Sponsored by iSpring

At my good friend Karl Richter's 50th birthday party last weekend, his amazing toast resonated deeply with me. He shared his 5 sources of gratitude: a supportive community, cherished places, your unique voice, life's challenges (even the bad), and the constant potential for growth. It is a great reminder that you only get one life, so live it authentically, appreciate the journey, and find your own abundance of gratitude.

Thanks for reading!

📰 News & Notes

This week’s featured article is sponsored by Wynter

What L&D gets wrong about marketing tactics and how to do the things that work

Ross Stevenson emphasizes the importance of adopting marketing strategies in L&D). He argues (correctly, I believe) that L&D professionals should embrace marketing techniques such as understanding their audience, crafting compelling messages, and utilizing various channels to engage learners effectively. By doing so, L&D can enhance its impact and ensure that learning initiatives are more appealing and relevant to the target audience.

🎯 Take away: L&D professionals should think like marketers to create more engaging and effective learning experiences.

Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

This Scientific American article explores the cognitive benefits of handwriting. It highlights research showing that writing by hand enhances memory retention and understanding compared to typing. The tactile and motor feedback involved in handwriting is believed to create more vivid memories and deeper learning. Additionally, the slower pace of handwriting allows for more thoughtful processing of information.

🎯 Take away: Handwriting boosts memory and learning by engaging the brain more deeply than typing.

Instructional Design 4.0

Dr. Philippa Hardman's "Instructional Design 4.0" highlights the evolution of instructional design, emphasizing three key trends: the integration of artificial intelligence and prompt engineering, the importance of data-driven decision-making, and the need for cross-functional collaboration. These trends suggest a shift towards more technical, analytical, and collaborative roles in instructional design, requiring professionals to adapt to new technologies and methodologies.

🎯 Take away: The future of instructional design is increasingly technical, data-driven, and collaborative, with a strong emphasis on AI integration and cross-functional teamwork.

🧰 Tech Tools & Tips

If tools are your jam, check out my new Work Smarter newsletter.

🎧 Podcast

This is the conversation that caught my ear this week. Check out previous episodes in the Friday Finds podcast playlist.

🧳 Where’s Mike?

• aNewSpring World Learning Content Cleanup Day Webinar, April 9

• ATD ICE, New Orleans May 19-22

• Canadian eLearning Conference, Toronto, June 13-14

• Greater Cincinnati ATD, September 4

sponsored

A Complete Breakdown of Building a Course From Scratch

Have you ever wanted to create an online course to support your teaching process or as a stand-alone learning experience? It may seem like a complicated task at first, but it actually isn't difficult. Learn how to structure an online course and create a module that includes content, video, role-playing, interactions, and assessment — all in a single session!

Speaker: Frank Bergdoll, a technology expert, a seasoned educator with almost two decades of experience in post-graduate teaching, and owner of the YouTube channel, “Learning and Technology with Frank.”

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