The Empowered Learner: Designing with AI as a Collaborative Partner- T&T SIG

AI is reshaping the way people learn, create, and work.

But beyond automation and efficiency lies a much more powerful opportunity: to reframe AI as a collaborative partner that supports creativity, problem-solving, and learner agency.

In this thought-provoking session, Sylvia Martinez (co-author of Invent to Learn and a pioneer in maker-centered learning) will explore how generative AI can empower learners—not replace them—when integrated with intention and care.

Drawing on principles from constructionism and meaningful learning, the speakers will reimagine how AI can help adult learners and professionals:

L&D professionals will walk away with practical insights on designing learning experiences where AI acts not as a shortcut, but as a catalyst for critical thinking, innovation, and lifelong learning.

This session will inspire learning professionals to rethink their role as designers in an AI-enhanced world—where people, not algorithms, remain at the center of growth.

About Our Facilitator:

Sylvia Martinez, a former aerospace engineer, is co-author of Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering the Classroom helping teachers bring the exciting tools and technology of the modern world to classrooms. She advocates for student-centered project-based learning with an emphasis on STEAM for all.

Sylvia is principal advisor to the Columbia University FabLearn Fellows, a group of global educators researching and developing hands-on, minds-on projects and curriculum. She also ran educational non-profits and headed product development for consumer software, video games, and educational games at several software publishing companies.

Martinez started her career designing high frequency receiver systems and software for GPS navigational satellites. She holds a masters in educational technology and a bachelors in electrical engineering.

For more information, visit sylviamartinez.com

The Training & Technology Special Interest Group (T&T SIG) is devoted to exploring accessible technological training solutions that impacts the talent development industry.

Earn Professional Professional Development Points

This program is worth 1 Professional Development point. 

Find out more about APTD/CPTD Certifications here.

Each ATD-OC Learning Event will be aligned to at least one Talent Development  Capability, as identified by ATD National.

This program aligns with:

Building Personal Capability:

Developing Professional Capability:

Impacting Organizational Capability:

Disruption via technology will continue to be a reality for organizations and talent development functions. Talent development professionals must have the ability to identify, select, and implement the right learning and talent technologies that serve the best interests of the organization and its people. Practitioners should be able to identify opportunities to adapt and leverage the right technologies at the right time to meet organizational goals.

To find out more about the ATD Capability Model for the Training and Development Profession, visit http://tdcapability.org.

PHOTOGRAPHY RELEASE

As part of your registration, you will be required to indicate your acceptance or rejection of the statement below:

By registering for this event, I hereby give the Association for Talent Development, Orange County Chapter, its clients, agents, and assigns, full permission to use, publish and copyright photographic images, film images, video images, sound recordings, and any reproductions from these materials of me and/or my property or any part thereof, either in conjunction with or without using my name, and make changes or alterations therein and/or alterations thereto Worldwide in perpetuity. Some places these images and recordings may be used and posted include, but are not limited to, the Internet, emails, social media, etc.

If I do not provide permission, I understand I will be seated outside of the field of video.