I recently had the pleasure of presenting my latest work at the MILeS 2026 workshop (Fourth International Workshop on Multimodal Immersive Learning Systems), held during the ECTEL 2026 conference in Valencia, Spain. It was an incredible week of pushing the boundaries of technology-enhanced learning, exchanging ideas, and building lasting professional bonds. Here is a quick recap of my experience, from early-stage frameworks to visionary futures and unforgettable social gatherings.

Part 1: Introducing mISPL

In the first part of the workshop, I presented my paper: “mISPL: Mini Framework for Intelligent Systems for Psychomotor Learning”.
While comprehensive frameworks like PsyLearn exist for building full-fledged psychomotor tutoring systems, they can often feel overwhelming for researchers in the early stages of development. That is where mISPL comes in. It is a streamlined, accessible “mini” conceptual framework designed specifically as an entry point for early-stage prototype development.
By extending the classic Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) architecture—domain, student, and tutor models—mISPL integrates three core pillars crucial for physical skill mastery:
  • Physical Conditioning: Factoring in baseline physical capacities as prerequisites for skill execution.
  • Personalized Adaptation: Tailoring instructional pathways dynamically to a multi-dimensional learner state.
  • Systematic Goal-Oriented Execution: Keeping progression structured and measurable using goal hierarchies.

To give the audience a concrete idea of how this functions in the real world, I walked through an illustrative prototype example tracking barbell squat technique training using a standard camera feed and velocity-based metrics.

The SWOT Intermission & Projecting MILeS 2077

What made the MILeS workshop uniquely engaging was its interactive format. We conducted a collaborative SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) for every presentation. Getting that direct, structured feedback on mISPL’s early-stage approach was incredibly valuable.
In the second half, we shifted to long-term visionary thinking. In collaborative group work, we brought all the presented papers together to dream up a massive shared vision: What could MILeS become in the year 2077? We combined today’s ideas—like psychomotor tracking, wearable sensors, and real-time multimodal feedback loops—and extrapolated them five decades into the future to imagine seamless, pervasive learning environments of tomorrow.

Beyond the Lab: Connections and Social Events at ECTEL

Of course, a conference like ECTEL is just as much about the people as it is about the papers. Beyond the intense workshop sessions, the social program provided the perfect backdrop to unwind and build deep connections with colleagues from all over the world.
Whether we were discussing the future of AI over coffee during the breaks, sharing ideas during the vibrant poster sessions, or enjoying Valencia’s incredible local food scene during the evening social events, the sense of community was palpable. Swapping stories with fellow researchers under the Spanish sun reminded me why academic gatherings are so vital. These casual chats and shared laughs often spark the collaborations that drive our field forward.
A huge thank you to the organizers of the MILeS workshop, the ECTEL hosts, and everyone who provided feedback on mISPL. I’m looking forward to taking these insights back to the lab and seeing how close we can get to that 2077 vision in the coming years!