It is never too late to learn a new skill, however learning at different stages in life may require different strategies. Yoga is recognized for having incredible health benefits throughout life. But learning yoga for the first time at the age of 50, 60, 70 or 80 requires some different strategies. Georgia Morissette teaches yoga to seniors in Ottawa, Canada. Georgia is herself in her 70s, and she started to learn yoga after the age of 50, when chronic back pain was impacting the quality of her ...
Dec 01, 2021•57 min•Ep. 65
It is never too late to learn a new skill, however learning at different stages in life may require different strategies. Yoga is recognized for having incredible health benefits throughout life. But learning yoga for the first time at the age of 50, 60, 70 or 80 requires some different strategies. Georgia Morissette teaches yoga to seniors in Ottawa, Canada. Georgia is herself in her 70s, and she started to learn yoga after the age of 50, when chronic back pain was impacting the quality of her ...
Dec 01, 2021•57 min•0Ep. 65
Innovation and civic engagement are important elements for a thriving community and country. Fostering an environment where people can learn to be innovative, and supported in contributing to their community, requires a multitude of different programs and organizations. The organization in Canada that works to connect these efforts, and develops programs that impact and unite people across Canada, is the Rideau Hall Foundation. The Rideau Hall Foundation is a nation-building charity that was est...
Nov 24, 2021•35 min•0Ep. 64
In-person events are slowly returning, and the future is hybrid. Creating a successful hybrid class, conference, or meeting requires new skills. In this collaboration with The Learning Ideas Conference 2022, we will discuss what it takes to create a successful hybrid experience. Over the months leading up to the conference, we will explore different aspects of a hybrid event and follow the journey as The Learning Ideas Conference prepares a new hybrid experience for June 2022. The Learning Ideas...
Nov 17, 2021•26 min•Ep. 63
What we value in education greatly informs both the kind of research that takes place and the technologies that are developed in support. Globally there are countless important skills that people learn, or should learn, that are not currently valued as part of a good education. Educational research findings and the tools offered by learning technologies can contribute to more effective and engaging learning design. But are there important skills that are not being developed because they are igno...
Nov 10, 2021•58 min•Season 1Ep. 62
Highly skilled tradespeople are in great demand, but there can be some significant barriers that prevent talented individuals from completing their training. Learning disabilities, essential skills gaps, or language barriers can prevent top talent from entering, or remaining, in the skilled trades workforce. To address these obstacles, the Government of New Brunswick in Canada has become a leader in innovative solutions to meet training needs. Dr Lori Leach is Director of Virtual Learning Strate...
Nov 03, 2021•40 sec•0Ep. 61
Rapid learning is critical in a crisis, as well as in a quickly changing business landscape. However, doing it well, particularly in a crisis, requires individuals and organizations to integrate well practiced learning strategies into the regular workflow long before a crisis occurs. The Scan-Orient-Decide-Act (SODA) loop is a strategy that has been used by the military and businesses alike to continuously notice where improvements can be made and learn to make them quickly. To explain how rapid...
Oct 27, 2021•38 min•Ep. 60
Developing a global mindset is an important part of educating young people in our interconnected world. An essential part of this process is to travel and learn in different contexts. This is exactly what Semester at Sea does. University students spend a semester taking their courses on a ship while traveling to ten different countries on three continents. Their classes take on a new life as the courses are embedded in the context of the countries that they visit. My guest in this episode discus...
Oct 20, 2021•39 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Where would we be without people who excelled in the trades? Skills such as carpentry, auto mechanics, hairdressing, cooking, and plumbing, only to name few, are an essential part of our daily lives. Training for excellence in the trades is not only critical to all of us, but also to the individuals who want to have fulfilling careers in the trades. To discuss the importance of training for excellence in the trades, and how we can make that a reality, I am joined by an expert in vocational educa...
Oct 11, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 58
Apolitical is a peer-to-peer learning platform for governments around the world. Using their fully online platform, they bring to public servants the sharing and ongoing learning of the latest and best ideas through their courses, articles, events and by fostering a global community. I am joined on this episode by the co-founders of Apolitical to discuss how they started their organization, how they help public servants learn, and insights on what it takes to create a thriving global learning co...
Oct 10, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 57
What impact would learning about our family history have on the way we live our life today? Understanding our family history goes beyond dates and places of our ancestors, it is digging into the historic context, events and motivations that shaped their lives. My guest has extensive experience in researching and writing family histories in a unique way that helps families learn how their lives have been shaped by the past. Janet Uren is a professional writer in Ottawa, Canada. She has written ma...
Aug 11, 2021•40 min•Season 1Ep. 56
Bonnechere Caves in Canada is located under a hill of limestone, said by geologists to have been the bottom of a tropical sea 500 million years ago. The Caves are a weird and wonderful sight but it is also a rich learning experience that promotes lifelong learning in all aspects of the business. From young children going to learn about caves, bats, and fossils from a time before the age of the dinosaurs, to the young people working at the Caves who learn about geology and the running of a busine...
Aug 04, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 55
One of the great challenges in learning new skills is being able to put them to practice in real scenarios. Although practicing in real scenarios offers critical learning, it also comes with serious risks. Can AI be the answer in creating on the job learning without the risks? My guest is an internationally recognized expert in AI in education and the technology he created helps people learn faster and more effectively. Dr Lewis Johnson co-founded Alelo in 2005 as a spinout of the University of ...
Jul 28, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 54
From the start of the 2020 global pandemic, teachers around the world have experienced a drastically different way of teaching. It has been a challenging and often chaotic time, but there are also many valuable lessons to be taken that can improve teaching and learning in the long run. My guest has worked for many years with students and teachers in drastically different contexts and around the world. I’m happy to have her join me to discuss what we can take away from the extraordinary experienc...
Jul 21, 2021•42 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Virtual reality is well known for immersing people in activities such as flying, traveling in time, or in fictional worlds. But virtual reality can also be a powerful training tool. My guest in this episode has developed a virtual reality training experience that helps people to develop the capabilities to advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. Prof Jason Chen is the Gerdelman Family Term Distinguished Associate Professor of Education at the William & Mary School ...
Jul 14, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 52
Digital transformation has been a hot topic for some time. Integrating new digital technologies into the workflow of organizations, has been the focus of may leaders and IT departments. The focus is often on the actual technology, the investments needed, and the training that will be required. However, without carefully designing a new system (both in terms of technology and organizationally) there is a real danger that the new technologies will not have the desired impact. Although designing a ...
Jul 07, 2021•Season 1Ep. 51
Everyone’s brain is wired differently, some more different than others, but none are the same. Understanding these differences, their strengths and challenges, are important to realize our full potential, learn better and work together. Siena Castellon is an 18-year-old neurodiversity advocate and best selling author of the wonderful book The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide: How to Grow Up Awesome and Autistic. At the age of 12, Siena was diagnosed as autistic, dyslexic, dyspraxic and ADHD. As sh...
Jun 30, 2021•50 min•Season 1Ep. 50
Oxford University offers a very unique learning experience that combines the tutorial system, ancient traditions, cutting-edge research and facilities, as well as diverse individuals from all corners of the world. The University is comprised of 39 colleges, with all students and faculty belonging to a college as well as their course department. One of the largest Oxford colleges is St Catherine’s College, fondly referred to as St Catz. I am delighted to be joined by the person leading St Catz to...
Jun 23, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 49
In this collaboration with The Learning Ideas Conference 2021, each episode will feature conversations with a selection of conferences speakers from around the world. In these conversations, each guest shares highlights from their conference talk, highlighting their fascinating work in the field of learning, sharing insights and tips, as well as what they are excited about in the future of learning. The Learning Ideas Conference: https://www.learningideasconf.org/ (0:06:15 hours) Gamification of...
Jun 17, 2021•47 min•Season 1Ep. 48
In this collaboration with The Learning Ideas Conference 2021, each episode will feature conversations with a selection of conferences speakers from around the world. In these conversations, each guest shares highlights from their conference talk, highlighting their fascinating work in the field of learning, sharing insights and tips, as well as what they are excited about in the future of learning. The Learning Ideas Conference: https://www.learningideasconf.org/ (0:05:45 hours) * Wearable Enha...
Jun 16, 2021•1 hr 52 min•Season 1Ep. 46
In this collaboration with The Learning Ideas Conference 2021, each episode will feature conversations with a selection of conferences speakers from around the world. In these conversations, each guest shares highlights from their conference talk, highlighting their fascinating work in the field of learning, sharing insights and tips, as well as what they are excited about in the future of learning. The Learning Ideas Conference: https://www.learningideasconf.org/ (0:04:10 hours) * A Look Ahead:...
Jun 16, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 47
In this collaboration with The Learning Ideas Conference 2021, each episode will feature conversations with a selection of conferences speakers from around the world. In these conversations, each guest shares highlights from their conference talk, highlighting their fascinating work in the field of learning, sharing insights and tips, as well as what they are excited about in the future of learning. The Learning Ideas Conference: https://www.learningideasconf.org/ (0:02:50 hours) * Museums as Ca...
Jun 14, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 45
In this collaboration with The Learning Ideas Conference 2021, each episode will feature conversations with a selection of conferences speakers from around the world. In these conversations, each guest shares highlights from their conference talk, highlighting their fascinating work in the field of learning, sharing insights and tips, as well as what they are excited about in the future of learning. The Learning Ideas Conference: https://www.learningideasconf.org/ (0:03:30 hours) * Introduction ...
Jun 13, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 44
Educational technology (EdTech) is a fast-growing industry that is expected to reach $404B in total expenditure by 2025. There are a staggering number of technologies that are labeled as educational, the Apple App Store alone has over 80 000 educational apps. However, the educational value of these technologies is not always clear. In this episode I am joined by a successful entrepreneur who shares her insights and experiences going from academia to building an EdTech startup. Dr Lindy Ledohowsk...
Jun 02, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 43
Great art aims to transform us and our ideas in some way. As technology has enabled us to customize many of our interacts with the world, including the news we see and the people we communicate with, this can narrow our views. The pandemic has further put people in tiny social bubbles to keep them safe. But in the safety of our bubbles there is a danger of distancing everything and everyone who is different, causing catastrophic divisions. Humans are social animals and diversity of people and id...
May 26, 2021•56 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Teaching topics that are sensitive, personal, or even taboo, can be extremely difficult. The skills needed go beyond good pedagogy and many other considerations need to be addressed. To discuss best practices and strategies for teaching sensitive topics, I am joined by a person running a ground breaking program that is teaching sexual assault prevention strategies to young women in Canada Dr Sara Crann is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Windsor...
May 19, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 41
Reskilling and upskilling have become the leading trend in the field of Learning and Development (L&D) for 2021. With the start of the pandemic in 2020, L&D has had an unprecedented year in a variety of ways. Focus in the field has sharply moved away from the leading trends of the of the past few years, such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and learning analytics. To discuss the latest trends in workplace learning I am joined by a leader in learning technologies in the workpl...
May 12, 2021•40 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Critical thinking is a widely sought-after skill in individuals, both in education and the workplace, but achieving it is often elusive. Although the definition of what critical thinking is has been changing since the time of Socrates, the core idea has remained the same. Socrates established the importance of asking deep questions before a particular idea is accepted as worthy of belief. Socrates established the importance of seeking evidence, and reflectively questioning beliefs and explanatio...
May 05, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 39
Managing major programs in government, such as digitally enabled transformations, requires different skillsets from regular project management. Projects that take many years, and enormous investments, are extremely complex. My guest in this episode has led, and developed learning programs to teach others to lead, major programs in government. Nick Borwell is the Co-founder of Oxford8, a consulting firm based in London, UK. Nick is highly experienced as a major program director and as a leader of...
Apr 28, 2021•42 min•Season 1Ep. 38
Teaching is a complex skill that requires deep knowledge and practice. This is particularly true when the classroom suddenly transitions online and new pedagogical skills need to be learned and adapted quickly. Continuously learning and innovating in teaching is essential for helping students learn. To discuss how to innovate in teaching I am joined by a university professor who’s teaching has won her many prestigious teaching awards. Dr Melanie Adrian is Associate Professor in the Department of...
Apr 21, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 37
