Sitecore-Experience-Solution-9-Developer learning - Sitecore Experience Solution 9 Developer Updated: 2024

In their 2006 book, The Experience Economy, Pine & Gilmore suggested that experiences were the basis of our economy. More interesting, to me, was the claim that the next economy would be the transformation economy. That is, experiences that change us in ways that we want, or need, to be developed. This, I suggest, is what we do! At least, when we’re on our game. I think there are two different ways in which we may not be. Further, there are good resources to address the first, but the second is an area we really can be better at.

Learning Experience Design is where we elegantly integrate learning science with engagement

Learning Experience Design, LXD, is where we elegantly integrate learning science with engagement. That is, we have to do good instruction, but we also have empirical evidence from researchers like Lepper that when learners are engaged, the outcomes are better. Fortunately, there’s a growing awareness of the importance of learning science, with early books like that of Clark & Mayer’s eLearning and the Science of Instruction, now being complemented by excellent tomes from Dirksen, Neelen & Kirschner, and others. Even my next-to-most-recent tome talked about Learning Science for Instructional Designers.

Which leaves us with the other side, engagement – the emotional side of the story, where ‘emotion’ is a shorthand for the elements of creating motivation, keeping anxiety in check, and building confidence. In cognitive science, they recognise conation as a complement to cognition, where conation represents the intention to learn.  Learning works better when the learners are committed. This comes from recognising the value of the learning, not being afraid to try, and persisting through to achieve the end result.

In instructional design theory, Keller, with his ARCS model (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction) is really the only person to address this side of the equation, and we need more. In my most latest tome, Make It Meaningful, I’ve built upon Self-Determination Theory (Deci and Ryan), and combined it with early experience and research on games, complemented by explorations of interface design, fiction, surprise, and more, to develop an understanding that can be reliably applied.

I start by proposing that there are two major elements: the hook, and the landing (leveraging a fishing metaphor, possibly badly as I’m not a fishing person). Each of these has its own elements, though they’re related. Getting these right, and integrated with an effective learning science plan, yields an outcome that can be truly transformative.

The hook

What conation tells us is that people have to commit to the learning experience. I suggest that it takes three elements, that learners have to:

• agree that being able to perform in this new way is of value
• recognise that they don’t already know how
• believe that this experience will change that situation

These are all typically assumed and not specifically addressed, to the detriment of the experience. So, how do we do this?

To start, there has to be real value to the learner. There has to have been sufficient analysis to determine that this is necessary and not yet known. Trying to build engagement for something that doesn’t have a clear benefit to the learner is a wasted exercise. We shouldn’t be building courses that don’t have a clear outcome anyway!

Once there’s clear benefit, you need to make this manifest to the learner. I suggest that an obvious way is to demonstrate the consequences of having this skill, or of not having it. So, we can show the positive consequences possible with this ability, or what can go wrong if it’s not in our skillset. We can do this humorously or dramatically, but showing these outcomes is a clear indication of the rationale for this learning.

An obvious way is to demonstrate the consequences of having this skill, or of not having it

So, for instance, we can show the benefits of knowing how to change a bed with a patient in it, or the consequences of not knowing how to successfully execute a financial transaction on the part of a customer. We match the positive or negative, and dramatic or comedic, to the audience.

There are many situations (though not all) where our learners may already believe they know this. In the case of a sales team, for example, they were overly-confident in their ability to sell trucks. We had to create an evidence-gathering scenario, which they wouldn’t fully explore, and a subsequent feature quiz, which they would consequently do horrid on, before they were ready to listen to the message. If learners believe they know the material, they will have to be dissuaded of the notion before they’re ready to commit.

The last part would be easy, if we had developed trust with our learners on the quality and impact of the experience. Unfortunately, as I have seen way too often, learners will only tolerate, or even actively avoid, most formal learning. I believe that’s largely because we’ve delivered courses that are heavy on information and low on meaningful practice, and we have lost their confidence. We may have to exert considerable effort to rectify the situation until they learn to see that we are prepared to deliver transformation!

The landing

That transformation comes from delivering on the promise the hook proposed. While you want to maintain the motivation you’ve built, you also need to keep anxiety under control. While retention and transfer are our formal learning goals, I’ll suggest that developing sufficient confidence so that learners will apply the learning after the learning experience is also necessary. These, then are the elements that we need to address. I will address one major component that drives both learning outcomes and engagement: practice.

From books like Brown, Roediger, and McDaniel’s Make It Stick, we’ve learned that sufficient practice is a necessity for learning. We also know from books like Ericsson’s Peak that we need appropriate challenge that matches the difficulty to the learner’s current ability. Not coincidentally, what makes for good learning also makes for engagement, as we see from an alignment between Vygotsky’s concept of the Zone of Proximal Development, and Csíkszentmihályi’s explorations of creating an experience of Flow.

The task embedded in those contexts needs to authentically reflect what they’ll need to do after the learning experience

Several factors come together to design compelling experiences. The setting has to be one that learners viscerally understand are situations like they’ll face, even if they’re set in fantastic environments (medieval, western, outer space, etc.). Also, the task embedded in those contexts needs to authentically reflect what they’ll need to do after the learning experience. The level of additional material needs to be minimal, merely enough to convey the context, without overloading their cognitive resources. We also need the consequences and the feedback that reinforces the right answer and explains why wrong answers are understandable but inappropriate.

In addition, we need the right suite of practice. We need a path of practice that gradually builds in challenge level, is spaced out over time, and is varied. Further, we need the practice to be across sufficient contexts to support appropriate transfer.

Then we need the minimal content to support success on the practice. This, cognitively, consists of models and examples. Models explain how the world works in this domain, providing a basis for choosing a course of action based upon the outcomes of this decision or that. Examples illustrate those models in context. Adding in engagement, those examples should be compelling stories. We should also show learner progress, building confidence and indicating where they are in the process.

We’ll also want a closing that concludes the experience that the introductory hook opened up. We want to acknowledge effort, celebrate accomplishments, and point to deeper and further directions. We may drill back up from the current context to the bigger picture, which Reigeluth’s Elaboration Theory tells us we should do the reverse of to begin the experience.

There’s more. You have to ensure that the learning isn’t extinguished, for one. Supervisors or managers, reward policies, and so on, can interfere with the outcomes of a successful transformation. You can’t get sales teams to do solution selling if you’re still rewarding the number of widgets sold, and managers’ “that’s not how we do it here” attitude can effectively squelch even the best-designed interventions. Dirksen’s new book, Talk to the Elephant, elegantly addresses those issues.

Completing the picture

To fully deliver on the experience, you need to understand the detailed implications for the elements indicated above. In addition, you need to modify design processes to systematically develop the necessary information and then design appropriate solutions to be developed. It takes time to change the way you do things, but start with the smallest efforts that have the largest impact, focusing on a resonant hook and meaningful practice.

What we’re really seeing, above, is an integration of learning science with engagement. They have to complement each other, because they can also be in conflict; e.g. gratuitous details distracting from the focus and overwhelming available resources, as we see from Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory. Comprehending and applying engagement provides the necessary complement to learning science to create learning that is truly transformational. Which is where we can, and should, be.

Clark Quinn is Executive Director and Quinnovation

Related content:

References

Brown, P.C., Roediger III, H.L., & McDaniel, M.A. (2014). Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. Boston: Harvard University Press.

Clark, R.C. & Mayer, R.E. (2011). e-Learning and the Science of Instruction (3^rd Edition).  San Francisco: Pfeiffer.

Csíkszentmihályi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York, NY: Harper & Row.

Deci, E. L. & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “What” and “Why” of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11 (4).

Dirksen, J. (2015). Design for How People Learn (2^nd Edition). New Riders Press: Berkeley, CA.

Dirksen, J. (2023). Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change. New Riders Press: Berkeley, CA.

Ericsson, A. & Pool, R. (2016). Peak: Secrets From the New Science of Expertise. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Keller, J. M. (2010). Motivational Design for Learning and Performance: The ARCS model approach. New York: Springer.

Lepper, M.R., & Cordova, D. I. (1992).  A Desire to Be Taught: Instructional Consequences of Intrinsic Motivation.  Motivation & Emotion, 16, 3, 187-208.

Neelen, M. & Kirschner, P. K. (2020). Evidence-Informed Learning Design. London: Kogan-Page.

Pine, B.J. & Gilmore, J H. (1999).The Experience Economy: Work Is Theatre & Every Business a Stage. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

Quinn, C. (2021). Learning Science for Instructional Designers: From Cognition to Application. Alexandria, VA: ATD Press.

Quinn, C. (2022). Make It Meaningful: Taking Learning Design from Instructional to Transformational. Boston: LDA Press.

Reigeluth, C. & Stein, F. (1983). The elaboration theory of instruction. In C. Reigeluth (ed.), Instructional Design Theories and Models. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum Associates.

Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science. 12 (2): 257–285.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978).  Mind in Society.  Edited by M. Cole, V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner, and E. Souberman.  Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Student Opinion

How Do You Feel About High School?

Scroll through some work by the winning students and educators who participated in our “What High School Is Like in 2023” multimedia challenge. Then tell us how well the collection captures your experiences.

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It’s no surprise that educators have an uneasy relationship with generative AI. They fear the impact of plagiarism and machine-generated essays and the “hallucinations” — where the system confidently asserts something is true that isn’t simply because it doesn’t know any better — of tools like ChatGPT and Bard. There’s a palpable concern that generative AI will become a substitute for authentic learning: something that will help a person pass a test without the need to absorb and internalize the material.

While there is no doubt that AI has been used to circumvent the learning process, ChatGPT has already assumed the role of an ad hoc personal tutor for millions, changing learning consumption patterns and enhancing our relationship with education. The possibility of an AI-powered teaching assistant — one that mentors, encourages, and guides learners through the material in a one-to-one relationship — is within grasp. And the scalability of AI means that anyone can benefit from it.

AI can make — and, for many, already has made — learning addictive. The reasons why have little to do with cutting-edge advancements in AI and computer science and more to do with the fundamentals of what makes a learner engaged, motivated, and excited.

Growing up in Armenia, I was enthralled by the fiercely competitive math Olympiads, and my desire to win drove me to spend hours studying and practicing. Yet, as an adult, I couldn’t find that same motivation while studying math at MIT. I’ve spent a great deal of my life researching and understanding the motivations behind learning, some of which I’ve distilled into this piece and much of which led to me founding CodeSignal.

When I talk about AI making learning addictive, I’m talking about a sense of excitement and eagerness — instilling a voracious appetite for self-improvement and growth within a learner. But, more importantly, it continues long after they’ve accomplished what started their journey. Essentially, this boils down to sustained, long-term motivation. Creating self-motivated learners is a challenge that most educators face, and a mountain of educational research touches on this topic.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of motivation. Whether you’re learning to speak a new language or taking the first steps to a career in programming, learning is inherently iterative, where the learner gradually builds confidence and fluency over time. The prolific programming educator Zed Shaw once described this as “climbing a mountain of ignorance.” Those first few months — when you aren’t confident and don’t understand the subject — are the hardest, and it’s all too easy to give up. And that’s why you need an external force to encourage the learner to keep going. Confidence, ability, and perhaps even greatness are just around the corner.

The Wolak Leaning Center is available to all SNHU students who either need or desire improvement in academic performance. The Wolak Learning Center's services are provided year round on the Manchester campus. Please contact our office and we will recommend the most appropriate program for you.

Located on the second floor of the library, Wolak Learning Center provides a broad selection of academic support services. These carefully designed services are available to meet specific needs that may arise during a student's course of study at Southern New Hampshire University. Support services include, but are not limited to, the following:

Tutoring

The Wolak Learning Center offers tutoring to SNHU students in select SNHU courses through drop-in and/or individual tutoring (in-person and virtually). Tutors are faculty members, graduate assistants, and peer educators. In addition, peer educators are hired as class embedded tutors in select courses to provide an additional resource to students and faculty members.

Mentoring

Effective study and organizational skills are essential to achieving academic and personal goals. The peer mentoring program provides assistance to students looking to Strengthen their time management, test preparation and note-taking skills. Additionally, students develop meaningful personal relationships, gain practical advice, learn best practices from their peers, and increase their self-confidence.

Learning Strategies Seminar

Many students have never mastered the appropriate study and organizational skills necessary for academic success at the collegiate level. The Learning Strategies Seminar (LSS 100) is a 3-credit course in which students are taught a variety of learning skills and strategies that will assist them in becoming more independent learners and in maximizing their educational experience. Assistance is offered to students on an as-needed basis.

Peer Educator Training

The Peer Educator Training Program at SNHU is a vital component to tutors helping students  achieve their goals. Peer educators are expected to complete ongoing training. If you are interested in becoming a peer educator, we would welcome the opportunity to speak with you about requirements and training. Students who have participated in the program have found that it adds another dimension to their learning experience at SNHU and provides a vital service for their peers.

CEO, Qstream.

It’s clear from latest research that employees want learning opportunities for upskilling and reskilling in the workplace. According to a Glint Data report, the top factor that people look for in a positive work environment is opportunities to learn and grow.

However, workplace learning and development programs have often been a pain point for employees, leaving them feeling frustrated and disconnected from their organization. When employees are required to sit through hours of classroom or online training, or when the content they’re being trained on isn’t relevant to their role, employees tend to feel stress, fatigue and resentment.

Another recent study found that nearly 60% of employees would think about leaving their job if they lacked connection at work. Even more interesting, the same study found that most HR leaders know that connection is critical for a company’s success, but a very small portion of HR leaders (4%) believe they have adequately addressed the problem of employee connection at work. As the CEO of an enterprise learning solution, I’ve found that when employees have effective opportunities to learn and can use those new learnings to advance in their careers, they are more likely to feel connected at work. It’s critical for businesses to ensure the tools and strategies they use for delivering job-critical knowledge are embraced, instead of rejected, by their most valued employees.

For workplace learning programs to be engaging and effective, I believe it is now essential that they are individualized, convenient and easily accessible to productive employees. With hybrid workforces having become the new normal, employees are scattered throughout locations, including offices, homes and on the road. Workplace learning programs must be available to key contributors anywhere, anytime, and they must focus on the truly critical knowledge they need to do their job.

Make learning convenient and accessible by integrating learning programs into current workflows and systems.

Employee learning courses can be long and tedious. A business’s most productive employees need better than the generic curriculum delivered by many training programs, and they may ignore or give passing attention to traditional learning approaches. This results in a massive waste of time and resources for businesses.

Additionally, due to the nature of some learning courses, employees may be more likely to forget the information they are being taught due to the forgetting curve. Hermann Ebbinghaus, who first introduced the forgetting curve over a century ago, made several key observations about memory in his studies. He noted that not only do memories weaken over time, but also the way something is presented can affect learning.

Keeping Ebbinghaus’ theory in mind, look for ways to solve these challenges and make learning stick. Make sure your workplace learning programs allow for training to be integrated into employees’ existing flow of work, making it as convenient as possible. Enable workplace learning programs to be delivered through the everyday systems that employees are already using, such as their messaging or email platforms. When integrated, learning becomes more convenient and accessible, which can increase engagement and Strengthen knowledge proficiency. This can also eliminate the amount of time employees spend on training and allow for their time to be spent more efficiently working toward the goals of their organization.

When training programs are made to be easy, simple and accessible where the employee already is, employees will likely feel more compelled and excited to participate in learning programs. Learning can be optimized when key employees get actionable knowledge efficiently, and at the moment they need it.

Make learning individualized by tailoring learning programs for each employee’s interests and providing personalized feedback.

Making learning individualized is another way to help Strengthen the employee experience and make employees feel more connected at work. With individualized learning, rather than all employees receiving the same material at the same time, you tailor learning to individuals so they feel more interested in the content they are learning. I’ve found the best learning programs focus on critical knowledge needed by the most valued employees. Aim to provide knowledge when it is most needed so that it can be applied to the job at hand; I’ve found this can have dramatically positive impacts on productivity and business results.

Individualized workplace learning programs also mean providing personalized feedback. It’s important to measure success and pull meaningful data to determine where additional training and support are needed throughout the organization. Department managers or sales leaders may well ask themselves, “How can I be confident that my key employees are learning and retaining the most important knowledge and information?”

When it comes to modern workplace learning programs, make sure to provide insight into learner proficiency—by the individual learner, team, division and region as well as in specific topical areas. This type of analysis not only benefits the organization as a whole but also the individual. For example, if an employee on the sales team of a pharmaceutical company is failing the training programs around a new drug they will be selling, their manager should examine precisely where the knowledge gaps are. Using data, a manager can coach the employees one-on-one and help bring them up to speed more quickly.

In today’s work environment, I believe employers must prioritize the employee experience. Organizations should look to modern, digital-first workplace learning strategies to train employees. By focusing on making sure that programs are accessible, convenient and individualized, employees can have a better, more enjoyable experience learning new skills and information. When employees enjoy workplace learning programs, they may feel a stronger connection at work, resulting in happier employees and a stronger business.

Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?

The University of London Online Taught undergraduate programmes in Economics, Management, Finance and the Social Sciences (EMFSS) are designed with flexibility in mind, to suit your schedule. You will be able to earn a world-class UK degree from wherever you are in the world, and engage with a diverse, global community.

View Online Taught programmes 

With personalised support, leading technology and real-time engagement opportunities, you have the flexibility you need to study your degree in a format that complements your goals, lifestyle and location. 

The Digital Campus

As an Online Taught EMFSS student, you’ll also get access to dedicated support and resources, and be welcomed into a truly connected, global community of students and professionals.

• Holistic support 
  When you apply, you will be paired with a dedicated Admissions Counsellor who can help you navigate entry requirements and provide personalised support. When you enrol, we match you with a Student Success Advisor who helps track your academic progress to ensure you meet your goals. You’ll also have access to 24/7 technical assistance to ensure a smooth and supported digital learning experience.
• Graduation and your global alumni network
  During and after your studies, you will interact with students and professionals across the globe. When you graduate, you’ll become part of an influential, diverse University of London alumni network, with members in over 190 countries. Being part of this alumni network provides a wide range of benefits: taking part in global events, meeting other graduates in their academic or professional field, sharing your experience with potential students, or just staying in contact with the University. Students who are awarded a degree will be invited to attend the annual University of London graduation ceremony in London to celebrate their achievement with family and fellow graduates.
• The LSE community
  As an EMFSS student, you will be an important member of the global LSE community and have reference access to the LSE library – the world’s largest library specialising in social and political science.  Prior to your University of London graduation ceremony, you will also have the opportunity to attend a graduate EMFSS student reception at LSE in London, where University of London EMFSS graduates and their families are invited to meet with LSE staff and academics in the historic Shaw Library. There are also further opportunities to study at LSE and learn from leading faculty.
• Career resources
  Grow your professional network and develop your career with exclusive tools, resources, and support from wherever you are in the world. As an online EMFSS student, this includes a Virtual Careers Centre which provides you with the information and tools that supports your career goals, whether you are looking for a new job or growing in your current role. You’ll also have the opportunity to attend virtual career-related webinars and network with prospective employers and industry experts, as well as build a personal career development plan assisted by our dedicated careers team. Read more about careers and employability.

Find out how to apply 

Any questions? The admissions team can help answer any questions you have about the Online Taught EMFSS programmes. Fill out this form to receive more support.

Waka Flocka has gained new insight about the deaf community after mistaking an ASL interpreter for an overzealous concert-goer.

The rapper recently spoke with HipHopDX about his experience learning about the deaf community, which began after acknowledging his inaccurate assumption. “[I realized it was a sign language interpreter] right after the concert,” the Atlanta rep recalled, revealing that he’s working on various projects with the hearing-impaired.

“Yo, shout out to the deaf community as well man. We actually got a movie coming in the ESPY Awards. We definitely got some sh*t coming. I love that community, by the way. Because that community taught me a lot. Now I know how to get around people that speak other languages.”

He continued, “I understand if it’s negative or positive because conversation vibrate. So if somebody’s conversation make me feel woozy, I know it ain’t for me. I don’t have to look funny. So I learned a lot from that community off vibes and everything else.”

Waka then admitted to previously being unaware that ASL interpreters are present at most rap shows, and has a newfound appreciation for their presence and service. “I always wondered, like, why the front two to four rows of every festival be lit,” he also noted.

“They be lit as f**k, but nobody know by law you supposed to have that for the [deaf] community – so they going off vibrations! That’s why they moving! Oh, I definitely fell in love.”

See Waka Flocka speak on his relationship with the deaf community below.

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