XR, AI, and simulation can recreate nearly limitless hyper-realistic scenarios—but how should these scenarios be designed for optimal training effectiveness? And how do we know it worked? Hint: It's not about the tech.

In this session, we present a science-backed approach that transforms instruction by immersing learners in authentic, mission-critical contexts where training is provided at the point of need. We introduce scenario-centered learning and walk through the design process using concrete examples from both commercial and military training contexts. We'll discuss tools that can support this process and the integration of AI. Attendees will leave with practical frameworks for applying scenario-centered learning to enhance training effectiveness.

This session is intended for training professionals interested in innovative, scenario-based approaches; basic instructional design knowledge is helpful but not required.

Presenters: Benjamin Bell, Ph.D. VP, Advanced Capabilities | PBDC Federal Group
Tammy Berman, Ph.D. Senior Vice President of Design | Socratic Arts



Handout: Designing Senario-Centered Learning

Associated article posted on the Socratic Arts Website: https://www.socraticarts.com/blog/situational-training

Federal agencies face a crisis of imagination, and 19th-century wargaming won’t solve it. Costly. Analog. One-and-done. Today’s formats don’t scale, the data disappears, and participants forget. Meanwhile, China runs massive public tournaments, capturing every move to refine doctrine faster than we can book a conference room.

To prepare for the next disruption, join Dr. Anders Gronstedt for a forward-looking session on the transformation from centralized events to continuous readiness through distributed online tournaments and self-paced play.

In this session, we will explore:
AI Superhuman: AI opponents evolve with every match, preparing teams for the next war, not the last. Like AlphaGo’s “Move 37,” they surface unexpected strategies and emergent behaviors.
Immersive 3D Visualization: High-fidelity game engines let teams "live" a scenario, strengthening recall compared to abstract exercises.
Democratizing Access: Self-paced training on laptops or handheld devices makes it easy to get reps in the field, utilizing spaced repetition to slow skill decay.
System Learning: Adaptive systems capture every decision, building a growing repository of institutional memory instead of losing insights after each event.

Live Demonstration: Battleline: Taiwan Defense
We will demonstrate these capabilities using Battleline (coming soon to Steam). You’ll see a high-stakes scenario where players command forces during a simulated invasion of Taiwan, with modern game engines modeling complex decisions, from target motion analysis to sonar operations. Then we’ll open it up for a lively discussion, so bring your questions and comments.

Presenters: Anders Gronstedt, Ph.D. — President of The Gronstedt Group, an industry-leading developer of simulations that accelerate learning at scale for the world's largest employers, including the U.S. Navy, Walmart, Pfizer, and Daikin. He is a frequent industry speaker and writer with articles appearing in the Harvard Business Review.

Response to Chat Questions

This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow members, meet the board, and stay informed about the latest initiatives in federal government distance learning.

What to Expect
Annual Review: Hear a recap of our year, including webinars, conference panel presentations, and awards presented.
Future Initiatives: Learn about what's coming, including new reciprocal partnerships and our new learning platforms.
Meet the Leadership: Get updates from the officers and executive committee.
Get Involved: Discover how you can participate in committees like Learning and AI Technologies, which is planning its first meeting in April 2026.

Not yet a member? Federal Government civil service employees and military members (including National Guard and Reserve) are not charged for membership, provided they use a .gov or .mil email address to validate their status. We look forward to seeing you there!

Annual Membership Summary Report

Federal agencies are under pressure to do more with less — train larger workforces, prove compliance, and prepare people for rapid change. Fragmented systems, administrative overhead, and disconnected learning experiences make that harder than it needs to be. As AI reshapes how work gets done, agencies that can't act on workforce data will fall further behind.

In this session, we'll walk through a practical three-phase framework — standardize, modernize, innovate — to help government learning leaders build the foundation AI requires: clean data, connected systems, and learning that is tied to real performance signals.

You'll learn how to consolidate training across employees, contractors, and sub-agencies; reduce administrative burden through automation and smarter configuration; and connect learning to mission outcomes you can measure — and build on — as AI capabilities mature.  

Presenter: Patrick Holloway, Enterprise Account Executive | Docebo

Presenters: David Palmer Regional Sales Manager, Defense/Intel | Blackboard 
Alberta Goodwin Consulting Solutions Engineer | Blackboard

For over 18 years, David has worked closely with military training and education agencies to help them create effective online learning solutions. As a Regional Sales Manager at Blackboard, he leads the sales and account management for all leading professional military education schools and training institutions across the Department of Defense and Intelligence Agencies.

Alberta Godwin is a Consulting Solutions Engineer with over 20 years of supporting government agencies in solving complex learning and training challenges. As a trusted advisor to federal and defense cleints, she works with instructional designers, program leaders, and IT teams to implement secure, scalable, and mission-ready education technology. Her decades-long track record reflects a passion for enabling public sector educators and trainers to deliver impactful, efficient learning experiences at scale.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how government agencies operate, but many organizations are still determining how it applies to workforce learning and performance. 

This session brings together leaders from policy, real-world implementation, and learning strategy to explore how AI is moving beyond planning and into practical use inside government environments. The discussion will focus on how AI is improving knowledge access, supporting decision-making, and enhancing workforce readiness, while addressing governance, trust, and scale.
Session Focus Areas
Federal AI policy direction and adoption trends
Real-world AI implementations in government learning
Shift from training to knowledge access
Governance, trust, and integration challenges
Practical steps to move from experimentation to impact  

Presenters
Rob Porter, Board Member | FGDLA Rob Porter
Caleb Max, CEO | National Artificial Intelligence Association (NAIA)
Sean Rugge, Sr. Educational Technologist, Marine Corps University 

Click here to view the Discussion Analyzer Prompt

When staff reductions, funding uncertainty, and program shutdowns become the operating condition rather than the exception, doing more with less isn't enough. This session offers something harder and more useful: a framework for building work that survives departures and continues learning-development intent, so the teams who remain or who come after can continue the thought, not start over from scratch.  Part II will be offered on September 9, 2026.

Presenter
Trish Harris, FGDLA Learning AI and Technologies Committee Chair

Click here to view the presentation Slides
Click here to view the Job Aid

Games are systems. Behind every engaging board game, simulation, or digital experience are carefully designed mechanics that shape how players interact, learn, and progress. In Part I, we will explore how elements such as rules, feedback loops, challenge levels, and progression systems create meaningful learning environments. Participants will see how both analog and digital game structures can be intentionally designed to support workplace learning and skill development.

Key Takeaways: Participants will learn how core game mechanics can be applied to learning design to create structured, engaging environments where learners safely practice skills and decision-making.
Presenters 
Dr. Dave Eng Principal | University XP

Dr. Jonathan Peters Chief Motivation Officer | Sententia Gamification 

Dr. Jenny Varrichio Publications Committee Chair and Board member | FGDLA Session Moderator 

This presentation provided an overview of Learning Engineering (LE) along with key aspects of what makes LE different from other approaches to addressing challenges of learners and learning. Examples of LE in action and connect those examples with community-created resources and freely available tools. The presentation concluded with key considerations for those thinking about using LE approaches in supporting distance learning.

Presenters
Aaron Kessler, Ph.D. Associate Director Learning Sciences & Teaching | MIT Open Learning 

Jim Goodell Founder | INFERable, a Public Benefit Corporation 

America cannot prepare for machine-speed conflict with slow, artisanal wargaming alone. Too many agencies and corporations still rely on costly, analog, one-and-done formats that consume time and travel budgets while producing little reusable data. Meanwhile, competitors are running AI-driven tournaments at scale, capturing every move and decision to refine strategy, training, and doctrine in near real time. They are not just running games. They are building learning systems. Join leaders behind some of the military’s most ambitious new wargaming initiatives to explore how government agencies and forward-thinking enterprises can move from isolated events to a continuous global readiness engine.

Presenters: Dr. Anders Gronstedt
Expert Panel with Sebastian Bae, Captain Timothy Tidwell, and Christian Fitzpatrick

Part 2: Strategy and Psychology: How Games Shape Decision-Making

What if the most effective training environment felt less like a classroom or online training course and more like a well-designed game? With thoughtful design, game-based learning environments offer participants intentional opportunities to experiment, collaborate, and make decisions in dynamic, low-risk scenarios that mirror authentic and realistic challenges. This two-part webinar series explores the science behind why games work as powerful learning tools. Part I (May 13th) focused on the design mechanics that shape gameplay and how they translate into learning environments (Listen to the Recording below!)

Part 2: Strategy and Psychology: How Games Shape Decision-Making
Games can reveal how people think, strategize, and respond to incentives. Part II explores the psychological and strategic forces that drive player behavior, including motivation, competition, cooperation, and risk-reward dynamics. We will discuss how these dynamics influence decision-making and how they can be leveraged to design more impactful learning experiences.

Presenter: Dr. Jenny Varrichio
Expert Panel

Monica Cornetti – Sententia Gamification
Dr. Anders Gronstedt – Gronstedt Group
Dr. Raymond Kimball – 42Ed Games
Naomi Pariseault – Brown University
Dr. Jonathan Peters – Sententia Gamification
Kimberly Tolson – Tabletop Tolson