The LDA Podcast: An Exploration of Evidence-Informed Approaches to Learning and Development

The ”Marketing, Schmarketing” Episode

In this episode, we asked our good friend, David Ganulin to join us to talk about marketing and how the domain of marketing can inform learning and development. Of course, that didn't stop us from deviating off topic! Of course, we still do The Best and the Worst.We have a brief conversation about the following concepts: Hard Fun, coined by Dr. Seymour Papert. You can find out more here: https://dailypapert.com/hard-fun/Mihaly Robert Csikszentmihalyi: Flow: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)Vygotsky and Zone of Proximal Development: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_of_proximal_developmentRobert Bjork- Desired Difficulty: https://3starlearningexperiences.wordpress.com/2023/02/21/demystifying-desirable-difficulties-1-what-they-are/Anders Ericsson Deliberate Practice: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1993-40718-001Matt differentiates between Openers and Icebreakers here: https://www.thiagi.com/games/2023/4/27/linking-in-with-mattIn the meantime, Matt referenced LDA's good friend, Ashley Sinclair and her company, MAAS Marketing, which provides marketing services specifically for L&D teams in organizations. You can find out more about Ashley here: https://www.maas-marketing.co.uk/A bit more about Dave:David Ganulin tries to use his marketing superpowers so good triumphs over evil. He loves that he can write in the third person, as well as the fact that he literally just used the term "marketing superpowers" in the first sentence of a professional bio unironically. He graduated from the University of Rochester with an M.S in Teaching, Curriculum, and Development and upon graduation, left for Japan where he served as a college Professor for five years in a variety of institutions teaching English as a Second Language, English literature, writing, and other advanced classes. Upon returning to New York City in 2000, he found himself at the tail end of Dot Bomb 1.0, and we all know how that went! He served in a variety of marketing positions beginning in 2001 and was lucky enough to learn the field from the ground up from being hands-on as well as from some incredible Mentors in the field. Along the way--while serving in a variety of higher level positions, he caught the entrepreneur bug and in 2001 (when absolutely nobody knew what a kettlebell was) ended up finding, scaling (with no outside capital), and eventually exiting a leading B2B education company KettleBell Concepts. He's been working alongside Pete Moore--Managing Partner of Integrity Square--as the firm's Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Producer of HALO Talks podcast since October 2018.You can find David here:Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com/Halotalks: https://www.halotalks.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidganulin/

AI and L&D Insights: Revolutionizing Learning through Simulations

In this thought-provoking episode, Markus interviews Mike Vaughan, a seasoned expert in AI applications, as well as neuroscience. Discover how AI is revolutionizing simulations, making them more accessible and cost-effective. Learn about the shift towards experience-centric learning and the potential of AI-powered personalized and adaptive learning within simulations. Mike also shares insights on the current state of AI adoption in organizations and emphasizes the importance of community for L&D professionals navigating the rapid changes brought by AI. Tune in to stay ahead of the curve and learn how AI is shaping the future of learning and development.Here is how you can find Mike:The Thinking Effect - https://www.thethinkingeffect.com/Mike Vaughan on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsvaughan/The Regis Company - https://go.regiscompany.com/your-organizations-fast-track-to-skill-development-0

The ”Who Coaches the Coaches” Episode, Part I

Clark and Matt are joined by the wonderful Emma Weber. For those unfamiliar with Emma, she is the founder of Lever – Transfer of Learning, and developer of the Turning Learning into Action™ methodology. In this first episode of a two-part series, we explore coaching. What is it? How does it work? How should it work. And, of course, we go all over the place as we converse. We end the episode with the best and the worst.Emma and Clark reference LDA friend, Julie Dirksen and her latest book, Talk to the Elephant and her first book, Design for How People Learn. We talked with Julie just a few episodes ago.Clark references Collins and Brown's application of Cognitive Apprenticeship Theory. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_apprenticeshipEmma references Bill Anderson, CEO of Bayer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Anderson_(businessman).Clark references Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership Model. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situational_leadership_theory. The debate between Matt and Emma is/ was on April 3, 2024 and can be found on the LDA website.More about Emma. In 2002 Emma left a successful corporate career in London to start her own business in Australia, following her passion for coaching and learning. Her firm belief, and the platform on which she has built her successful global business, is that the goal of learning in the workplace is to create tangible business benefits. She established Lever – Transfer of Learning to help organisations and their employees convert learning to effective action back on the job. Under her guidance Lever Learning now delivers programs throughout 16 countries and in 11 languages. She is the author of Turning Learning into Action: A Proven Methodology for Effective Transfer of Learning, published by Kogan Page in 2014.   You can find Emma via her website: https://transferoflearning.com/ or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmaweber/.In Part two, available in a month, we will explore coaching accreditation. Who decides what makes a good coach and how can one evaluate the quality of all those coaches out there? And, of course what kind of coaching is effective?

AI and L&D Insights: Generative AI, and How It’s Changing Our World- A Conversation with Jordan Wilson

In this episode of the LDA Podcast, we are joined by Jordan Wilson, host of the top 10 podcast "Your Everyday AI". Together with Jordan, we review the developments of Generative AI, why he started the podcast, how it is changing the way we learn and the way we work, why not to trust AI detection systems, and much, much more.Show notes:Your Everyday AI Website: www.youreverydayai.comJordan Wilson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanwilson04/

The ”Research to Practice” Episode

Matt and Clark are so happy to have our dear friend and colleague, Elham Arabi join for the episode. In this show, we explore the nuance, and sometimes vague aspects, of culturally responsive learning and how that intricately ties to research and practice. In other words, what are the business cultural facets that affect learning initiatives. What norms, standards, values, and political schema all have impacts?Matt shamelessly references his own model for why stakeholders say no... (1) They don't buy the premise-- they don't accept the problem as stated. (2) They don't buy the solution. They accept the problem as stated, but not the solution you offer. (3) Or, they accept the problem AND the solution as offered, but don't like or trust you to deliver it.Elham referenced Adam Grant's book Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know. If you want to watch the debate between Clark and Will, you will have to join LDA at the platinum level to access the video here: https://ldaccelerator.com/joinMatt references Self-Determination Theory (SDT). SDT is a widely research theory for how people are motivated. The premise is that all humans have three basis psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness). When those needs are met, one is more likely to be intrinsically motivated toward a task. When they are undermined, one is like to be more extrinsically motivated, or not motivated at all. The theory was initially devised and studied by Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan while they were at the University of Rochester. Here is a link to an article Matt wrote on the topic in context to learning: https://ldaccelerator.com/lda-blog-1/open-the-motivational-door-and-let-the-learners-in-and-keep-them. The checklist Matt references can be found here: https://ldaccelerator.com/motivation-checklist.Clark references Amy Edmundson and her work on Learning culture: https://hbr.org/2008/03/is-yours-a-learning-organization and Harold Jarche's talks about how well you share with others: https://jarche.com/2014/02/the-seek-sense-share-framework/. Clark also references Geert Hofstede and his work on Cultural Dimensions. Mindtools offers a nice summary here: https://www.mindtools.com/a1ecvyx/hofstedes-cultural-dimensionsElham references The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business by Erin Meyer.She also references Mark Britz and James Tyer's Social by Design: How to Create and Scale a Collaborative Company.Matt highlights Thiagi's SPARK Model for Trust: Selflessness, Predictability, Authenticity, Relatedness, and Know-How.Matt referenced the Heterodox Academy founded by Steven Pinker, founder here: https://heterodoxacademy.org/You can find Elham on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elhamarabi/More on Elham... She is an award-winning learning designer and global consultant in corporate and higher-ed with more than 15 years’ experience in the US, South-East Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. She has championed better evaluation practices in several organizations and done practical research on evaluation to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of learning programs that lead to learning transfer and impact. She holds a PhD in Interaction and Media Sciences from the University of Nevada, where her thesis was on enhancing training design based on training evaluation to investigate the effects on training transfer. 

AI in Learning and Defense: A Conversation with Jennifer Solberg

Join us in this insightful episode of the LDA Podcast as we delve into the fascinating world of AI with Jennifer Solberg, CEO of Quantum Improvement Consulting. Discover the cutting-edge intersection of technology and human performance, explore the real-world applications of AI in learning and government sectors, and unravel the hype vs. reality of AI in our daily lives. Jennifer brings her expertise in learning science, defense training, and AI collaboration, offering a unique perspective on the future of AI in enhancing human capabilities. Tune in for a deep dive into the collaborative dynamics of AI and its impact on learning and development.You can find out more about Jennifer here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifersolberg/https://www.quantumimprovements.net/

The ”What the Skills?!?” Episode

In this episode, Matt is joined by the eminent educational psychologist, Paul Kirschner. Paul is truly one of the most qualified humans on the planet to talk about our topic this episode-- skills. The word skills is bandied about all over our industry. And we all agree it is important for people to develop skills. But, what do we mean by skills? Have we perhaps oversimplified this concept? During the episode, Paul and Matt hit several specific areas related to this often used, extremely important, but still ill-defined concept (at least within our industry)- skills:What is a skill? What are complex skills? What are generic skills? Domain-specific skills?What is the cognitive architecture?Can skills be taught? What about leadership? Creativity? Etc.? Of course... you know the answer... it's nuanced!From an instructional design perspective, how should we go about teaching “skills.”What are the mistakes educators and trainers make when it comes to skills?What are the misconceptions we have about skills?How should we test whether a learner can perform a skill and what do those tests tell us?Then there is Cognitive Load Theory..., Oh my!And, more!There are many places you can find Paul. But, the best place is at his blog, 3-Star Learning Experiences.Paul has written several books. Some of our favorites, of which many of the subjects touched upon here, are delved into deeply there. They include, but are not limited to:Ten Steps to Complex LearningHow Learning Happens: Seminal Works in Educational PsychologyEvidence Informed Learning DesignUrban Myths about Learning and EducationMore Urban Myths about Learning and Education We also have a bit of a conversation about John Sweller. John is an Australian educational psychologist best known for formulating the influential theory of cognitive load. A wonderful YouTube video of John talking about cognitive load is here.And if you want to see a quick video of Paul... Here you go... one from a few years ago... https://ldaccelerator.com/giants-in-ld/paul-a-kirschner. 

Empowering Future Generations: AI’s Evolution in Learning and Upskilling with Myra Roldan

In this episode of AI and L&D Insights, Markus and Myra Roldan explore the rapid evolution of AI in learning and development. They discuss the impact of large language models and AI tools on upskilling, emphasizing the importance of ethical AI use and diverse representation in the field. Myra shares insights on integrating augmented and virtual reality with AI for immersive learning experiences and highlights initiatives like Amazon's educator enablement program and youth engagement programs. This episode is a thought-provoking journey into AI's transformative role in education and workforce preparedness.And here are the links referenced and the way to find Myra.Notebook LM https://notebooklm.google/Notion https://www.notion.so/Bloks https://www.bloks.app/manifestoFathom https://fathom.video/AWS Machine Learning University https://aws.amazon.com/machine-learning/educators/Myra RoldanConnect with me on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/myraroldanWebsite: https://www.learnwithmyra.online/

The ”Holy Podcast, Batman” Episode

This episode’s topics: Is AI cheating? What is the impact on intellectual property? Learner assessment? Heck, even job replacement? These questions are both philosophical and pragmatic. What about the value of critical thinking... and does AI take that application away? We explore ways to use AI more effectively... but recognize we cannot even fathom some of the consequences, yet.In the spirit of Christmas and Santa Claus, is it ok to ever lie to your learners? What is the value of the "white lie?" What is fiction in the context of learning? Is it a lie? How do we use or adapt case studies? We discuss the more nuanced, ethical questions related to the truth in the context of learning.Joining Matt and Clark is Karl Kapp. Karl is a professor of instructional technology and the Director of the Institute for Interactive Technologies at Bloomsburg University. He is also the founder of the Learning and Development Mentor Academy where he offers tons of self-paced workshops and live sessions for seasoned L&D professionals. He also co-founded Enterprise Game Stack, a company that designs, develops and delivers online, digital card activities and games that keep participants focused, engaged, and collaborative, while reinforcing learning both in the moment and over time. You can find Karl on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlkapp/ And on his website here: https://karlkapp.com Episode Notes:Matt refers to the book, Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz. https://www.amazon.com/Everybody-Lies-Internet-About-Really-ebook/dp/B01AFXZ2F4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=32XE7RFU8662&keywords=Everybody+lies&qid=1703693836&sprefix=everybody+lies%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-1 Karl refers to Damned Lies and Statistics by Joel Best. https://www.amazon.com/Damned-Lies-Statistics-Untangling-Politicians/dp/0520274709/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1NIS0ITNOKV1A&keywords=lies%2C+damned+lies%2C+and+statistics&qid=1703693953&sprefix=Lies%2C+damned+li%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-1 Clark refers to Cognitive apprenticeship: Teaching the crafts of reading, writing, and mathematics by Allan Collins, John Seely Brown, and Susan E. Newman. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1989-98135-013Scott Page wrote The Model Thinker: What You Need To Know To Make Data Work For You. https://www.amazon.com/Model-Thinker-What-Need-Know-ebook/dp/B07B8D3V9V/ref=sr_1_1?crid=12ZCGDWY9C3GI&keywords=The+Model+Thinker&qid=1703694035&sprefix=the+model+thinker%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-1And, Scott is from the University of Michigan.

AI and L&D Insights: L&D, AI, and the Skills Based Organization (SBO)

In this episode, Markus and Jeroen van Hautte dive into the world of AI and L&D, but with a specific view towards the future of the Skills Based Organization (SBO). Jeroen shares his views on the future of work, the impact AI is going to have, and how it all fits in with the skills piece - in L&D, in HR, and in the wider organization.Jeroen is the co-founder and CTO of TechWolf, an AI start-up revolutionizing workforce skill management for global clients like Booking.com, GSK and United Airlines. A top graduate of Cambridge University, he's recognized by Forbes '30 Under 30' for his contributions to AI and mentorship in engineering. As an advisor and thought leader, he maintains a strong connection to research while steering TechWolf's product vision and fostering an inclusive, customer-driven engineering culture.You can find Jeroen and TechWolf on LinkedIn here:Jeroen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeroenvanhautte/TechWolf: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techwolf/ TechWolf's website is: https://techwolf.com/Two more links referred to in the show are:A guide to building a resilient ecosystemA guide to building the foundations for your skill-based organisation