The Art & Science of Learning

In a complex and ever-changing world, the role of futurists is becoming more prevalent. Governments and businesses are hiring futurists to help prepare for what is to come. However, what a futurist does is often misunderstood. In this episode, I speak with a futurist who helps organizations around the world and is an author of the Futures of Assessment Report by the Digital Education Futures Initi...

What attributes impact an individual’s performance in the workplace? My guest in this episode addresses this with a technology he developed that uses an objective way to understand what knowledge, skills, motivation, perception, collaboration, information flow, and leadership attributes each individual has. Combining this unique data set with customer data and HR data, to understand what really co...

As technology evolves and we move into the age of AI, it is increasingly more important that we don’t just use technology, but we have a dialogue with the technology we use. Technology is a tool for collective thinking, but how do we use it well? My guest in this episode is a leading expert working on a dialogic theory of education appropriate for the Internet Age. Most recently he has published t...

As we strive to improve ourselves, to reach our true potential, it is easy to feel stuck. Learning and developing is a natural process for children. However, as adults, we can experience debilitating friction as we try to learn and develop in different areas of our lives. Even after having developed in new ways, we can go back to previous old patterns. How do we change deeply without falling back...

The Learning and Development (L&D) Global Sentiment Survey takes the pulse of where workplace learning is headed this year. With thousands of L&D professionals from around the world answering the key question of “What will be hot in workplace L&D in 2024?” this survey for eleven years provided a unique overview of what is happening in workplace learning. This year, three key findings stand out in...

In the beautiful Swiss Alps, the International School Rheintal has just finished building a completely new campus. It is rare for an established school to build its campus from scratch, which offers a unique opportunity to design a building designed to reinforce the school's learning philosophy. In this episode, I speak with the CEO of the school, a phenomenal leader who led a collaborative design...

Design thinking is a skill that can transform all aspects of your work. However, it is not necessarily easy to fully understand the nuances and how to implement it effectively. I enjoyed reading the book Future Proofing by Design, which beautifully outlines the different steps of design thinking and provides clear examples of how to implement it in practice. In this episode, I speak with the autho...

Welcome to the 100th episode of The Art & Science of Learning podcast in which we are celebrating this major milestone. What an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable journey it has been, I learned a lot and met many fascinating people. I not only learned how to create a podcast from scratch, but I also learned so much from the many guests I interviewed from around the world. In this special episode,...

This special episode is a reflection on The Learning Ideas Conference that took place in June 2023 in New York City and online. The Learning Ideas Conference brings together experts from around the world, from industry and academia, who work on innovations in learning and technology for the workplace and higher education. This episode was created in collaboration with The Learning Ideas Conference...

The National Museum of Mathematics, MoMath for short, is a magical place in Manhattan NYC where you can experience mathematics. This is the only museum in North America dedicated to mathematics and it is an immersive experience like no other. With colourful hands-on exhibits, unique learning technologies, interactive games, and artwork, this is a place where children and adults alike are inspired...

Learning in the flow of work can be an incredibly effective tool for continuous improvement and employee engagement. Axonify is a technology company that develops mobile learning for frontline workers in industries ranging from retail to finance. Employees learn skills and gain knowledge as needed and have stretch learning opportunities to advance in their role. I’m pleased to have the President a...

The debate on whether to go back to the office or work from home has been getting louder in recent years, but not necessarily clearer. The reimagining of the office is revolutionizing many aspects of the workplace, including how we learn at work. In this episode I speak with the author of The Nowhere Office, who is a leading thinker and voice on the future of work. Julia Hobsbawm OBE is an award-w...

In this episode the author of the book How, Organizations Can Make the Most of Online Learning, discusses key strategies and insights on how to improve online learning. Although online learning has become an important part of many organizations learning and development strategy, there is still a lot to understand in how to make it an engaging and effective experience. Dr David Guralnick is Preside...

In the seventh, and final, episode of the special series - Reinventing Hybrid Learning Events in collaboration with the The Learning Ideas Conference - we reflect on the experience of creating a hybrid event a year after the conference was designed as a fully hybrid experience. With less than three weeks until The Learning Ideas Conference in NYC and online, we reflect on the process and learnings...

The Learning and Development (L&D) Global Sentiment Survey takes the pulse of where workplace learning is headed this year. With thousands of L&D professionals from around the world answering the key question of “What will be hot in workplace L&D in 2023?” this survey for nine years provided a unique overview of what is happening in workplace learning. In this episode, I’m thrilled to...

The start of a new year provides an opportunity to reflect on the past and make plans for the future. On this podcast we talk about different aspects of lifelong learning, with a focus on learning at work. In order to be able to learn and work at our best it is important to care for our overall health and wellbeing. But this is not solely the responsibility of the individual, as our environment, w...

What does intelligence really mean? Throughout history humans have looked in the mirror and defined intelligence in their image. Tests have been designed to measure people, and even animals, against a narrow definition of intelligence. Although in recent times there have been advances in understanding the flaws in how we test for intelligence, and it’s been recognized that there are more diverse f...

In the hybrid workplace it can be challenging to communicate in a way that fosters engagement. However, there are some new strategies and tools to that can help enhance organizational engagement. My guests in this episode have been helping people communicate more effectively in the workplace for over 40 years. Combining their research and industry experience, they help create engagement and turn c...

Exams can send shivers down a student’s spine, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Exams can be a positive learning experience, not a punitive exercise that induces unnecessary stress. In this episode we discuss an innovative form of testing that is student generated, collaborative and was found to reduce anxiety. An added bonus, it is also less time consuming to mark, allowing educators more time...

Creating and fostering effective learning communities in the workplace requires a lot of skill, particularly in a hybrid world. There are many strategies, tools, and platforms that can help support learning communities, but it’s important to know how to use them effectively. In this episode I speak with a fantastic community builder who creates and fosters vibrant global learning communities. We d...

The Work-Learn Institute, at the internationally renowned University of Waterloo in Canada, has developed the Future Ready Talent Framework. This framework is embedding important skills and lifelong learning mindset that are critical in the future of work. To discuss the framework and how it impacts students, employers, and educator, I am joined by the person leading this institute. Anne-Marie Fan...

Getting your ideas across clearly is a critical skill in any career. However, speaking to an audience is one of the greatest fears people have. In this episode we will discuss how to improve the way you communicate ideas. My guest is an expert communicator who has trained leaders around the world to communicate effectively. Barry J. McLoughlin is the President of TLC Transform Leaders Consultants...

The Indigenous Conservation curriculums, for elementary and high school students, are beautiful and insightful learning resource produced by the United Nations Association in Canada (UNAC). They were launched in June 2022 to coincide with Indigenous History Month and World Environment Day. In this episode, the CEO of the United Nations Association in Canada discusses these fantastic resources, how...

In the sixth episode of the special series - Reinventing Hybrid Learning Events in collaboration with The Learning Ideas Conference 2022 – we discuss the nuances of programming a hybrid event. With less than a week until The Learning Ideas Conference in NYC and online, in this episode we discuss many ways that participants can connect and network during the conference. My guest, the founder and ch...

In this episode I reflect on the Learning Technologies Conference 2022 and my experience attending the conference in May 2022 in London. The following are the links to the people and resources that I discuss in the episode: Learning Technologies, London: https://www.learningtechnologies.co.uk Learning Technologies Conference 2022: https://www.learningtechnologies.co.uk/welcome/conference/conferenc...