VEPodcast

Aren’t you fascinated by the human mind? With its 100 billion neurons and trillions of connections, our brain is constantly trying to make sense of the world around us. But when it comes to learning, it’s not just about content or colourful delivery — it’s also about context.

In this episode, we explore Pen Principle 5: Leveraging Context, and uncover how the environment — both physical and psychological — impacts learning and memory. From temperature, lighting and noise to relationships, stress, and even the instructor’s tone, every detail can influence how well knowledge sticks.

Discover how context-dependent and context-independent learning affect performance, why learners often recall better in familiar environments, and what trainers can do to help students thrive in any setting.

Join us for a deep dive into neuroscience, motivation, and practical design tips for creating powerful, context-rich learning experiences.

Marc and I share Ian interesting discussion on designing learning for impact and engagement. The type of learning that leads to real outcomes in real workplaces. Enjoy this session!

I chat with Julian Davis, the digital learning guy, about the fascinating technology of xAPI. How we can use I to track learner's interactions and progress outside of the typical LMS functionality.

Enjoy the chat! I certainly did.

In today’s episode, we explore the fascinating sc…

In this episode of the Vocational Education Podcast, we dive into the power of interleaving as a learning strategy. Unlike traditional blocked practice—where learners focus on one topic or skill at a time—interleaving mixes different but related topics or skills within the same study session. Research shows this approach significantly boosts retention and recall, as the brain is forced to constantly retrieve and distinguish between concepts. For vocational learners, this means stronger problem-solving skills and a deeper ability to transfer knowledge to real-world tasks. We’ll explore how interleaving challenges the brain in positive ways, strengthens long-term memory, and prevents the “illusion of mastery” that often comes with rote repetition. You’ll hear practical ways trainers and assessors can embed interleaving into their delivery and assessment design, ensuring learners are better prepared for the workplace and more confident in applying their skills.

Here's a link to the original video: https://youtu.be/oNtT00YCu2U

Making mistakes isn't the end of the world - in fact, it can improve how well you learn something. Other than the research from the original video linked here: https://youtu.be/RDa777HDWTo

Here are the other tow pieces mentioned at the end:

https://shorturl.at/TDmK6

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0361476X2500044X?

Discover the PEN principles all over again with this new series - we're kicking off with this program about the benefits of active recall for knowledge and skills retention - so strap in and enjoy!

Here's a link to the original video https://youtu.be/CkKXdft5qeE

On this episode we talk to Marc Miles about his new Facilitation Mastery Workshop, with some great value thrown in about further workshops in 2026!

In today’s discussion, we’re opening up the complex and often misunderstood world of the business of vocational education, and the ominous signs and trends that can’t be ignored if the sector wants to continue to stay relevant and important in coming decades.

This isn’t a hit piece on the sector or even on individual business owners trying to make a buck from educating others. Quite the contrary. I wanted to explore my own history in the sector, and that of others I know or have worked with, and how we’ve all dealt with the changes to date, and what risks and likely outcomes await us. In doing so, I hope to arrive at a few truths that can help you to pick the good opportunities from the bad and make decisions about your own future in the sector with your eyes wide open to the influences that have direct and indirect impacts.

The global AI arms race is already being played out with even the early inventors of the technology collectively warning against the potential uncontrollable outcome with few upsides for individuals. But play out it will, and sideline observers we will become.

I have mentioned in the past that there may be a point where those undertaking an education say enough is enough, and push back on the automation of everything to once again re-introduce real human interactions and feedback from experienced trainers and facilitators. We’re still a while away from that point in my opinion. Largely due, ironically, in the government’s slow reaction to providing legislative regulation to the tech industry. And also the generational influence of current trainers and assessors in the sector of whom there are a majority of generation X and millennials making up this cohort – thus still not what we’d readily classify as digital natives.

It's indeed an exciting and terrifying time to be a vocational educator. Digital literacy is no longer a nice to have, and political muteness isn’t an option if you want the sector to be unbiased, fair and level. Find your voice, decide on your personal learning journey, and let’s all see where it takes us. Because trends don’t determine the future. Our actions are what determines that.

Interviews and news from the VET industry