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“Pour your finite time and energy into something infinitely more absorbing than trying to keep life under control, which is actually living it.”
— Oliver Burkeman
I’ve been test-driving parta.io, and when I talked with Andrew, one of the co-founders, he told me about their vision for great products: a blend of modern IT architecture and deep L&D expertise. He is offering subscribers of this newsletter (that’s you!) 3 months to try it out for yourself for free and even get a personal welcome call with him as well. Click here to get started now
DevLearn is also just around the corner, and it’s going to be a packed week! I have a full-day workshop on Tuesday with Bianca, followed by four other sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. Who else is going to be there? Let’s connect!
Thanks for reading!
🎶 What I’m Listening To
Today is a Hozier day. I bet he may be a ‘mystery musician’ – you know his tunes, but not his name.
👆 Last Week’s Most Clicked
Thinking Fast, Learning Faster: 10 L&D Insights From Daniel Kahneman
📰 News & Notes
Robert Bjork on Long-Term Memory
This is for all my fellow learning nerds! Dr. Robert Bjork, a leading expert in applied memory research, discusses his groundbreaking theory of long-term memory. He explains how losing access to memories, a process he calls “disuse,” is essential for forming stronger, longer-lasting ones. This theory illuminates the benefits of learning strategies like spaced repetition, interleaving practice, and active recall.
🎯 Takeaway: Forgetting is a crucial step in the memory formation process, making techniques like spaced repetition and active recall essential for robust long-term learning.
Beyond Words: The Brain’s Rapid Grasp of Sentence Structure
The human brain can rapidly process short messages, detecting basic sentence structure in as little as 130 milliseconds. This ability, similar to how we quickly grasp visual scenes, suggests our language processing capabilities are much faster than previously thought. This research challenges traditional word-by-word models of language comprehension, revealing the brain’s capacity to understand language at a glance, even with grammatical errors or nonsensical content.
🎯 Takeaway: The human brain can rapidly process short messages, detecting basic sentence structure in as little as 130 milliseconds.
AI Tutors Double Rates of Learning in Less Learning Time
Dr. Philippa Hardman shares new Harvard research that demonstrates the potential of AI in education. AI tutors significantly outperformed human instructors in terms of student learning gains, time efficiency, and engagement. Students tutored by AI learned twice as fast, reached competency quicker, and reported higher levels of motivation and engagement compared to those in traditional classroom settings.
Takeaway: AI tutors outperform human instructors, doubling learning gains and boosting student engagement
Hire your next instructional design superstar!
If you’re looking to develop an eLearning program for your organization, hiring an instructional designer is one of the ways you can go. But what skills should you look for? What process should you follow? We explore all this and more so you can be confident in your choice.
🧰 Tech Tools & Tips
If tools are your jam, check out my new Work Smarter newsletter.
Stockpress | Refreshingly Simple Digital Asset Management
Find what you need, when you need it – Stockpress helps marketers and creatives organize, find, collaborate on, and share digital files – from one shared workspace.
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Free Image Vectorization
Automatically convert JPG, PNG and BMP raster images into scalable SVG vector images.
Tired of the Same Old eLearning?
For too long, eLearning has been stuck in the past. Slow, expensive, and inflexible tools have held back innovation.
Introducing Parta:
A new era of eLearning is here. We’re bringing the power of design tools like Figma and Miro to the L&D world. Take advantage of a special offer for newsletter subscribers and test drive it yourself — three months free and a personal welcome call with the founder!
🎧 Podcast
This is the conversation that caught my ear this week. Check out previous episodes in the Friday Finds podcast playlist.
Dr. John Sweller: Why Johnny Can’t Read
Dr. Sweller discusses how inquiry-based learning undermines student preparedness for college. He explains Cognitive Load Theory, the distinction between working and long-term memory, and why ineffective teaching persists.
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From Selecting the Right Type to Editing Videos Like a Pro
Start creating training videos that learners watch to the end. Download this comprehensive guide to discover six types of videos for each training occasion, step-by-step instructions on creating and editing them, and tips for making videos look visually appealing and engage the audience.
🧳 Where’s Mike?
- DevLearn, Las Vegas, November 5-8
- 5th Annual Design for Deeper Learning Fall Series, November 14 (Online)
- From Boring to Bravo: How to Be a Slide Design Superstar, November 19 ATD Rhode Island (Online and only $10)
If you or your event needs a speaker or workshop that is highly interactive and super practical, we should talk.
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Friday Finds is an independent publication that I produce in my free time. You can support my work by sharing it with the world, booking an advertising spot, or buying me a coffee.
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