The BLOC Podcast

In this episode, I talk to Veronica Reed about developing your instruction design/talent development/learning and development style and why it is important for you personally as well as for your organization. We also talk about your ID/L&D philosophy, which goes a bit deeper and why it's important to be grounded in your style and philosophy and also to revisit them regularly. Veronica Ree...

In this solo episode, I celebrate International Podcast Day by sharing some of my favorite L&D podcasts:  The Classics: The Mind Tools L&D Podcast (formerly known as The Good Practice Podcast ) The eLearning Coach Podcast with Connie Malamed The Instructional Redesign Podcast with Cara North and Joseph Suarez Trends & Issues in Instructional Design, Educational Technology, & Learni...

In this solo episode, I issue a challenge for my fellow L&D professionals to do the following to finish 2020 strong: Keep up with and consume educational research, Find a new technology to try to help you design instruction, Have one difficult conversation that helps you gain a little bit more autonomy, and Set one last professional development goal.  Connect with Heidi on LinkedIn: https://ww...

In this episode, I talk to Holly Owens about how the media has given remote learning a bad reputation, and Holly talks about the difference between remote learning and online learning. She provides best practices for teachers as well as tips for those hoping to transition from education into instructional design. Holly Owens is the Assistant Director of Instructional Design with Online Education a...

In this episode, we talk to Cara North about how to professionally brand yourself as a learning and development professional. We also talk about graduate degrees for learning and development professionals, and although neither of us believe a degree is necessary for success in the field, we talk about some of the benefits we've seen to pursuing one. Cara North is an award-winning learning exp...

In this episode, we talk to Jeremy Negrey about finding potential in candidates outside of traditional learning and development roles. He issues a challenge to L&D hiring managers to think outside the box when looking for qualified candidates. Jeremy Negrey has spent nearly his entire career in customer education. He’s run the gamut from technical writer to instructional designer and has creat...

In this solo episode, I summarize and provide insight on a blog post I wrote for Verasana about creating a leadership development framework for your organization. Here is the link to the blog post on Verasana. Connect with Heidi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/ or on my website: www.heidikirby.com To learn more and get more great resources:  Connect with me on LinkedIn   Join...

In this episode, we talk to Eamonn Powers about simulation and virtual reality and how it can be used for training. We also talk a little bit about Star Wars and video games!  Eamonn is the Learning Experience Architect at FlightSafety International. He specializes in technical training environments, the use of simulation, and emergent technologies like virtual/augmented reality.  His research int...

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Luke Hobson about his popular blog post, "What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Instructional Designer" and discuss some of our own stories from the field.  Dr. Luke Hobson is a Program Manager for Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an Instructor for Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). His blog and podcast center on his years of experien...

In this episode, we talk to Latoya Smith about about how to bring positive change to organizations and how to tell if a potential employer truly values learning during your interview. LaToya Smith is the Director of Support & Training for EDX Wireless in Eugene, Oregon. EDX is the technology leader in advanced Radio Frequency (RF) planning solutions. As an active member of the Executive Leader...

Do you want your organization to live and breathe learning, but you don’t know where to start?  Do you want your team to be as passionate about learning as you are, but you don't know how to inspire them? Join Heidi Kirby, a learning and development professional, as she chats with people in the field who are passionate about creating a learning culture to be proud of.  It all happens here on...