“Attention is the most basic form of love.”
John Tarrant
Happy Friday! Looks like it is going to be a nice coolish day as we’re heading into fall around here. I’m looking forward to some time outside and a long holiday weekend. Hope you find some time to do what you love too.
Thanks for reading!
What I’m Listening to: I’m trying to focus on wrapping up a presentation deck and there is something about the relaxing sounds of rain in the background that feels right for me today.
Last week’s most clicked item:
Better Than Bullet Points: Alternative Slide Designs
Top Learning Tools for 2021
Jane Hart has published the 2021 version of her annual Learning Tools list. And as she says, it “was the YEAR OF DISRUPTION! There were so many new tools this year she’s extended the list and added some new sub-lists.
https://www.toptools4learning.com/
“Rich” Or “Bland”: Which Diagrams Help Students Learn Deeply?
Andrew Watson explores the question of graphics for learning. Here’s a practical question: should the diagrams we use with students be detailed, colorful, bright, and specific? Or, should they be simple, black and white, somewhat abstract? The answer might surprise you.
https://www.learningandthebrain.com/blog/rich-or-bland-which-diagrams-helps-students-learn-deeply-2/
Learning as investing: 7 skills that pay off in any job
Scott Young takes a look at what you can learn that will give you the best return on your investment. What would you expect those to be – think about it a second before you head over and take a look.
https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?ck_subscriber_id=1322445262
Sometimes Mindlessness Is Better Than Mindfulness
In some situations it pays to not pay attention. This article looks at some research showing that focusing too carefully on the execution of well-practiced motor sequences can cause mistakes.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sometimes-mindlessness-is-better-than-mindfulness/
40 Canva Shortcuts and Secret Cheat Codes To Speed Up Your Work
You might know that I’m a big @Canva fan? It seems there is almost nothing it can’t do. If you’re a Canva user, you might like this list of shortcuts and cheat codes. There is something for everyone.
Podcasts
- Unlearning with Mark Gilroy on this week’s Mind Tools podcast.
- Social by Design with Mark Britz in conversation with Guy Wallace
- Dan Levy on improving our teaching on the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Tools & Tips
- Quizziz is an app for creating quizzes, presentations, polls, etc that works on any device.
- PixMiller is yet another good online option for removing image backgrounds
- SnipRSS is a browser extension that lets you snip content as you browse the internet – collect links to videos, social posts, podcasts, articles and more.
- Note Garden is a specialized note-taking tool with a spaced repetition algorithm
- Defonic is an ambient sound generator for creating a soundscape of your choise
Where You Can Find Me
- Nashville ATD – Using Technology for Training – September 16
- COATD Annual Conference – September 21
- Free Elearning & ID Tools with Tim Slade October 6
- DevLearn October 20-22
- New Jersey ATD – Future of Work – November 10
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Mike Taylor 