Designing with Love

Why Starting With Where Changes Everything with Tommy Kilpatrick

What if the fastest route to clarity is the one we usually skip—where are you, when is it, and who are you—before asking what to do next? In this episode, Jackie sat down with Tommy Kilpatrick to explore his book, Human Occidental Owner’s Manual, and translate big human questions into practical habits for teachers, creators, and lifelong learners. Using a crisp computer setup analogy, we reset our defaults: location determines time, identity shapes action, and context beats assumptions.From there, we unpack communication through vivid sports metaphors that actually change how you host conversations. Conversation plays like tennis with cooperative volleys, debate ranges from elegant fencing to MMA intensity, dialogue becomes chess for co-solving, and discussion moves like rugby with many roles carrying the ball. We also map single-voice modes—lecture, rant, sermon, story—and show how choosing the right mode prevents conflicts and keeps teams, classes, and families aligned.We close with the “first fork,” the early identity choice that silently guides a life. Write one sentence for each of the four essential human questions, choose your fork for the week, and watch momentum return. If this conversation helped you reset your settings, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave a review to help others find the show. What’s the first question you’ll answer today?🔗 Website and Social Links:Please visit Tommy Kilpatrick’s website and social media links below.Tommy Kilpatrick’s WebsiteTommy Kilpatrick’s Facebook Page📢 Call-to-Action: Click the link to obtain a free book and a free 15-minute consultation with the author: Debt ReliefSend Jackie a TextJoin PodMatch!Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show💟 Designing with Love + allows you to support the show by keeping the mic on and the ideas flowing. Click on the link above to provide your support. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee is another way you can support the show, either as a one-time gift or through a monthly subscription. 🗣️ Want to be a guest on Designing with Love? Send Jackie Pelegrin a message on PodMatch, here: Be a guest on the show 🌐 Check out the show's website here: Designing with Love 📱 Send a text to the show by clicking the Send Jackie a Text link above. 👍🏼 Please make sure to like and share this episode with others. Here's to great learning!

Personalization Unleashed: Adaptive Learning in Action

Ready to move beyond one-size-fits-all courses? We explore a practical path to adaptive learning that uses the content and tools you already have—no massive rebuilds, no mystery AI required. By focusing on three simple levers—sequence, pacing, and practice—we demonstrate how to direct learners to the right support at the right time and convert feedback into fuel for mastery.The goal is simple: design smart checkpoints, not clones, and honor learner differences without inflating complexity. If you’re an instructional designer, educator, or L&D leader looking for higher pass rates, faster time to mastery, and more confident learners, this guide to adaptive learning will help you start small and win early. Subscribe, share this with a colleague who builds courses, and leave a review to tell us which module you’ll pilot first.🔗 Resources and Related Episodes:If you would like to explore today’s topic further, here are a few resources to check out:📚 Adaptive Learning Resource6 Benefits You Should Know About Adaptive Learning in Corporate Training: In this article by Suresh Kumar at eLearning Industry, read about the six benefits of how you can utilize adaptive learning in corporate training to provide custom-tailored learning experiences for learners.📝 Canva TemplateAdaptive Mini-Pilot Map: A roadmap to help you pilot adaptive learning without rebuilding your course. You’ll map a pre-check, two simple pathways (refresh + fast), and one metric to see what’s working.🎧 Listen Next: Related EpisodesEpisode 44: Designing for Everyone: A Guide to Universal Design for Learning: An introduction to UDL principles and how to design from the start with variability in mind, so more learners can access and engage with your experiences.Episode 65: Accessibility in Action: Inclusive Design for Every Learner: Practical strategies for designing with accessibility at the forefront—from structure and media choices to small tweaks that make a big difference for every learner. Send Jackie a TextJoin PodMatch!Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show💟 Designing with Love + allows you to support the show by keeping the mic on and the ideas flowing. Click on the link above to provide your support. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee is another way you can support the show, either as a one-time gift or through a monthly subscription. 🗣️ Want to be a guest on Designing with Love? Send Jackie Pelegrin a message on PodMatch, here: Be a guest on the show 🌐 Check out the show's website here: Designing with Love 📱 Send a text to the show by clicking the Send Jackie a Text link above. 👍🏼 Please make sure to like and share this episode with others. Here's to great learning!

AI Made Practical for Teachers and Designers with Sairam Sundaresan

Think AI can do everything? We put that assumption under the microscope with AI engineering leader and author Sairam Sundaresan, and walk away with a playbook that’s practical, ethical, and built for real classrooms and design teams. We break down why narrow, well-scoped tasks are where AI shines, how to turn prompting into a repeatable workflow, and what it looks like to treat a model like a new hire you’re onboarding—clear roles, examples, and tight feedback loops.We dig into the big wins for educators and instructional designers: personalized learning at scale, faster feedback cycles, and smarter revisions between sessions. Imagine a 24/7 teaching assistant that adapts to your students’ levels, flags weak spots, and helps you adjust the curriculum without waiting for the next term. Pair that with your human superpowers—reading the room, motivating learners, and connecting dots—and you get a learning ecosystem that’s both efficient and deeply human. Along the way, we share hands-on tips with tools like Notebook LM, Canva, Gamma, and Genially to prototype content, translate assets, and build interactive experiences without months of overhead.Enjoyed the episode? Follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with a colleague who’s experimenting with AI in education. Your support helps more educators discover practical, ethical ways to use these tools.🔗 Website and Social Links:Please visit Sairam Sundaresan’s website to subscribe to his newsletter.Sairam Sundaresan’s Website📢 Call-to-Action: Want to explore AI in a way that feels clear and approachable? Connect with Sairam Sundaresan and check out his book AI For the Rest of Us. You’ll find practical insights, real-world examples, and guidance on how to use AI responsibly in work, learning, and life. Visit Sairam’s website to learn more and access resources designed to help you confidently navigate the AI era. Send Jackie a TextJoin PodMatch!Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show💟 Designing with Love + allows you to support the show by keeping the mic on and the ideas flowing. Click on the link above to provide your support. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee is another way you can support the show, either as a one-time gift or through a monthly subscription. 🗣️ Want to be a guest on Designing with Love? Send Jackie Pelegrin a message on PodMatch, here: Be a guest on the show 🌐 Check out the show's website here: Designing with Love 📱 Send a text to the show by clicking the Send Jackie a Text link above. 👍🏼 Please make sure to like and share this episode with others. Here's to great learning!

Guiding the Classroom with AI Copilots

AI can feel like a runaway train in classrooms and training programs—powerful, fast, and a little scary. We take the controls and show how to turn generative tools into true co-pilots: clear roles, simple guardrails, and small pilots that free us to focus on coaching, feedback, and real human connection.You’ll hear role-based examples across K-12, higher education, and corporate learning: differentiated reading passages and exit tickets, outcome-aligned case prompts and quiz banks, and realistic scenario practice plus microlearning nudges for on-the-job performance.Want to put this into action? Grab the pilot checklist from the show notes, try one workflow this week, and tell us what changed. If this helped, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more educators and L&D pros can build ethical, effective AI co-pilots.🔗 Resources and Related Episodes:If you’d like to explore today’s topic further, here are a few resources to check out:📝 Interactive ResourceAI Copilot Pilot Checklist: A ready-to-use guide you can copy and adapt to your context. Use this template to plan, run, and debrief a small AI copilot pilot—from choosing one workflow and setting guardrails to defining success and capturing what you’ll keep, tweak, or toss.📊 Research Report2025 AI in Education: A Microsoft Special Report: This research report, produced by Microsoft, provides key insights into how AI is transforming nearly every aspect of our society worldwide. 🎧 Listen Next: Related EpisodesEpisode 54: Beyond Learning Outcomes: Designing for Humans or Learners?: A practical look at human-centered design, focusing on how to move beyond check-the-box objectives and create learning experiences that serve real people, real needs, and real contexts.Episode 79: Top Emerging Technologies Shaping Instructional Design: A tour of five emerging tools, including VR, AR, and MR, and how they’re reshaping the way we design for real-world skills and autheSend Jackie a TextJoin PodMatch!Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show💟 Designing with Love + allows you to support the show by keeping the mic on and the ideas flowing. Click on the link above to provide your support. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee is another way you can support the show, either as a one-time gift or through a monthly subscription. 🗣️ Want to be a guest on Designing with Love? Send Jackie Pelegrin a message on PodMatch, here: Be a guest on the show 🌐 Check out the show's website here: Designing with Love 📱 Send a text to the show by clicking the Send Jackie a Text link above. 👍🏼 Please make sure to like and share this episode with others. Here's to great learning!

Paragraphs, Not Panic: Dyslexia-Smart Strategies with Russell Van Brocklen

What if a fifth grader could turn a pile of ideas into a clear, grounded paragraph—every time—without leaning on AI? We bring back dyslexia researcher Russell Van Brocklen for part three of our series to show exactly how: start with a hero, a universal theme, and a villain; distill three good reasons into one-word themes; and anchor everything to a real quote. The result is a body paragraph that’s honest, teachable, and repeatable—plus a writing process students can explain step by step.We also address integrity in the AI era: students must show their process or redo the work, then later use AI as a research coach rather than a shortcut. By the end, you’ll have a clear path to scale from one body paragraph to three, then add a thesis and conclusion that help students pass state tests and feel proud of their writing.If this helped, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review. Grab the free resources in the notes, and stay tuned for part four, where we break down concrete, classroom-ready examples.🔗 Website and Social Links:Please visit Russell’s website and social media links below.Russell Van Brocklen’s WebsiteRussell’s Facebook PageRussell’s Instagram PageRussell’s LinkedIn PageRussell’s YouTube Channel🆓Free Resource: The 3 Reasons Your Child’s Dyslexia Education Isn’t Working – And How to Fix It Send Jackie a TextJoin PodMatch!Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show💟 Designing with Love + allows you to support the show by keeping the mic on and the ideas flowing. Click on the link above to provide your support. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee is another way you can support the show, either as a one-time gift or through a monthly subscription. 🗣️ Want to be a guest on Designing with Love? Send Jackie Pelegrin a message on PodMatch, here: Be a guest on the show 🌐 Check out the show's website here: Designing with Love 📱 Send a text to the show by clicking the Send Jackie a Text link above. 👍🏼 Please make sure to like and share this episode with others. Here's to great learning!