“In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” — Eric Hoffer
This Tuesday, I'm getting my conference shoes ready for our local ATD annual conference here in Central Ohio. If you're nearby, come say hi! I'll be leading a session on how to power up your learning programs with quick, easy ways to automate learning campaigns. I'll even be giving away a signed copy of my book, Think Like a Marketer, Train Like an L&D Pro. See you there!
Dirty Heads is laid-back reggae rock with a hip-hop twist.
sponsored
See how a simple combination of tools can save you hours on course creation
On August 20th, Microsoft MVP David Yoon showed how to use Copilot and iSpring Suite together to turn AI-generated drafts into polished, interactive courses and save a lot of time as an instructional designer.
Now you can watch the full recording and learn tips for building your course creation workflow with AI. This is a great resource if you want to develop better eLearning content in less time.
The Rundown: GPT-5 is here — smarter, faster, and more complex. But for instructional designers, the stakes are higher than hype. Dr. Philippa Hardman breaks down 10 field-tested ways to use GPT-5 effectively in learning design — without losing control, quality, or compliance.
The Context: These aren’t just tips — they’re practical tests targeting GPT-5’s most common risks:
Bias, scope creep, sycophancy → Push back with critical roles + boundary instructions.
Assessment accuracy → Always involve an SME — no exceptions.
Each test comes with mitigation strategies, prompt examples, and "lessons learned" from real-world cases.
Why it Matters: This isn’t about just using AI — it’s about leading it. L&D professionals must evolve from content creators to AI quality controllers. GPT-5 boosts speed and scale, but also risk. GPT-5 is your junior partner, not your boss. Test thoroughly. Stay skeptical. Be the expert human in the loop.
What happens to learning quality when we scale AI faster than we train humans to supervise it?
Workflow Automation for Beginners (and Why L&D Pros Should Care)
Rundown: Workflow automation isn't just for techies. This post shows how L&D professionals can use tools like Zapier, Make, or Microsoft Power Automate to streamline daily tasks—no coding required. It walks you through five practical automations that deliver real ROI across design, delivery, and learner experience.
The Context:
Tools to start with: Choose from Zapier (simple, wide app support), Make (visual and flexible), or Power Automate (integrates well with Microsoft 365).
Five quick wins for automation:
Push form data into live dashboards.
Trigger personalized email follow-ups.
Auto-create session resource folders via calendar events.
Route feedback alerts straight to your inbox and compile praise.
Launch spaced “drip” campaigns using learner email capture.
Why It Matters:
Leaner, meaner workflows. Automations reduce admin load and shrink manual legwork—freeing up time for strategy and creativity.
Smarter learner engagement. Personalized reminders and timely resources keep learners connected and nudged—without extra effort.
Build systems, not spreadsheets. These automations become reliable building blocks—so you don’t end up scrambling at 11 pm.
Even beginners can build automations that make training feel seamless and innovative.
What would your team create if you had 5 extra hours a week—every week?
Rundown: AI tools like ChatGPT’s Study Mode, Claude’s Learning Mode, and Gemini’s Guided Learning no longer just supply answers—they teach. They guide learners step‑by‑step using Socratic prompts, scaffolding, and occasional visuals, effectively acting as personalized tutors that adapt to individual levels and goals.
The Context:
ChatGPT Study Mode encourages active learning via reflection, prompting, and personalized feedback—designed in partnership with educators to combat the “AI-as-cheat” stigma.
Claude Learning Mode uses a Socratic approach to nudge users toward discovery instead of providing answers outright.
Gemini’s Guided Learning shifts Gemini from responder to tutor—using step‑by‑step explanations, quizzes, visual aids, and integration with tools like Google Classroom—all powered by education‑tuned models called LearnLM.
Instructional tests show that Gemini 2.5 Pro leads the pack—it was preferred in 73% of educator comparisons for learning support.
Why It Matters:
For learners: These modes foster deeper understanding, not rote answers—helping learners engage, reflect, and reason.
For designers and L&D pros: Treat AI as a flexible, on‑demand teaching assistant—ideal for scaffolding, remediation, or self‑paced modules.
For organizations: A shift is underway—AI tools are becoming education infrastructure. Leveraging them effectively could transform training and talent development.
What if your learners had a tutor that never slept, always adapted, and cost nothing extra—would your training still look the same?
Even small content teams can benefit from big project management wins. If learning projects are running late, bogged down in endless revisions, or derailed by unclear roles, you’re not alone—and there’s a better way.
This is the conversation that caught my ear this week. Check out previous episodes in the Friday Finds podcast playlist.
Boosting Attention & Learning
In a conversation about his new book, Do I Have Your Attention?, secondary teacher Blake Harvard explains how he uses cognitive psychology in the classroom. He discusses topics like cognitive architecture and attention contagion, while offering practical ways to use retrieval practice and spaced practice
If you or your event needs a speaker or workshop that is highly interactive and super practical, we should talk.
Exit Through the Gift Shop
I wrote a book because apparently I have opinions now. "Think Like a Marketer, Train Like an L&D Pro" is for everyone tired of watching marketers effortlessly grab attention while we're over here begging people to care about compliance training. Available wherever you buy things to feel smarter than your coworkers.
Like this newsletter? Share it with someone you love. Don’t like it? Share it with someone you don’t!
Friday Finds is an independent publication that I produce in my free time. You can support my work by sharing it with the world, booking an advertising spot, or buying me a coffee.
