How To Start A Personal Curation Practice In Less Than 60 Seconds

If you’ve ever wanted to start your own personal curation/PKM practice but weren’t sure how to get started, this post is just for you!

TL:DR
Get my top 10 L&D sources by downloading this OPML file. Import it into an RSS reader like Feedly and BAM! you’re all set.

In the ever-evolving landscape of learning and development (L&D), the ability to curate a personalized learning journey is not just a luxury but a necessity. Harold Jarche’s Personal Knowledge Mastery (PKM) model brilliantly encapsulates this idea, emphasizing the continuous process of seeking, sensing, and sharing knowledge. It’s about creating a personal “knowledge flow,” a stream of valuable information tailored to your unique interests and professional needs.

Harold Jarche’s Personal Knowledge Mastery (PKM) model is a framework designed to help individuals take control of their professional development through continuous learning. The model comprises three core processes:

  1. Seeking: This involves finding and gathering information and knowledge. It’s about staying updated with the latest trends, research, and insights in one’s field of interest or profession. This process emphasizes the importance of diversity in information sources to ensure a broad and comprehensive understanding of various topics.
  2. Sensing: Once information is gathered, the sensing process involves making sense of it. This means reflecting on, analyzing, and synthesizing the information to derive meaningful insights. It often involves personal interpretation, connecting the dots between different pieces of information, and contextualizing knowledge to one’s own experiences or professional challenges.
  3. Sharing: The final step is about sharing knowledge with others. This could be through blogs, social media, professional networks, or direct collaboration. Sharing not only helps others but also reinforces one’s own learning and establishes the individual as a contributor to the wider knowledge community.

Jarche’s PKM model is particularly relevant in today’s fast-paced digital world, where the ability to adapt, learn continuously, and leverage a network of information is crucial for professional growth and success.

Harold Jarche’s next PKM workshop starts in February

In this digital age, where information is abundant but often scattered, developing a personal curation practice is akin to building your own compass to navigate the vast ocean of knowledge.

Why Feedly?

To start your personal curation journey, it’s essential to have a tool that can help you streamline your information intake process. Feedly is an excellent option as it allows you to combine various sources of information into a single stream. It acts like a personalized digital library that provides real-time updates with the content you want and ONLY the content you want.

A free Feedly account can help you streamline your information intake process.


If you’re new to personal curation and want to make the most of your efforts, my best advice is to “curate the curators.” This means leveraging the work of others to increase the effectiveness and reach of your own curation practice.

For a great start, here are ten great people/sources you can follow. Over time, you can add more based on your personal interests and preferences.

Top 10 Recommended Sources for L&D Professionals

  1. Ethan Mollick’s One Useful Thing
    Ethan Mollick’s Substack serves as a platform where he distills research into concise and practical advice or commentary. Each post is dedicated to “One Useful Thing,” offering bite-sized insights. The primary focus of this content is on Artificial Intelligence and its significant effects on the realms of work and education.
    https://www.oneusefulthing.org/
  2. Dr. Philippa Hardman
    Dr. Philippa Hardman is renowned for her expertise in integrating technology (especially AI) with education. She offers insightful commentary and practical strategies, bridging the gap between academic research and real-world learning applications.
    https://drphilippahardman.substack.com/
  3. The Learning Scientists Blog
    The Learning Scientists are a group of experts committed to making scientific research on learning more accessible. Their blog is a must-follow for evidence-based learning practices.
    https://www.learningscientists.org/blog/
  4. Elearning Coach
    Connie Malamed’s site is dedicated to the field of e-learning and instructional design. It is a great resource for L&D professionals, providing insights, tips, and best practices for creating effective and engaging e-learning experiences. She is known for her practical approach, focusing on real-world applications and innovations in digital learning.
    https://elearningcoach.com
  5. Learning Guild
    The Learning Guild is a hub for professionals in workplace learning and development, offering a rich mix of research, online events, conferences, and publications. I particularly appreciate the resources they share from their conferences.
    https://learningguild.com
  6. WonderTools
    Jeremy Caplan’s newsletter provides a curated list of digital tools that can revolutionize how you approach learning and development. It’s all about discovering tools that make learning more engaging and efficient.
    https://wondertools.substack.com
  7. Product Hunt
    This site is a great way to keep up with new apps, tools, and technologies that can enhance your L&D toolkit.
    https://www.producthunt.com/
  8. BrightCarbon
    I love PowerPoint, and like many people, I use it frequently. When it comes to finding helpful information about PowerPoint, I highly recommend checking out BrightCarbon. They offer a free add-in called BrightSlide that you should definitely download if you haven’t already!
    https://brightcarbon.com
  9. Deep Culture
    This weekly newsletter contains 10 interesting, useful and fun-to-read items. It’s perfect for those with curious minds who want a quick read.
    https://deepculture.substack.com/
  10. Mike Taylor
    If you don’t already know, my site is dedicated to sharing insights, tips, and tools for effective learning design and technology integration in educational and corporate settings.
    https://mike-taylor.org

Your Curation Quick Start: The OPML File

To help you kick-start your personal curation practice, I’m giving you an exclusive OPML file. This file is a gateway to subscribing to my top 10 recommended sources quickly and easily. You can download the OPML file here and import it into Feedly to instantly follow all ten of these sources.

An OPML (Outline Processor Markup Language) file is a format used to exchange lists of web feeds between web feed aggregators.

Download the OPML file with my Top 10 L&D sources and Import it into Feedly

Starting a personal curation practice in L&D is more than just staying informed; it’s about shaping your professional narrative and growth. With this L&D Curation Starter Pack and the power of Feedly, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the dynamic world of L&D and more!

Happy curating!

P.S. - Share your favorite sources and experiences with personal curation in the comments below. I’d love to hear about the hidden gems you’ve discovered, whether it’s a book, podcast, or website. Your recommendations help others find new and exciting content. So, inspire others with your personal gems and share your insights in the comments.

Published by Mike Taylor

Born with a life-long passion for learning, I have the great fortune to work at the intersection of learning, design, technology & collaboration.

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