“Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.” – Dale Carnegie
The spring softball season has taken flight. My daughter's team has 31 games crammed into 6-7 weeks, plus the inevitable rain-delay reshuffling that turns our calendar into organized chaos. We've become weather-obsessed, keeping clothing layers ready for Ohio's famous temperature mood swings—sometimes winter coat to t-shirt in the same day! Despite all the world's craziness, especially here in the US, I treasure these few hours several times a week simply watching my kid doing what she loves, and I hope you've found your own peaceful happy place that refills your spirit too.
What are you up to as spring (or fall for my southern hemisphere friends) ramps up?
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Dr. Philippa Hardman's article looks at the evolving dynamics between humans and artificial intelligence (AI) in the educational sector.
The Rundown: Hardman emphasizes that the integration of AI in education is less about the technology itself and more about how humans and institutions adapt to these changes.
The Context:
The article discusses the rapid development of AI tools and their potential to disrupt traditional educational practices.
It highlights the importance of understanding the human and institutional responses to technological advancements.
She suggests that the focus should be on collaboration between humans and machines to enhance learning experiences.
Why it Matters: As AI continues to permeate the educational landscape, the success of its integration hinges on the willingness of educators and institutions to embrace change. The ability to work with AI isn’t just another technical skill set — it’s likely to become the foundational capability for modern knowledge work.
Why Most Engagement Strategies Fail—and How Motivational Interviewing Can Help
The Rundown: Traditional engagement strategies often falter because they focus on external motivators rather than addressing the internal drivers of behavior. Integrating techniques like Motivational Interviewing (MI) can bridge this gap by resolving user ambivalence and fostering intrinsic motivation.
The Context:
Many engagement approaches rely on external incentives, which may not lead to sustained behavior change.
The COM-B model identifies three essential components for behavior: Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation.
While Capability and Opportunity can be designed for, Motivation remains the most challenging aspect to influence effectively.
Motivational Interviewing is a client-centered counseling method that helps individuals explore and resolve ambivalence, enhancing their intrinsic motivation.
Why it Matters: Understanding and addressing the root causes of user behavior is crucial for creating lasting engagement. By using Motivational Interviewing (MI) techniques, designers can go beyond surface-level incentives to build genuine commitment and long-term engagement. This approach improves the user experience while also driving the lasting success of products and services.
Supporting the Instructional Design Process: Stress-Testing Assignments with AI
The Rundown: Instructional designers are leveraging AI to analyze and refine assignments, aiming to better anticipate student needs and enhance learning experiences.
The Context:
AI tools can simulate diverse student responses, helping instructors identify potential misunderstandings or challenges within assignments.
This proactive approach allows for adjustments before assignments are distributed, ensuring clarity and effectiveness.
While AI offers valuable insights, it complements rather than replaces the nuanced understanding gained through direct student interaction.
Why it Matters: Integrating AI into the instructional design process empowers us to preemptively address pitfalls, freeing us to focus more on meaningful engagement. This strategic use of technology enhances the overall educational experience by combining AI's analytical capabilities with the irreplaceable human element of teaching.
This is the conversation that caught my ear this week. Check out previous episodes in the Friday Finds podcast playlist.
Creating Learner Personas That Inspire
A deep dive into "Think Like a Marketer, Train Like an L&D Pro" Chapter 2 on learner personas, which should be an important part of your development process to help you ensure your learning is relevant and impactful.
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