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“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
I hope your brain is ready for this week’s roundup? No matter what, I think you’ll find some great brain and learning-related knowledge that you’ll want to check out. I’m looking forward to taking a deeper dive into these on my long flight to London this weekend and getting ahold of some Mcvities digestive biscuits when I get there.
Battling the Bandwidth of your Brain
In this article by Greg Ashman (@greg_ashman) touches on why cognitive load theory is so powerful. Unlike much of what we are told during training and professional development, cognitive load theory has real implications for learning that are based on sound evidence derived from robust research designs.
The concept of working memory is similar to that of short-term memory except that it doesn’t just store information, it also manipulates it. The limitations of working memory are what lead to cognitive overload.
https://researched.org.uk/battling-the-bandwidth-of-your-brain/
ResearchED Magazine
If you like the article above and learning how to put this type of research into practice, you should plug into the new ResearchED Magazine which “…provides another quality platform to further help the teaching profession connect research and practice in the classroom.” Check out their first issue.
Triggered Action Planning:
Many good L&D pros are recognizing that learning is not enough. To help ensure our efforts are not wasted, the key is to set SITUATION-ACTION triggers. Will Thalheimer (@WillAtWork) shares how to use contextual situations to trigger certain actions. (This also aligns nicely with BJ Fogg’s (@BJFogg) concept of Tiny Habits.)
https://www.worklearning.com/2014/09/05/triggered-action-planning/
Does eLearning Work? What the Scientific Research Says!
Is elearning effective? As effective as classroom instruction — more or less effective? What about blended learning — when elearning and classroom learning are combined? Dig into this major research review by Will Thalheimer (@WillAtWork) to learn the answers to these and other similar questions.
https://www.worklearning.com/2017/08/10/major-research-review-on-elearning-effectiveness/
Learning While Working Virtual Conference
The recordings are here! The recordings are here! With twelve hours and two tracks of great sessions, it was impossible to catch them all. Now you can go back and watch (or rewatch) any of the Learning While Working sessions. Just visit this page, scroll down and register for free. (If you attended live, I think you may already have an email about accessing these.)
https://www.sproutlabs.com.au/resources/18-the-learning-while-working-virtual-conference/
Derek Sivers Book Notes
Derek Sivers (@Sivers) has shared his notes on a big collection of books he’s read. Browse the titles for ones that catch your interest and then dive deeper into the detailed notes he’s given for each. A few of the ones that caught my eye include:
- On Writing Well – by William Zinsser
- The War of Art – by Steven Pressfield and
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck – by Mark Manson
Learning, Design & Technology Miscellany
A few other things just because I can.
Conference News
- The Elearning Guild’s Call for Proposals for Learning Solutions 2019 closes today FRIDAY (July 27) at midnight PST. If you haven’t already submitted your proposal, you can find all the details here: bit.ly/LS19CFP
- Looking for your next conference? Check my global collection of L&D events.
Design Resources
- Screen Sketch – This becoming my most used (and loved) shortcut. If you’re on Windows 10 try Windows+Shift+S to fire up the screen selection toolbar to select an area to snip. After this, the Screen Sketch app will open where the user can add annotations and share the screenshot right away.
Apps & Tools
- Loom – This free app lets you capture your screen, record your front-facing camera, and narrate it all at once, then instantly share with a simple link.
- Brandquiz – Build a great looking quiz, calculator or survey in minutes to capture leads, collect feedback & activate your audience.
Books/Courses/Podcasts
- I recently had the pleasure of talking with Lloyd Dean (@LloydDeanUK) on his Future of Learning podcast. We had a great conversation about some of the useful marketing tools and tactics that can also benefit L&D pros.
- Adam Gazzaley on Why our brains aren’t evolved for media multitasking, and how we can learn to live with technology in a more balanced way.
What I’m listening too
- At some time or another, everyone needs to hear some “Good Vibes” right?
Thanks for reading! If you found anything good, forward it to a friend or spread the word with a tweet.
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I enjoy sharing my ideas and experience with corporate professionals via workshops, keynote presentations, podcasts, and webinars. Learn more in my Speaking and Workshop Information Sheet.
Mike Taylor 