I just got back from DevLearn and I’m feeling super grateful — there were lots of good conversations, plenty of familiar faces, and a couple of new friends too. Now that I’m home, early feedback says the “skinny” version of this newsletter is landing better. If you’re on the other side of that, tell me. Otherwise, we’re running with it for a bit and seeing where it goes. (Thanks for hanging in with me.)

Thanks for reading!
— Mike

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👆Last week's most clicked

​Why Harder is Better — The Surprising Science of Desirable Difficulties​

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🎧 What I'm Listening To

​Noah Kahan is one of my daughter’s favorites—and, honestly, he’s starting to win me over too.

🔥Top Pick of the Week

The neuroscience of learning
​Why the brain forgets most training—and how to fix it.

Most content evaporates right after people click “done,” but it doesn’t have to. This BrightCarbon masterclass breaks down how emotion, attention, and memory actually work—plus how stories and smart repetition make learning stick.

👉 Learn how to make training people remember →​

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Free iSpring Webinar: How to Create Learning Videos That People Enjoy

Learn how to make engaging, effective learning videos in a free, hands-on webinar with award-winning educator Dr. Lyndon Walker.

Tuesday, November 26, 2025 | 4:00 PM EST | 1 Hour | Free

You’ll learn how to:
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• Boost video quality with simple tips.
• Keep learners engaged from start to finish.
• Make videos accessible and inclusive.
• Choose the right equipment and software.

🗞️ News & Notes

A few things you should know.
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RIP The People Forget 70% Myth

Tom McDowall debunks the widely held “70% forgotten in 24 hours” myth. The original research was never about meaningful learning—and the forgetting curve isn’t fixed.

​Learn why it may be time to bury the 70% stat →​
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Personas Make Learners Memorable

Personas aren’t cute cartoons—they’re clarity tools. Done right, they kill assumptions, align teams, and stop that “designing for everyone” trap.

​Using personas for learner-centered design →​

Get Practical Strategies & Tools for Building Accessible Training

Whether you’re an L&D professional or instructional designer, this webinar session will help you shift accessibility from an afterthought to a core part of your learning experience strategy.

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🧰 Tech Tools & Tips

Smart tools and tricks to make work easier.
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Resoly.ai – Your AI research sidekick that organizes and summarizes your saved links, notes, and files so nothing gets lost.

​Check it out →​
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Symvol – turns your written articles or documents into sleek, narrated videos with just one click.

​Check it out →​

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25+ years of instructional design, distilled into one e-book

Discover how small design choices can make a big impact on learning. From setting clear objectives to keeping training engaging — these 6 pro tips are practical, proven, and timely.

Written by Lars-Petter W. Kjos, Co-founder and CPO at We Are Learning.

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🎙️ Podcast of the Week

One great listen for your walk, drive, or coffee break.
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Learning at Large: "Efficiency vs effectiveness"

Deloitte advocates for human-centered learning over fast delivery, favoring curiosity, reflection, and genuine behavior change over merely checking boxes.

​Listen here →​

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📍 Where’s Mike?

Where I’m speaking or showing up next.

• ​Core4 Focus, December 3, 3:00 pm, Online
• ​Offbeat Sparks Online, December 5, 11 am Eastern, Online

If you liked today’s finds, you’ll probably like my book Think Like a Marketer, Train Like an L&D Pro. It’s full of smart ways to grab attention and make learning stick.
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