By Dr Heidi Kirby
The BLOC (Building Learning and Organizational Culture) Podcast is a useful learning and development podcast where Dr Heidi Kirby talks to professionals in the field who are passionate about findin
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The podcast currently has 100 episodes available.
This special episode is a replay of a live podcast recording I did with Tom McDowall on November 15 in London as part of the Learning Network's Connect 2024 conference.
You can also find the replay (with video) on Tom's The iDeas Podcast.
I also highly recommend joining The Learning Network if you want to connect with other brilliant L&D folks!
In the episode, Tom suggests everyone read Human Competence by Thomas Gilbert.
Thanks for listening to the BLOC! To learn more and get more great resources:
In this episode, I invite all of you to join the Useful L&D Community I launched back in September. I share a little bit about why I started this (global - as I forgot to mention in the episode) safe space for aspiring, new, and expert L&D pros to connect and working together to make learning more useful.
We are having great discussions, hosting events, and we're just getting started!
Join us here: https://useful-stuff.circle.so/join?invitation_token=729b68d43899a5f480ee11363cc12b7a9b766573-aea3a980-a69c-4a70-b0f4-8d3b27a526c4
Thanks for listening to the BLOC! To learn more and get more great resources:
In this episode, I chat with Fred Thompson, CEO of Thirst, about staying current in L&D and how he's managed to continue to take a modern approach to L&D, despite beginning his career with Flash.
Fred Thompson is CEO of Thirst and is a seasoned learning and development expert with over two decades of experience helping businesses create engaging learning environments that level up learner engagement.
Fred has spearheaded numerous initiatives that have empowered employees to learn and develop in the most intuitive way possible. His insights into the latest learning technologies and trends have been invaluable to countless organizations looking to turbocharge their learning cultures with game-changing learning platforms.
Fred has a passion for using AI and machine learning to create social learning experiences that meet the unique needs of each employee and help them enhance their skills and grow their careers.
Fred's suggestion for taking a modern approach to L&D:
Thanks for listening to the BLOC! To learn more and get more great resources:
Dinye Hernanda is a distinguished practitioner in Learning & Development, known for her bold, results-driven approach.
With a proven track record in building L&D departments for high-growth organizations, Dinye has made her mark across major corporations, tech scale-ups, and VC firms. Named one of the 'Thirty Under 30' in L&D in 2021, she is recognized for her unique ability to blend strategic vision with practical execution.
Honored as Mentor of the Year 2023, Dinye is committed to elevating the practice of L&D professionals across industries. A global citizen, she divides her time between Berlin, Dubai, and Jakarta.
https://www.dinyehernanda.com/
Dinye's suggestion for learning a tool that isn't specific to L&D? Learn Canva.
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In this episode, I chat with my new L&D pal, Caner Akova, about how we learn in real life, how we can bring some of those best practices into workplace learning, and why it isn't happening more often.
Caner is an L&D expert with global experience in higher education and multinational corporations and he’s here to shake things up.
He’s passionate about cutting through the fluff, and uses real life learning to make workplace learning actually work.
He likes tackling the brutal truths about L&D, delivering practical, no-nonsense solutions that work without the need to invest in a ton of different software and hardware.
Connect with him on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/canerakova
Caner's advice for those who want to start making changes to learning at their organizations:
Thanks for listening to the BLOC! To learn more and get more great resources:
In this episode, inspired in part by my new friend Molly's LinkedIn post about undergoing 10 job interviews for a contract L&D position, I talk about the dreaded job interview assignment.
This episode is both for job seekers and hiring managers because I give best practices for what you should be looking for in a job interview assignment, including the following:
If a job interview assignment feels icky, you should trust your gut!
Thanks for listening to the BLOC! To learn more and get more great resources:
On this episode, I celebrate the BLOC turning 4! Can you believe I started this podcast 4 years ago?
I talk about the origin story of the podcast, some of the tips I've learned along the way, and recap the most popular episodes!
Here's to more episodes of the BLOC! Thank you all so much for your support.
Thanks for listening to the BLOC! To learn more and get more great resources:
In this episode, I chat with engineer and founder of Teach the Geek, Neil Thompson, about how we can be better presenters as technical professionals or improve our training on technical topics, making them more useful for our audience.
After one too many failed presentations, Neil Thompson, an engineer who worked in the medical device industry, knew he had to improve. He did so, and now, via his company Teach the Geek, he works with technical professionals like himself to improve their presentation skills. He’s the creator of the Teach the Geek to Speak online public speaking course, geared towards those in the technical fields. He hosts a podcast, the Teach the Geek podcast, interviewing technical professionals about their public speaking journeys. He’s also author of the book, Teach the Geek to Speak: a no-fluff public speaking guide for STEM Professionals and the accompanying workbook. To get in touch with Neil, please visit http://teachthegeek.com, and to check out the podcast, visit http://podcast.teachthegeek.com.
Neil's advice for those who want to improve their presentation skills:
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In this episode, I chat with my brilliant friend, Dr Linda Berberich about AI, learning technologies, prototypes, and how you're never too old to learn something new!
Linda Berberich, PhD, is a behavioral scientist specializing in innovative, impactful, and immersive learning and intelligent, intuitive technology product design. With an extensive background in data analysis, technical training, behavior analysis, learning science, neuroscience, behavior-based performance improvement, and sport psychology/performance enhancement, Dr. Berberich consults with clients developing innovative learning technology products, projects, and programs, especially for highly technical audiences, using her proprietary Level-Up Learning Framework. Her focus is on learning innovation, product/program/project vision, learning strategy, leading team ideation, rapid prototyping, and roadmapping the path to a fantastic final product in record time.
LI profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-berberich-phd-3745004/
LI business page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/linda-b-learning/
Website: https://www.lindablearning.com/
Linda's advice if you want to get into AI and learning technologies?
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In this episode, I chat with Karen Vieth about her journey and time at InSync Training. We also discuss how to do a better job collecting learning data and connecting it to the business goals.
Karen Vieth is a distinguished figure in the realm of virtual and hybrid learning, serving currently as the President & CEO of InSync Training. Her illustrious journey in education commenced within the academic sphere, progressively advancing to significant roles in teacher training at both district and national levels, thus cementing her status as a revered educational consultant. Vieth's ascent to the presidency in January 2024 was notably influenced by her substantial tenure at InSync Training, where she previously excelled as the Director of Training and later as the Vice President of Virtual Learning Solutions. During these formative years, she pioneered the integration of research-backed methodologies and professional expertise to develop learner-centric training experiences, setting new benchmarks for quality and engagement in virtual education. This rich background laid the groundwork for her visionary leadership, under which InSync Training has emerged as a beacon for pioneering accredited train-the-trainer certificate programs and customized virtual learning services. These offerings are meticulously designed to ensure optimal engagement, effective learning transfer, and enduring retention. Through her strategic foresight and dedication, Vieth has played a pivotal role in redefining the landscape of virtual education, thereby shaping her presidency at InSync Training.
Karen's suggestions for digging into the data:
Thanks for listening to the BLOC! To learn more and get more great resources:
The podcast currently has 100 episodes available.
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