Tag: adult learning


Our Ability To Learn Has Deep Roots In Our Ability To Talk To Others

Listening is often the only thing attendees do in formal learning environments. Speakers talk. Audiences listen. They listen to keynote speakers at conferences. They listen to presenters in workshops. They listen to industry speakers in education sessions. They listen to staff in HR trainings. The truth is that all that listening amounts to very little … [Read more…]

Most Organizations Are Victims To Pedagogy – Instructor-Centered Education

Most organizations use an outdated model to provide education to its customers and team. They are victims to instructor-centered or expert-centered education. They follow a pedagogic model of education. Unfortunately, this greatly hinders active inquiry which is the basis for learning. Pedagogy: Instructor-Focused Education Pedagogy literally mans the art and science of educating children. It … [Read more…]

Lectures Are A Wimpy Model For Learning

I have reached my limit with well-educated-yet-stupidly-ignorant, egotistical, self-centered experts who believe lectures are the best way to learn. Lectures and listening are wimpy models for learning. The Myth Of Learning From Lectures Too many people believe the myth that listening to a lecture is the fastest way to learn. And too may well-intentioned speakers … [Read more…]

From Boring To Beneficial Conference Education

Let’s face it. Most conference education is yawn-stirring, sleepy-eyed, ho-hum, day-old soggy Melba-toast tasting boring. It makes root-canals seem fun! Regardless, the human brain loves to learn. In spite of our age, culture, gender and race, our brains are designed to always be on the prowl for new things to discover and experience. The brain … [Read more…]

Conference Presenters Can Literally Change Attendees’ Minds

Conference attendees generally want to learn. Presenters generally want attendees to learn. Conference organizers and hosts generally want attendees to learn as well. So why does so little learning actually occur at a conference? Good Intentions Pave The Way To Learning Fail The conference organizers’ and presenters’ intentions are good. Unfortunately, their intentions go awry … [Read more…]

Why Conferences Should Try To Recapture The Campfire Experience

Many of us have been to summer camp. We sleep in bunks in cabins. Swim in lakes. Row canoes down the stream. Take adventure walks through the forest. Eat meals family-style in log cabin lodges. Make lots of crafts. Our day typically ends with everyone sitting around a campfire as we tell stories and sing … [Read more…]

Conference Share-A-Thons Are A Learning Illusion

It all started in preschool and kindergarten. Every week, our teacher would ask us to bring something to class for show-n-tell. We would bring our beloved stuffed animal or a coin from a foreign country or a favorite toy or whatever caught our eye on the way out the door to school. The purpose of … [Read more…]

Three Key Ingredients Needed For Conference Learning To Occur

Learning at conferences is actually a fragile thing. Many things affect our learning. And those factors increase in a complex, content-rich, sensory-strong, ever changing, unfamiliar conference environment. Three Factors That Influence Our Learning Cognitive psychology researchers have shown that three major factors influence how much and how well we learn: ability, prior knowledge and motivation. … [Read more…]

Old Conference Education Memes Die Hard

What does it mean to learn at a conference? What tools does it take for learning to be successful in that environment? Most people say that successful learning occurs when a speaker presents to an audience. It requires a subject matter expert (SME) or panel of SMEs, research, content and a lecture. It must have … [Read more…]

Uses And Abuses Of The Common Lecture

Few people agree about what makes a good lecture. It’s like asking about what is good art or great music. Our personal tastes are all over the map. Some researchers have found that individuals want different and often conflicting things from a lecture. Since lectures will be evaluated and assessed at extremes of a rating … [Read more…]