Engaging Students in Remote Learning

Today, our favorite chatbot Claude has gotten an upgrade. Anthropic is going all in to create a GenAI Chatbot that is for everyone from developers to teachers with their artifacts feature. Anthropic just widely released artifacts for all Claude users across their free and premium plans, as well as in their iOS and Android apps. Artifacts is a game-changer for educators, creating a dedicated window alongside the chat where Claude takes your written prompts and turns them into interactive games, presentations, websites, etc. Claude also has made it easy to publish the artifacts, so students or colleagues can interact with the activities. Mandy DePriest, on our team at AI for Education, recently demonstrated how the artifacts feature works with a quick walkthrough of a common classroom use case: creating an interactive, digital vocabulary quiz in seconds with no code and only a few simple prompts. In our training on Monday with a district in NJ, I modeled creating an interactive game out of the popular Egg Drop Challenge STEM project, adding a Batman themed twist to help students in their mission – trust me when I tell you teachers were super excited to start building their own interactive elements. If you want to try artifacts out, here are some example prompts to get you started: -Create a webpage for a high school English class based on this uploaded syllabus (we love the upload feature on Claude) -Generate an interactive math game to help 4th-grade students master comparing fractions. Use faction bars when providing students explanations for the questions -Design an interactive game to help students' learn Newton's First Law of Motion. Include an interactive element and directions for the game -Create an interactive vocabulary quiz based on keywords in the attached file We're excited about the potential of the artifacts feature to help teachers create fun and interactive ways to engage students in the classroom. Add it to the list of the many reasons to try out Claude. Have you used Claude and the artifacts feature yet? Share your best results! Links in the comments to my game and our Claude video walk through. #aiforeducation #GenAI #Claude #teachingwithAI

Can’t shake this insight from a conversation with a Fortune 500 learning executive: Gen Z “digital natives” are rejecting e-learning because it reminds them of the isolation of COVID. The pandemic broke a lot of things. Trust. Mental health. Commercial real estate. But one surprising takeaway from last week’s conversation: it also broke e-learning for young professionals. Why? For many, learning is as much about connection as content. Years of Zoom and online modules left them craving collaboration, camaraderie, and belonging. E-learning already had a reputation problem (“click-through cartoons,” awkward compliance videos). COVID cemented that fatigue. When given the chance to enter the workforce, young professionals don’t want more remote learning. They want real face-to-face energy and mentorship. And the data backs this up: - Harris Poll data shows 91% of Gen Z workers prefer a balance between virtual and in-person interactions. - Indeed found 92% of Gen Z employees who never worked in-person regret missing that traditional experience, and 85% worry remote starts have set them back in developing soft skills. Before I get replies saying “not me!”, this isn’t true for every young professional. But it is a pattern I’m hearing from executives and seeing in the data. This learning executive’s insight hit particularly hard as they are making a concerted effort to hire more young professionals than ever before. Attracting, developing, and retaining young professionals who may have mild PTSD triggered from COVID-era remote learning is going to be essential for every organization. My advice to L&D leaders: 1. Re-think learning design. Young professionals need connection, not just content. Invest in hybrid models, peer learning, and in-person experiences where trust can grow. 2. Make digital learning human. One executive told me: “@Arist feels less like e-learning, and more like a reassuring text from a friend.” That’s the kind of digital that works, supporting in-person learning instead of replacing it. 3. Create belonging as much as knowledge. The future of L&D isn’t just about delivering skills; it’s about building community, accelerating confidence, and ensuring young professionals thrive in environments that feel supportive, not isolating. - - This feels like the inverse of the corporate L&D shift to more consumer-like applications: Today’s young professionals expressing a desire for more Applebee's, less Uber Eats. It’s counterintuitive but real.  Connection over convenience. The future of learning will belong to those who design for belonging just as much as they design for knowledge.

Back when I was teaching college students, we had one high-fidelity manikin that cost over $100,000 (never used it, the simtech wouldn’t let us touch it and it was always broken), two $60,000 SynDavers (used once in two years because they were always moldy), and task trainers used daily. It looked like an impressive setup, sure, but it came with its own problems and students did not benefit even monthly from all these assets. Limited access. Technical issues. Scheduling conflicts. Key person risk. If a class of 20 needed hands-on time, all hands were on deck, we had to rotate, wait, and hope nothing malfunctioned. What struck me most was how often the appearance of innovation masked the absence of real learning. The gear looked impressive, made for great brochures and funding proposals—but students weren’t practicing. They were observing. Watching others rotate through stations, sometimes getting just minutes of hands-on time in an entire semester. We weren’t training confident clinicians—we were producing anxious ones who’d barely touched the complex manikins that were supposed to represent the real humans they’d be expected to treat in the field. The idea of “fail-safe” learning? It didn’t exist. Every rep felt like a privilege, not a right. Students felt like they were on stage, couldn’t fail, and had one shot to get it right on their first try. Fast forward to today: I joined VRpatients because I knew we could do better. Now, for a fraction of the price of a single manikin, schools can provide all students unlimited access to immersive, AI-powered simulations 24/7. This doesn’t replace the manikin, it replaces the need to rely on complex, temperamental, over-engineered machines for frequent simulations. Save those for testing day and let them practice! We’ve worked with colleges scaling to thousands of healthcare students across the country, learning on thousands of custom-built simulations, logging hours-upon-hours of virtual simulation every week. And no one threw the baby manikin out with the bathwater. It’s AI simulation on-demand, accessible from anywhere, realistic, and built to scale competency training, not just a check box. The new tool in the toolbox for clinical education. VRpatients #nursing #nurse #simulation #VR #MR #XR #AI #PhysioLogicAI

GAMIFICATION UNLEASHED: When most people think of gamification in eLearning, they picture points, badges, and leaderboards. But the true power of gamification lies in meaningful choices and real consequences? Instead of just adding a game-like layer to an eLearning course, we should think about how we can use gamification to create immersive, decision-driven experiences. Branching scenarios are a prime example. They allow learners to make choices that affect the actual outcome of the scenario—providing a more engaging and personalized learning journey. It’s not just about making learning fun—it’s about creating a realistic simulation where every choice matters. This approach helps learners experience the impact of their decisions in a safe environment, which translates to better understanding and retention. In a recent project, I designed a branching scenario where learners navigated complex decision paths in a simulated environment. Each decision led to different consequences, mirroring real-life outcomes. This not only made the learning process more engaging but also deepened learners' understanding of the material. By focusing on the real-world application of decisions, gamification became a powerful tool for meaningful learning rather than just a decorative element. #Gamification #eLearning #BranchingScenarios

Over the last few weeks, I've facilitated dozens of virtual classes in Microsoft Teams. While I still prefer the user-friendliness of Zoom, the reliability of WebEx, and the custom layouts found in Adobe Connect, here are three specific things I've been doing to make Teams a more engaging virtual learning environment: 📽️ Themes! By enabling the meeting themes option in my Teams account, I customize the pre-join screen (see below for an example) to help participants get ready to learn. 🧭 Meeting Options! By adjusting the default roles in the Teams meeting options, I ensure that all participants join as ''attendees" and my producer joins as the "co-organizer." These settings make the learning experience run smoothly for everyone. 🤝 Breakout Rooms! By quickly moving participants into very small groups (pairs or trios) near the start of the session, they form social bonds that enhance engagement. I'll give them 5 or 6 minutes to briefly share their response to a topic-related question... just enough time to start building a connection that will continue throughout the session. Logistically, I've been using Teams' chat to share JPG files to each room with activity instructions. How about you?? What Teams-specific tips have you discovered to create engaging virtual learning programs? #virtualfacilitation #virtuallearning #msteams #onlinelearning #engagement

My hot take for the day is that the best thing to do in response to genAI in the classroom has nothing to do with genAI. Instead, we should use any disruption to double down on building classroom communities full of trust and an embrace of the frictionful state of learning. 1. Learn students’ names: perhaps one of the highest ROI things you can do to create a foundation for community. 2. Foster metacognitive habits: help student reflect on what they're learning and how. You want to build independent, active learners instead of passive receivers of information. 3. Teach with transparency: don't hide the ball. Put your motivations and pedagogical decisions on the table. 4. Communicate explicit learning objectives: tell them the point of every assignment and what they're supposed to get out of it. 5. Make communication policies clear: tell them how to get a hold of you and set expectations for when they can expect a response. h/t to Robert Talbert for this one. 6. Create frameworks for feedback: help them understand how to give and receive feedback. I really like @kimballscott's framework of Radical Candor for this. 7. Double down on active learning: get them engage in the work of learning. This is fun and often looks a lot like play! Don't just talk at them but get them talking to you and to each other. 8. Encourage experimentation: iterative improvement and failure is the way. 9. Cultivate community: help them fully leverage the rich relational web that is in the background of every classroom. This is so often untapped. 10. Connect individually with each student: it might be challenging, but do your best to get to know each student as an individual person. Feeling like you're seen and that you belong matters. 11. Build shared responsibility for learning: teacher and student both have to bring something to the table for learning in the classroom to happen. Call this out explicitly and have a conversation about what everyone is bringing. 12. Get alongside students: try to avoid being in front all the time but get beside your students so that they see you are on their side and wanting them to succeed. 13. Model vulnerability: when you mess up, and you will, own it. Much easier for them to do it if they see it from you. 14. Reframe from "have to" to "get to": everybody has some level of agency in their choice to be in the classroom. Remind everyone of the opportunity and privilege it is to be in a classroom. 15. Trust your students: what if you gave your students the benefit of the doubt and trusted them until they gave you a reason to do otherwise. 16. Offer opportunities for failure and retries: learning happens when we try, fail, reflect, and try again. 17. Embrace friction: learning, like any worthwhile activity, is hard work. Instead of looking for a frictionless experience where we accomplish things without effort, encourage students to dig into the worthwhile challenge of learning something new and growing.

The engagement gap: why traditional online learning metrics hide the real reason students disengage. Most platforms track completion rates. But they miss what really matters. Isolation kills motivation faster than any technical glitch. Here's how to build real connection in virtual spaces: 1️⃣ Community-First Design • Break the solo learning trap • Foster peer relationships • Create belonging through structure ↳ Group projects that actually work ↳ Guided discussions that spark dialogue ↳ Micro-communities that stick together 2️⃣ Real-Time Connection Points • Schedule virtual coffee chats • Host informal study groups • Break down social barriers ↳ Weekly check-ins build momentum ↳ Informal spaces encourage bonding ↳ Small groups maximize interaction 3️⃣ Peer Support Networks • Match learners strategically • Enable organic mentoring • Build accountability partnerships ↳ Buddy systems drive completion ↳ Peer feedback loops work magic ↳ Support circles prevent dropout 4️⃣ Active Instructor Presence • Show up consistently • Engage authentically • Guide conversations naturally ↳ Regular office hours matter ↳ Personal responses build trust ↳ Active participation sets the tone 5️⃣ Inclusive Space Design • Clear community guidelines • Diverse representation • Accessible support systems ↳ Everyone feels welcome ↳ All voices get heard ↳ Support reaches everyone The secret isn't more content. It's better connection. Build community first. Everything else follows. How are you designing for connection—not just completion—in your online learning spaces?

💥 😱 Training is fundamentally broken. Think about it: We spend HOURS listening to lectures, reading books, or watching videos… only to retain almost nothing. The result? Knowledge that fades faster than yesterday’s to-do list. Why? Because passive learning is a trap. We consume knowledge, but we never truly retain it. The solution? 💡 Shift from PASSIVE to ACTIVE learning. This is where the Learning Pyramid comes in. 🔺 What is the Learning Pyramid? It’s a simple, science-backed model that shows how we retain information. And here’s the spoiler: 👉 The secret to learning isn’t listening. It’s DOING. Here’s how it breaks down: 👀 At the top: Passive methods like lectures, reading, and watching videos. 💪 At the bottom: Active methods like practice, group discussions, and teaching others. The difference? 💡 Passive methods = Knowledge INPUT. 💥 Active methods = Knowledge OUTPUT. And guess what? 👉 The magic happens in the output. Imagine this: Instead of your team passively sitting through a 60-minute presentation (retention: 5%)… 💥 They teach the same content to others (retention: 90%). That’s not just a small shift. That’s a GAME. CHANGER. 🤩🤩🤩 SO… how do you level up your learning experiences starting today? 💥 Here’s the powerful truth: The best way to learn something is to teach it. If you’re running a team workshop, client training, or even a simple meeting – make it INTERACTIVE! 😀 Here are 5 easy tools to boost engagement and retention immediately: 1️⃣ Breakout Rooms Don’t let participants sit passively. 💬 Break them into small groups to discuss key topics and collaborate in real-time. Easy to do with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet. 2️⃣ Online Whiteboards (Figma, Miro, Mural) Learning doesn’t just happen through words. Let people sketch, brainstorm, and visually build ideas together during sessions. It taps into visual + active learning modes! 3️⃣ Quizzes & Polls People LOVE immediate feedback. Tools like Slido or Kahoot! make it easy to add live polls and quizzes during your sessions. 4️⃣ Peer Teaching Exercises Want someone to REALLY learn something? 💡 Ask them to teach it to someone else. Teaching forces them to organize their thoughts and solidify their understanding. 5️⃣ Interactive Demos Forget slide decks. SHOW people how something works, then let them try it themselves. The difference? 👀 Passive watching vs. 💪 Active doing. 🔥 Here’s the challenge: If you want your team (or clients) to actually retain what you’re teaching… 👉 Make them do the work. ❌ Stop talking AT them. ✅ Start collaborating WITH them. Because retention doesn’t come from listening. It comes from ACTION. ///// ///// ///// ///// ///// 👋🏻Hi, I’m Andy! Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow me for more. Want to build the future of architecture with me? Let’s start a conversation today. 🌟 #Architecture #Collaboration #Innovation #Leadership #slantisVibes

𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗩𝗥) 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 🎓 Feeling like your traditional e-learning modules are falling flat? We’ve all been there—staring at static slides or reading endless text that fails to capture our attention. This lack of engagement can seriously undermine the effectiveness of your training programs, leaving employees underprepared and your organization lagging behind. Here’s a game-changing solution: Integrate Virtual Reality (VR) into your Learning and Development (L&D) programs. Trust me, it’s not just about high-tech gimmicks—it’s about creating immersive, hands-on learning environments that make skills and knowledge stick. Here’s how you can transform your training with VR: 🎓 Create Realistic Scenarios: Use VR to simulate real-world situations that employees may face in their roles. This hands-on practice is invaluable for deep learning and skill retention. Imagine training a pilot or a surgeon—VR provides a risk-free environment to hone critical skills. 🎓 Boost Engagement and Retention: VR’s immersive nature captures learners’ attention like nothing else. Studies show that immersive learning significantly enhances information retention, ensuring that employees are not just learning but mastering the content. 🎓 Personalized Learning Paths: VR can adapt to individual learning styles and paces, offering a customized experience for each employee. This tailored approach helps address specific weaknesses and reinforces strengths, maximizing the impact of your training programs. 🎓 Safe and Controlled Environment: VR offers a safe space for employees to make mistakes and learn from them without real-world consequences. This is particularly beneficial for high-stakes industries like healthcare, aviation, and manufacturing. 🎓 Cost-Effective in the Long Run: While initial setup costs for VR may be high, the long-term benefits far outweigh the investment. With VR, you can provide consistent training experiences across different locations, reducing travel and operational costs. 🎓 Gamification Elements: Integrate gamified elements like points, badges, and leaderboards to make learning fun and competitive. This not only boosts engagement but also fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement. By leveraging VR in your L&D programs, you can ensure that your employees are not only engaged but truly absorbing and retaining critical skills and knowledge. This investment in immersive learning will pay off in a more competent, confident, and competitive workforce. Got any innovative ideas for integrating VR into training? Share your thoughts below! ⬇️ #VirtualReality #ImmersiveLearning #TrainingInnovation #L&D #EdTech #FutureOfWork #SkillDevelopment #EmployeeEngagement

In coaching and teaching, "Cold Calling" can be a powerful tool for fostering engagement, inclusivity, and confidence in any learning environment. When used thoughtfully, it provides each participant an opportunity to feel seen, heard, and valued. Here are four key techniques to make Cold Calling a positive experience: 1️⃣ Preparation: Give students a chance to collect and organize their thoughts before sharing. Techniques like “Stop and Jot” and “Turn and Talk” ensure everyone has a meaningful contribution, setting the stage for success and quality insights. 2️⃣ Honor the Work: Recognize the quality in students’ responses and make Cold Calls feel like a privilege. Acknowledge a student's insight with specifics (e.g., “Lucas, I love your perspective on…”). This simple affirmation can transform the experience from intimidating to empowering. 3️⃣ Formative Language: Using inviting language like “Can you get us started on…” signals that perfection isn’t the expectation—contributions are. Lowering the stakes helps students feel comfortable participating, even if they’re unsure of their response. 4️⃣ Post-Answer Referencing: Peer validation is crucial. When classmates respond or build upon a student’s answer, it signals that their contributions matter. This encourages future participation and builds a collaborative culture. With these strategies, Cold Calling becomes a tool for connection, rather than intimidation, encouraging an inclusive environment where everyone’s voice is valued. https://lnkd.in/gPDfSi3P