We're thrilled to reach another milestone: 350 episodes of the Leading Learning Podcast. We are grateful to our listeners for making this possible. Milestones are opportunities to reflect, both on what’s past and what’s to come. In this episode, we focus on three areas we expect to be of continuing and growing importance in the learning landscape and for learning businesses: AI, the X factor, and the work/learn connection. Detailed show notes and a downloadable transcript are available at https:...
Mar 28, 2023•28 min
Learning businesses can play a critical role in creating learning pathways for adults that account for the realities of their work and life. Christine Carpenter, senior vice president of engagement at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), has spent years working with diverse stakeholders to establish such pathways and supporting on- and off-ramps to education for adult learners. CAEL is a nonprofit membership organization and leader in the field of adult learning on a mission t...
Mar 21, 2023•36 min
Regardless of your position, if you work in a learning business, you need to care about finding opportunities to grow revenue—AKA business development. According to Sean Soth, chair of the Leadership Advisory Board for Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR), we are all in business development. PAR is a professional member organization that works to support and connect association teams to the ideas and applications needed to grow revenue. PAR’s mission is to inspire revenue growth for assoc...
Mar 14, 2023•32 min
All too often learning businesses focus solely on traditional educational offerings. But, by narrowly focusing on courses and conferences, learning businesses miss an opportunity to better understand their learners' needs and to deliver more value. One of the best ways to understand those needs and to provide additional value is through a learning community. In this episode, we explore the concept of community, including what one is (and isn't), the value one can offer, how to create or reinvigo...
Mar 07, 2023•31 min
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming how we all live, work, and learn. It will undoubtedly impact every industry, redefining how leaders in the business of lifelong learning need to think and act. One company helping organizations, particularly marketers, do this is Marketing AI Institute. Marketing AI Institute’s mission is to make artificial intelligence approachable and actionable. And leading that mission is founder and CEO, Paul Roetzer. Paul is co-author of Marketing Artifi...
Feb 28, 2023•40 min
Content alone is usually not enough to stand out and make your learning business as useful and as successful as it can be. You usually need something else to supplement or enhance your content. That’s why we’ve identified five areas—what we’re calling the 5 Cs —to strategically build on the content that a learning business already has. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, we share those 5 Cs to help you enhance or repackage your existing products and services: coaching, cohorts, comm...
Feb 21, 2023•32 min
It’s critical that learning business professionals pay careful attention to the research they create and the research they rely on for making decisions. This means asking questions, knowing the research methods used, and understanding the limitations of the data. But, because most of us aren’t trained in research, this can be a challenge. That’s why Elizabeth Engel, chief strategist at Spark Consulting, and Polly Karpowicz, a seasoned association consultant, co-authored “Caveat Emptor: Becoming ...
Feb 14, 2023•41 min
Dr. Bror Saxberg is founder of LearningForge, a learning engineering consultancy that helps organizations think creatively about applying learning development and motivation science to their products, services, and strategies. Prior to this, he served as the chief learning officer and co-founder of K12 Inc., the chief learning officer of Kaplan, and the head of learning sciences at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Bror is an MD PhD, giving him a rich and unique perspective on the world of learnin...
Feb 02, 2023•49 min
1EdTech has been instrumental in the creation and ongoing management of important standards in the world of online learning. Formerly known as IMS Global, 1EdTech is a member-based community dedicated to powering learner potential. Its members include institutions and tech providers that work together to make learning technology better, safer, and more interoperable. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Jeff Cobb talks with Mark Leuba, vice president of product management at ...
Jan 31, 2023•28 min
You've probably noted the remarkable rise of ChatGPT. In a short time, it become a game-changer in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and has the potential to revolutionize the way we work and learn. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, we explain what ChatGPT is, how it works, and its implications for both learners and providers of learning. We also discuss concerns about and limitations of ChatGPT and what learning businesses need to consider when using it. Full show notes a...
Jan 19, 2023•22 min
Jen Lewi is an executive and career development coach, working at the intersection of coaching and learning. As vice president of career development and conferences at the School Nutrition Association (SNA), Jen helps SNA's diverse members get the training they need to succeed. IIn this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Celisa Steele talks with Jen about the opportunities and benefits of coaching for learning businesses. They also discuss pandemic-driven portfolio changes, the pow...
Jan 17, 2023•28 min
James Young is founder and chief learning officer of the Product Community, a product development learning community designed specifically for associations. Jim has decades of experience working in learning businesses that have embraced innovation in learning communities, gamification, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), cohort-based learning, and competency-based learning. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Jeff Cobb talks with return guest Jim about the connecti...
Jan 10, 2023•34 min
When we said goodbye to 2022, we took time to reflect on milestones, trends, and potential implications for learning businesses in the previous episode. Now it's time to prepare for the new year and look ahead to the areas that are likely to impact learning businesses most in 2023. In this first episode of the new year, we share data from a recent survey to uncover the top areas of focus for learning businesses in the coming year. We also share our key takeaways from the data and the related imp...
Jan 03, 2023•24 min
Understanding the science behind human behavior can be extremely powerful for learning businesses. Daniel H. Pink is the author of six provocative, bestselling books that uncover the truth about complex behaviors, including Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us , To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others , When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing , and, most recently, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward . Dan Pink is also the creator of...
Dec 27, 2022•39 min
The topic of mindfulness is likely one you’ve heard a lot about in recent years. But what does it mean to be mindful? And what is the connection between mindfulness and learning? Dr. Ellen Langer is a social psychologist and a Harvard professor. She’s also a Guggenheim Fellow and the recipient of numerous awards and honors for her work on mindfulness that spans more than 40 years. She’s written 11 books and more than 200 research articles for general and academic readers on mindfulness. Her best...
Dec 20, 2022•27 min
With the end of the year quickly approaching, it’s a natural time to pause and reflect. Even though it can be easy to put reflection low on the priority list since it doesn’t necessarily lead to concrete outcomes, it’s an important practice and can have tremendous value for learning businesses. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, we reflect on 2022, our biggest milestones as a company, and bigger-picture trends impacting society more broadly. We also discuss the related challenges a...
Dec 13, 2022•27 min
Diana Howles is an award-winning speaker, global virtual facilitator, and master trainer with 25 years of experience in the talent development field. Diana is CEO and co-owner of Howles Associates and author of Next Level Virtual Training: Advance Your Facilitation . In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Celisa Steele talks with Diana about Next Level Virtual Training , the capability model she developed for virtual facilitators, and the pros and cons of hybrid or, as she pref...
Nov 30, 2022•27 min
Dr. Prasad Ram (Pram) is founder and CEO of Gooru, a non-profit research and technology organization on a mission to honor the human right to education. Gooru Navigator, a GPS for learning, guides learners to their goals along personalized learning pathways. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Jeff Cobb talks with Pram about Gooru, its app, and the philosophy behind it. They also talk about education as a fundamental human right, the inherent complexity of learning, and the ...
Nov 29, 2022•35 min
With COVID concerns drastically decreased, many learning businesses are focused on how to effectively implement blended learning and strike the balance between in-person and online learning. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, we share our definition of blended learning, how it’s different from hybrid learning, and why it’s of particular focus for us in the current moment. We also offer a four-step framework for designing effective blended learning experiences, referenced in our rel...
Nov 22, 2022•23 min
Jim Goodell, co-editor of Learning Engineering Toolkit: Evidence-Based Practices from the Learning Sciences, Instructional Design, and Beyond , is a passionate proponent of learning engineering. He’s the director of innovation at Quality Information Partners and chairs chairs the Learning Technology Standards Committee at the IEEE Standards Association and IEEE ICICLE. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Celisa Steele talks with Jim about learning engineering: what it is, it...
Nov 10, 2022•29 min
Hilary Marsh, president and chief strategist at Content Company, is a seasoned content and digital strategy expert. Her work focuses on helping content-rich organizations better plan, create, and leverage their content through improved and effective content strategy. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Jeff Cobb talks with Hilary about the importance of a whole-organization content strategy, the different levels of content strategy maturity, and the rise in the role of conte...
Nov 02, 2022•35 min
Social learning is natural and highly effective. The COVID-19 pandemic challenged many traditional approaches, so now more than ever people are craving the return of social learning. And that represents a huge opportunity for learning businesses. In this seventh episode in our tool talk series, we dive deeper into the topic of social learning: why it’s important for learning businesses, four dimensions that define it, and how to design it strategically using the Social Learning Mixer. Full show ...
Nov 01, 2022•23 min
Pamela Slim is a writer, a speaker, and a business coach who works with small business owners ready to scale their businesses and intellectual property. She’s the author of Escape from Cubicle Nation , Body of Work , and, most recently, The Widest Net . Pam and her husband Darryl co-founded the Main Street Learning Lab in Mesa, Arizona. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Celisa Steele talks with Pam about the need for businesses to adopt an ecosystem point of view; how to f...
Oct 25, 2022•34 min
Dr. Bucky Dodd is passionate about helping people learn and designing world-class learning experiences. He’s assistant vice president for education, strategy, and innovation with LX Studio at the University of Central Oklahoma, and he created Learning Environment Modeling®, a visual collaboration system for the design and evaluation of learning experiences. He’s also published a playbook called “Supercharge Your Webinar Strategy,” which explores five specific strategies for better Webinars. In t...
Oct 18, 2022•28 min
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Learning is process, not an event. Learning experiences are embedded in culture and are part of a broader ecosystem. And, as leaders in the business of lifelong learning, it’s critical that we embrace this and the related impact we can have. In this sixth episode in our informal series on tools for learning businesses, we explore the concepts of learning culture and learning ecosystem: what they are, why you should focus on them, and how to foster the...
Oct 11, 2022•23 min
Tiffany Crosby serves as the chief learning officer at the Ohio Society of CPAs (OSCPA), which serves the finance and accounting professions through a portfolio of learning options, advocacy, pipeline development, and more. She also serves as the society’s DEI officer, nurturing diversity, equity, and inclusion both internally and in the accounting profession. A self-described learning enthusiast, Tiffany is an avid reader currently pursuing a PhD in organizational leadership. In this episode of...
Oct 04, 2022•43 min
Connie Malamed, AKA the eLearning Coach, is a learning experience design expert who helps people learn, build, and grow instructional design skills. She’s also an author, blogger, and podcast host, and she leads a membership community that offers both live and self-paced courses. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Jeff Cobb talks with return guest Connie about hybrid and blended learning, including the ambiguity of those terms. They also discuss the pandemic’s impact on lea...
Sep 27, 2022•28 min
Learner engagement leads to improved, more meaningful experiences for learners, and it leads to improved outcomes for learning businesses. But effective learner engagement requires both an understanding of the necessary conditions to foster it and an understanding of how to support it before, during, and after a learning experience. In this fifth episode in our informal series on tools for learning businesses, we dive into learner engagement: why learning businesses should focus on it, a definit...
Sep 20, 2022•30 min
Dr. Ginger Malin is an award-winning professor and technology entrepreneur with almost 25 years of experience in the learning and development space. Ginger is founder and CEO of BadgeCert, which provides an enterprise-class platform for creating, issuing, storing, and sharing digital badges that verify earners’ skills, credentials, and continuing education experiences. In this episode, Leading Learning podcast co-host Celisa Steele and Ginger dive into digital badges, including how they benefit ...
Sep 13, 2022•38 min
Julian Stodd is a writer, illustrator, researcher, and explorer of the Social Age movement. He’s also founder and captain of Sea Salt Learning, where he helps organizations get fit for the social age. As the author of fifteen books and thousands of articles and blog posts, Julian is a true thought leader in the areas of social leadership, organizational change, learning design, social collaborative technology, and more. In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, co-host Jeff Cobb and Julia...
Sep 06, 2022•37 min
