In addition we had a comprehensive slideshow and devices to demonstrate AchSo! and the Learning Toolbox. (The stall was managed by Martina Lübbing with support from Pekka Kämäräinen, Werner Müller, Owen Gray and Istvan Koren.)
- During the first two days some of us were actively visiting other exhibition stalls and engaging the exhibitors to conversation on the role of digital media, Web 2.0 and mobile technologies in learning and knowledge sharing. (These activities were carried out by Ludger Deitmer, Werner Müller and Gilbert Peffer.)
- During the last two days some of us were following the demonstrations and taking videos with the help of helmet camera, tablet and smartphones. (These activities were carried out by Martina Lübbing, Owen Gray and Istvan Koren. Also, some apprentices of Bau-ABC supported us in these activities.)
- On the second day we had a foyer-presentation on the Learning Layers in front of the exhibition area (that reached the entire audience in the exhibition tent). This presentation outlined the key points of the project (on the potential of digital media, Web 2.0 and mobile technologies to support workplace learning) and gave specific insights into Learning Toolbox and into the AchSo! application. (The presentation was given by Ludger Deitmer, Gilbert Peffer and Istvan Koren. With her interim input Kerstin Engraf explained, how Bau-ABC has been involved in the project and what benefits they see coming up for the construction sector and for training activities.)
- On the third day we had some concluding talks with major exhibitors (that are strongly present in training) and with universities of applied science (who are developing e-learning and practice-based learning in the programmes for “dual studies”). (These talks were carried out by Werner Müller, Martina Lübbing, Pekka Kämäräinen and Istvan Koren).
Altogether, the three days were characterised by manifold activities, lots of contacts and several ideas that were exchanged between us and our counterparts in these conversations. We need to get back to our learning gains very soon.
More posts to come …
