In this quick solo episode, I reflect back on two years' worth of BLOC podcast episodes, talk about how I think new instructional designers (and even some of the most seasoned L&amp;D professionals) should think about learning. I also share that Laura Hoyer and I are back and ready to run our ID Coaching Cohort this fall! 

In this quick solo episode, I reflect back on two years' worth of BLOC podcast episodes, talk about how I think new instructional designers (and even some of the most seasoned L&amp;D professionals) should think about learning. I also share that Laura Hoyer and I are back and ready to run our ID Coaching Cohort this fall!

Episode 54: How Instructional Designers Should Think About Learning

In this episode, I answer some of the interview questions from my ATD blog article, "10 Questions to Ask When Interviewing Instructional Designers." Here's a link to the blog article: https://www.td.org/atd-blog/10-questions-to-ask-when-interviewing-instructional-designers

In this episode, I answer some of the interview questions from my ATD blog article, "10 Questions to Ask When Interviewing Instructional Designers." Here's a link to the blog article: <a href="https://www.td.org/atd-blog/10-questions-to-ask-when-interviewing-instructional-designers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.td.org/atd-blog/10-questions-to-ask-when-interviewing-instructional-designers</a>

Episode 53: 5 Instructional Design Interview Answers

Bhakti Karkare

In this episode, I chat with Bhakti Karkare, founder of Third Loop Learning about what facilitation can teach leaders. We talk about how leadership has changed since the pandemic and Bhakti gives tips on how to be an inclusive leader. Bhakti Karkare is the founder of Third Loop Learning. She is a Facilitation Evangelist, who takes simple, easy to use facilitation skills and shows you how to use them to become the leader you know you can be - one that inspires loyalty, creativity, and dedicated work. She has helped hundreds of leaders and managers become facilitators, and really, they discover their own authentic style of leadership that makes all the difference for their teams, and their career. Bhakti's suggestion for growing your leadership skills:Timothy R. Clark's The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety

In this episode, I chat with Bhakti Karkare, founder of Third Loop Learning about what facilitation can teach leaders. We talk about how leadership has changed since the pandemic and Bhakti gives tips on how to be an inclusive leader. Bhakti Karkare is the founder of <a href="https://thirdlooplearning.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Third Loop Learning</a>. She is a Facilitation Evangelist, who takes simple, easy to use facilitation skills and shows you how to use them to become the leader you know you can be - one that inspires loyalty, creativity, and dedicated work. She has helped hundreds of leaders and managers become facilitators, and really, they discover their own authentic style of leadership that makes all the difference for their teams, and their career.  Bhakti's suggestion for growing your leadership skills:<ul><li><a href="https://www.leaderfactor.com/4-stages-of-psychological-safety" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Timothy R. Clark's The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety</a></li></ul>

Episode 52: What Facilitation Can Teach Leaders with Bhakti Karkare

In this episode, I chat with the founder of Playful Perspectives, Sarah Filman about how she helps develop teams and leaders through improv and play.  Sarah Filman (she/her) is a certified leadership coach, playful facilitator, and improv comedian based in Seattle, Washington. She founded Playful Perspectives to support mission-driven individuals, leaders, and teams to grow, connect, and create to transform themselves and the world. Grounded in leadership and people management experience in both tech and non-profit organizations, she's passionate about the power of play to support radical growth, inclusive spaces, and thriving teams. Visit Sarah's website at: https://www.playfulperspectives.comSarah's suggestion for those interested in learning more about leadership and power dynamics: Cyndi Suarez's The Power Manual: How to Master Complex Power Dynamics

In this episode, I chat with the founder of Playful Perspectives, Sarah Filman about how she helps develop teams and leaders through improv and play.  Sarah Filman (she/her) is a certified leadership coach, playful facilitator, and improv comedian based in Seattle, Washington. She founded Playful Perspectives to support mission-driven individuals, leaders, and teams to grow, connect, and create to transform themselves and the world. Grounded in leadership and people management experience in both tech and non-profit organizations, she's passionate about the power of play to support radical growth, inclusive spaces, and thriving teams. Visit Sarah's website at: <a href="https://www.playfulperspectives.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.playfulperspectives.com</a> Sarah's suggestion for those interested in learning more about leadership and power dynamics:  Cyndi Suarez's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Power-Manual-Master-Complex-Dynamics/dp/0865718814" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Power Manual: How to Master Complex Power Dynamics</a>

Episode 51: The Power of Play with Sarah Filman

In this episode, I look back at some of my favorite BLOC podcast moments, messages, and guests to celebrate the release of the 50th episode. In celebration of the 50th Episode, I've created a document with all of the resources recommended by my guests over the last 50 episodes. You can find it here. (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rCrOvsFGlwUaLRmn9l9r8KWqYa62GQk8ig7shFcLZgA/edit?usp=sharing)

In this episode, I look back at some of my favorite BLOC podcast moments, messages, and guests to celebrate the release of the 50th episode. In celebration of the 50th Episode, I've created a document with all of the resources recommended by my guests over the last 50 episodes. You can find it <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rCrOvsFGlwUaLRmn9l9r8KWqYa62GQk8ig7shFcLZgA/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. (<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rCrOvsFGlwUaLRmn9l9r8KWqYa62GQk8ig7shFcLZgA/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rCrOvsFGlwUaLRmn9l9r8KWqYa62GQk8ig7shFcLZgA/edit?usp=sharing</a>)

Episode 50: 50th Episode Celebration and Reflections

In this episode, I chat with my dear friend, William Cronje, about the cohort-based learning experiences, social learning, and William's career journey that led him to leading a cohort of 800 instructional designers from all over the world!As an instructional designer and program manager at Eduflow Academy, William Cronje is the co-creator of the popular "Instructional Design Principles for Course Creation" cohort-based course. With over five years of experience creating online and blended learning experiences, William is a proud geek who is always eager to learn more about learning. His most recent fixation is finding ways to tap into the social energy of a learning community with the goal of finding ways to make online learning more engaging and valuable. Eduflow Academy: https://www.eduflow.com/academyInstructional Design Principles for Course Creation: https://www.eduflow.com/academy/instructional-design-principles-for-course-creation William on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-cronje-95847729/ William on Twitter: https://twitter.com/williamcronje William's suggestion for those who want to learn more about instructional design principles for course creation (outside of the Eduflow Academy course):Great Minds on Learning Podcast (https://greatmindsonlearning.libsyn.com/)

In this episode, I chat with my dear friend, William Cronje, about the cohort-based learning experiences, social learning, and William's career journey that led him to leading a cohort of 800 instructional designers from all over the world! As an instructional designer and program manager at Eduflow Academy, William Cronje is the co-creator of the popular "Instructional Design Principles for Course Creation" cohort-based course. With over five years of experience creating online and blended learning experiences, William is a proud geek who is always eager to learn more about learning. His most recent fixation is finding ways to tap into the social energy of a learning community with the goal of finding ways to make online learning more engaging and valuable. Eduflow Academy: <a href="https://www.eduflow.com/academy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.eduflow.com/academy</a> Instructional Design Principles for Course Creation: <a href="https://www.eduflow.com/academy/instructional-design-principles-for-course-creation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.eduflow.com/academy/instructional-design-principles-for-course-creation</a> William on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-cronje-95847729/ " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-cronje-95847729/ </a> William on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/williamcronje" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/williamcronje</a> William's suggestion for those who want to learn more about instructional design principles for course creation (outside of the Eduflow Academy course):<ul><li>Great Minds on Learning Podcast (<a href="https://greatmindsonlearning.libsyn.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://greatmindsonlearning.libsyn.com/</a>)</li></ul>

Episode 49: Cohort-Based Learning in Eduflow with William Cronje

In this episode, I talk about learning culture - a term with a really broad definition that comes down to a human being learning. If we think about what it takes for human beings to learn, we can leverage those conditions to create a positive learning culture. I also announce my new side hustle: learning culture and strategy consulting. You can find out more from my website: www.heidikirby.com

In this episode, I talk about learning culture - a term with a really broad definition that comes down to a human being learning. If we think about what it takes for human beings to learn, we can leverage those conditions to create a positive learning culture.  I also announce my new side hustle: learning culture and strategy consulting. You can find out more from my website: <a href="http://www.heidikirby.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.heidikirby.com</a>

Episode 48: The Core of Learning Culture

In this episode, I define psychological safety and explain why it's important in the workplace and what individuals in L&amp;D can do to promote psychological safety in their organizations. I also talk about the traits of toxic work environments, how L&amp;D can help make a difference, and advice for if and when you find yourself in a toxic work environment. As someone who successfully got out of a toxic work environment, this topic is close to my heart. I'm so proud to work for a place that has, even in my short tenure, encouraged me to show up as my authentic self each and every day. 

In this episode, I define psychological safety and explain why it's important in the workplace and what individuals in L&amp;D can do to promote psychological safety in their organizations. I also talk about the traits of toxic work environments, how L&amp;D can help make a difference, and advice for if and when you find yourself in a toxic work environment. As someone who successfully got out of a toxic work environment, this topic is close to my heart. I'm so proud to work for a place that has, even in my short tenure, encouraged me to show up as my authentic self each and every day.

Episode 47: Psychological Safety and Advice for Toxic Work Environments

In this episode, I celebrate International Women's History Month with Alexandra Smith, CPTM. We chat about what it's like being a woman leader in L&amp;D and what you can do to learn and grow as a leader! Alexandra Smith, CPTM, is a leading learner who leads leaders! She brings to her team her empathetic leadership approach. They get high-level projects across the finish line. Alexandra is a highly skilled, creative and experienced learning leader with a strong background in communications. She thrives on the process of training, motivating and directing employees in order to optimize workplace productivity and promote professional growth. Adept at addressing the needs of a wide variety of employees and customers, Alexandra's experience in past positions impacts others worldwide.Alexandra's suggestions for women leaders in L&amp;DFollow L&amp;D leaders like Kassy Laborie and Elliott Masie on LinkedInAttend conferences, like DevLearn (https://devlearn.com/) and the Training Industry Conference &amp; Expo (https://trainingindustry.com/tice/)Join groups, such as the Training Industry (https://trainingindustry.com/)

In this episode, I celebrate International Women's History Month with Alexandra Smith, CPTM. We chat about what it's like being a woman leader in L&amp;D and what you can do to learn and grow as a leader!  Alexandra Smith, CPTM, is a leading learner who leads leaders! She brings to her team her empathetic leadership approach. They get high-level projects across the finish line. Alexandra is a highly skilled, creative and experienced learning leader with a strong background in communications. She thrives on the process of training, motivating and directing employees in order to optimize workplace productivity and promote professional growth. Adept at addressing the needs of a wide variety of employees and customers, Alexandra's experience in past positions impacts others worldwide. Alexandra's suggestions for women leaders in L&amp;D<ul><li>Follow L&amp;D leaders like Kassy Laborie and Elliott Masie on LinkedIn</li><li>Attend conferences, like DevLearn (<a href="https://devlearn.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://devlearn.com/</a>) and the Training Industry Conference &amp; Expo (<a href="https://trainingindustry.com/tice/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://trainingindustry.com/tice/</a>)</li><li>Join groups, such as the Training Industry (<a href="https://trainingindustry.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://trainingindustry.com/</a>)</li></ul>

Episode 46: Women in L&D Leadership with Alexandra Smith

In this episode, I'm bringing my friend, Dr. Dawn DiPeri back to chat about her new book, Graphic Design for Course Creators! Her book is CC-BY, which means you can print, copy, paste, and re-use the content however you like as long as you give her credit. This also means that the web version is FREE!! You can find it here: https://graphicdesignforcoursecreators.pressbooks.com/front-matter/dedication/Dr. Dawn DiPeri is a learning designer and graphic designer with over 15 years of experience working in the corporate sector in various capacities serving ad agencies, publishing firms, and as the owner of a certified minority women-owned business. Additionally, Dawn spent many years as a college professor teaching online, face to face, and in hybrid environments for both public and private universities. She has taught courses that range from new media literacies, educational technology, graphic design, animation, interpersonal communication, public speaking, and branding.  Dr. Dawn DiPeri has also published scholarly research on the topics of online pedagogy and also on the topics of gender and race disparity in the workforce. Dr. Dawn DiPeri has been lucky to work with some of best organizations and brands in the world including UNICEF, Harvard Graduate School of Education, United Way, Celgene, The Vanderbilt Museum, ONEHE, and many more. Additionally, Dr. Dawn DiPeri has also presented at conferences all over the world including the E-Learning Summit and the Q10 Conference.To contact Dawn Lee DiPeri for speaking, training or design opportunities email dawn.diperi@eastendadvertising.com or find her on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnleediperiDawn suggests finding an accountability partner if you want to write you own book, by joining communities or book coaching programs. 

In this episode, I'm bringing my friend, Dr. Dawn DiPeri back to chat about her new book, Graphic Design for Course Creators!  Her book is CC-BY, which means you can print, copy, paste, and re-use the content however you like as long as you give her credit. This also means that the web version is FREE!! You can find it here: <a href="https://graphicdesignforcoursecreators.pressbooks.com/front-matter/dedication/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://graphicdesignforcoursecreators.pressbooks.com/front-matter/dedication/</a> Dr. Dawn DiPeri is a learning designer and graphic designer with over 15 years of experience working in the corporate sector in various capacities serving ad agencies, publishing firms, and as the owner of a certified minority women-owned business. Additionally, Dawn spent many years as a college professor teaching online, face to face, and in hybrid environments for both public and private universities. She has taught courses that range from new media literacies, educational technology, graphic design, animation, interpersonal communication, public speaking, and branding.  Dr. Dawn DiPeri has also published scholarly research on the topics of online pedagogy and also on the topics of gender and race disparity in the workforce. Dr. Dawn DiPeri has been lucky to work with some of best organizations and brands in the world including UNICEF, Harvard Graduate School of Education, United Way, Celgene, The Vanderbilt Museum, ONEHE, and many more. Additionally, Dr. Dawn DiPeri has also presented at conferences all over the world including the E-Learning Summit and the Q10 Conference. To contact Dawn Lee DiPeri for speaking, training or design opportunities email dawn.diperi@eastendadvertising.com or find her on Linkedin at <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnleediperi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnleediperi</a> Dawn suggests finding an accountability partner if you want to write you own book, by joining communities or book coaching programs.

Episode 45: Book Release Announcement! Graphic Design for Course Creators with Dr. Dawn DiPeri

The BLOC (Building Learning and Organizational Culture) Podcast is a learning and development podcast where Heidi Kirby talks to professionals in the field who are passionate about finding creative, innovative ways to bring learning front and center at their organizations and beyond.

In this episode, I give you 3 easy tips that you can start incorporating today to ensure that your learning and development department can be more scalable and can contribute the most resources and the most value to your organization. I mention a few L&amp;D communities in this episode:Tim Slade's eLearning Designer's Community: https://community.elearningacademy.io/homeGLDC (Global Learning and Development Community): https://mygldc.com/TLDC (The Training, Learning, and Development Community): https://www.thetldc.com/360Learning's L&amp;D Collective: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-collective-launch/

In this episode, I give you 3 easy tips that you can start incorporating today to ensure that your learning and development department can be more scalable and can contribute the most resources and the most value to your organization.  I mention a few L&amp;D communities in this episode: <ul><li>Tim Slade's eLearning Designer's Community: <a href="https://community.elearningacademy.io/home" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://community.elearningacademy.io/home</a></li><li>GLDC (Global Learning and Development Community): <a href="https://mygldc.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://mygldc.com/</a></li><li>TLDC (The Training, Learning, and Development Community): <a href="https://www.thetldc.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thetldc.com/</a></li><li>360Learning's L&amp;D Collective: <a href="https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-collective-launch/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-collective-launch/</a></li></ul>

Episode 44: 3 Things You Can Do Now to Improve Scalability for Your L&D Department

In this episode, I talk to Matt Gjertsen of Better Every Day Studios about his recent hiring process to hire a new part-time instructional designer for his team!Matt's journey into learning started as an Air Force Instructor Pilot where he also spent time teaching people to compete in half marathons and triathlons. After 9 years in the Air Force, Matt took his experience with him to SpaceX where he worked for 4 years as the manager of the Training and Development team. Matt left SpaceX in 2019 to start Better Every Day Studios with a mission of enabling as many people as possible achieve their maximum potential by transforming how small companies approach learning and development.Matt believes excellence is repeatable and can be developed in everyone. By both believing more in and committing more to their employees, companies will far exceed their performance expectations and create a dedicated workforce of the highest caliber.For more information on how Better Every Day Studios can help, please contact them here and Matt will get back to you immediately. Also, join the conversation on LinkedIn where Matt is always looking to connect with like-minded people. According to Matt, "Let’s see what we can learn together."Matt's suggestion for nailing the job interview? Visit and study the company's website!

In this episode, I talk to Matt Gjertsen of <a href="https://www.bettereverydaystudios.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Better Every Day Studios</a> about his recent hiring process to hire a new part-time instructional designer for his team! Matt's journey into learning started as an Air Force Instructor Pilot where he also spent time teaching people to compete in half marathons and triathlons. After 9 years in the Air Force, Matt took his experience with him to SpaceX where he worked for 4 years as the manager of the Training and Development team. Matt left SpaceX in 2019 to start Better Every Day Studios with a mission of enabling as many people as possible achieve their maximum potential by transforming how small companies approach learning and development. Matt believes excellence is repeatable and can be developed in everyone. By both believing more in and committing more to their employees, companies will far exceed their performance expectations and create a dedicated workforce of the highest caliber. For more information on how Better Every Day Studios can help, please <a href="https://www.bettereverydaystudios.com/contact" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">contact them here</a> and Matt will get back to you immediately. Also, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewgjertsen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">join the conversation on LinkedIn</a> where Matt is always looking to connect with like-minded people. According to Matt, "Let’s see what we can learn together." Matt's suggestion for nailing the job interview? Visit and study the company's website!

43: Musings from an ID Hiring Manager with Matt Gjertsen

In this episode, I share with you some of my favorite books that are on my L&amp;D book shelf.  What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Instructional Designer by Dr. Luke Hobson Design for How People Learn by Julie DirksenThe Non-Designers Design Book by Robin WilliamsDesigning for Modern Learning - Beyond ADDIE and SAM by Crystal Kadakia and Lisa M.D. OwensThe Design of Everyday Things by Don NormanThe Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick LencioniEnjoy!

In this episode, I share with you some of my favorite books that are on my L&amp;D book shelf.  <ol><li> What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Instructional Designer by Dr. Luke Hobson </li><li>Design for How People Learn by Julie Dirksen</li><li>The Non-Designers Design Book by Robin Williams</li><li>Designing for Modern Learning - Beyond ADDIE and SAM by Crystal Kadakia and Lisa M.D. Owens</li><li>The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman</li><li>The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni</li></ol>Enjoy!

Episode 42: My L&D Bookshelf

In this episode, I talk to three of my favorite former educators who now have a successful career in learning and development. We talk about how they got there and what they've learned so far! Heidi Ranganathan pivoted from bilingual classroom teacher to corporate instructional designer in 2021. She specializes in the alignment of organizational needs with learning objectives and partnering with stakeholders and subject matter experts to achieve the greatest organizational impact. A career transition is possible AND remember that you are the hero of your own story! You can read all the books, listen to many podcasts, and experiment with various authoring tools, but in the end it is how you take action, reflect, and keep moving forward to support your career transition.  Outside of work, Heidi enjoys traveling and cooking up new recipes from around the world with her family. Elsbeth Seymour started her transition journey in eLearning around January of 2021, while working fulltime as a High School Special Education Resource teacher. Elsbeth was finishing up a Master of Educational Technology, and has added a certificate in Workforce Learning from Boise State and is slated to graduate in 2022. Elsbeth also attended Tim Slade's eLearning Designer's Academy before landing a local position as an Instructional Designer at a community credit union in June. From there, she has continued to learn and grow and now works as a contractor for Winmax Systems at Apple Inc.  With a diverse background, Elsbeth enjoys creating dynamic and visually pleasing eLearning that tells a story but is also accessible.  Sarah Natalie taught preschool, 3rd grade, and 4th grade for 10 years before transitioning to corporate instructional Design in June 2021. As a teacher, she worked with students who were identified as gifted, specifically advocating for students from underrepresented groups to access gifted education programming. This work informed a lot of who Sarah is and what she believes about learning as a tool for social and professional mobility. As a teacher, and now as an L&amp;D professional, a core value of Sarah's has always been advocating for and enabling others to gain access to something that might enrich their lives. To learn more about Sarah, connect with her on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahnatalie/) and take a look at her website (sarahnatalie.com)!Heidi, Elsbeth, and Sarah's recommendations for people who want to make a career change to L&amp;D:Nyla Spooner's I'm New Here (https://www.nylalxd.com/blog/categories/i-m-new-here)Ruth Colvin Clark's Scenario-based e-Learning (https://www.amazon.com/Scenario-based-Learning-Evidence-Based-Guidelines-Workforce-ebook/dp/B00AM1WE74)Ruth Colvin Clark and Chopeta Lyons' Graphics for Learning (https://www.amazon.com/Graphics-Learning-Guidelines-Designing-Evaluating/dp/0470547448)

In this episode, I talk to three of my favorite former educators who now have a successful career in learning and development. We talk about how they got there and what they've learned so far! Heidi Ranganathan pivoted from bilingual classroom teacher to corporate instructional designer in 2021. She specializes in the alignment of organizational needs with learning objectives and partnering with stakeholders and subject matter experts to achieve the greatest organizational impact. A career transition is possible AND remember that you are the hero of your own story! You can read all the books, listen to many podcasts, and experiment with various authoring tools, but in the end it is how you take action, reflect, and keep moving forward to support your career transition.  Outside of work, Heidi enjoys traveling and cooking up new recipes from around the world with her family. Elsbeth Seymour started her transition journey in eLearning around January of 2021, while working fulltime as a High School Special Education Resource teacher. Elsbeth was finishing up a Master of Educational Technology, and has added a certificate in Workforce Learning from Boise State and is slated to graduate in 2022. Elsbeth also attended Tim Slade's eLearning Designer's Academy before landing a local position as an Instructional Designer at a community credit union in June. From there, she has continued to learn and grow and now works as a contractor for Winmax Systems at Apple Inc.  With a diverse background, Elsbeth enjoys creating dynamic and visually pleasing eLearning that tells a story but is also accessible.  Sarah Natalie taught preschool, 3rd grade, and 4th grade for 10 years before transitioning to corporate instructional Design in June 2021. As a teacher, she worked with students who were identified as gifted, specifically advocating for students from underrepresented groups to access gifted education programming. This work informed a lot of who Sarah is and what she believes about learning as a tool for social and professional mobility. As a teacher, and now as an L&amp;D professional, a core value of Sarah's has always been advocating for and enabling others to gain access to something that might enrich their lives. To learn more about Sarah, connect with her on LinkedIn (<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahnatalie/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahnatalie/</a>) and take a look at her website (<a href="https://www.sarahnatalie.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahnatalie.com</a>)! Heidi, Elsbeth, and Sarah's recommendations for people who want to make a career change to L&amp;D:<ul><li>Nyla Spooner's I'm New Here (<a href="https://www.nylalxd.com/blog/categories/i-m-new-here" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.nylalxd.com/blog/categories/i-m-new-here</a>)</li><li>Ruth Colvin Clark's Scenario-based e-Learning (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Scenario-based-Learning-Evidence-Based-Guidelines-Workforce-ebook/dp/B00AM1WE74" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Scenario-based-Learning-Evidence-Based-Guidelines-Workforce-ebook/dp/B00AM1WE74</a>)</li><li>Ruth Colvin Clark and Chopeta Lyons' Graphics for Learning (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Graphics-Learning-Guidelines-Designing-Evaluating/dp/0470547448" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Graphics-Learning-Guidelines-Designing-Evaluating/dp/0470547448</a>)</li></ul>

Episode 41: BLOC Party with Heidi Ranganathan, Elsbeth Seymour, and Sarah Natalie

In this brief episode, I talk about my 2021 and give a challenge to all of you listening. 

In this brief episode, I talk about my 2021 and give a challenge to all of you listening.

40: 2021 Retrospective

In this episode, I talk about three trends that have impacted L&amp;D in 2021.  Educators making a career switch into L&amp;D/instructional designMicrolearningLearning in the flow of workHere are some links to things I mention in this episode:TLDC's free January 2022 event: The Road to L&amp;D: From Teaching to Instructional Design (https://www.thetldc.com/)7Taps (https://www.7taps.com/)The HPT Model (https://hptmanualaaly.weebly.com/ispi-hpt-model.html)

In this episode, I talk about three trends that have impacted L&amp;D in 2021.  <ol><li> Educators making a career switch into L&amp;D/instructional design</li><li>Microlearning</li><li>Learning in the flow of work</li></ol> Here are some links to things I mention in this episode:<ul><li>TLDC's free January 2022 event: The Road to L&amp;D: From Teaching to Instructional Design (<a href="https://www.thetldc.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thetldc.com/</a>)</li><li>7Taps (<a href="https://www.7taps.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.7taps.com/</a>)</li><li>The HPT Model (<a href="https://hptmanualaaly.weebly.com/ispi-hpt-model.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://hptmanualaaly.weebly.com/ispi-hpt-model.html</a>)</li></ul>

39: Trends in L&D in 2021

Ann Lopez

In this episode, I get to chat with Ann Lopez, creator of The Pivoter website, which is chock FULL of free resources for those looking to change careers and enter the field of L&amp;D. 3 years ago, Ann pivoted out of teaching and found her true calling working in the education technology sector. In 2020, when schools were forced to move to remote learning due to the pandemic, she decided to transition back to public education and supported teachers with technology integrations. She has since worked as a learning experience designer and is now a product operations manager for an ed tech company. When Ann is not geeking out on new technologies, she's a full-time mom to two little kiddos and likes to work on some passion projects to help others. She's also a volunteer mentor for a group called Teaching: A Path to Learning &amp; Development, where she help teachers who are interested in transitioning out of the classroom.Here's a link to Ann's The Pivoter website: https://thepivoter.preview.softr.app/Ann's suggestion for those wanting to break into Ed Tech:EdSurge website (https://www.edsurge.com/)

In this episode, I get to chat with Ann Lopez, creator of The Pivoter website, which is chock FULL of free resources for those looking to change careers and enter the field of L&amp;D.  3 years ago, Ann pivoted out of teaching and found her true calling working in the education technology sector. In 2020, when schools were forced to move to remote learning due to the pandemic, she decided to transition back to public education and supported teachers with technology integrations. She has since worked as a learning experience designer and is now a product operations manager for an ed tech company. When Ann is not geeking out on new technologies, she's a full-time mom to two little kiddos and likes to work on some passion projects to help others. She's also a volunteer mentor for a group called <a href="https://www.teachlearndev.org/home" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teaching: A Path to Learning &amp; Development</a>, where she help teachers who are interested in transitioning out of the classroom.Here's a link to Ann's The Pivoter website: <a href="https://thepivoter.preview.softr.app/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://thepivoter.preview.softr.app/</a> Ann's suggestion for those wanting to break into Ed Tech:<ul><li>EdSurge website (<a href="https://www.edsurge.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.edsurge.com/</a>)</li></ul>

38: The Pivoter with Ann Lopez

In this episode, I chat about 4 big takeaways I've found to be true in my recent L&amp;D job search.  Hone your search.  Network, network, network. Practice self-care. Avoid toxic positivity. I mention two great resources in this episode:Sarah Cannistra's The Overnight Trainer Podcast  (https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-ty9ns-1100e63)Subina Sulat's Agile Unemployment (https://www.amazon.com/Agile-Unemployment-Guide-Thriving-While/dp/1737718308)

In this episode, I chat about 4 big takeaways I've found to be true in my recent L&amp;D job search. <ol><li> Hone your search. </li><li> Network, network, network.</li><li> Practice self-care.</li><li> Avoid toxic positivity. </li></ol>I mention two great resources in this episode:<ul><li>Sarah Cannistra's The Overnight Trainer Podcast  (<a href="https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-ty9ns-1100e63" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-ty9ns-1100e63</a>)</li><li>Subina Sulat's Agile Unemployment (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Agile-Unemployment-Guide-Thriving-While/dp/1737718308" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Agile-Unemployment-Guide-Thriving-While/dp/1737718308</a>)</li></ul>

37: My L&D Job Search

Sarah Bedrick

Chris LoDolce

In this episode I talk to the founders of the Hubspot Academy, Sarah, Chris, and Lindsay about what it's like standing up a customer education academy, difficulties they faced, and fond memories they made. You are NOT going to want to miss the very first (but not the last) BLOC party episode!Sarah Bedrick is an advisor for software companies looking to build and scale their Academy education initiatives. Sarah founded and grew the HubSpot Academy team from 2012 to 2017, and after that cofounded the fast-growing HR software company Compt. In her free time, Sarah is a personal and career coach, and enjoys exploring her new home in St Petersburg, Florida and living life through the eyes of her toddler.Chris LoDolce spends his time professionally advising Customer Education/Academy Leaders of B2B SaaS Software companies on how to build and scale their educational content initiatives to drive top and bottom line growth. Chris was a founding member of HubSpot Academy in 2012 and in 2019-2020 as the Director lead the team to scale HubSpot Academy across the globe in six languages. Over 1 million people learned from HubSpot Academy between the time Chris helped found the team to when he left in the fall of 2020. Lindsay Thibeault is an advisor for SaaS businesses who are growing their education and training programs. Lindsay has been driving interactive marketing and brand strategy at global companies for over 12 years. She joined HubSpot in 2013 and for seven years was responsible for building HubSpot Academy's operations and content processes. She specializes in building communities that generate leads and retains customers through compelling and educational content. Lindsay has taught tens of thousands of marketers how to build scalable content creation, website optimization, and reporting strategies for their organizations.If you want to work with Sarah, Chris, and Lindsay, you can contact them here: https://www.saasacademyadvisors.com/Sarah, Chris, and Lindsay's suggestions for where to begin with customer education:Simon Sinek's How Great Leaders Inspire Action (https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en)Brian Solis (https://www.briansolis.com/category/articles/)Julie Dirksen's Design for How People Learn (https://usablelearning.com/the-book/)Cammy Bean's The Accidental Instructional Designer (https://www.td.org/books/the-accidental-instructional-designer)

In this episode I talk to the founders of the Hubspot Academy, Sarah, Chris, and Lindsay about what it's like standing up a customer education academy, difficulties they faced, and fond memories they made. You are NOT going to want to miss the very first (but not the last) BLOC party episode! Sarah Bedrick is an advisor for software companies looking to build and scale their Academy education initiatives. Sarah founded and grew the HubSpot Academy team from 2012 to 2017, and after that cofounded the fast-growing HR software company Compt. In her free time, Sarah is a personal and career coach, and enjoys exploring her new home in St Petersburg, Florida and living life through the eyes of her toddler. Chris LoDolce spends his time professionally advising Customer Education/Academy Leaders of B2B SaaS Software companies on how to build and scale their educational content initiatives to drive top and bottom line growth. Chris was a founding member of HubSpot Academy in 2012 and in 2019-2020 as the Director lead the team to scale HubSpot Academy across the globe in six languages. Over 1 million people learned from HubSpot Academy between the time Chris helped found the team to when he left in the fall of 2020.  Lindsay Thibeault is an advisor for SaaS businesses who are growing their education and training programs. Lindsay has been driving interactive marketing and brand strategy at global companies for over 12 years. She joined HubSpot in 2013 and for seven years was responsible for building HubSpot Academy's operations and content processes. She specializes in building communities that generate leads and retains customers through compelling and educational content. Lindsay has taught tens of thousands of marketers how to build scalable content creation, website optimization, and reporting strategies for their organizations. If you want to work with Sarah, Chris, and Lindsay, you can contact them here: <a href="https://www.saasacademyadvisors.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.saasacademyadvisors.com/</a> Sarah, Chris, and Lindsay's suggestions for where to begin with customer education:<ul><li>Simon Sinek's How Great Leaders Inspire Action (<a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en</a>)</li><li>Brian Solis (<a href="https://www.briansolis.com/category/articles/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.briansolis.com/category/articles/</a>)</li><li>Julie Dirksen's Design for How People Learn (<a href="https://usablelearning.com/the-book/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://usablelearning.com/the-book/</a>)</li><li>Cammy Bean's The Accidental Instructional Designer (<a href="https://www.td.org/books/the-accidental-instructional-designer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.td.org/books/the-accidental-instructional-designer</a>)</li></ul>

36: BLOC Party - Customer Education with Sarah Bedrick, Chris LoDolce, and Lindsay Thibeault

Sabina Sulat

In this episode, I talk to Sabina Sulat about her amazing book Agile Unemployment (https://www.amazon.com/Agile-Unemployment-Guide-Thriving-While/dp/1737718332) and what it is like to be unemployed, how to take care of yourself, and how to focus your search for the next step in your career journey. Sabina is a graduate of St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland. While in school, she studied philosophy, mathematics, and physics. She performed her graduate work in Industrial/Organizational Psychology through Walden University, focusing on the impact of internet use on social interactions. Sabina has spent most of her career as an HR professional and Learning &amp; Development executive for multiple organizations at a national and global level including Magellan Health, BlueCross BlueShield, the federal government, The George Washington University, and most recently, AstraZeneca. Sabina specializes in leadership development, change management, organizational development, and DEI. Along her career journey Sabina has become certified and versed in multiple assessments including Total SDI, Bridge’s Model for Change Management, MBTI, DiSC, and others. She has also consulted with numerous organizations to develop and design programs that merge organizational goals and strategy with meeting employees’ development needs. Sabina has recently launched her first book, Agile Unemployment, written to help people build resilience and confidence while out of work. In spring of 2022, she will launch her second book, tentatively titled, The Working World, geared at explaining workplace dynamics and expectations to high school and college students. In addition to her work, Sabina spends a significant amount of her time volunteering for such organizations as ONE.org, the African Well Fund, and her alma mater, St John’s College. In her personal time Sabina enjoys travel, entertaining, and live music. She is hopeful we will be able to enjoy all those hobbies soon. To learn more about Sabina's book and to book a speaking engagement see: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ina9q5nyegkbeKP3oh0LxNHUAns6KYIi/view?usp=sharingSabina's suggestion for those who are unemployed or considering resigning:Caroline Adams Miller, MAPP and Dr. Michael B. Frisch's Creating Your Best Life: The Ultimate Life List Guide (https://www.amazon.com/Creating-Your-Best-Life-Ultimate/dp/1402779984)

In this episode, I talk to Sabina Sulat about her amazing book Agile Unemployment (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Agile-Unemployment-Guide-Thriving-While/dp/1737718332" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Agile-Unemployment-Guide-Thriving-While/dp/1737718332</a>) and what it is like to be unemployed, how to take care of yourself, and how to focus your search for the next step in your career journey.  Sabina is a graduate of St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland. While in school, she studied philosophy, mathematics, and physics. She performed her graduate work in Industrial/Organizational Psychology through Walden University, focusing on the impact of internet use on social interactions. Sabina has spent most of her career as an HR professional and Learning &amp; Development executive for multiple organizations at a national and global level including Magellan Health, BlueCross BlueShield, the federal government, The George Washington University, and most recently, AstraZeneca. Sabina specializes in leadership development, change management, organizational development, and DEI. Along her career journey Sabina has become certified and versed in multiple assessments including Total SDI, Bridge’s Model for Change Management, MBTI, DiSC, and others. She has also consulted with numerous organizations to develop and design programs that merge organizational goals and strategy with meeting employees’ development needs. Sabina has recently launched her first book, Agile Unemployment, written to help people build resilience and confidence while out of work. In spring of 2022, she will launch her second book, tentatively titled, The Working World, geared at explaining workplace dynamics and expectations to high school and college students. In addition to her work, Sabina spends a significant amount of her time volunteering for such organizations as <a href="http://ONE.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ONE.org</a>, the African Well Fund, and her alma mater, St John’s College. In her personal time Sabina enjoys travel, entertaining, and live music. She is hopeful we will be able to enjoy all those hobbies soon. To learn more about Sabina's book and to book a speaking engagement see: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ina9q5nyegkbeKP3oh0LxNHUAns6KYIi/view?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ina9q5nyegkbeKP3oh0LxNHUAns6KYIi/view?usp=sharing</a> Sabina's suggestion for those who are unemployed or considering resigning: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Creating-Your-Best-Life-Ultimate/dp/1402779984" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Caroline Adams Miller, MAPP and Dr. Michael B. Frisch's Creating Your Best Life: The Ultimate Life List Guide</a> (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Creating-Your-Best-Life-Ultimate/dp/1402779984" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Creating-Your-Best-Life-Ultimate/dp/1402779984</a>)

35: Agile Unemployment with Sabina Sulat

BLOC Podcast

The best podcast episodes of anyone with an interesting story. With famous guests like Obama, LeBron James, Drake, Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, Michelle Obama, Serena Williams, to anyone who has a unique and interesting story to tell. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Episodes: Personal Stories & Great Interviews

The best podcast episodes on global issues affecting everyone. Covering topics such as the #metoo movement, climate change, the impact of technology and some of the biggest global issues facing us right now. For anyone interested in learning more about the world, and some of the issues we're facing, pick an episode below and start listening! Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!