On the best teams, people don’t feel pressure to fit in. They feel valued for what makes them stand out. Here are a few ways to create a culture where diverse perspectives are encouraged and celebrated. 🤝 To prevent groupthink and make it easier for everyone to chime in, split into duos for discussions and then do share outs with the larger group. 💬 If you see someone get interrupted, jump in and ask them to continue sharing. This sets a norm of letting people finish their full trains of thought. ✅ Make an “It’s okay to…” list. As a group, write down things teammates should not hesitate to do. Think, "Ask why, and why not" or "Flag a potential problem." And remember: If everyone on your team agrees on everything, all the time, you're probably not coming up with innovative, broadly accessible solutions.
Creating a Positive Learning Experience
Explore top LinkedIn content from expert professionals.
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A Teacher's Simple Strategy That Changed 30 Lives Every Morning Ever wondered how one small gesture can transform an entire classroom's energy? Let me share a powerful thing that's reshaping how we think about starting our school days. Here's how it works: Each student gets to choose their preferred way to start the day: - A gentle high-five - A quick hug - A friendly fist bump - A simple smile and nod - A quiet "good morning" The results? Remarkable. Students who once dragged themselves to class now arrive early, excited to make their choice. Anxiety levels dropped. Class participation soared. Even the most reserved students found their comfortable way to connect. What makes this approach powerful is its simplicity. It: - Respects personal boundaries - Builds trust - Creates a safe space - Teaches emotional awareness - Promotes daily positive interactions This isn't just about starting the day right – it's about teaching our children that their comfort matters, their choices count, and their well-being is priority. What if we all took a moment each day to ask others how they'd like to be greeted? Sometimes, the smallest changes create the biggest impact. #Education #TeachingInnovation #StudentWellbeing #ClassroomCulture #PersonalizedLearning
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🤔 How might you infuse more experiential elements into even the most standard Q&A session? This was my question to myself when wrapping up a facilitation course for a client that included a Q&A session. I wanted to be sure it complemented the other experiential sessions and was aligned with the positive adjectives of how participants had already described the course. First and foremost - here is my issue with Q&As: 👎 They are only focused on knowledge transfer, but not not memory retention (the brain does not absorb like a sponge, it catches what it experiences!) 👎 They tend to favor extroverts willing to ask their questions out loud 👎 Only a small handful of people get their questions answered and they may not be relevant for everyone who attends So, here is how I used elements from my typical #experiencedesign process to make even a one-directional Q&A more interactive and engaging: 1️⃣ ENGAGE FROM THE GET-GO How we start a meeting sets the tone, so I always want to engage everyone on arrival. I opted for music and a connecting question in the chat connected to why we were there - facilitation! 2️⃣ CONNECTION BEFORE CONTENT Yes, people were there to have their questions answered, but I wanted to bring in their own life experience having applied their new found facilitation skills into practice. We kicked off with breakout rooms in small groups to share their own experiences- what had worked well and what was still challenging. This helped drive the questions afterwards. 3️⃣ MAKE THE ENGAGEMENT EXPLICIT Even if it was a Q&A, I wanted to be clear about how THIS one would be run. I set up some guidelines and also gave everyone time to individually think and reflect what questions they wanted to ask. We took time with music playing for the chat to fill up. 4️⃣ COLLABORATIVE LEARNING IS MOST IMPACTFUL Yes, they were hoping to get my insights and answers, however I never want to discredit the wisdom and lived experience in the room. As we walked through the questions, I invited others to also share their top tips and answers. Peer to peer learning is so rich in this way! 5️⃣ CLOSING WITH ACTIONS AND NEVER QUESTIONS The worst way to end any meeting? "Are there any more questions?" Yes, even in a Q & A! Once all questions were answered, I wanted to land the journey by asking everyone to reflect on what new insights or ideas emerged for them from the session and especially what they will act upon and apply forward in their work. Ending with actions helps to close one learning cycle and drive forward future experiences when they put it to the test! The session received great reviews and it got me thinking - we could really apply these principles to most informational sessions that tend to put content before connection (and miss the mark). 🤔 What do you think? Would you take this approach to a Q&A? Let me know in the comments below👇 #ExperienceLearningwithRomy
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The L&D community is still treating Accessibility as an afterthought, and it's hurting our learners. Too many learning designers are checking accessibility boxes without genuinely understanding or prioritizing their audience's diverse needs. Here's why this is a problem: 1. "Compliance Over Care" Mentality: Too often, Accessibility is approached as a compliance issue rather than a genuine commitment to inclusive learning. This mindset leads to bare minimum efforts that don't serve our learners. 2. Lack of Proper Training: Many learning designers haven't received adequate training in Accessibility best practices, which causes them to design courses that unintentionally exclude or frustrate learners with disabilities. 3. Accessibility Added as an Afterthought: Waiting until the end of a project to consider Accessibility means it's often rushed and poorly implemented, leading to subpar learning experiences. 4. Ignoring Diverse Learning Needs: The one-size-fits-all approach is too common. Every learner is different, yet many courses don't account for this, especially regarding cognitive or sensory differences. 5. Limited Tool Familiarity: Many designers aren't familiar with the tools that can make their content more accessible. This lack of awareness limits the quality and effectiveness of the learning materials. How do we fix this? 1. Shift the Mindset: Accessibility should be a core component of learning design, not just a checkbox. It's about creating a better experience for everyone. 2. Invest in Training: Organizations must prioritize training their L&D teams on Accessibility. It's not just about knowing the rules; it's about understanding the why behind them. 3. Design from the Start: Make Accessibility a foundational part of your design process, not something you tack on at the end. Use the Right Tools: Familiarize yourself with and use tools that enhance Accessibility. Don't just rely on what you know—explore new resources that can help. 4. Get Feedback: Actively seek feedback from learners with disabilities and incorporate their insights into your design process. What is your organization doing to make its e-learning content more accessible? Let me know in the comments below!
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Ensure all voices are heard by leaning into CURIOSITY! Designing inclusive working sessions can start by inviting questions from EVERYONE- for example, the technique below honors introverted voices and fosters diverse perspectives. Try out some of these practical techniques below in your next meeting or collaboration session… Quiet Reflection Time: ↳ Create an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts. Structured Brainstorming Sessions: ↳ Ensure each participant has designated speaking time to reduce pressure. Rotating Facilitators: ↳ Vary leadership styles and ensure diverse voices are heard throughout discussions. One-on-One Discussions or Smaller Group Settings: ↳ Provide intimate settings where introverts can freely express their ideas. Techniques like this create an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts. This approach isn't just about diversity. It's about harnessing the power of all perspectives. Together, we can foster environments where every voice contributes to success. Let's ensure that every team member feels empowered to bring their best to the table.
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Whether in a family, a work group, a sports team, a group project at school, or whatever else, social loafing can significantly impact productivity and results. When people feel like their contributions are hard to notice, unimportant to the end goal, or difficult for others to keep them accountable for, it can be hard to stay motivated. To combat this, it’s important to establish clear individual responsibilities and accountability measures. We can do this in many ways, including: - Assigning specific, meaningful roles to each person. - Creating measurable milestone goals that are checked regularly. - Doing regular review and feedback sessions with the team as a whole. - Checking in with people individually about their roles and responsibilities. - Fostering a team culture that expresses appreciation for each member’s contributions. If the group is very large, it can also be helpful to break it into smaller teams where everyone becomes more visible and able to exert more influence. These are just a few strategies that should be considered whenever teams or groups are put together to work toward a common goal. Can you think of any others? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
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De-escalation strategies are vital in creating a safe, supportive, and productive learning environment where students feel valued and understood. When educators proactively use techniques like active listening, validating emotions, and offering choices, they help diffuse tension and prevent conflicts from escalating into disruptive or harmful situations. These approaches not only foster trust but also empower students to develop emotional regulation skills, which are essential for their long-term success. By implementing de-escalation strategies, teachers can shift interactions from reactive discipline to meaningful guidance, reinforcing a culture of respect and collaboration. For example, using a calm tone, maintaining non-threatening body language, and providing structured support can help students navigate challenges without feeling overwhelmed. When students experience patience and empathy from educators, they are more likely to engage positively, take ownership of their actions, and build resilience. Ultimately, de-escalation is not just about managing behavior it’s about cultivating an environment where every learner feels safe, heard, and capable of growth. When educators embrace these strategies, they transform classrooms into spaces of empowerment, fostering emotional intelligence and strengthening relationships that support lifelong learning.
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Many of the traditional multiple choice questions we use in assessment are abstract and measure only whether people recall facts they heard in the last 5 minutes. Converting these questions to scenario-based questions can increase the level of difficulty, measure higher level skills, and provide relevant context. 🎯 Transform traditional recall-based quiz questions into practical scenario-based questions to test actual job skills and decision-making abilities. 💡 Before writing questions, identify when and how learners would use the information in real work situations. If you can't find a practical use, reconsider the question. 📝 Keep scenarios concise and relevant. Often just 2-3 sentences of context can shift a question from testing memory to testing application. 📊 Align assessment questions with learning objectives. If your objective is application-level, your questions should test application rather than recall. Read more tips and see before and after question examples: https://lnkd.in/eARzjDfJ
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What if learners could practice tough conversations and get a realistic response back from a video? I’m exploring a DIY concept using Colossyan avatars, OpenAI, and n8n to create responsive roleplay scenarios. The idea is a learner watches a video prompt, responds in writing (voice or camera would be ideal but starting here), and then gets a new avatar reply, generated based on their input. It’s a lightweight flow, but the potential is big for soft skills practice. Like, performance reviews, compensation convos, feedback, stakeholder alignment. These moments are high-impact and hard to rehearse in traditional formats. There are tools that do pieces of this. But by building it yourself, you get full control of the experience, from how realistic the responses feel to how feedback is delivered. You’re not limited by someone else’s UX or roadmap. Of course, this isn’t meant to replace coaching or live training. But it could fill the gap between content and real-world practice, especially when time, access, or psychological safety are challenges. Right now, this is just an experiment. Curious to hear, where do you think something like this could work well? #InstructionalDesign #LearningDesign #eLearning #WorkingOutLoud #EdTech #DigitalLearning #AIInLearning
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This headline has been all over my feed: “...AI tutor rockets student test scores..." Everyone take a deep breath. We’ve seen this before, and it’s not the educational breakthrough we crave. We’ve been on this ride for 15 years—it’s just “adaptive practice”. But, to be clear, adaptive practice IS great. Putting students in front of personalized learning tools like Khan Academy would be better than a traditional lecture-based approach. And, I think those tools have a significant place in the future of school. But, we've seen this hype before: adaptive learning tools promise miracles, yet most students won't care. Their motivation remains untouched. The core issue is simple: teenagers aren't robots. Adaptive practice, even AI-enhanced, often feels like more efficiently delivered broccoli—still bland, still something adults make them eat. Even reducing schoolwork to three streamlined hours doesn't address the deeper issue: it remains disconnected from students' personal interests, dreams, and sense of purpose. Without meaningful context, shorter periods of adaptive practice simply reduce boredom—they don't eliminate it. That bargain will win over some students, but most won’t budge. Teenagers want meaning, community, and relevance. They engage deeply when learning connects with their interests and real-world goals. Picture this: instead of isolated science homework, students explore "Colonizing Mars," learning chemistry by balancing equations essential for rocket propulsion and sustaining life. Suddenly, chemistry matters because it connects directly to their interests. They deeply feel WHY the learning matters. Contents should be repackaged to fit into interesting, real-world problems. Those problems then animate all the thinking and hard work behind enduring learning. This isn't hypothetical—it’s called "interdisciplinary, inquiry-based learning," the approach we've embraced at Sora Schools. Adaptive tools become powerful when integrated into meaningful, real-world contexts, transforming chores into meaningful experiences. True educational innovation won't come from yet another adaptive learning iteration. It demands a fundamental shift—connecting knowledge to contexts students genuinely care about. Until then, we'll keep spinning on this edtech merry-go-round.