A Learning Science Conference?

In our field of learning design (aka instructional design), it’s too frequently the case that folks don’t actually know the underlying learning science that guides processes, policies, and practices. Is this a problem? If it is, what is the remedy?

Consider that you wouldn’t want an electrician that didn’t understand the principles of electricity. Such a person might not understand, for instance, the importance of grounding, leavning open the possibility of burning down the house.

So, too, with learning. If you don’t understand learning science, you might not understand why learning styles is a waste of money, the lack of value of information alone, nor that you should make alternatives to the right answer reflect typical misconceptions. There’s lots more: models, context, and feedback are also included in the topics that most folks don’t understand the nuances of.

If you don’t understand learning science, you waste money. You are likely to design ineffective learning, wasting time and effort. Or you might expend unnecessary effort on things that don’t have an impact. Overall, it’s a path to the poorhouse.

Of course, there are other reasons why we don’t have the impact we should: mismatched expectations on costs and time, SME recalcitrance and hubris, and more. Still, you’re better equipped to counter these problems if you can justify your stance from sound research.

The way to address this, of course, also isn’t necessarily easy. You might read a book, though some can mislead you. And, you still don’t get answers if you have questions. Or, you could pay for a degree, but those can be quite expensive and ineffective. Too frequently they spend time on process and not enough on principles.

There’s another option, one we’re providing. What if you could get the core essentials curated for their relevance? Further, this content is provided for you asynchronously, buttressed by the opportunity for meaningful interaction, in a tight time frame (at different times depending on your location)? Then, the presentation is by some of the most important names in the field, individuals who’ve reliably demonstrated an ability to translate academic research into comprehensible principles? And, finally, this is delivered at an appropriate cost? Does that sound like a valuable proposition?

I’d like to invite you to the Learning Science Conference, put on by the Learning Development Accelerator. Faculty already agreed include Ruth Clark (co-author of eLearning & The Science of Instruction), Clark Quinn (author of Learning Science for Instructional Designers), Matt Richter (co-director of the Thiagi group), and Nidhi Sachdeva (faculty at University of Toronto). The curriculum covers 9 of the most important elements of learning science including learning, myths and barriers, motivation, informal and social learning, media, and evaluation.

This event is designed to leave you with the foundations necessary to be able to design learning experiences that are both engaging and effective, as well as dealing with the expected roadblocks to success. Frankly, we see little else that’s as comprehensive and practical. We hope to see you there!