In my interactions with instructional designers, one thing always stood out: They have a tendency to provide a lot of content. Their mindset is: “Learners need to know all the steps since they may not do it correctly.” However, my…
Tag: social learning
Why is Microlearning Futile? How to Fix It – Tip #126
This week I had an exhilarating conversation with a Caltech professor at the Athenaeum Caltech Faculty Club. The professor is responsible for the facilities where robotic experiments are conducted. He said, “many of my graduate research students stand back and…
Proof of Disruptions – Tip #125
When you hear the word “disruption,” what do you think about? Most would probably equate it with something that temporarily derails from achieving an objective. For instance, a car breakdown on your way to work. Disruption usually has a negative denotation.…
Are Instructional Designers Incapable of Microlearning Design? – Tip #124
I have asked this serious question in multiple ways. Why is it difficult for instructional designers to think and do Microlearning? I define Microlearning closely to that of Theo Hug’s description: Microlearning is: 1 Low effort 2 Fast 3 Easy…
Micro-Instant Learning – Tip #123
Instant learning suggests a sense of immediacy and urgency. It means understanding on-demand information and developing skills to perform a specific task precisely at the moment of need. The increasing complexity of jobs and the accelerating advances in technology necessitate…
Learning Objectives are Dead Unless You Do CPR – Tip #122
Learning objectives are good as basis for defining what we want to impart to learners. Unfortunately, when we stop there, learners find the learning objectives senseless and as a result, disengage and/or skip the objectives altogether. A Linear Structure Kills…
Stories of Real-Life Fiascos and Blunders Motivate Learners – Tip #121
Have you ever tried teaching a new employee how to use the software your company currently uses? Did you find it easy to teach or were there challenges you encountered? Now, think about training employees about your branding or corporate…
It’s Really That Simple – Steps in Story Learning Design – Try the Live Exercise – Tip #120
Do you want to know how simple it is to apply the step-by-step process for creating a Story-Based Lesson? Fear not. There is actually a logic to the process, even if the outcome can be emotional and provocative. Play this…
3 Story Lesson Starters That Never Fail – Tip #119
Every day we tell and hear stories about ourselves, about people we love (or don’t love), and about many other things in our world. Why do some stories stick to our minds while others are like wisps of mist that…
Content That Lives Within a Story Lasts Forever – Tip #118
Stories can touch our whole being—our thoughts, imagination, emotions, and spirit. Emotionally gripping stories have a way of sticking to our memories for a long, long time. Jennifer Aaker, a professor of marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business,…
5 Story Arguments that Compel Learners to Pay Attention – Tip #117
Learning is like watching someone else’s story. Observe what happens when you listen to a story from your parents, spouse or loved one, kids, bosses, or even a homeless person on the street. Did you notice how there’s always an…
10 Story Metaphors to Lift Your Learners’ Spirits – Tip #116
I wrote this while starting this blog. Metaphors are poems. They speak to a part of us that we often leave barren and hidden from the light. Metaphors reach us and our souls. They hit us deep and we swallow,…
5 Success Strategies in Microlearning Implementation – Tip #115
Once a year I attend a truly exquisite dinner at the Caltech Athenaeum Faculty Club featuring the Escoffier Dinner. This is the closest that I ever get to experience Babette’s feast. The French chef and culinary writer Auguste Escoffier popularized and updated…
How Microlearning Boosts “At the Moment Performance” – Tip #114
At work, how many times in a day does someone ask you “How do you do this”? I bet several times. You answer it in the shortest possible way and go back to what you’re doing. Now, how many times…
Empathy: Helping Learners to Feel Others – Tip #113
Evan’s Story I’d like to thank @JD_Dillon for sharing the Evan video. I just came from TedXLA and empathy was one of the key themes. From technologists to sociologists, from businessmen to philanthropists, all asked and shared experiences on “how we…