The Best of Learning, Design & Technology | April 30, 2021

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” – Thorton Wilder

Last week’s most clicked item: Five of the best workplace learning theories

How to Use Plain Language Guidelines to Improve Learning Outcomes

This is a common topic when I talk about things L&D should steal from marketing – clear, simple language is very important. If you’re eager to learn more, check out the Plain Language Guidelines and Patti Shank’s book “Write and Organize for Deeper Learning” is another fantastic resource.

https://scissortailcs.com/how-to-use-plain-language-to-improve-learning-outcomes/

How to Organize Your PowerPoint Slides by Adding Sections

I’m a big fan of using sections in my PowerPoint decks. Ann Emery shows you how useful this simple, easy-to-use tip can upgrade your slide deck designing workflow.

https://depictdatastudio.com/how-to-organize-your-powerpoint-slides-by-adding-sections/

Research Proves Your Brain Needs a Break

Researchers confirmed what many people sense from experience: Back-to-back virtual meetings are stressful. But the research also points to a simple remedy—short breaks. This article has some new options to help you carve out downtime between meetings.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/brain-research

How to save URLs to Google Sheets without leaving your browser

If you collect and/or curate links for yourself or others, this is a useful, time-saving trick to have up your sleeve. You can set this up to automatically capture things like the title, URL, image, etc. There are similar options for saving your links to Trello, Airtable, and other places. You can even use some #NoCode tools to automatically post the links you save to a website. Let me know if you have any questions about this process or any of these tools.

https://zapier.com/blog/save-urls-to-google-sheets-from-your-browser/

The only secure password is the one you can’t remember

Do you always create unique passwords such that you never use the same one twice? Ever? Do your passwords always use different character types such as uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and punctuation? Are they “strong”? If you can’t answer “yes” to both these questions, you’ve got yourself a problem.

TL:DR You should use a password manager like LastPass, KeePass, or 1Password.

https://www.troyhunt.com/only-secure-password-is-one-you-cant/

Podcasts

• Simon Brown, the Chief Learning Officer at Novartis, discusses how Novartis is creating a culture of curiosity, with a particular focus on the work of the learning and development team on the Learning Uncut podcast.
• Stephen Kosslyn on his five principles for active learning, with practical strategies for implementing these principles in the virtual classroom, and the important role motivation plays in learning on the Leading Lines podcast.
• Learning how to Learn Curiously with Erika Andersen on The Curious Advantage podcast.

Tools & Tips

• Endel is a site that provides personalized soundscapes backed by neuroscience to help you focus, relax, and sleep.
• Padlet is a digital bulletin board similar to well-known Pinterest but designed especially for collaboration.
• Creatly.com is a discussion board for collaborating on visual content: diagrams, charts, storyboards, design projects, etc.
• Nearpod is a free online platform for delivering interactive presentations and assessments.
• InsertLearning is a free Chrome extension for inserting learning everywhere you want it on the Internet.

Where You Can Find Me

• 10 Non-L&D Tools That Can Improve Your Practice (Learning Solutions) – May 11
• Speaker Chat: How Do You Find and Test New Tools and Resources? (Learning Solutions) – May 11
• A Fresh Perspective on What’s Possible with Today’s Learning Technologies – June 10
• Canadian Elearning Conference – June 11
• Tools for Thinking Outside the Course with Bianca Baumann
• What Every eLearning Pro Should Know About NoCode with Mathias Vermeulen
• Kansas City ATD – June 17
• Nashville ATD – Using Technology for Training – September 16

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