“The real problem of humanity is the following: We have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions and godlike technology. And it is terrifically dangerous, and it is now approaching a point of crisis overall.”
— E.O Wilson
Hey there, friends! I'm trying something new this week with the format of the news items. Let me know if you're digging it, or if it's totally off the mark! While you're pondering that, it is starting to feel like Christmas here. Consider listening to these remixed holiday classic songs with a festive twist while you read the rest of this newsletter.
Ethan Mollick's post on AI use offers practical guidance for leveraging AI effectively in daily life while also recognizing its limits.
Rundown:
Mollick lists 15 scenarios where AI excels, such as summarizing long documents, generating creative content drafts, or offering feedback on writing. He also highlights five situations where AI may falter, like dealing with nuanced decision-making or overly sensitive topics.
The Context:
AI thrives when performing repetitive tasks, analyzing data, or sparking ideas for creative projects. It's especially useful for tasks requiring speed and breadth over depth.
However, AI struggles with context-heavy or emotional problems, like resolving conflicts or making critical strategic calls, because it lacks true understanding and empathy.
Mollick's insights aim to align expectations, emphasizing that AI is a tool to augment human capabilities—not replace them.
Why it Matters:
As AI integration accelerates, knowing when and how to use it is crucial. Understanding AI's strengths and limitations helps avoid pitfalls while unlocking its transformative potential in productivity and innovation
The Four Most Powerful AI Use Cases in Instructional Design Right Now
The Rundown:
Instructional designers are leveraging AI in four transformative ways, as revealed in insights from Dr. Philippa Hardman's AI & Learning Design Bootcamp.
The Context:
Learner Personas: GPT-4 enables designers to simulate user interviews, creating detailed learner personas for targeted strategies.
Instructional Strategy Design: Tools like Consensus provide evidence-based teaching methods tailored to specific learners.
Quality Assurance: AI like Claude excels in ensuring alignment with standards such as WCAG and UDL.
Impact Prediction: AI predicts learning outcomes, aiding in design iterations before course delivery.
Why it Matters:
These applications streamline instructional design by addressing key challenges like personalization, evidence-based decision-making, and quality assurance. As AI evolves, its potential to transform education will only grow. Designers who adopt a research mindset and measure AI’s impact can harness this tech for faster, higher-quality results.
A growing body of research shows that people generally comprehend and retain information better when reading on paper compared to digital screens. This preference for paper stems from its tactile nature, navigational ease, and reduced cognitive load.
The Context:
Studies indicate that digital screens can hinder deep reading due to distractions, glare, and limited ability to interact with the text (e.g., flipping back to previous sections or annotating intuitively).
Research has shown that reading on paper provides a more "anchored" experience, helping readers form mental maps of content. This spatial orientation aids memory and comprehension.
The physicality of paper—its weight, feel, and permanence—enhances engagement, while screens often promote skimming and multitasking.
Why it Matters:
As digital reading becomes the norm, understanding its limitations is critical for education and cognitive health. While screens offer convenience, they may sacrifice the depth and clarity that paper provides, particularly for immersive or complex reading tasks. This insight can guide choices in learning, work, and leisure
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This is the conversation that caught my ear this week. You can find previously featured podcasts in my Friday Finds podcast playlist.
How Learning to Fail Can Help People and Organizations to Thrive
Amy Edmonson talks about her book and how failing well means embracing failure as a learning opportunity. By fostering a culture of psychological safety, organizations can encourage experimentation, learn from mistakes, and ultimately drive innovation and growth.
If you or your event needs a speaker or workshop that is highly interactive and super practical, we should talk.
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