“To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.” —Kurt Vonnegut (Via Harold Jarche)
Our nice run of relative warmth and sunshine has given way to a more normal winter scene of cold and snow. That hasn’t stopped the flow of great stuff from the world of learning, design, and technology though. No matter where you are, warm, cold or anywhere in between I’ve got lots of great stuff for you this week.
19 of the Most Popular Blog Posts in the Learning Field
What do our most popular blog posts say about our field—the learning field? Will Thalheimer (@willworklearn) has rounded up the “numbers, wit, and wisdom” from 19 learning blogs from all around the world.
https://www.worklearning.com/2019/01/09/the-learning-fields-most-popular-blog-posts/
How can I share my knowledge and do it profitably?
Stan Garfield (@StanGarfield) shares how you can share your knowledge and the many good reasons you should be doing it. You’ll help others and yourself.
Learning Objectives: Our Frenemy
Check out what Cathy Moore (@CatMoore) has to say about how conventional learning objectives can work against us and the three questions that will help you set boundaries for using them.
http://blog.cathy-moore.com/2019/01/learning-objectives-our-frenemy/
4 Creative Ways to Send xAPI Data from Non-eLearning Sources
In this Learning Solutions article, Megan Torrance (@MMTorrance), Matt Kliewer (@mpkliewer), and Peter Guenther (@pguenthe) share some creative uses for using xAPI data for non-elearning along with a discussion or the related quirks and challenges you’ll encounter along the way.
100+ Learning, Design & Technology Resources to Help You Get Sh*t Done
A cornucopia of tools, apps, and websites that will help you check off many of the learning and design tasks on your to-do list.
https://mike-taylor.org/2019/01/09/2018-getshitdone-learningdesign/
Learning, Design & Technology Miscellany
A few other things just because I can.
Conference News
- Looking for your next conference? I’ve recently updated my global collection of L&D events with new 2019 dates. Let me know if you see one I missed or have a new one to add.
Speaker Proposals:
- EdMedia + Innovate Learning Call for Presentations and Papers is open through January 30th.
- Check the new and growing list for speaker submissions here.
Design Resources
- Build-a-Graphic PowerPoint Add-In – “If SmartArt is a tricycle, Build-a-Graphic is a Ferrari.” This add-in makes creating beautiful graphics in PowerPoint a snap.
- 60 Totally Free Design Resources for Non-Designers from @visme
- Font Combinations – Nice, easy-to-use site for finding great looking font pairs.
Apps & Tools
- YouTube Uploader – Let Others Upload Videos to your YouTube Channel
- Zip Books – Freshbooks is eliminating their free option. So I’m moving over to Zip Books, a nice, simple accounting apps that does invoicing and more.
- Chartopedia Your guide for choosing the right chart types
Books/Courses/Talks/Podcasts
- Manage Memory for Deeper Learning: 21 evidence-based and easy-to-apply tactics that support memory while learning and beyond by Patti Shank (@pattishank)
- Neuromarketing Books: The Ultimate Reading List by Roger Dooley (@RogerDooley)
- What we know (and think we know) about the learning brain: An interview with Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa
What I’m Listening To
- The cool mix of energy and chill in “Mushroom Jazz” by Mark Farina is just the thing to kick things off this morning.
Thanks for reading! If you found anything good, forward it to a friend or spread the word with a tweet.
You can find me at these UPCOMING EVENTS:
- January 30th: Free Tools for eLearning Spotlight Elearning Guild Online Event
- February 1: “The Non-Designer’s Guide to Crafting Beautiful Elearning” I4PL webinar
- February 4-6 ATD TechKnowledge, West Palm Beach, FL
- February 13-14 Learning Technologies, London, UK
- March 24-26: Learning Solutions, Orlando, FL
Interested in the things that didn’t make the cut here? Follow me on Twitter or even better, subscribe to my newsletter.
I enjoy sharing my ideas and experience with others via workshops, keynote presentations, podcasts, and webinars. Learn more in my Speaking and Workshop Information Sheet.
Mike Taylor 