We Treat Learning Like We Treat Weight Management (12 minutes)

Most companies never ask for a transcript, and for the few who do, it is only for those seeking their first job out of college.  (Working inside education may be an exception.)  After that, grades mean almost nothing.  What companies instead seek are the things that grades, which become so easily gamed by both students and teachers, can diminish.  After all, if the grade is all that matters, then trying new things and failing (actually promoting learning) will be negated.  Teaching to a test, jamming information into short-term memory only to be lost a few weeks later will be the norm.  Critical thinking will be lost.  Problem solving based on context will be supplanted with algorithm practice absent of context. 

Knowing More About Less

For those of you creating workshops of your own, we found some amazing benefits to practicing what we preach.  This is a major differentiator for the Institute, actually leveraging brain science, learning research, and more as we learn and contextualize.  We utilized the most effective practices from cognitive science, persuasion, and perception strategies in each session.  From Interleaving to pattern finding to intentional creation of norepinephrine / dopamine / endorphin moments, we saw the power behind these learning frameworks.  Participants had the opportunity to review and reflect often.  Attendees also networked like crazy, establishing a community of practice that will follow them home.  In other words, I am confident in saying that we all learned.  I am also confident that learning will stick.