Tips for Improving Adult Learning with Practical Examples

“Train-the-trainers” (TTT) is one of the most common methods used to scale up improvement & change capability across organisations, yet we often fail to set it up for success. A recent article, drawing on teacher professional development & transfer-of-training research, argues TTT should always be based on an “offer-and-use” model: OFFER: what the programme provides—facilitator expertise, session design, practice opportunities, feedback, follow-up support & evaluation. USE: what participants do with those opportunities—what they notice, how they make sense of it, how much they engage, what they learn, & whether they apply it in real work. How to design TTT that works & sticks: 1. Design for real-world use: Clarify the practical outcome - what trainers should do differently in their next sessions & what that should improve for the organisation. Plan beyond the classroom with post-course support so people can apply learning. Space learning over time rather than delivering it in one intensive block, because spacing & follow-ups support sustained use. 2. Use strong facilitators: Select facilitators who know the topic & how adults learn, how groups work & how to give useful feedback. Ensure they teach “how to make this stick at work” (apply & sustain practices), not only “how to deliver a session.” 3. Make practice central: Build the programme around realistic rehearsal: deliver, get feedback, & practise again until skills become automatic. Use participants’ real scenarios (especially change situations) to strengthen transfer. Include safe practice for difficult moments (challenge, unexpected questions) & treat mistakes as learning. Build peer learning so participants learn with & from each other, not just the facilitator. 4. Prepare participants to succeed: Assess what participants already know & can do, then tailor the learning. Build confidence to use skills at work (confidence predicts application). Help each person create a simple, specific plan for when & how they will use the approaches in their next training sessions. 5. Ensure workplace transfer support: Enable quick application (opportunities to deliver training soon after the course), plus time & resources to do it well. Provide ongoing support (feedback, coaching, & encouragement) from leaders, peers &/or the wider organisation. 6. Evaluate what matters: Go beyond satisfaction scores - assess whether trainers changed their practice & whether this improved outcomes for learners & the organisation. Use findings to improve the next iteration as a continuous improvement cycle, not a one-off event. https://lnkd.in/eJ-Xrxwm. By Prof. Dr. Susanne Wisshak & colleagues, sourced via John Whitfield MBA

🚀 Learning is the ultimate career cheat code—but most of us still treat it like a weekend hobby. If you want to out-learn (and out-earn) peers, pick up the pace with these ten upgrades: 1. Set a 25-minute sprint timer. Chunk material into Pomodoro sprints to keep your brain in “high-alert” mode instead of drifting into passive intake. 2. Pre-read the table of contents. Mapping the territory first primes your memory to slot new info into the right mental folders. 3. Ask why after every big idea. Explaining a concept in your own words forces deeper encoding and reveals gaps instantly. 4. Teach it to someone—or to ChatGPT. If you can’t simplify it, you haven’t mastered it. Teaching turns fuzzy recall into lucid understanding. 5. Anchor facts to vivid stories. Narratives stick; raw data slips. Turn statistics and formulas into mini case studies you’ll remember. 6. Leverage spaced repetition tools. Anki or Quizlet resurfaces concepts right before you forget them, locking them into long-term memory with minimal effort. 7. Pair audio + text. Listening to the lecture while skimming the transcript doubles sensory inputs—speeding comprehension and retention. 8. Build a “just-in-time” project. Apply new knowledge to a real-world task within 24 hours. Action cements theory faster than note-taking ever will. 9. Eliminate context switching. Batch similar learning topics together. Jumping between unrelated subjects taxes working memory and slows absorption. 10. Track learning ROI weekly. Review what you applied, what failed, and what to drop. Reflection turns busy study sessions into measurable progress. 🔄 Which tactic will you try first? Share your plan in the comments and let’s learn faster—together.

First-time learners don’t need harder problems. They need better examples. In my latest blog post, I unpack why the humble “worked example” outpaces unguided practice for novices — and how this flips a lot of our L&D instincts. Picture this: Maria, three weeks into her role as a financial advisor. Her boss gives her a real client, throws a massive spreadsheet at her, and says: “Good luck.” That’s not learning. That’s drowning. Here’s the twist: We know from research that making things hard for learners can help memory and mastery. Yet, for absolute beginners, jumping straight into full solo problem‐solving often overloads working memory, wrecks schema formation, and slows learning. That’s where worked examples come in: complete models, step-by-step, with rationale. They give learners the “map” so their brain can start building the landscape before they travel it. The practical takeaway for your L&D toolkit: Start with worked examples when learners are in the novice stage: Show full solutions and explain why each step matters. Fade support gradually—as expertise builds—moving from full example → completion tasks → faded scaffolding → independent problem solving. Don’t assume “harder = better” from the start. The right difficulty at the right time is what matters. Segment your audience by prior knowledge: Novices benefit most from heavy structure; experienced learners need the reverse. If you’re designing any workplace learning—onboarding, skill drills, technical training—this means: • Let learners see the expert path first. • Let them understand it. • Then let them do it. And only crank up the complexity after their schemas are solid. That’s how you get more “Aha!” moments and fewer blank stares. Why this matters (for you as a learning designer): Our job isn’t to make everything feel hard; it’s to make things meaningfully doable—so learners stay confident, attentive, and steadily grow. Worked examples are one of our most reliable tools for that early stage. Would love to hear your thoughts: Have you used worked examples recently? What happened when you skipped them? Drop a comment & let’s swap stories. https://lnkd.in/g-N8yfPP #LearningDesign #InstructionalDesign #WorkplaceLearning #LearningScience #L&D

Learn Anything, Faster. (9 moves for your first 20 hours): It’s 9 pm. Three tabs open. Zero progress. The fix isn’t more information. It’s better reps, designed on purpose. Here are 9 moves to turn stalled intention into skilled execution: 1. Vague goal vs One-line outcome ❌ “Get better at data viz” ✅ “In 7 days I present a 3-slide chart story without notes” Try this: Write a single success sentence you can test in public. 2. Info hoarding vs Skill reps ❌ Ten tabs open, zero practice ✅ Five minutes reading, twenty minutes doing Try this: 1:4 ratio. For every minute of input, do four of output. 3. Marathon sessions vs Daily sprints ❌ Weekend cram ✅ Short, consistent blocks that stack Try this: Two 25 minute Pomodoros, every day for 10 days. 4. Random tutorials vs Deconstruction ❌ Learning everything in order ✅ Isolate the highest leverage subskills first Try this: List the skill’s top four moves. Practice the one that removes the most friction. 5. Friction everywhere vs Clean launchpad ❌ Notifications, clutter, multitasking ✅ One tool, one tab, one task Try this: Airplane mode, full screen, single document workspace. 6. Perfect from the start vs Ugly first reps ❌ Restarting until it looks right ✅ Ten messy iterations to expose patterns Try this: Ship version 0.1 in 60 minutes, then iterate by rule, not by mood. 7. Late feedback vs Immediate loop ❌ Waiting until you “feel ready” ✅ Rapid, objective checkpoints Try this: Record yourself, compare to an expert example, fix one thing per session. 8. Motivation hunt vs Commitment design ❌ “I’ll do it when I’m inspired” ✅ Make momentum inevitable Try this: Calendar 20 hours, announce a micro deadline, add a small stake you care about. 9. Solo grind vs Social learning ❌ Struggling alone for weeks ✅ Borrowing brains to speed the climb Try this: Teach back for 15 minutes to a peer or community and ask for one note to improve. What move are you starting with today, and what’s your one-line outcome? ♻️ Share this with someone starting from scratch ➕ Follow Helene Guillaume Pabis for practical, human-first performance playbooks ✉️ Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dy3wzu9A

Do your learners rush through training without pausing to process what they've learned? 🤔 Reflection is one of the most underused but powerful tools in learning. When learners are given space to pause and think, they gain deeper understanding and clarity. It’s not just about completing a course. It’s about making the content meaningful, connecting it to their own experiences, and figuring out how to use it in real life. Reflection helps learners go from hearing something to owning it. For example, imagine a leadership training session where learners are asked to reflect on a recent conflict they’ve managed. Instead of jumping to solutions, they take a moment to consider questions like: “What went well? What could I have handled differently? How would this training have changed my approach?” This process encourages self-awareness and allows learners to integrate new strategies into their existing practices. Want to help learners reflect in a way that enhances understanding? Try these ideas! ⬇️ 👉 Incorporate reflective prompts. Add open-ended questions like “How would you apply this concept in your role?” or “What’s one thing you’ll change after learning this?” 👉 Schedule reflection time. After covering a key concept, include a short pause for learners to write down their thoughts or share in small groups. This ensures reflection isn’t skipped in the rush to move on. 👉 Use reflective journaling. In longer courses, ask learners to maintain a journal where they can track insights, questions, and personal action plans. 👉 Tie reflection to action. Pair reflection activities with concrete next steps. For example, “After reflecting on your approach to X, create a plan for how you’ll use Y in your next project.” Reflection is the bridge between learning and doing. ---------------------- Hi! I'm Elizabeth! 👋 💻 I specialize in eLearning development, where I create engaging courses that are designed to change the behavior of the learner to meet the needs of the organization. Follow me for more, and reach out if you need a high-quality innovative learning solution. 🤝 #InstructionalDesign #ReflectionInLearning #eLearning #AdultLearning #LearnerEngagement #LXD #LearningAndDevelopment

At the recent Learningguild online conference, I shared about Frederick Bartlett’s research on memory built on Ebbinghaus’ research shortcomings and how we should use Bartlett’s findings to design learning experiences that help learners build the required skills. These are the key takeaways: 1) Learners’ cultural background & prior knowledge lead to memory distortions. In the case of Bartlett’s “The War of the Ghosts” experiments, British participants unfamiliar with the supernatural part of the story in Native American culture either omitted or rendered the story to make it more palatable to their own existing schemata. o   Note to L&D: Do a thorough analysis of your learners to understand their cultural backgrounds and prior knowledge, esp. if you have global learners. 2)  While Ebbinghaus believed that Reason and Emotion are two separate things, Bartlett proved they work together. He found that we try to make sense of things that seem irrational, particularly if they trigger an emotional response in us. He discovered that this emotional response made people much more determined to remember. o   Note to L&D: Work with your subject matter experts to embed the consequences of decisions, lack of action, accurate performance, etc., in the learning experience. An experience coupled with emotional triggers even negative is usually better remembered. 3)  In his visual representation experiments, participants remembered better if text describing the illustration was placed next to it. o   Note to L&D: Take spatial contiguity to heart if you want the learners remember an important point.  That’s what Richard Mayer found as well. 4)  Investigate the reasons for no behavior change. Instead of jumping straight into training, dig into why people aren’t changing their behavior. Show them the consequences of their actions not just with numbers but with powerful stories. 5) Build decision making under stress and time pressure into your simulation learning. High-tech simulations in comfortable settings teach procedures well, but they miss the crucial part—making decisions when things go wrong and pressure mounts. #applyingresearchtopractice #memory #remembering #research

Active Learning Strategies Active learning transforms students from passive listeners into active participants who question, apply, and connect their learning to real-world contexts. By engaging in doing, discussing, and creating, students retain knowledge more deeply, develop critical thinking and confidence, and see the relevance of what they learn. Collaboration with peers further builds empathy, teamwork, and essential lifelong skills beyond the classroom. The following strategies offer practical ways to bring these principles to life and help students actively engage with their learning. 💎 Students can have 2 minutes to prepare and gather their thoughts individually, then discuss in pairs for 10 minutes, before sharing perspectives with the class and having a class discussion. 💎 Students can have various roles to bring pro/con, or stakeholder perspectives to spark critical engagement. 💎 Students can be the “summarizer,” the “challenger,” or the “connector” (linking ideas to previous content), when it comes to group discussion. 💎 Students get a chance of extending conversations outside class by uploading their short 2-3 minute video reflection in the discussion forum. The video can include 3-5 key points or quotations from the resources that you brought to class, together with student reacting to them. 💎 Students present realistic scenarios and to solve or analyze them. 💎 Students act out decision-making situations (e.g., business negotiation, patient care, policy debate). 💎 After a mini-lecture, students get a 5-minute challenge where they can apply the concept to an example. 💎 Students create something tangible (a business plan, a design prototype, a policy brief) that has the key takeaways of the concept you taught. 💎 Students take short, low-stakes quizzes in groups where they remember and apply knowledge. 💎 Students individually or in a group teach a concept to the class and bring resources to support understanding. 💎 Each group learns one part of the content, then teaches it to others as a Jigsaw activity. 💎 Students make short videos, explainers, or infographics for presenting their findings to their peers. 💎 Students review each other’s work and provide constructive feedback, reinforcing their own understanding. What are some of the strategies that worked for your students?😊 #ActiveLearning #TeachingStrategies #StudentEngagement #DeepLearning #CriticalThinking #CollaborativeLearning #HigherEducation #InnovativeTeaching #LearningDesign #Pedagogy #EducationTransformation #LifelongLearning

A lot of people think of learning as something separate from work. Another thing on the to-do list. But the reality is - learning shows up in all sorts of moments at work - when you hit a problem you need to solve or something needs to shift. That’s why I like the 'Five Moments of Need' - a principle-based framework from Conrad Gottfredson and Bob Mosher. It works with an action-first mindset: learning only matters if you can apply it. Here’s how it plays out: 1️⃣ New - the first time doing something. 👉 Example: onboarding a new hire. A quick-start guide or checklist helps them hit the ground running. 2️⃣ More - building on what you already know. 👉 Example: manager training. A new manager knows the basics but now needs “next level” support for things like running 1:1s or coaching. 3️⃣ Apply - time to do it for real. 👉 Example: giving tough feedback. A 5-min lesson or a ready-to-use script right before the conversation makes all the difference. 4️⃣ Solve - something’s gone sideways. 👉 Example: a project’s derailed. A short troubleshooting guide or access to an expert who’s handled it before can turn things around fast. 5️⃣ Change - the priorities or systems shift. 👉 Example: a new performance process or tool. Don’t just announce it - give managers and their teams the people skills to navigate it as it happens. 💡 Want to try this tomorrow? Pick one area (say, feedback) and map out these 5 moments. You'll be surprised how differently it would play out. At the end of the day, learning only matters if it changes how we show up at work. The 'Five Moments' framework gives us a way to design for that. It’s the same principle Learna's built on: short, practical lessons (from the experts) that helps people act differently in the moment they need it. #microlearning #peopleskills #learninganddevelopment #learnforwork

If your learners "aren’t engaging"... Maybe it’s not them. Maybe it’s the design. Here’s what I’ve seen go wrong (and how we can fix it): ❌ Courses that push information but ignore application ❌ Assessments that test memory, not mastery ❌ Slides that talk at learners instead of involving them Here’s what works: ✅ Scenarios that mirror real decisions ✅ Micro-practice and spaced repetition ✅ Reflection prompts, branching paths, job aids ✅ Giving learners something to do, not just something to watch Your learners want to grow. Let’s make sure our designs help them get there. 💬 What’s one learner-centered strategy you swear by? #InstructionalDesign #LearningExperienceDesign #EdTech #AdultLearning #LXD #IDOLAcademy #LearnerCentered

No one learns by being talked at. Adults learn by doing, reflecting, and trying again. Last week, I had the privilege of leading a presentation skills workshop for the ESCP - European Society of Coloproctology. What stood out? The energy in the room. A small, engaged group of professionals fully invested in leveling up their skills. Within the first 45 minutes, participants were already presenting. Why? Because real growth comes from action. You can’t master communication by sitting back and listening. You have to step in, try, and refine. Here are three techniques we practiced (and you can start using today): → State your one-sentence takeaway *before* showing a slide. This sets the stage for your audience. → Open with a clear promise of value, then guide your audience with a structured agenda. → Use the PRA method for Q&A: Pause. Reframe the question. Answer with 1-2-3 points for clarity. By the end of the day, the progress was visible. Confidence grew. Messages became sharper. And every participant left with tools to amplify their impact. Thank you to Gabrielle van Ramshorst and the ESCP team for creating a space where curiosity and commitment thrived. If your organization or leadership team is ready for practical, hands-on training that delivers measurable improvement, let’s talk. Together, we can build clarity, confidence, and connection.