The Learner's Journey: Fostering Engagement at Every Turn

A recent study by Udemy revealed an interesting fact: 80% of employees feel more engaged at work when they're learning new skills. Yet, despite this clear desire to learn, keeping learners truly engaged remains a significant challenge for L&D professionals. It's not just about providing learning opportunities - it's about making those opportunities engaging and relevant, so that learning becomes not just a task, but a meaningful part of every employee's work life.

 In this episode of 'Bring Out the Talent,' we welcome Adam Weisblatt, a learning strategist known for his dedication to crafting learner-centered experiences. With an incredible background spanning 20 years in various facets of workplace learning, Adam brings a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience to the table. His journey, which has led him from being an instructor to an eLearning designer and programmer, has equipped him with unique insights into the creation and implementation of engaging projects.

 Tune in as we discuss a range of topics, from harnessing AI to tailor learning experiences to navigating the intricate balance between digital and in-person training environments.

Transcript

DAVID (SPEAKER_01):
Bring out the talent. Welcome to Bring Out the Talent, a podcast featuring learning and development experts discussing innovative approaches and industry insights. Tune in to hear our talent help develop yours. Now here are your hosts, TTA's CEO and President, Maria Melfa, and Talent Manager, Jocelyn Allen.

JOCELYN:
Hi, Maria. Hi, Jocelyn. She's going to hate you for that.

JOHNNY (SPEAKER_02):
What else is new?

JOCELYN:
Just kidding. Maria's not with us today. We have our dear friend, Johnny Boy, as I lovingly refer to him, helping me co-host the episode today. How is it going, Johnny?

JOHNNY:
It's going extremely well. How about yourself, Jocelyn?

JOCELYN:
Hanging in there. I'm excited to be here and for the topic that we have discussion-wise today because this talent resource that we have as part of our TTA family network is a wealth of knowledge...
(continues monologue introducing topic and guest)
...So welcome to the show, Adam. Thanks for being here.

ADAM WEISBLATT (SPEAKER_03):
Thanks for having me, Jocelyn.

JOCELYN:
Well, it is absolutely our pleasure...
(asks Adam why engagement is such a passion area for him)

ADAM:
Yeah, sure. So I work not only in instruction and instructional design, but...
(shares insights on learner engagement and post-pandemic challenges)

JOHNNY:
Working with many clients, we're getting feedback all the time from L&D leaders...
(asks about AI’s impact on engagement)

ADAM:
Well, the thing you have to remember about AI...
(explains comparison to copy/paste, customizing AI output, and responsible use)

JOCELYN:
Yeah, the responsibility piece is kind of something that I'm interested in because...
(shares personal experience using AI in recruiting tools)

ADAM:
Yeah, I think a lot of it has to do with the prompts that you use...
(explains prompt engineering, checking facts, and rewriting with voice)

JOCELYN:
That makes a lot of sense. It's like you're still personalizing it...

ADAM:
And there's also new technology that's coming up...
(talks about securely customizing AI with company-specific data)

JOCELYN:
Oh, very, yeah. Very interesting...
(asks about creating custom learning paths)

ADAM:
Right. So there's kind of two ways to go about it...
(compares career paths vs. relevance for engagement, human connection, managing complexity)

JOHNNY:
During COVID, we saw a lot of the training shift virtual...
(asks about engagement differences between in-person and virtual)

ADAM:
So I... There are definitely advantages to being in person...
(talks about performance mindset, mix of telling and doing, humor)

JOCELYN:
I'm a huge proponent for humor in learning...
(asks if there are places humor shouldn't be used in training)

ADAM:
Yeah, I mean, you have to be careful that it's not cringy...
(shares Muppet story, using humor to disarm learners and boost adoption)

JOHNNY:
Well, now everyone knows their source for angry Muppet videos...

JOCELYN:
Thank goodness.

ADAM:
Check that off your list.

JOCELYN:
So we're...
(asks about engagement strategies for mandated or resistant training)

ADAM:
Right. I think that all compliance training should start with an apology...
(advocates for honesty, brevity, avoiding bullet points, using memes and visuals)

JOCELYN:
Yeah, I agree. It just doesn't read as effective, honestly...

JOHNNY:
Cool. So Adam...
(asks how to measure learner engagement objectively)

ADAM:
Yeah, it is hard...
(talks about AI for free-form assessments, project-based evaluation, reading learner cues)

JOHNNY:
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense...
(mentions sentiment analysis technology)

ADAM:
Right. The thing with measurement, you've got to...
(emphasizes only measuring what you'll act on)

JOCELYN:
And that's a great point because it's...
(asks about the future of AI in L&D)

ADAM:
I think there's going to be a fundamental change...
(shares views on AI as a tool, prompt engineering as a critical skill)

JOCELYN:
I think there's a lot of discussion to be had around how to use AI...

ADAM:
Yeah, go back to your compliance. What would it be like to have to...
(jokes about EH&S training on the Death Star)

JOCELYN:
I like it. I like it. Well, let's see...
(asks for Adam’s final takeaway on learner engagement)

ADAM:
I think the thing people need to remember is engagement is what happens between humans...

JOCELYN:
I love it. Very well said, Adam...
(introduces the TTA 10 segment)

DAVID (SPEAKER_01):
It's the TTA 10, 10 final questions for our guests...

JOCELYN:
All right, Adam, my favorite part of the show...
(explains the rules and begins rapid-fire questions)

ADAM:
(answers all 10 questions with humor and creativity)

DAVID:
Well, it was a rocky start, but it's not how you start...

JOCELYN:
Eight seconds close. Way to go, Adam.

DAVID:
Nicely done, Adam. TTA 10...

ADAM:
The reason I was struggling is that I actually told you my worst job...

JOCELYN:
Well, I don't think we don't have rules for taking points off...

DAVID:
It's too late to turn back now...
(performs a hip-hop style recap rap about Adam)

ADAM:
David.

JOCELYN:
I mean, Adam, right? I think you need a new website with that as the welcoming song...

ADAM:
I'm so glad I joined. Thank you both, all three of you...

JOHNNY:
Our pleasure, Adam. Thank you.

JOCELYN:
For more information on Adam and fostering engagement and learning, visit us at thetrainingassociates.com. We'll see you later.