Building Bridges

Creating Your Own Sweet Adventure

“When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.” – Regina Brett Like many people, I have a weakness for chocolate. For a while, I had wanted to take a chocolate walking tour in Boston, enjoying the city while sampling delicacies from various specialty shops. This would be a tasty way to be a tourist in […]

Ingenious Ways to Improve Learner Retention

As instructional designers, we focus on improving employee performance through knowledge and an increased skill set. We strive for learners to retain what they learn and implement it in their jobs. Yet, with so many competing demands at work and home, retaining what we learn can be easier said than done. For the instructional designer, […]

Making New Discoveries Next Door

Recently, I was privileged to enjoy a stroll with Free Tours by Foot (www.freetoursbyfoot.com/boston-tours). I really love walking tours, and decided to visit Harvard Square, a place I had been many times before. I soon gained a new perspective of this historic area favored by out-of-towners. I got a good view of the Widener Library, […]

A Shoreline Ride in New York City

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”  – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Whether creating a learning solution or completing a challenging athletic endeavor, a plan provides the necessary blueprint. Though in my work life I am very much a planner, I was recently reminded of how crucial preparation is in all aspects of life…when […]

Lessons from a Cozy Igloo

Now that we are deep in the midst of a sweltering summer, it may be the perfect time to reminisce about my vacation last March to chilly Quebec, and more specifically, to a night spent in its world-famous Hôtel de Glace, or Ice Hotel. This was a unique experience, and I appreciated both the hotel’s […]

To Teach, Learn: How Instructional Design Professionals Take Time for Their Own Learning

Though instructional designers create courses that facilitate learning, we also must prioritize our own education, like everyone else. So, which learning methods work best for us? How do we make time for learning when confronted with looming work deadlines? And what tips do we have for fitting in learning time? To answer these questions, we […]

Every Entrepreneur Needs a Big Onion

Achieving an ambitious goal takes an exceptional focus. Becoming a doctor, or a university professor, for example, requires years of schooling, sacrifice, and commitment. When someone follows such a dream, she may relinquish other potential opportunities that are attractive. She hopes that professional and even financial success will be the reward for her choice. Sometimes, […]

Why Take a Risk?

Risk. For some, the word alone elicits heart palpitations and visions of scary maneuvers. Why risk—why bother? It would certainly be easier to maintain the status quo in our lives, both personally and professionally. We would get some satisfaction from our lives and have nothing to lose. Yet, by playing it safe, are we really […]