The Learning Hack podcast

John talks to Page Chen, CEO of Remote Learner; a learntech business leader with a strong academic background. How does she characterise the development of learning systems in the first two decades of the 21st Century, a period during which there was a good deal of pushback from 'guru' figures and practitioners alike against the admin-focused model promulgated by the industry? Have we reached a place now where the design of learning systems is better informed by learning science?   02:58 How did she get into learning technologies? 07:43 How well do the academic and corporate views of learntech align? 10:26 Development of the learntech industry in C21 14:38 Content & Platform 25:22 Data and modern learning systems 30:54 What is the right balance between supporting learners and giving them autonomy? 37:52 Will L&D have to reskill for an adaptive, AI-driven future?   Mentioned in the discussion: B. J. Fogg, behavior scientist at Stanford University: https://www.bjfogg.com/   Remote Learner's website: https://www.remote-learner.com/   Contact Page Chen Linked: linkedin.com/in/pagechen Personal website: pagechen.com Twitter: @pagechenphd   Contact John Helmer Twitter: @johnhelmer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer/ Website: http://johnhelmerconsulting.com/   Download the new white paper from Learning Pool written by John Helmer & Ben Betts – 'Data & learning: A new common-sense approach' https://learningpool.com/data-learning-a-new-common-sense-approach/

John talks to Julie Dirksen, a leading expert in instructional design, digital learning and behaviour change. Is it a problem for learning professionals that even when they have supported learners in gaining the knowledge and skills they need to do things right, and to do the right thing, once back in the workplace they so often do the exact opposite?   This conversation dives deep into the mechanics of behaviour change, addressing the 'elephant and rider' problem in human psychology, and confronts the tricky ethical questions that effective use of behaviour change techniques inevitably brings up.   03:37 What does the ‘elephant and rider’ image mean in behaviour change? 12:26 The importance of feedback 16:48 Intent vs behaviour 18:00 Technology & behaviour change 24:28 The ethics of behaviour change 31:18 Is the ‘conspiracy of convenience’ a behaviour change problem? 39:03 Tips for overcoming resistance to being trained   Mentioned in the discussion: Jonathan Haidt, responsible for the 'elephant and rider' metaphor: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Haidt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Damasio https://www.happinesshypothesis.com/ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51070630_The_Behaviour_Change_Wheel_a_new_method_for_characterising_and_designing_behaviour_change_interventions http://www.behaviourchangewheel.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nudge_(book)   Julie's Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=design%20for%20how%20people%20learn   Contact Julie Dirksen LinkedIn: https://wwwlinkedin.com/in/juliedirksen Twitter: @usablelearning Website: usablelearning.wordpress.com   Contact John Helmer Twitter: @johnhelmer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer/ Website: http://johnhelmerconsulting.com/ Download the new white paper from Learning Pool written by John Helmer & Ben Betts – 'Data & learning: A new common-sense approach' https://learningpool.com/data-learning-a-new-common-sense-approach/

John talks to Harold Jarche, blogger, speaker and consultant in the closely adjacent but oddly separate worlds of learning and knowledge management.   People at work need more than skills training and compliance learning. They have to navigate the complex knowledge environment that technology has given us, using concepts and tools that are part of an emerging field described by figures such as George Siemens, Dave Snowden, and Harold himself. Harold talks about Personal Knowledge Mastery (PKM), his own take on this, in a wide-ranging discussion that ranges over sensemaking, wayfinding, the influence of military training and the current state of social media.   02:44 - Is he in learning or knowledge management? 05:24 - Sensemaking and wayfinding 10:18 - Personal Knowledge Mastery (PKM) 17:40 - How can PKM be supported within the L&D workflow? 23:31 - Is it hard for L&D to think about groups rather than individuals? 27:24 - How can the learning tech stack support PKM? 29:47 - Has military background influenced his thinking? 36:34 - Is the current state of social media less useful for PKM?     Harold's website: https://jarche.com/   Mentioned in the discussion: Dave Snowden https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/david-snowden-profiles-knowledge-stan-garfield/ Lilia Efimova https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lilia-efimova-profiles-knowledge-stan-garfield/ The Long Now Foundation: https://longnow.org/ Metamodernism (Metamodernity): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metamodernism   Contact Harold LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jarche Twitter: @hjarche   Contact John Helmer Twitter: @johnhelmer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer/ Website: http://johnhelmerconsulting.com/   Download the new white paper from Learning Pool written by John Helmer – 'Experience: theory, design and supporting technologies for an experience-based learning culture' https://learningpool.com/theory-design-and-supporting-technologies-for-an-experience-based-learning-culture/

Looking back over a year and a half of podcast episodes, John Helmer summarizes the main themes that have emerged from these these fascinating discussions and attempts to draw insights by taking a helicopter view.   Where do people agree, and where do they clash? Includes contributions from George Siemens, Nick Shackleton-Jones, Donald Clark, Connie Malamed, Gianni Giacomelli, Laura Lee-Gibbs, Andrea Miles, Sharon Claffey Kaliouby, Jane Hart, Matthew Confer, Paul Matthews, David Wilson, Julliette Denny, Steve Dineen, Dani Johnson, Henri Palmer, Paul McElvaney, Leonard Houx, Myles Runham, Victoria Marsick, Reda Sadki, Caroline Ford and David Perring.   01:23 Learning Hack Facts & Figures 04:04 5. The Learner Experience 13:18 4. Learning in the Flow of Work 20:22 3. Women in Learning 25:42 2. Evidence-Based Design 31:26 1. The Global Pandemic     Writers and thinkers referenced by Leonard Houx: David Merrill Robert M. Gagné Siegfried Engelmann Charles Reigeluth John Sweller Paul Kirschner Jeroen J. G. van Merriënboer   Books cited: Diana Laurillard Laurillard, D. (2002). Rethinking University Teaching. A conversational framework for the effective use of learning technologies. London: Routledge ISBN 0415256798   Contact John Helmer Twitter: @johnhelmer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer/ Website: http://johnhelmerconsulting.com/   Download the new white paper from Learning Pool written by John Helmer – 'Experience: theory, design and supporting technologies for an experience-based learning culture' https://learningpool.com/theory-design-and-supporting-technologies-for-an-experience-based-learning-culture/

John talks to Laura Lee-Gibbs, Digital Learning Consultant & Director of Learn Fox. In her 14 years in the industry she has worked both vendor-side and client-side, across a broad range of sectors including legal, healthcare, retail, automotive, hospitality, financial, charities, professional associations, public sector and government agencies. Her practice focuses on digital transformation, and one of the things she does a lot for clients is to guide them through the difficult decisions involved in choosing a learning system. She has a three-step process for doing this which she talks through in this interview. The discussion also covers the importance of vendor relationships and the human factors to look out for when choosing a vendor with whom to work.   02:20 How did Laura get into learning? 05:16 What is the Way of the Fox? 08:12 A 3-step process for getting the right system 09:06 Step 1 - Defining requirements 10:09 Step 2 - Define your top criteria 15:01 How far ahead should you look? 17:09 Step 3 Research available systems 21:34 LMS or LXP? Or both? (Or neither!) 25:08 Is it tougher for smaller organizations? 30:23 Client/vendor relationships     Mentioned in the episode:   Fosway digital learning realities research: https://www.fosway.com/research/next-gen-learning/digital-learning-realities-2019/   The MoSCoW Method: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MoSCoW_method#:~:text=The%20term%20MoSCoW%20itself%20is,to%20make%20the%20word%20pronounceable. Laura's website http://www.learnfox.co.uk/   Contact Laura LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sussexlmsconsultant   Contact John Helmer Twitter: @johnhelmer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer/ Website: http://johnhelmerconsulting.com/   Download the new white paper from Learning Pool written by John Helmer – 'Experience: theory, design and supporting technologies for an experience-based learning culture' https://learningpool.com/theory-design-and-supporting-technologies-for-an-experience-based-learning-culture/

John talks to Andrea Miles, CEO of BestAtDigital, about her plans for the new company she is helming, spun out of Cornerstone, and her journey to get to this point. Andrea’s career spans over 20 years in learning, mostly in leadership roles. Since 2004 she has formed and managed to keep together a core team that has seen nine M&A transactions. What it it like to lead through such a time of upheaval, weathering the market consolidations of the last few years? And yet, during this time, Andrea has not only survived, but has consistently innovated. The discussion covers the agile working style she has championed, and her espousal of Design Thinking, as well as what it is like to be a woman in top teams that are mostly male.   03:44 What sort of company is B.A.D.? 06:34 How did she get into the learning industry? 08:10 Account management at Epic 10:11 Transitioning into a leadership role 13:54 Leading a team through multiple acquisitions 20:08 Advice for aspiring female (and male!) leaders 24:24 Innovating through agile teamwork 28:34 Design Thinking 32:25 Which comes first, product or brand? 46:00 Will B.A.D. create products?   Mentioned in the discussion:   'T'aint What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It' was written not by George Gershwin but by Sy Oliver & James (Trummy) Young.   The Spotify model: https://www.atlassian.com/agile/agile-at-scale/spotify#:~:text=will%20be%20used.-,Tribes,what%20we%20call%20Dunbar's%20Number).   BestAtDigital Website: https://bestatdigital.com/   Contact Andrea LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andreamilesdigitaltransformer Twitter: @AndreaMiles1   Contact John Helmer Twitter: @johnhelmer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer/ Website: http://johnhelmerconsulting.com/   Download the new white paper from Learning Pool written by John Helmer – 'Experience: theory, design and supporting technologies for an experience-based learning culture' https://learningpool.com/theory-design-and-supporting-technologies-for-an-experience-based-learning-culture/

John talks to Gianni Giacomelli, Chief Innovation Officer at Genpact, and Head of Design Strategy at MIT’s Centre for Collective Intelligence. Pointing to a growing body of research that pictures intelligence as an emerging property of a network, Gianni argues that we should focus on collective, rather than individual intelligence, in structuring and developing organizations. Diversity is a big part of this, with evidence piling up to show that more diverse teams get better results.   The conversation also covers the role that AI is playing in learning technology and a future in which collective intelligence also embraces human collaboration with machines.   08:34 Where does learning sit within Genpact? 10:46 What's his innovation story for learning? 15:10 The nature & science of intelligence 21:31 Role of machines (AI) 26:30 Gianni's view of the current state of AI in learning 30:57 Learning and the geopolitics of AI 34:12 The future of machine/human co-operation   Links   Augmented Collective Intelligence: https://www.supermind.design/   Research on diversity and teams: https://hbr.org/2011/06/defend-your-research-what-makes-a-team-smarter-more-women https://blogs.cfainstitute.org/investor/2016/10/04/collective-intelligence-three-factors-for-building-smarter-teams/ https://aisel.aisnet.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1259&context=amcis2017   Some of Gianni’s blogs and videos: https://www.genpact.com/insight/article/a-phygital-post-covid-19-world-of-work-time-zone-is-the-only-physical-constraint https://www.genpact.com/insight/blog/prepare-now-for-the-future-of-work https://www.genpact.com/insight/point-of-view/securing-the-critical-ties-that-bind http://www.genpact.com/insight/blog/the-translation-of-innovation-thinkers-and-tinkerers https://www.genpact.com/insight/videos/intelligent-automation-enabled-by-ai-designed-for-humans   Why do large organizations need design thinking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FdWqgU8on4 New ways of working driving collective intelligence with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obqbWYGZ5-Q   Contact Gianni LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ggiacomelli/ Twitter: @ggiacomelli   Contact John Helmer Twitter: @johnhelmer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer/ Website: http://johnhelmerconsulting.com/   Download the new white paper from Learning Pool written by John Helmer – 'Experience: Theory, design and supporting technologies for an experience-based learning culture' https://learningpool.com/theory-design-and-supporting-technologies-for-an-experience-based-learning-culture/

John talks to Sharon Claffey Kaliouby, VP, North America for Learning Pool, an award-winning professional and co-founder of the #women in learning group with Kate Graham. Sharon has held several high profile executive roles in Learning & Development with the likes of Thomson Reuters and Enterprise Ireland. Prior to Learning Pool, she was a Learning Fellow & Advisor for Elliott Masie Productions and previously Head of Global Learning & Development for State Street Global Advisors in Boston, Massachusetts.   She is also a keen sportsperson – surfing, golf, fencing and basketball are among the sports that get a mention.   But the conversation is mainly about the challenges facing women in their career progression in learning, a profession whose workforce, ironically, is predominantly female at entry level. It also touches on the 'Lean-in’ movement of a few years back – was it a completely positive thing? – and the current effects of the pandemic, which is impacting women more harshly than men. What can women do about all this – and what about men?   03:35 Why are there so few women at exec level in learning? 05:58 Has there been much change over 20 years? 09:13 Does tech have a particular problem? 11:53 The 'she-cession' 14:37 Sharon's experience as a woman in L&D 20:44 When awards wins don't bring life wins 22:41 Reflections on the 'Lean In' book and movement 26:17 What can women do to change the situation? 29:45 Should they take up golf? 32:00 What can men do to change the situation? 35:14 Where next for #womeninlearning?   #womeninlearning LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12210548/   Sharon's 'Hang Tens' can be found here: https://learningpool.com/category/webinars/   Books mentioned:   Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, by Sheryl Sandberg and Nell Scovell, Alfred A. Knopf, 2013   The Orange Line: A Woman's Guide to Integrating Career, Family and Life by by Jodi Ecker Detjen, Michelle a. Waters & Kelly Watson, JMK Publishing, May 2013   The Next Smart Step: How to Overcome Gender Stereotypes and Build a Stronger Organization, by Jodi Ecker Detjen, Kelly Watson, Imagine Publishing, Feb. 2021   Our Learning Brain: Engaging Your Brain for Learning & Habit Change, by Dr. Celine Mullins, Oak Tree Press, Oct. 2018   Contact Sharon: Twitter: @Sharon_Kaliouby LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sharonkaliouby18   Contact John Helmer Twitter: @johnhelmer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer/ Website: http://johnhelmerconsulting.com/   Download the new white paper from Learning Pool written by John Helmer – 'Experience: Theory, design and supporting technologies for an experience-based learning culture' https://learningpool.com/theory-design-and-supporting-technologies-for-an-experience-based-learning-culture/

John Helmer talks to Matthew Confer, VP, Strategy & Business Development at Abilitie, an expert in leadership and decision-making. How do leaders make tough decisions in tight situations? How do they deal with the law of unintended consequences, which can bedevil so many in positions of authority?   Matthew, who has run many simulation training events with leaders in large companies around the world, gives a three-step framework for tough decisions in tight spots, and discusses how leaders are coping with the tough decisions confronting them in the global pandemic.   03:26 A three-step decision-making framework 07:00 Tips for fast decision-making 10:48 Premortems and snakes 12:58 Decision-making and the law of unintended consequences 15:36 Decision-making in the pandemic 21:26 Matthew's personal journey to leadership learning 24:07 Advice for leaders coming out of lockdown   Matthew's Ted Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/matthew_confer_before_you_decide_3_steps_to_better_decision_making Abiltie's website: https://www.abilitie.com/ Matthew's Podcast, Learning to Lead: https://www.abilitie.com/learn-to-lead-podcast/   Contact Matthew LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/matthewconfer Twitter @MatthewConfer   Download the new white paper from Learning Pool written by John Helmer – 'Experience: Theory, design and supporting technologies for an experience-based learning culture' https://learningpool.com/theory-design-and-supporting-technologies-for-an-experience-based-learning-culture/   Contact John Helmer Twitter: @johnhelmer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhelmer/ Website: http://johnhelmerconsulting.com/