PinnedJournalism Through Learning DesignAt its core, journalism is a civic enterprise with a mission to help citizens better understand their world and communities. Fulfilling this lofty mission in today’s digital media landscape poses new and evolving challenges, but it also presents a unique opportunity to reexamine the relationship between storytellers and their consumers. …Journalism2 min read
PinnedHow Can Journalists Become Better Teachers?Three journalism examples that promote audience learning — What would America’s news consumers look like as a class of students? Some seats would be filled by news junkies who do all their homework. Some students might be interested in current events, but unmotivated to learn more. Another group, maybe sitting in the back row, would be disengaged, distracted, or checked out from the news entirely.¹Journalism6 min read
Jun 2Online Learning DesignWhat does it take to build an online course from the ground up? An explosion of user-friendly tools and platforms has made it easier than ever to create an online course. In this post, I’ll share course design principles that should be considered for anyone who wants to create an…2 min read
Apr 14Starting seeds indoors: 5 Things I need to get my gardening goingIt’s my second year of doing a garden. I started some stuff indoors, but it didn’t do all that well. Part of the problem is I picked the wrong seeds (squash and cucumbers) to germinate indoors. …2 min read
Apr 4What private DMs with a friend taught me about giving good feedbackA few days ago, I received a DM from a trusted friend, someone with a ton of wisdom about how learning works. — Her message, in part, is moving me to look more deeply at digital accessibility. Digital content creators (like myself) have a lot to learn on this topic, and I suspect that online learning design can be a source of useful new insights. But this essay isn’t about that. It’s about how friends can give meaningful feedback…2 min read
Mar 30The perils of using graphs as a visual storytelling elementGraphs are a fast and efficient way to convey information but they are often easily misinterpreted. Exponential growth bias is one of the biggest ways in which we misinterpret graphs. …2 min read
Mar 29Embarking on a new learning journey? Educators share advice on how to get the most out of your experience.What advice do you have for people embarking on a new learning journey? I asked that question to dozens of top college teachers who themselves were students recently. They completed a rigorous year-long certification program in evidence-based teaching practices offered by the Association of College and University Educators. Here’s what…2 min read
Mar 27Powerful note taking skills for content creatorsDon’t just attend webinars. Write about them. People write about their favorite books, top podcasts, or Twitter threads. Why not virtual events? Event recaps are timely, relevant, and offer ICYMI value for people who missed the event. If you’re going to spend 60 minutes listening to someone talk about a…1 min read
Mar 265 Studying Strategies to Help Students Learn MoreFor Ryan McPherson, an associate professor of practice at the University of Texas at San Antonio, learning about what doesn’t work for his students, especially when it comes to studying, is what sticks with him. “Things we know don’t work include cramming, studying marathons before a test, highlighting things, rereading…1 min read
Mar 25Resources for ADHD Parenting(?)Life with ADHD is a bit of a clueless journey but ADHD parenting with young kids? Hooo boy. The good news is that my interest in how learning works sharpened in focus as I became a father. …2 min read
