News & Thinking

Today’s instructional designers come from a variety of professional backgrounds and those past experiences can be a strength in how they approach L&D. In this episode, Authors Megan Kohler and Chris Gamrat share lessons from stories in their new book, The Multidisciplinary Instructional Designer: Integrating Specialized Skills into Design Toolkits.

Learner engagement is more than a learner’s interactions during the training. It begins before the learning experience and continues after it's over.  Training and Learning Manager Tiffany McLean, from law firm Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, shares some ways to increase learner engagement to improve training results.

Creating accessible learning can seem daunting. It doesn’t have to be according to learning architect Shawn Wunder. It’s as easy as taking five steps to make your websites and eLearning accessible for all. 

Keeping its student-centered mission top of mind helps focus the importance of training at Milton Hershey School, a private residential school for Pre-K through 12th grade children who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Craig Wrights, director of training & organizational development at Milton Hershey School shares how they create meaningful and impactful adult learning for the benefit of the kids they serve.

To make microlearning successful in your organization you must first understand what it can and can’t do. Learning Strategist, Consultant and Author Dr. Robyn DeFelice explains how to think about microlearning as part of your overall training goals and not just a way to deliver training.  

While you may think of improv as entertainment, you may not know how it can be used in training teams to adapt to change. In this episode, Fairplay Communications' Andy Eninger and Scott Zoll explain how improv can create a safe space for growth and dialogue in your organization.

Learner leaders are tackling challenges head on – including how best to train a hybrid workforce, how to use microlearning, and how to put the learner first. We spoke to several thought leaders at the ATD Central PA 75th Anniversary event to see how they are taking new approaches to learning.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America trains staff and volunteers at 4,300 local clubs reaching more than four million young people. Director of Learning Design Yvette Francis explains how learning advances the organization's mission and impacts lives.
 

No matter how good your training is, the learning won’t stick without support from leadership.  Jennifer Recla, Director of Organizational Learning and Development at the healthcare company Colorado Access, shares how her organization supports employees throughout their learning journeys to make training more impactful and the business outcomes better.

Podcasts continue to grow in popularity with more than two million currently available. But can podcasts also work as a training tool? In this episode, PGT Innovations Digital Learning Administrator Sherri Connor shares how this leading window and door manufacturer’s podcast has become an important part of their learning and development program.