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The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.
― Elbert Hubbard
My daughter hates hitting off the new pitching machine when working with her coach. It is faster and more challenging for her than any other drill. During a recent session, I was reminded that we often only improve when faced with discomfort and tasks that push our limits. When things are easy, we are not getting better. I tried to reframe the situation for her – instead of seeing her struggles as failures, she could see them as opportunities to get better. Reframing the challenge as a stepping stone might pave the way for a more positive outlook and continued progress. (Who knows if she was actually listening!)
Thanks for reading!
🎶 What I’m Listening To
Tame Impala caught my ear because they are new but have a sort of 70s sound. Check ‘em out and see what you think?
👆 Last Week’s Most Clicked
📰 News & Notes
Learning Styles Are More Toxic Than We Thought
This post looks at the persistent myth of learning styles, arguing that not only is there a lack of scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness in improving learning outcomes, but their continued promotion may actually be harmful. It emphasizes that the belief in learning styles can lead educators to limit their teaching strategies and students to confine their learning potential, thereby hindering the educational process. The post advocates for a shift towards evidence-based teaching methods that cater to the diverse and dynamic ways in which people learn, rather than clinging to the debunked and restrictive concept of fixed learning styles.
🎯 Take away: Embracing the myth of learning styles not only lacks scientific backing but actively impedes educational progress by narrowing teaching and learning approaches.
The Anatomy of Addictive Content
The Moz blog post delves into the art of crafting addictive content by emphasizing the importance of understanding audience psychology, leveraging storytelling, and incorporating elements that trigger emotional engagement. It underscores the necessity of creating content that resonates on a personal level, making it not only informative but also relatable and memorable. By focusing on these strategies, content creators can significantly increase their content’s appeal and stickiness, ensuring that readers not only consume but also share and return for more.
🎯 Take away: To make your content addictive, blend deep audience insights with compelling storytelling and emotional triggers, turning casual readers into loyal fans.
Email Marketing Tools are Great for L&D
Forget fancy social media apps and new-fangled AI! L&D teams can supercharge learner engagement with good old-fashioned email marketing tools. With automated nudges, personalized learning journeys, eye-catching design, and data-driven optimization, email is an easy-to-use, powerful, and inexpensive option that is far too often overlooked. Click on over to see which platform offers the most robust free version so you can give it a test drive with real projects.
🎯 Take away: Leverage email marketing’s personalization, automation, and data-driven approach to boost learner engagement and program impact.
🧰 Tech Tools & Tips
If tools are your jam, check out my new Work Smarter newsletter.
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FlexClip is a free online video editor and video maker that you can use to create videos with text, music, animations, and more effects. No video editing skills required. Try it now!
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🎧 Podcast
This is the conversation that caught my ear this week. Check out previous episodes in the Friday Finds podcast playlist.
The Language of Learning with Peter Manniche Riber
Does the way we talk about learning improve our understanding – or hold it back? To what extent is the debate driven by the commercial imperatives of Learntech vendors rather than the real needs of employees and students?
🧳 Where’s Mike?
- ATD ICE, New Orleans May 19-22
- Canadian eLearning Conference, Toronto, June 13-14
- Greater Cincinnati ATD, September 4
If you or your event needs a speaker or workshop that is highly interactive and super practical we should talk.
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Ideal Course Formats for Every Audience, Topic, and Goal
The work of an instructional designer is not so much about the ‘what,’ but the ‘how.’ The right course format makes complex subject matter easy to digest and engages even the most resistant learners. But how do you choose the right one?
Join our upcoming webinar, during which we’ll share actionable strategies for selecting the ideal training format based on your topic, audience, learning objectives and goals, available resources, and more.
Register now and attend for free.
From the Department of Shenanigans
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Friday Finds is an independent publication that I produce in my free time. You can support my work by sharing it with the world, booking an advertising spot, or by buying me a coffee.
Mike Taylor 