Tonight, 50 senior Learning Leaders will arrive in Saratoga Springs for my AI & Learning LAB. For 2 days, we will dive deep and explore the rapidly changing world of AI as it may/will/might impact Workplace Learning.
Designing a Learning LAB is very different from designing a face to face or virtual classroom. Here are a few of the steps in my process:
Build a Mind Map of Topics, Questions, Challenges and Dialogues. Reaching out to both participants in the LAB and learning colleagues around the world, I prepared a rich and diverse Mind Map for the LAB:
In a class, there would be a very defined pathway through the topics in the curriculum. But, in a LAB, the focus is on mapping CONTENT to their CONTEXT and CURIOSITIES.
We will explore the items on this map through experiments, simulations, discussions, disagreements and case studies. My role is to create a “eco-system” in the LAB for engaging the diverse group of participants on the topics that are of deep and high interest.
The LAB shifts the expertise ownership. My role is to be a FACILITATOR rather than the primary Subject Matter Expert. The root of FACILITATOR is FACIL - “to make easy” the exploration and experience of these topics. In fact, the expertise will come from several places during our 2 days in Saratoga:
From 20 minute Zoom video interviews with several Chief Learning Officers, Researchers and newly promoted “Prompt Engineers” in a Learning and Development department.
From activities and simulations that will surface questions, perspectives and professional experiences the participants have had in their organizations.
From “Prompts” that the people in the lab will create and explore on AI to dig deep into content or to challenge/stretch their understanding of a changing field. (Eg: List the 20 key words to needed to have an understanding of AI & Learning)
Creating an on-line network for the participants and our resource folks to continually add content, context and collaboration during the session.
Add fun and enjoyment to the process. In the last lab, I asked a songwriter to take ideas from the participants on Day 1 and come back with a song she wrote and performed for them on Day 2.
Build an ENCORE - with 3 video sessions done with the group on a monthly basis after the LAB.
Truly embrace the power the LAB - to help each learner engineer their best pathway to deeper understanding of the topic, skills and more.
Keep the flow going throughout the 2 days - changing topics and activities 10 or more times each day.
It is quite different being the designer and facilitator of a LAB. Your role is to build the environment, harness the knowledge in and outside of the room, connect the learners to ever expanding resources. And, to be a LEARNER yourself. The only way I can design and lead a LAB is to visibily dive deep into my own learning process on the topic.
Yours in learning,
Elliott Masie
MASIE Learning Foundation
MASIE Learning Collaborative
www.masie.com
emasie@masie.com
The first lab was very thought provoking, and an excellent chance to meet like-minded people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Many opinions were shared, experiences discussed, and connections made. May this next one be just as powerful!!