Debunking Myths And Delving Into Cognitive Science With Clark Quinn
Clark Quinn is the director of Quinnovation, an unbiased studying expertise design technique consultancy, and co-organizer of The Studying Improvement Accelerator, an internet group that brings L&D professionals collectively. By way of his endeavors, Dr. Quinn utilized evidence-based practices to assist firms “work smarter.” He’s an internationally identified marketing consultant, speaker, and writer, who combines his deep understanding of cognition with broad expertise in expertise to enhance organizational execution, innovation, and efficiency. Right now, he speaks with us about using studying tech, debunking the “studying kinds” fantasy, and making a stable studying tradition framework.
What do you suppose is without doubt one of the most damaging myths or misconceptions about using studying expertise that stops organizations from reaching their L&D targets?
I feel studying kinds might be probably the most damaging fantasy, although it is not particular to studying expertise. We will not reliably diagnose kinds (the psychometrics of the varied devices do not go the minimal normal), and there is additionally no conclusive proof that attempting to regulate studying on the premise of kinds results in improved outcomes (extra on the contrary). Happily, now we have the choice of designing for the training, not the learner.
If I needed to choose a selected expertise fantasy, I suppose I might put “digital means we study in a different way” on trial. The notion that our brains have modified because the introduction of digital expertise actually is not cogent; our physiology would not change that quick. The methods we will create experiences might have been made simpler, however our brains have not modified and we nonetheless want observe and suggestions to study.
Alternatively, I might assault the “tech solves all issues” fantasy, the place we expect a selected expertise is a panacea—video, microlearning, AI, VR—all of the issues are being touted as the reply. As a substitute, we have to perceive the distinctive affordances of various expertise and use as acceptable.
What’s certainly one of your standout eLearning consumer success tales?
My favourite success was the answer we created for the Australian Kids’s Welfare Group. It met an actual want: children “in care” (e.g. who develop up with out typical parental fashions) surviving after they age out. It was a real critical recreation, with an underlying mannequin and likelihood. It had a training engine with graduated hints. Additional, we ported it to the net the place it might need been the primary critical recreation playable in a browser with out Flash. It additionally led to 2 publications:
Quinn, C. N. (1996). Designing an educational recreation: reflections on Quest for Independence. Training and Data Applied sciences, 1 (3&4). 251-269.
Quinn, C. N. & Ahyong, G. (1998). Net Quest: Porting Quest for Independence to the World Vast Net. Training and Data Applied sciences, 3 (1). 51-78.
Amazingly, you may nonetheless play it!
In your opinion, what is without doubt one of the most typical errors that organizations make when attempting to reinforce office efficiency by way of L&D?
My cheeky reply is, “L&D is not doing close to what it may and may, and what it is doing, it’s doing badly. Apart from that, it is high quality.” In brief, we do two issues flawed: our studying options aren’t effectively designed, and we do not transcend “the course” to efficiency assist, not to mention to facilitating innovation. I couple that with an admonition to a) begin measuring impression, not simply effectivity, and b) work internally on making a studying tradition to really personal it earlier than taking it to the remainder of the group.
You have penned quite a few books about creating significant studying experiences and studying science. Are you able to inform our readers a bit extra about them and the place they will discover your works?
At core, they’re about how we will leverage our understanding of cognition to enhance our potential to study and carry out. Video games have been a recurrent theme all through my profession, and that is impacted each my first and most up-to-date books. My books on myths and studying science replicate my standing as a cognitive geek. The books on mLearning and the L&D revolution replicate how we will use expertise and science to help individuals not simply by way of programs, however by way of the total suite of efficiency and improvement. You could find out extra about all of them right here. Thanks for asking!
Are you able to provide new studying expertise designers some phrases of knowledge to create results-driven programs by leveraging cognitive science?
Effectively, the primary phrase of recommendation is to study the cognitive (and studying) science behind profitable outcomes. Perceive the processes of notion, consideration, elaboration, and retrieval, and the properties of sensory, working, and long-term reminiscence. Then, perceive the implications: the need of significant observe and suggestions, and the position of psychological fashions and examples. Then, add within the emotional part: construct motivation and confidence, and maintain nervousness below management by making it “secure” through the introduction and in addition the closing. Crucial factor I might emphasize, in fact, is the need of ample contextualized observe and acceptable suggestions.
Wrapping Up
We might wish to thank Clark Quinn for collaborating in our Thought Chief Q&A. Clark was additionally featured in our eLearning Trailblazers: Studying Expertise Design Consultants checklist for his dedication to sharing distinctive experience, design insights, and insider know-how with our eLearning group.
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