What did you learn at Learning Technologies 2015?

As the sun sets on another Learning Technologies, it’s a good time to reflect on what sticks out from this year’s event.

It will be different for everyone, of course, but we’d like to share some of the things we learnt at Europe’s largest L&D conference - both professionally and personally. 

The expanding mind 

Professor Robert Winston’s keynote address explored how the human brain and its capacity to learn has driven our evolution. Using clips from his various television shows, he revealed what is known about the brain’s capacity to learn and grow from synapses to visualisation. Winston demonstrated how human innovation has accelerated in the past 400 years. “Our minds are so developed, they are changing and expanding rapidly in a way that’s never been seen before,” he said.

Show don't tell 

In her conference workshop on building smart scenarios, the respected writer and speaker, Cathy Moore, appealed for instructional designers to ‘show don’t tell’ when giving feedback to questions. It’s also good advice when it comes to showcasing your elearning. With lots of theory on games and gamification on offer, we found that while people appreciate that, they also want to play – well, that’s what games are for.  One visitor to our stand commented: “Everyone else here is talking about adding games and creating engaging courses but you’re actually doing it.”  

The power of video   

Changing the behaviour of factory managers who have been doing their jobs for a long time was the challenge outlined with great humour by Lisa McCandless of United Biscuits at one of the conference sessions. She revealed how authenticity was the key to creating powerful video clips to help managers improve their record on giving feedback and difficult conversations. Her advice was “keep it real.”  You can find out more in HR Grapevine’s Guide to Learning Technology (pg 10.)   

Footwear matters 

When spending 10 hours a day on your feet, speaking to a steady stream of exhibition visitors and conference delegates, it pays to keep your feet happy. While some of us love heels, we pretty much agree that it’s flats next year!