Breakfast-seminar: AI-based method for training in best-practice conversations with children

Our “Breakfast Seminar for practitioners” (Barnevernfrokost) is a video seminar which aims to communicate important research to professionals and students on the topic of child welfare and protection. While the webinar is originally conducted in Norwegian, this article presents a summary of the content both in Norwegian and English.

Video: Professor Gunn Astrid Baugerud from OsloMet in Oslo, Norway, presented on the topic “AI-based method for training in best-practice conversations with children.”

The seminar introduced a novel AI-based platform for training in best-practice conversations with children, designed for professionals working in child welfare, law enforcement, schools, kindergartens, and healthcare. This platform serves as a method to answer practical problems related to the professionals competencies training and maintenance. The platform enables users to engage in real-time practice with a dynamic avatar and receive individualized feedback on their performance. By simulating real-life interactions, this technology provides a unique opportunity for professionals to refine their communication skills in a controlled and supportive environment.

During the presentation, results on how the implementation in the test environment were also shown. Additionally, an online demonstration of the platform was shared for the audiences to try.

Gunn Astrid Baugerud is a professor of psychology and child welfare at the Department of Social Work, OsloMet. She holds a Ph.D. in cognitive developmental psychology and plays a key role in developing the AI-based avatar for training professionals. The project is recognized as groundbreaking by the Research Council of Norway in 2020. Baugerud received a Fulbright scholarship for this work, which she continued at the University of California, Irvine, in collaboration with Professor Jodi Quas. She has authored numerous publications on AI-based conversation training, contributing significantly to advancements in the field.


Video: Professor Gunn Astrid Baugerud fra OsloMet i Oslo, Norge, presenterte temaet «AI-basert plattform for trening i samtaleferdigheter» .

Seminaret introduserte en ny AI-basert plattform for opplæring i samtaler med barn, utviklet for fagfolk som jobber innen barnevern, politi, skole, barnehage og helsevesen. Plattformen fungerer som en metode for å løse praktiske problemer knyttet til opplæring og vedlikehold av fagpersoners kompetanse. Plattformen gjør det mulig for brukerne å øve i sanntid med en dynamisk avatar og få tilbakemeldinger på deres prestasjoner. Ved å simulere ekte interaksjoner gir denne teknologien fagfolk en unik mulighet til å forbedre kommunikasjonsferdighetene sine i et kontrollert og støttende miljø.

I presentasjonen ble det også vist resultater fra implementeringen i testmiljøer. I tillegg ble det delt en nettbasert demonstrasjon av plattformen som publikum kunne prøve.

Gunn Astrid Baugerud er professor i psykologi og barnevern ved Institutt for Sosialfag, OsloMet. Hun har en ph.d. i kognitiv utviklingspsykologi og spiller en nøkkelrolle i utviklingen av den AI-baserte avataren. AI-prosjektet ble anerkjent som banebrytende av Norges forskningsråd i 2020. Baugerud mottok også et Fulbright-stipend for dette arbeidet, som hun videreførte ved University of California, Irvine, i samarbeid med professor Jodi Quas. Hun har publisert en rekke artikler om AI-basert samtaletrening og bidratt betydelig til fremskritt på feltet.