Building Bridges

Adopting Improv to Ace Instructional Design

Last month, Sheree Galpert, an Applied Improv practitioner and trainer, shared fundamentals of improvisation in EnVision’s blog. Sheree introduced three principles of improvisation: Be in the moment Use “Yes, and” Make your partner look good Sheree illustrated how instructional designers can leverage these techniques to be more effective in their work. After reading Sheree’s post, [...]

“Begin with the end in mind”?

By Sheree Galpert, guest blogger “Begin with the end in mind.” That’s one of the key habits laid out by Stephen R. Covey in his best-selling book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. For instructional designers and trainers, that’s kind of a no-brainer: You have to know what you want your learners to get [...]

Networking in 2022: Making the Most of the Experience

I scan the room, looking for people I know and for people I can meet for the first time. I walk up to the coffee urn, where someone I don’t know just filled her cup. After extending a hand, I introduce myself and ask her what brought her here today. Soon, I excuse myself to [...]

How is your virtual network evolving?

My 2011 gorgeneering experience has guided me in recent weeks. In my need to find adventures a few years back, I thought I found the perfect one: it was advertised as “gorgeneering” and I pictured myself wading through the low and slow waters of a rocky gorge. I didn’t know I would first need to [...]

2019, Here We Come!

After a wonderful few days spent with family and friends, I feel reenergized and ready to meet 2019 head on! How about you? For many of us, the new year brings challenges, like reprioritizing our time so we’re focused on the right things or learning the next great tool or process or figuring out how [...]

The Manager’s Role in the Training Story

Imagine that you work as a manager, heading up a department of six people, and tomorrow Alex, one of your reports, plans to attend training all day. He let you know that he’d be attending this class on project management, and that he needs someone to cover for him while he’s away. Knee-deep in work [...]

Warm nights, flip-flops, and networking? Yes!

Five Ways to Improve Your Networking Summer is an important season to focus on building your network. People feel relaxed and want to get out and mingle, so it’s easy to make new contacts. This does not, however, mean that networking itself is easy. While I enjoy networking, it’s definitely a skill — like any [...]

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, […]

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 […]

How is Your Organization Implementing Blended Learning?

Not all that long ago, employees received nearly all of their training in a classroom, listening to lectures delivered by an experienced manager or subject matter expert. While some companies still rely exclusively on this traditional model, most organizations have implemented blended learning. (Skillsoft, March 2010). A blended learning environment includes multiple learning methods, such […]