Mind the Skills Gap

Tune into the "Mind The Skills Gap" podcast for a focused discussion on the strategic use of artificial intelligence in enhancing workplace learning.

With Callum Clark, the brains behind Stellar Labs' AI, we're tearing down the complexities of AI and laying out the blueprint for its effective use in training.

Here's what you'll gain from the episode:

• Explore the AI Toolbox
• Stellar Labs vs. ChatGPT: A side-by-side comparison on functionality and impact
• Callum's Expert tip on how to leverage AI for maximum benefit
• Personal Insights: Callum shares his ultimate AI fascination
• Safeguarding Data with Stellar Labs: A look into how Stellar Labs ensures your training content and processes remain secure.

Whether you're deep in the tech world, a learning & development professional, or simply AI-curious, this episode is packed with insights, expert tips, and resources you won't want to miss!

RESOURCES:

Useful article
https://www.bcg.com/publications/2023/how-people-create-and-destroy-value-with-gen-ai

People to follow

Donald Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donald-clark-04553022/ - author of Artificial Intelligence for Learning

Beff Jezos https://twitter.com/BasedBeffJezos

Ethan Mollick https://www.linkedin.com/in/emollick/

In this episode of the Mind The Skills Gap podcast, we're thrilled to welcome the brilliant technical minds behind Stellar Labs, CTO Jan Pannecoeck and Nik Torfs, Full-stack Engineer/DevOps.

Together with Stella Collins, they make it easy to understand:

• How Stellar Labs practically employs AI to enhance customer experience
• The locations of Stellar Labs servers and how we comply with regulations like GDPR etc
• The programming languages and technologies that are the backbone of Stellar Labs, and how they contribute to our robustness and reliability
• Upcoming features that excite Nik & Jan

Listen to this episode to learn more about the technical side of Stellar Labs, and what sets it apart as a robust platform in the tech landscape.

Want to know more? Find out how Stellar Labs can revolutionise workplace learning, powered by AI and neuroscience with our platform and start your free trial.

In this last episode of Neuroscience for Learning, we explore the fascinating topic of how our brains are designed to forget, featuring expert Tina Harris. Discover why forgetting is actually crucial for our memory functions and how we can support and enhance our ability to remember. We delve into the role of the hippocampus, the conductor of memory in our brains, and learn how it sorts and processes information.

Uncover the power of emotions and sensory experiences in aiding memory retention and explore effective memory triggers like linking, novelty, and anchors such as mnemonics. Stories emerge as potent tools for memory, combining emotions, senses, and patterns. We also explore the significance of repetition and recall over recognition, understanding the importance of allowing neural pathways to strengthen through spaced repetition.

Tina provides practical strategies for designing learning programs that incorporate memory triggers and prevent forgetting. Uncover the secrets to overcoming the forgetting curve and ensuring optimal memory retention, even for less emotionally charged content like work-related information. Apply Tina's expert tips to support your memory and enhance your learning experience.

Watch this captivating episode of Neuroscience for Learning and unlock the key to remembering with ease.

In this fifth episode of our captivating neuroscience series on building habits for effective learning. We delve into the fascinating process of habit formation within the brain. In this episode, our expert guest Jaan sheds light on how habits initially start as conscious actions controlled by the prefrontal cortex, and then gradually transition to the automatic, unconscious basal ganglia.

Discover the pivotal role of endocannabinoids, neurotransmitters that facilitate this shift by reducing activity in the prefrontal cortex and increasing it in the basal ganglia. Through repetition and the strengthening of neural connections, habits become deeply ingrained. Jaan shares practical insights for applying this knowledge to the real-world challenges of learning at work.

Learn how triggered action plans, rooted in specific events, can empower you to overcome old habits and embrace new behaviours. By harnessing the brain's natural reward system, these action plans provide a tangible sense of accomplishment, igniting a positive feedback loop of success and motivation. This episode unveils the secrets to building effective habits that transform your learning experience.

Don't miss out! Join us in the next episode for more enlightening discoveries.

In this episode, Stella and Karen delve into the fascinating world of neuroplasticity and its impact on learning. Join us as we explore how our brains form and reform connections through the use of glucose, electricity, and chemicals.

Discover the truth about the brain's capacity to change and adapt, debunking the myth of its fixed nature. Learn about Hebb's Law and how neurons that fire together wire together, creating interconnected networks that enable us to perform cognitive tasks. But how can we harness neuroplasticity in practical learning scenarios? Enter the power of play. Find out how playfulness triggers creativity, enhances brain connections, and promotes thinking outside the box.

Discover simple yet effective strategies to incorporate play into learning, including adapting favourite games, using multisensory elements, and fostering social interaction. Uncover the benefits of play for adults, from better memory to cognitive flexibility and stress regulation.

So, whether you're a learner or an educator, join us on this exciting journey as we unlock the potential of neuroplasticity and play in the world of learning.

In this episode, Stella Collins and Karen Mouws explore the fascinating world of neuroscience in learning. They delve into the concept of cognitive overload caused by an excessive amount of content and its impact on our brains.

Stella presents an engaging activity that demonstrates cognitive overload firsthand. Karen then shares four essential strategies to combat cognitive overload: context, connections, concrete information, and chunking.

They discuss the importance of making learning relatable, connecting new knowledge to existing knowledge, using real situations, and asking questions. Stella emphasises the significance of making learning concrete and engaging the senses. Finally, they stress the power of active learning to enhance retention.

Join Stella and Karen as they provide valuable insights and practical tips to optimise learning experiences and improve performance.

In this episode of "The Neuroscience of Learning," Stella Collins and Tina Harris delve into the fascinating world of motivating minds and bodies to learn. They explore the crucial role neurotransmitters play in our brain states during the learning process, highlighting the significance of curiosity fuelled by dopamine, attention supported by acetylcholine, and satisfaction triggered by serotonin. They emphasise the negative impact of stress on learning, attributed to cortisol and adrenaline.

Tina shares valuable insights on promoting motivation and skill automation, emphasising the importance of understanding learners' "why" and incorporating it into the learning design. They discuss creating a safe and challenging environment, encouraging guesswork and contribution, and fostering curiosity through novel approaches. The goal is to ignite learners' intrinsic motivation, cultivate engagement, and facilitate effective knowledge transfer.

Join them in exploring the intriguing world of neuroscience in learning.

In this episode of "Neuroscience for Learning," Stella Collins and Jaan Couvreur explore how our brains learn and the challenges we face in applying that knowledge in the professional context.

They introduce the concept of building a brain, highlighting the brainstem, central cerebrum, and cerebral cortex, and how they contribute to our learning processes. With a focus on the importance of applying knowledge through active engagement, they present the GEAR methodology—a four-step approach involving guiding, experimenting, applying, and retaining knowledge.

By understanding the energy demands of our brains and utilising effective learning strategies like spaced repetition, they emphasise the transformation of learning from knowing to doing.

Join Stella and Jaan on this captivating journey from neuroscience to practical application in the workplace.

AI is here, and it's changing the world. But what does that mean for L&D?

Donald Clark, the world-leading authority on AI in learning, joins Stella to shed light on the AI revolution we're living through.

Listen to this episode for fascinating insights, and practical steps L&D can take to use AI to boost productivity and the impact of learning.

Donald and Stella cover a lot of ground in this episode, including:

• How AI is transforming the L&D industry by improving performance and productivity
• How large language models, one type of AI, are used to personalise learning content and provide customised feedback
• Ways AI can also be used to identify skill gaps and provide targeted training
• The importance of accuracy in AI-powered learning
• What AI means for more effective and efficient learning.
• The ethical concerns surrounding AI

Tune in to learn more about the benefits and challenges of AI in learning and development.

Want to know more? Find out how AI drives productivity so that you can design training in ‘minutes, not months' with our platform.

Some other resources that you'll love: 

• Donald's Blog on AI in Africa.  
• Donald's book on Learning Technology
• Donald's book on AI for learning

The human element of learning analytics and how to use data to create better learning experiences. In this episode, Stella dives into learning data and how to use it, with Bart Rienties, Professor of Learning Analytics at The Open University.

Bart Rienties is the Professor of Learning Analytics at The Open University. As an educational psychologist, he brings a fascinating perspective.

In this episode Stella and Bart discuss:

• The key elements of learning analytics
• The importance of the human element of leveraging learning data to support students and the learning environment.
• The value of tailoring the learning experience using data
• How to use analytics to pinpoint learner's strong points and areas for development
• A real-world story of how using predictive learning analytics raised retention rates by 2 to 10%

Learning transfer is a major challenge - on average only around 15% of training turns into skills on the job. Not a comfortable conversation to have with the C-Suite!

So how do you tackle the elephant in the room?

Paul Matthews, CEO of People Alchemy and Learning Transfer guru, joined me to discuss.

It's a great episode packed with insights, including:

👉 How to get to the heart of the behaviour change the C-Suite wants to see
👉 How to measure learning transfer in a way that demonstrates real value to the people at the top
👉 The challenges of learning transfer and how to use the 12 levers to boost it
👉 The role of learning culture

Read my guide to Learning Transfer.

Can digital learning build more than knowledge and help people build skills?
In this episode, I'm joined by Georgie Cooke, Director at learning design agency, Lima Delta. Listen for a host of practical insights to help you design learning to build skills, including on:

• Design processes for building skills
• The support needed for self-directed learning
• Safe, yet realistic environments for practising skills
• The role of reflection
• The impact of motivation throughout learning journeys
• The road to mastery

And more!

Will watching 100 hours of LinkedIn Learning courses make you better at your job? What can you learn from bad bosses? And, why be a facilitator not just a performer. In this episode of Mind the Skills Gap Simon Howson-Baggott (Manager, Customer Success at LinkedIn Learning) shares his insights from a long career in L&D , including 5+ years at LinkedIn Learning.

Mirjam Neelen and Stella Collins discuss the best ways to change behaviour, improve performance and increase return on investment to make learning more effective and enjoyable. As well as how to ensure employees are equipped with the skills they need for today's challenging and demanding market.

We decided to give our podcast a refresh. Drumroll please... Welcome to Mind the Skills Gap! New look, new name, but still top-quality conversation with our brilliant guests – focused on one of the biggest challenges facing businesses today: The skills gap.

Don Taylor has a problem with learning technology! Stella was keen to dig into how Don Taylor thinks learning tech is evolving, and what he thinks has changed since he wrote his book, Learning Technologies in the Workplace.

Donald Clark takes us on a fast paced journey connecting the state of L&D today with cave paintings, Plato, Mary Wollstonecraft and the metaverse. Where else are you going to learn the history of your profession so fast?

Dr. Ina-Weinbaeur Heidel reveals some of the easy to implement key factors to make training more effective. Find out what you can do by listening to this podcast.

Many of us have migrated to using digital technology during the pandemic but not everyone is seeing the benefits. Tina Harris, one of our Senior Learning Specialists tells us how and why she has become a digital fan. Take some top tips from Tina and you'll never look back.

Feedback or feedforward, empowerment or control, focus on skills or outcomes? All questions that Bruce Fechyr-Lippens, founder at Huapii, addresses in this podcast about shifts the C-suite need to make to futureproof their organisations.