Insights on Effective Online Learning Design and Career Paths

In this episode of The Learning + Performance Podcast, I speak with Connie Malamed, a learning experience designer, consultant, author, speaker, and mentor to L&Ders around the world, about how to create interesting and impactful online learning experiences to promote learning and performance.

In our conversation, we discuss a number of topics related to enhancing learning and performance, including:

• Myths and misconceptions about eLearning
• Why scenario-based e-learning can be so powerful
• Connie’s key elements of effective e-learning
• Simple visual design principles that anyone can use to design more digestible learning experiences
• Common struggles instructional designers and developers face
• The importance of evaluation and empathizing with your learners
• Several techniques for learning effectively
• And more!

About the Guest:

Known as the eLearning coach, Connie has spent over two decades studying and practicing the art and science of designing engaging e-learning and teaching others how to do it too. Her website, The eLearning Coach, shares actionable strategies, practical content, product reviews, and resources to help professionals design, develop, and understand learning, instructional design, and visual design. Connie's authored of two books on visual design, hosts a podcast on e-learning, has a free e-mail course on Breaking into Instructional Design, and runs a membership community, MasteringID, for people wanting to learn and build instructional design skills. Connie has a masters in Instructional Design and Technology from UT-Austin and a BA in Art Education from Penn State. She lives and works in the DC-Baltimore area and enjoys reading about all things learning, design, and the brain.

Connect with Connie:

• Website: The eLearning Coach
• Consulting Site: www.ConnieMalamed.com
• LinkedIn
• Twitter/X

Topics, Mentions, References, and Resources:

• Connie's Books: https://theelearningcoach.com/my-book/ AND ⁠https://amzn.to/3EMQxDH⁠
• Connie's MasteringID Community
• Connie's newsletter
• Connie's podcast
• Connie's big List of ID programs
• Assimilation vs. accommodation
• Levels of knowledge and understanding: facts, concepts, processes, principles, theories, applications
• User experience (UX) design
• Myths and misconceptions about eLearning - the brain is a recorder, eLearning needs to be boring, learning is a one-time event
• Scenario-based learning and the importance of leveraging imagination, stories, personalization, relevance
• Clark Quinn on the importance of having learners make decisions
• Importance of empathizing with learners
• Key principles of effective online learning - interactivity, discussion/social learning after, follow-up/reinforcement, evaluation and feedback
• Visual design for e-learning - the importance of white space, visual hierarchy
• Connie on Why less is more in designing learning
• Richard Mayer's 12 principles of multimedia design
• ID vs. UI/UX vs. LXD
• Differences between ID, elearning development, and training
• LinkedIn group for freelance IDers
• Struggles IDers face - not having a seat at the table, leaders not knowing how people develop skills, not being an order taker
• Connie on What to do if you CAN'T speak with your audience
• Root cause analysis
• Julie Dirksen on the Importance of evaluating AI outputs
• Using AI tools in ID - ChatGPT, Grammarly, Feedly
• Connie on Agile ID and the importance of developing e-learning prototypes
• The importance of incorporating the language of learners
• Connie on Talent Stacking
• Techniques for more effective learning - spacing learning, learning in short bursts/microlearning, reflection, studying things you care about, elaboration, discussion
• Connie on elaboration
• Connie's Breaking into ID site and email course: https://breakingintoid.com