Todd Moran joins the show to talk about the social aspect of assessment including peer assessment, handling pushback from learning designers and other stakeholders, and some more effective methods of online assessments that quizzes.About Todd MoranTodd’s professional career has spanned start-ups to non-profits and large multinationals, and his current role at NovoEd as the Chief Learning Strategist. From the megatrends in learning and enterprise collaboration to technology evaluation and implementation, to the ‘people’ side of organisational change and talent development, he covers the gamut of understanding what it takes to enable a successful digital workplace and deep employee engagement.Todd holds a B.A. in Organisational Psychology from Middlebury College, and an M.A. in Information & Learning Technology from the University of Colorado. Key takeaways:Assessment needs to be completely relevant and incorporates socialisation. Firstly, we often miss the nature of embedding some of those assessments in the specificity of the context they should reside within. Secondly, the social aspect gives a more holistic view of assessment, that is not just individual knowledge.Consider the gradient of effort when scaling assessment across an organisation. Think about lower points of entry that still return big value when it comes to casting a net wider socially, e.g. about who could assess one's work, products, tasks, etc.Learning about work should be a team activity and we need to shift the perspective of learning designers and other stakeholders who think it’s just for individuals. Ask them questions such as “how applicable is the scenario or the experience or the intervention you're designing?“, and tie in the alignment to how that individual can then perform in a work setting.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:01:54) More effective ways of online assessments.(00:04:41) Considering the social aspect of learning.(00:08:14) What we mean by ‘assessment’.(00:10:46) Working with learning designers and other key stakeholders to shift their perspective.(00:14:52) Having an education mindset.(00:18:33) Making assessment more social.Links from the podcast  Connect with Todd on LinkedInLearn more about NovoEdListen to NovaEd’s Wildly Capable podcastJoin NovodEd’s free Learning Experience Design: From Ideas to Impact course

Geoff Rip is back on the Learning While Working podcast to talk about learning transfer and formative assessment. Tune into this conversation as we delve into how learning transfer is linked to retrieval practice and self reflection. About Geoff RipGeoff Rip is the Founder and Principal Designer at Training That Works. He is a highly experienced and passionate learning professional with rich and diverse knowledge. He specialises in quality production of end to end learning, utilising social learning and technology, with a dedicated focus on increasing capability resulting in performance uplift.Key takeaways:Transfer is a learning process. L&D experts tend to brush over this part, but they need to view it as a fundamental part – we need to be designing for transferRetrieval practice is about pulling learning from the brain as opposed to pushing information into the brain. Techniques include mind-mapping, multiple choice questions and storytelling.Reflection is a key skill for each step, so it shouldn’t be left to just the end. This is a great way to help people become ‘self-directed experiential learners’, and can be done through a variety of ways including coaching.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:01:56) The main challenges with transferring learning into practise in the workplace.(00:05:10) Fitting in formative assessment with learning transfer.(00:06:33) What is retrieval practice?(00:12:25) The definition of ‘spacing’.(00:13:34) Why it’s so important to help people apply what they have learnt.(00:19:01) How to design cycles into the learning experience.(00:27:02) Geoff’s top advice for increasing the transfer of learning.Links from the podcast:Connect with Geoff on LinkedInRead ‘How I Obsessively Learned 90 Skills in Only 3 Years’

About Keith Keating    Keith Keating  is a workforce futurist and his mission is to empower, enable and encourage our workforce to prepare for the future. He is currently the SVP, Chief Learning Officer at Archwell, which provides cross-functional support to the greater mortgage industry. He is the former Head of The Global Learning Network for General Motors.Key takeaways:Learning transfer doesn’t always occur as many of us learn in safe environments, such as universities, but they don’t prepare us for the ‘real’ world.The principles of Science of Learning works and teaches us about elaboration, generation, spacing and nesting. It’s an area L&D experts need to learn more about and leverage from. We should be trusted advisors in L&D about how adults learn.What happens after the nesting period is very powerful. Archwell conducts ‘assessments’ about a month after nesting, through reflective questions such as how relevant the information has been, how prepared people have felt after the course, etc. It’s more of a reflection piece and not a test.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:03:31) The greatest challenges with learning transfer.(00:07:17) Adopting academic capabilities as an approach at Archwell.(00:09:23) Understanding the science of learning for L&D professionals.(00:12:27) Getting people to reconnect with learning.(00:16:32) The nesting process.(00:23:47) Evolving your post-assessment questions.(00:25:24) Advice to people who want to use assessment to drive learning transfer.Links from the podcast  Visit Keith’s WebsiteConnect with Keith on LinkedInCheck out ArchwellCheck out The Learning-Transfer Evaluation Model (LTEM)Read ‘Make It Stick’Read ‘​​Performance-Focused Smile Sheets'​

About Cara NorthCara North has worked in the instructional design field for more than a decade and has won multiple awards for her learning experiences. Cara has worked in both higher education and corporate, and runs her own consulting business, The Learning Camel. Some of the clients The Learning Camel has served include Universal Records, WesBanco, NASA, Daisy and the National Association for Talent and Development (ATD).Key takeaways:There are many engaging and impactful ways of conducting assessments. Go beyond just providing formal multiple-choice questions, and try out different types of workplace assessments. Many people get anxious when they hear the word “assessment”, so make it user-friendly.It’s important to ask the right questions. When creating your own L&D material, get really clear on what can be achieved. Ask your clients questions such as what are the business needs? What is the desired state? Can training fulfil this? View your role as a consultant, not just content generators, to drive impact.Engage stakeholders: your work is more than just a report card. Begin with the basics and find alignment with stakeholders. Then start with the basic tasks to provide hands-on experience that people can learn from, then build up. This is great for task-based assessments.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction. (00:02:12) The opportunities with digital learning development.(00:04:50) Handling people’s previous experiences of assessment.(00:08:52) Assessment learning can help focus teachers and efforts.(00:13:25) The right questions to ask when putting together workplace training.(00:21:24) Advice on engaging stakeholders.(00:27:31) How to improve your assessment practices.Links from the podcast:Connect with Cara on LinkedInCheck out The Learning CamelRead about the Four Levels of EvaluationListen to the interview with Jeff Kortenbosch

About The Assessment SummitThe Assessment Summit brought together some of the world’s most accomplished learning experts to share a smorgasbord of practical, actionable advice on assessment – and about 80% of the speakers have previously been on the podcast.Key takeaways:Why do people have such negative associations with assessment? Paul Kearney, Enterprising Education Specialist at Enterprise Design Consultancy presented an interesting talk on ‘The Myths Of Assessment’, and he reflected on why so many people have had bad experiences, through exams, etc. As L&D experts, we need to shift our thinking about this term – it’s about feedback and moving forward.Assessment design. Often in our practices multiple choice questions are our default as a type of assessment tool and strategy. Jenny Saucerman, Online Learning Instructional Design Manager at Credit Union National Association demonstrated how scenario questions are a great way to predict someone's future performance. We also learnt about VR assessment tools and embracing that assessment happens over time.Assessment in the creative industries. Learning is quite often the process of solving a problem, and the evidence to the solution then becomes the assessment. It’s about not giving the answers, but delivering collaborative approaches and peer work assessment.Digital Assessment. Cheryle Walker, Founder, Innovator, Consultant and Facilitator at Learn LIVE Online touched on some technical considerations such as running verifiable virtual assessments. Dan McFadyen, MD at Edalex, spoke about using micro credentials as a way to connect, recognise and uncover skills. It was also fascinating to learn more about the rich source of data you can obtain from assessments, which Bikram Kawan, Software Engineer at Sprout Labs delved into.Chapters:(00:00:00) introduction.(00:02:16) Why so many of us associate ‘assessment’ with fear.(00:04:17) Measuring the impact of our work.(00:06:12) Assessment design.(00:09:07) Using VR.(00:11:18) The role of assessment in creative industries.(00:15:28) The opportunities and challenges that come with digital assessment.(00:17:06) Leveraging from your rich sources of data.Links from the podcast:Access all talks from The Assessment Summit

About Ray Jimenez Ray Jimenez Ph.D. is the Chief Learning Architect at Vignettes Learning, trainingmagnetwork.com and situationexpert.com. He has worked with the American Bankers Association, Neiman Marcus, the US Air Force, NASA, Blue Cross, Goodwill Industries, Pixar Studios, Edison Missing Group, Dendreon, Netafim, Progressive Insurance, Bridgepoint Education, and the California Institute of Technology among others.  Ray's expertise is in microlearning, story-based learning design, scenario-based learning design and creative problem solving. Key takeaways:The frontline leader is someone who coaches and troubleshoots on the job. Ray explains that workers need to focus on developing their skills in troubleshooting and thinking on the spot. Frontline workers day-to-day experience unpredictable environments and unique problems, so we need to empower them to think more.The most important tool is to have a dynamic thinking process for every worker – it’s not about having all the answers. This redefines what we mean by working, which is about facing constant trial and error and discovering solutions. By applying tools like consequence thinking, learning becomes a natural byproduct.The role of assessments. Ray questions why there needs to be formal assessments alongside the learning process. It’s natural to assess and recalibrate all the time, so assessment becomes a built-in process. It’s not about proving your knowledge to anyone, it’s there to demonstrate if something is working or not working.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(02:46) What is a frontline leader and how they can become learning accelerators.(07:58) Why Ray is focusing on the frontline worker.(11:56) Some tools to help frontline managers become learning accelerators.(16:58) Informal versus formal learning.(18:56) The role of L&D in this new way of workplace learning.(22:05) Rethinking the role of assessment.Links from the podcast:Visit Ray’s WebsiteConnect with Ray on TwitterCheck out Situation ExpertRead ‘25 Thinking Tools’Listen to our previous interview with Ray Jimenez Sign up to Training Frontline Leaders as Learning Accelerators

Today’s guest, Jeff Kortenbosch, focuses on internal mobility and skills-based talent management through up - and re-skilling of teams and employees. He connects the dots between learning, recruitment, and organisational development. As an illustrator of digital explainer visuals, Jeff joins the show to share how drawing is a powerful mechanism for learning and learning design.. Tune in as we also explore publishing graphics on a daily basis, building sticky habits, and the power of running courses via email.About Jeff KortenboschJeff is the author of the acclaimed book ‘20 Questions Learning and Development should ask before talking about training’, in which he advocates measurable performance and business outcomes and relevant solutions that go beyond training. He is also an illustrator of digital explainer visuals. Since he started visualising ideas, his work has been seen by millions of people online.Key takeaways:Drawing and producing graphics is a great way to learn. It has been a great creative outlet for Jeff as it has helped him visualise ideas through simple graphics – ranging from graphs to icons. Investing in courses has helped him develop some foundational skills in drawing. Jeff’s best advice is to be minimal with your design, and see what you can draw from quotes, thoughts or visual metaphors.Sticking to a daily habit of drawing has helped Jeff develop his drawing style. He started off with a target of drawing for 100 days, and kept a notepad to hand for whenever he got inspiration. The daily habit ensured he wasn’t fixated on perfection but simplicity: “create fast and publish fast”. The key is to start small, whether this is through length of time to draw or finding a good time slot that you can stick to daily.The power of visuals: as the adage goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words", so being able to harness your visual skills is powerful as a learning designer. From presentations to your own personal learning process, visual design is a powerful method. It can also give you a great reach online, as visuals help draw people into your blog posts, newsletters, courses, etc.Drawing teaches you additional skills: Jeff found that by drawing regularly, he also learnt more about publishing, social media marketing, ideation and finding new ways to keep ideas flowing.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:02:44) Regularly publishing graphics.(00:06:17) Some of the most well-received graphics Jeff has designed.(00:07:32) How to stick to a daily habit.(00:09:48) Why drawing diagrams is a great way to learn.(00:14:22) Using drawing as a micro-learning strategy.(00:16:30) What to incorporate in a visual email marketing course.(00:19:16) How to build a regular habit of drawing.Links from the podcast:Visit Jeff’s WebsiteConnect with Jeff on LinkedInRead ‘Atomic Habits’ by James ClearCheck out FigmaCheck out Blair Rorani’s workRead ‘20 Questions Learning and Development should ask before talking about training’Listen to our previous interview with Jeff Kortenbosch

About Joshua GillinghamJoshua Gillingham is an author, game designer, and editor from Vancouver Island, Canada. His fantasy trilogy ‘The Saga of Torin Ten-Trees’ is an adventure inspired by the Norse myths and the Icelandic Sagas. Joshua is also the co-author of ‘Old Norse for Modern Times’ alongside Ian Stuart Sharpe and Dr. Arngrimur Vidalin.In partnership with Outland Entertainment, Joshua is the founding Worldsmith of the trans-media Outland 'Althingi' World set in Viking Age Iceland, featuring his original card game Althingi: One Will Rise and the groundbreaking anthology Althingi: The Crescent & the Northern Star.Key takeaways:Give learners/ players agency: Learning is an internal process, so figure out how learners can take the information you’re providing, and make it a part of their lives. Learners need flexibility and relevant information so that what they learn can be applied for the long-term. To understand different perspectives within the company, consider conducting small group discussions. Prompts and reflective questions are a great way to give agency.The role of ‘randomness’ in games has the advantage of surprise and chance. It frustrates the stronger skilled player, whilst the less-skilled player can see an opening and a chance. In learning design, this could be done through suprise questions. Strategically, make sure you give learners a bounded space, e.g. a physical game, to keep them on task, but provide enough agency so they are engaged.Leveraging physical space on game boards: Learning Designers can build a physical space for people to learn from. For game designers, every piece on a board has a cost attached to it, so ask yourself “is this enhancing the experience?”. Be clever with using the most from as little as possible.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:02:13) What do we mean by ‘space’ in game design?(00:04:39) How Learning Designers can give players first-level agency.(00:07:52) The notion of ‘roles’, and why Learning Designers need to consider this more in their strategy.(00:09:50) Strategies for building ‘randomness’ in game design.(00:13:07) Learning from the rule books of the most popular games.(00:16:10) On the space of physical boards.(00:20:29) Multiple pathway learning.Links from the podcast:Visit Joshua’s WebsiteConnect with Joshua on TwitterListen to the Learning While Working Podcast interview with Warren KennardCheck out Magic: The GatheringCheck out BoardGameGeek

Michelle Ockers is an organisational learning strategist and modern workplace learning practitioner. She helps organisations build high-impact L&D functions by developing and implementing their learning strategy, mindset and skills – and helping L&D professionals become business partners that create value. In this episode, we reflect on what are some of the critical skills for L&D teams, being mindful of our blindspots, how L&D experts are ‘impact explorers’, and some key insights from her podcast, Learning Uncut. About Michelle OckersMichelle spent close to three decades in learning and development. After 16 years in the Royal Australian Air Force, she brought her training and project management experience into the corporate sector. In 2018, she started her popular podcast, Learning Uncut, helping L&D professionals share real stories about their work. The podcast became a global go-to source for examples of leading edge industry practice, matching her vision for the industry’s potential – and how we can achieve that together. She then made Learning Uncut into a network to offer L&D leaders everywhere the opportunity to thrive, with the support of leading experts.Key takeaways:There are some critical skills needed for L&D teams to be relevant. Michelle highlights some ‘human skills’’ like leadership, critical thinking and communication, as key skills to develop within your L&D team. We can’t master every skill ourselves, but if we ensure some of the most critical skills across our team are covered, we are able to watch out for any blindspots.Performance consulting is a must-have skill in particular. A successful L&D team is able to demonstrate business impact, not just learning impact. Michelle best describes this skill from the Learning and Performance Institute definition: “it’s about partnering with customers and clients, to analyse performance gaps, recommend appropriate interventions and measure the outcomes.”Consider some mindset shifts for your L&D team. If we do a good job with our learning programs, we don’t need to be there the whole time. L&D teams are very supportive, but they need to know when to let go. Review how we can partner and equip with the rest of the organisation – and how we can effectively support learning.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:02:45) What are the key capabilities that L&D professionals need to demonstrate?(00:07:46) What we mean by ‘soft skills’ - Rethinking these as ‘Human skills’.(00:12:21) On speculative learning.(00:13:18) What is ‘performance consulting’?(00:19:11) Not being tied to one learning technology.(00:20:52) Some key mindset shifts for L&D professionals.(00:25:39) Michelle’s Gap finder tool.(00:28:25) The art of role modelling.Links from the podcast:Connect with Michelle on LinkedInListen to the Learning Uncut podcastDownload Michelle's Gap Finder Tool  Capability Gap Finder resourceFind more about Learning UncutCheck out The Future of Jobs Report 2020Listen to the Learning While Working Podcast interview with Jeff Kortenbosch Check out The Learning and Performance Institute MapCheck out Emerging StrongerCheck out RedThread’s Research on Learning Technology EcosystemsListen to the Learning While Working Podcast interview with with Dani Johnson 

About Ant PughAnt is a self-employed learning design consultant and instructional designer, with a career in learning and development spanning twenty years, with experience working in several continents, and global clients including ANZ, Westpac, Link Group, Microsoft and Carnival. He is renowned for using a performance-based approach to design training, passionate about implementing human-centred solutions to change behaviour, improve performance and deliver measurable business results.Key takeaways:The vast majority of learning is ineffective. Ant unpacks how a great learning designer questions everything and trusts their instincts. It’s very easy to just copy what others are doing, but if you ‘break out’ of the L&D world and review how else you learn in your day-to-day life, it’s easier to think outside of the box.Writing is a great way of teaching (and learning). From writing a daily email to his mailing list, Ant has become a better writer and has learnt a lot more about learning design. Find your medium where you can capture – or report – daily on what you have learnt or thought about to a community, no matter how small.Some of the biggest blockers for writing are not knowing who you are writing to and your mindset around writing. Ant has reframed what writing is to him – it’s about documenting, not creating content. This has been a powerful way to beat overwhelm for Ant, which enables him to write so frequently in a flow state. Focus on being a reporter rather than a leader or teacher, and simply share with others what has worked for you so far.Chapters:(00:00:00) Introduction.(00:02:26) How to become a better learning designer.(00:04:34) Ant’s strategy to seeing things differently.(00:07:10) How to move forward in new ways of thinking.(00:13:57) Why learning designers should write more.(00:17:41) Making the time to write daily and Ant’s writing process.(00:21:20) Some of the biggest blockers for writing – and how to overcome them.Links from the podcast:Subscribe to Ant’s daily newsletterConnect with Ant on LinkedInFind more about Ant PughCheck out GaryVee’s YouTube channel,Watch GaryVee’s ‘Document, Don’t Create’ video on youtubeWatch recording of Sprout Labs webinar ‘Creative thinking for learning designers’