What if all that time you spent learning Python on YouTube or mastering Photoshop through online tutorials could actually count toward formal education credits?

For this episode, we’re at the U.S. Distance Learning Association’s (USDLA) latest conference, to talk with Dr. Joe Sallustio, veteran higher ed expert and Co-Founder and Host of The EdUp Experience podcast. We chat about how learning has fundamentally changed and why it may be time for higher education to wise up to the trend of video-based learning.  

After all, YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit are the go-to places for millions of people to get answers or to learn new skills. So if you pour hours and hours into learning a topic, shouldn’t that count for something?

Joe explains how ‘Credit for Prior Learning’ (CPL) could help to bridge the gap between how people actually learn today and higher education by awarding credits for lived experience and skills. Joe also shares his advice for anyone new to making videos, and explains how AI can knock down the barriers to entry if you’re ready to start making training videos.

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:00 – 02:13 Introduction to Joe and his background in higher ed
• 02:13 – Joe’s biggest tip for using images and video in learning content
• 03:05 – 04:55 How teachers can start to use images and videos as part of training
• 04:55 – 06:30 How new video creators can get past the barriers to entry
• 06:30 – 07:47 How to create viewer-friendly content based around their expectations
• 07:47 – 08:16 Why video subject and viewer intention determine the ideal length
• 08:16 – 10:28 How ‘credit for prior learning’ could bridge the gap between traditional education and online learning
• 10:28 -13:03 Should higher ed offer ways to prove knowledge outside the norm?
• 13:03 – 13:15 How to connect with Joe
• 13:15 – 14:08 Joe’s final take
• 14:08 – 14:27 Outro 

Important links and mentions:

• Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joesallustio/

What makes you click away immediately from a video vs. stay glued to the screen? Maybe it’s overwhelming background music or cursor movements that make you feel seasick.

We’ve all seen videos that don’t quite click for us (and perhaps made a few of them ourselves). So, in this episode, we look at common instructional video mistakes to avoid to keep your learners watching. It’s an older episode and one of our most popular ones but is still packed with plenty of must-know tips.

Host Matt Pierce sits down with Andrew DeBell (Sr. Learning Solutions Strategist at Atlassian), Cara North (Founder and Chief Learning Consultant for The Learning Camel), and Chandra Owen (our former Lead Instructional Designer), to hear their biggest tips on pacing, audio, editing, and how to make sure viewers get the most valuable information. And because this is a safe space here, everyone shares their own common mistakes and things they’re still working on. After all, even the pros can make mistakes.

P.S. Matt also reveals news about a brand new free TechSmith tool – Camtasia Online. Listen out for details in the intro or click the link below. 

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:00 – 04:00 Introduction to Cara, Andrew and Chandra
• 04:00 – 08:23 When do you choose to use video?
• 08:23 – 11:37 One tip for improving how they use video or images in their work
• 11:37 – 12:27 Ad break
• 12:27 – 15:22 The number one thing that ruins a good video
• 15:22 – 21:09 Small mistakes that can make a video hard to watch
• 21:09 – 26:04 The top reasons people stop watching videos
• 26:04 – 30:34 Music at the top/tail end of a video
• 30:34 – 34:07 Using picture in picture in video best practices
• 34:07 – 39:09 The mistakes we’ve made and are still working on
• 39:09 – 43:08 Speed round questions
• 43:08 – 43:58 Best place to connect with Cara, Chandra and Andrew
• 43:58 – 46:08 Final takes
• 46:08 – 47:04 Outro

Important links and mentions:

• Connect with Andrew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewdebell/
• Connect with Cara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caranorth11/
• Connect with Chandra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandraowen/
• Get started with Camtasia online: https://camtasia.techsmith.com/

Learning and development isn’t just up to the folks in the L&D department anymore. In this episode, we hear how modern workplace communication and learning extend to the wider organization, thanks to technology breaking down barriers in visual communication.

Host Matt Pierce sits down with David Kelly, former Chairman and CEO of The Learning Guild, to explore how L&D has changed over his career and why the role of an L&D professional needs to go beyond just creating content.

David brings over two decades of learning and performance leadership to this episode, sharing his take on how AI and modern communication tools are transforming the way we learn and share our messages across workplaces.

We talk about the cultural shifts happening in L&D (and workplaces in general) in the age of AI and visual communication, plus how leaders can model those behaviors for their teams. He also breaks down the key skills that L&D people need today, including innate curiosity and the ability to articulate well.

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:00 – 01:47 Introduction to David
• 01:47 – 03:21 David’s biggest tip for using images or video in learning and development
• 03:21 – 05:42 How to embrace areas of discomfort in modern learning design
• 05:42 – 09:45 Why L&D pros need to move beyond the mindset of just producing content
• 09:45 – 14:10 The must-have skills that L&D people need today
• 14:10 – 16:43 The role of visuals in modern workplaces and L&D
• 16:43 – 20:34 How to get people to embrace using visuals as part of their everyday lives 
• 20:34 – 25:00 What leaders can do to push that culture forward
• 25:00 – 29:50 David’s speed round questions
• 29:50 – 30:41 David’s final take on L&D
• 30:41 – 31:34 Outro

Important links and mentions:

• Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lnddave/

Want to know the secrets of the L&D content pros?

Become an even better visual designer today with these simple, quick tips for improving your approach to creating content. We hear from three visual design and learning strategy experts in part two of our special 250th episode celebration.

Hear how to escape the “curse of knowledge” from Abbey Cooke, Director of Training & Onboarding at Effective School Solutions, why visuals should be the supporting act not the star of the show from Jeff Weaver, Expert in L&D, Training, Culture, and OD, and how to stay organized with your content strategy from Robyn Defelice, Intrapreneur, Author & Presenter, Learning Strategist for her company RADLearning.

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:00 - 01:32 Introduction
• 01:32 - 03:06 Abbey’s advice for overcoming the “curse of knowledge”
• 03:06 - 05:03 2 tips for being more effective with your learning design
• 05:03 - 09:37 Jeff’s advice on how to use visuals to support the message
• 09:37 - 14:03 Robyn’s process of using templates, batching, and staying on track
• 14:03 - 18:05 Tools that help Robyn stay organized and productive
• 18:05 - 18:24 Outro

Important links and mentions:

• Connect with Abbey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbey-like-the-road/
• Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreybweaver/
• Connect with Robyn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rdefelice/

We like to ask anyone who joins The Visual Lounge, what’s your one take you want to give our audience? It’s an open-ended question so we always get a good variety of unique answers and love hearing the advice, life lessons, and mindset changes we can apply to using video and images in our work. 

To celebrate our 250th episode milestone, we bring together friends of The Visual Lounge to ask them this question.  

In part one of this episode, you’ll hear from: 

• Betty Dannewitz, Learning Solutions Architect at Blanchard  
• Jeff Batt, Course Author & Owner at Learning Dojo 
• Destery Hildenbrand, Learning & Development Consultant at Destery1Kenobi 
• Kassy Laborie, Speaker, Author, Virtual Training Pioneer at Kassy LaBorie Consulting 
• Nick Floro, Learning Architect, CEO at SealWorks Interactive Studios 

Each one offers insights into their own processes and fresh and valuable advice. We talk about everything from pushing through creative blocks, using AI to help with storyboarding or writing, gathering feedback from learners, to becoming a repurposing pro. Tune in to hear from experts who are living and breathing the world of video and visual design.

For part two, we’ll be talking to more great people to hear their thoughts and advice on how they approach content creation. Stay tuned for more coming soon!

Learning points from the episode include: 

• 00:00 - 00:46 Introduction 
• 00:46 - 01:30 Jeff Batt shares backstory on his career 
• 01:30 - 02:47 Why you need to be an artisan 
• 02:47 - 04:29 What to do when you feel stuck in a creative rut 
• 04:29 - 08:34 Destery’s advice for staying up to date with the latest tech   
• 08:34 - 09:45 Concrete benefits of using AI  
• 09:45 - 11:08 Why Kassy Laborie sees AI as a handy writing partner 
• 11:08 - 12:33 How using AI helps Kassy achieve her goals 
• 12:33 - 13:36 How AI helps Kassy assess writing  
• 13:36 - 15:59 Nick Floro talks about how easy it is to get feedback these days 
• 15:59 - 17:30 How you can get L&D departments to buy into using new tech  
• 17:30 - 20:22 The trend of AI tool integration in everyday tools  
• 20:22 - 22:10 Betty Dannewitz’s tips for creating extra content  
• 22:10 - 23:16 How repurposing content affects how you build it in the first place  
• 23:16 - 24:08 Outro 

 Important links and mentions: 

• Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/audiate 
• Betty Dannewitz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ifyouaskbetty/  
• Betty’s website: https://ifyouaskbetty.com  
• Jeff Batt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffbatt/ 
• Destery Hildenbrand: https://www.linkedin.com/in/desteryhildenbrand/ 
• Kassy Laborie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassylaborie/  
• Kassy’s website: https://kassylaborie.com/  
• Nick Floro: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickfloro/  
• Sealworks Interactive Studios: https://www.sealworks.com/ 

Is video always the best way to teach something? Video has transformed the world of workplace learning and still makes up a huge part of it today. Just about any workplace, big or small, can create training videos with minimal cost. But it doesn’t always make it the right tool for the job.

In this throwback episode of The Visual Lounge, host Matt Pierce revisits a conversation with Jonathan Halls, author and head of his own company as a workplace learning and talent development consultant.

Jonathan breaks down the three questions to ask to determine whether video is the right medium to use and his take on why overly polished content isn’t always necessary. We get a little geeky about learning science to explore how learning actually occurs in the viewer’s minds and how this shaped Jonathan’s whole mindset on training content.

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:00 – 01:08 Why we’re revisiting this episode
• 01:08 – 03:56 Introduction to Jonathan
• 03:56 – 04:52 Jonathan’s quick tips for using video in workplace learning
• 04:52 – 06:04 The mindset shift Jonathan recommends
• 06:04 – 09:24 Three questions to ask to decide on a learning medium
• 09:24 – 14:47 How to provoke learning with video and why “learning” requires context
• 14:47 – 18:06 Where video is most effective in the learning journey
• 18:06 – 22:38 Do learning videos need to be overly polished?
• 22:38 – 29:41 Jonathan gives a quick breakdown on why he wrote his book
• 29:41 – 33:14 Speed round questions
• 33:14 – 34:30 Jonathan’s final take
• 34:30 – 35:55 Outro

Important links and mentions:

• Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanhalls

In just a few short years, AI usage has boomed in the content creation world. Not just that, it’s also changed a LOT, and in ways many of us never predicted.

In this episode, Matt Pierce takes us back to 2023 when many of us were still experimenting with AI and had bold predictions about its future. He asked the audience on LinkedIn for predictions, fears, and insights into how people were using AI for video content.

How much has changed since then? Were our predictions right? Matt unpacks some of the top trends people were discussing, including AI for accessibility, dynamic learning, user-generated content, and the ins and outs of video production. A common theme that’s still relevant today is the role of authenticity and the human voice in our content. While AI can do a lot of the grunt work and can help us turn ideas into finished products, the human voice is still king.

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:00 - 01:53 Introduction to the “State of the Union” of AI today
• 01:53 - 03:45 A look back at the LinkedIn conversation and how things have changed
• 03:45 - 04:42 How tech specifications have changed
• 04:42 - 07:51 AI’s role in enhancing video production
• 07:51 - 08:42 Why automation hasn’t eliminated the need for authentic voices
• 08:42 - 09:25 How future videos might adjust content for dynamic learning
• 09:25 - 10:13 Accessibility enhancements with AI tools
• 10:13 - 11:36 The future of interactive video
• 11:36 - 16:15 The rise of user-generated content in learning
• 16:15 - 17:10 How more digitization will affect learning content
• 17:10 - 23:18 The value of human connection and authenticity
• 23:18 - 26:21 Future tech and platform-specific considerations
• 26:21 - 27:33 Join the conversation
• 27:33 - 27:59 Outro

Important links and mentions:

• Audiate: https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/audiate/
• Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewrpierce/

Have you ever felt a little out of your depth when making an extra complex or brand new video type? Maybe AI could help.

Host Matt Pierce shares his experience as someone used to creating training content, adapting to creating content for a commercial. We hear about the script drafting process, the challenges of balancing feasibility, including budget and resources, with creative ideas, and the different stages of storyboarding.

Naturally, we should always look at tools to help us out in unfamiliar territory. So Matt breaks down how he’s been using AI for tasks like creating casting calls, storyboarding, script analysis and prop identification, plus audio adjustments.

While AI is great at doing some things, Matt’s clear about one thing. It’s not able to (nor should it) do everything. But it's getting genuinely good at lifting specific parts of the video creation process to new heights. Matt also highlights our growing AI toolkit across Camtasia, Screencast, and Audiate to help you achieve what you want to do with your videos faster and more efficiently.

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:00 - 01:26 Introduction
• 01:26 - 04:07 The process of learning to write scripts for commercial videos
• 04:07 - 07:39 Storyboarding your video – from stick figures to AI-generated characters
• 07:39 - 09:13 Other ways you could use AI in the scripting and storyboarding stage
• 09:13 - 10:19 How AI can improve background noise quality
• 10:19 - 11:18 What’s coming in Camtasia and Audiate that will help you make high-level videos
• 11:18 - 12:29 We’re at a turning point with AI
• 12:29 - 13:52 Matt’s favorite use cases for AI in making videos
• 13:52 - 15:26 Tools to help you create and share videos
• 15:26 - 16:16 Outro

Important links and mentions:

• Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/
• Audiate: https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/audiate/
• Screencast: https://www.techsmith.com/screencast.html/

What’s really holding your learners back from absorbing the information they need? We’ve all been through training at some point that’s either confusing or too broad, or perhaps the kind that puts you to sleep.

The truth is that training and learning design are complicated. It’s a balancing act between the learners themselves (how they learn, their interests and attention span), the designers (their desire to create engaging content), subject matter experts (who have the knowledge but aren’t always the best teachers), and then the organization, which has its own goals to achieve.

So where does learning design typically fall short? In this episode, we welcome Sara Sorenson, Product Enablement Manager at Muck Rack, and Tim Slade, Founder of The eLearning Designer’s Academy, to explore the top mistakes they see in learning design, how we can get better at creating training, plus some things learners could do to help that information stick.

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:00 - 02:45 Introduction to Sara and Tim
• 02:45 - 05:50 The biggest thing organizations are getting wrong about learning
• 05:50 - 11:01 How should organizations use subject matter experts?
• 11:01 - 14:29 Why sometimes organizations need processes, not training
• 14:29 - 20:37 What are learners getting wrong
• 20:37 - 25:20 Why learning at work is different to the learning experience in school or college
• 25:20 - 30:07 How can learning designers help learners feel okay about mistakes
• 30:07 - 37:17 What else can we do to help learners achieve the ideal outcome
• 37:17 - 38:13 Outro

Important links and mentions:

• Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarasorensonid/
• Connect with Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sladetim/
• Visit The eLearning Designer’s Academy: https://elearningacademy.io/
• Subscribe to The eLearning Designer's Academy by Tim Slade: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2CE3YBPX53oeKVsiTbhX2w?sub_confirmation=1

You have just five seconds. So hook ‘em in, keep them watching, and make those seconds count.

Starting with a clear hook isn’t just for YouTubers looking to make it big. Even if you’re creating instructional videos that people have to watch for their job, you have just a few seconds to grab attention. If you don’t, the video might still play but their concentration will be long gone.

When you put all that effort into creating a video, the last thing you want is for your viewer to click away or leave it playing in the background while they’re thinking about what to have for dinner that night.

The short attention span thing is real. We all have 101 other things on our minds on any given day. So how do you grab attention and keep it? It all starts with a powerful hook.

Host of The Visual Lounge, Matt Pierce, breaks down the power of hooks, including three tactics you can use to make your first few seconds count. You’ll learn about how and when to use hooks and some common mistakes to avoid for your next video.

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:00 - 00:58 Introduction to video hooks
• 00:58 - 02:03 Why the first five seconds are the most important
• 02:03 - 02:38 The battle for viewer attention
• 02:38 - 03:35 Hook tactic 1: The bold statement
• 03:35 - 04:17 Hook tactic 2: Pain points
• 04:17 - 05:01 Hook tactic 3: Instant wins
• 05:01 - 05:37 Beware of clickbait
• 05:37 - 06:51 Top video introduction mistakes to avoid
• 06:51 - 08:15 Making internal videos people want to watch
• 08:15 - 09:27 Tie your hook to your internal audience
• 09:27 - 10:11 When flashy hooks aren’t needed
• 10:11 - 11:08 Outro

Important links and mentions:

• Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewrpierce/