
The Learning Geeks Podcast
The Learning Geeks podcast is dedicated to those that passionately support the world in experiencing better learning. The podcast is hosted by three learning professionals - Bob Gerard, Dana Koch, and Jake Gittleson. In each episode, we dedicate time to talk about the things impacting the learning world including new science, approaches, technologies, and ideas. Guests will appear, popular games and movies may be discussed, and geeks will laugh.
Latest episodes

5 snips
Jun 8, 2022 • 33min
S4 E12: Metabolizing the Metaverse
Krista Taylor, Immersive Learning Lead at Accenture, joins the show to discuss the Metaverse and its current and potential impact on learning. Krista and Bob break it down for us, including why it’s here to stay, implications on learning, case examples, why content and design matter, and what it’s not good for. Dana also shares the best Dad joke of all time…
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading

May 18, 2022 • 30min
S4 E11: Practical Lessons in Brain Engagement
Mike Vaughan, Managing Director and CEO at The Regis Company, joins the show to discuss how to make the process of learning more impactful by engaging the brain more effectively. Mike shares his expertise in the L&D field and passion in researching and applying cognitive and neuroscience. We then specifically discuss why science is difficult to apply both as a learner and professional, your brain on simulations and the metaverse, and common misconceptions
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading

Apr 14, 2022 • 9min
Special Announcement: Field Trip at Galaxy’s Edge on June 24th 2022
It's happening! We are officially running our special Learning Geeks Field Trip at Galaxy's Edge, in Disneyland California on June 24th, 2022! In this bonus episode, we share the logistics, a little on what we will do, how you can stay informed, and more! Please reach out to Dana, Jake, and/or Bob directly or on LinkedIN for any questions. Visit https://tinyurl.com/galaxygeek to let us know of your interests and likelihood of attending.
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading

Apr 6, 2022 • 33min
S4 E10: Bringing Learning Science to Life
Tessa Forshaw, co-founder of Harvard University’s Next Level Lab joins the show to discuss how to bring learning sciences to life. This is a goal of the Next Level Lab, specifically in workforce development and workforce career readiness. Tessa shares five focus areas and we dive into each including transfer, adaptive expertise, intelligence augmentation, agency, and disposition. We also discuss challenges in reskilling and learning in relation to emotional states, including during stressful times when you experience an amygdala hijack.
LEARN ABOUT THE NEXT LEVEL LAB
http://www.pz.harvard.edu/projects/the-next-level-lab
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading

Mar 17, 2022 • 33min
S4 E09: The Foraging Learner - A Case Study
How often do you learn without a curriculum? Are you a foraging learner who is skilled on finding what and how you need to learn? That is what we are talking about on this episode with special guest, Harrison Gerard. Harrison, Jake, Bob, and Dana each share their stories on how they are learning today without a curriculum, how they embrace the challenge, how they develop feedback loops, and more. To close the show, we share more details on our 2022 Experience Design Workshop in June.
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading
“Rey Suite (Theme) First Edit” by Joral the Andal. Check it out at https://youtu.be/JtOvEDGVaBM

Feb 24, 2022 • 33min
S4 E08: Embracing Learner Agency
Learning designer, Suzy Robertson, from McKinsey & Company, joins the show to share insights from her research on learner agency and why it was a major predictor of success for organizations and institutions during the pandemic. We also discuss how to empower agency, why establishing trust is so important, promoting inclusive social structures, moving away from our reliance on collision moments, and more.
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading
LEARNING GEEKS “EXPERIENCE DESIGN WORKSHOP AT DISNEYLAND”
We are seeking interested participants to join us at Disneyland on June 24th for a unique Experience Design Workshop. We would all visit Disneyland, including lands like Galaxy’s Edge, and truly immerse ourselves into the worlds and environments and reflect on how we can apply this in our learning experiences. This would be a trip covered at your expense, so if you’re interested, start booking! Please reach out to Dana, Jake, and/or Bob directly or on LinkedIN for any questions.

Feb 8, 2022 • 29min
S4 E07: Unforgettable Onboarding
Global Onboarding Lead at Accenture, Katy Geraghty, joins the show to discuss what it takes create an unforgettable onboarding experience. Katy first defines onboarding then shares the importance of making a good impression, making it immersive, and sustaining onboarding throughout first year. We go in depth on Accenture’s use of Virtual Reality in their onboarding experience and how to incorporate storytelling as well.
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Trailer III Music Cover | The Force Theme" by Parademics at https://youtu.be/iop__6nlNJE
LEARNING GEEKS “EXPERIENCE DESIGN WORKSHOP AT DISNEYLAND”
We are seeking interested participants to join us at Disneyland sometime in Summer 2022 (targeting June) for a unique Experience Design Workshop. We would all visit Disneyland, including lands like Galaxy’s Edge, and truly immerse ourselves into the worlds and environments and reflect on how we can apply this in our learning experiences. For those interested, please reach out to Dana, Jake, and/or Bob on LinkedIN.

Jan 20, 2022 • 33min
S4 E06: The Magic of Music in Learning
Composer and music director Kurt Heinecke joins the show to discuss the power and magic of music in learning. Kurt has spent most of his profession creating music for people to learn from. Kurt shares his work and experiences as a music director on Veggie Tales which is an animated show to entertain and teach lessons for kids, but also for families. We discuss why music can be a powerful learning tool, the process in creating songs, and ways music can be used for adults.
LEARNING GEEKS “EXPERIENCE DESIGN WORKSHOP AT DISNEYLAND”
We are seeking interested participants to join us at Disneyland on June 24th for a unique Experience Design Workshop. We would all visit Disneyland, including lands like Galaxy’s Edge, and truly immerse ourselves into the worlds and environments and reflect on how we can apply this in our learning experiences. This would be a trip covered at your expense, so if you’re interested, start booking! Please reach out to Dana, Jake, and/or Bob directly or on LinkedIN for any questions.
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading

Dec 20, 2021 • 33min
S4 E05: 2021 in Four Easy Lessons
It is our yearly, end-of-year tradition to share the lessons we have learned, relearned, or improved upon from the past year. This year, Jake has a lesson on people development, Bob has a lesson on VR, and Dana has a lesson on personal connection and criticality of basics in our profession.
LEARNING GEEKS “EXPERIENCE DESIGN WORKSHOP AT DISNEYLAND”
We are seeking interested participants to join us at Disneyland on June 24th for a unique Experience Design Workshop. We would all visit Disneyland, including lands like Galaxy’s Edge, and truly immerse ourselves into the worlds and environments and reflect on how we can apply this in our learning experiences. This would be a trip covered at your expense, so if you’re interested, start booking! Please reach out to Dana, Jake, and/or Bob directly or on LinkedIN for any questions.
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading

Nov 28, 2021 • 30min
S4 E04: Nudge Theory and Cognitive Artifacts (feat. Susan Franzen)
On today’s episode, we are joined by Susan Franzen, VP of Strategy for Axiom Learning Solution, to discuss Nudge Theory – which is a shift in our thinking and environment that causes us to make better choices. Susan goes into detail on what it is, why it’s useful for learning and yourself, why it should not be used to manipulate, the role of cognitive artifacts, and best practices for your learning programs and strategy.
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
BOOK REFERENCE
Things that Make Us Smart – Don Norman at https://www.littlebrown.com/titles/don-norman/things-that-make-us-smart/9780201626957/
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading
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