15 Quick (and Mighty) Retrieval Practices — from edutopia.org by Daniel Leonard From concept maps to flash cards to Pictionary, these activities help students reflect on—and remember—what they’ve learned.
But to genuinely commit information to long-term memory, there’s no replacement for active retrieval—the effortful practice of recalling information from memory, unaided by external sources like notes or the textbook. “Studying this way is mentally difficult,” Willingham acknowledged, “but it’s really, really good for memory.”
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From low-stakes quizzes to review games to flash cards, there are a variety of effective retrieval practices that teachers can implement in class or recommend that students try at home. Drawing from a wide range of research, we compiled this list of 15 actionable retrieval practices.
When Zach Groshell zoomed in as a guest on a longstanding British education podcast last March, a co-host began the interview by telling listeners he was “very well-known over in the U.S.”
Groshell, a former Seattle-area fourth-grade teacher, had to laugh: “Nobody knows me here in the U.S.,” he said in an interview.
But in Britain, lots of teachers know his name. An in-demand speaker at education conferences, he flies to London “as frequently as I can” to discuss Just Tell Them, his 2024 book on explicit instruction. Over the past year, Groshell has appeared virtually about once a month and has made two personal appearances at events across England.
The reason? A discipline known as cognitive science. Born in the U.S., it relies on decades of research on how kids learn to guide teachers in the classroom, and is at the root of several effective reforms, including the Science of Reading.
Building a learning ecosystem that drives business results — from chieflearningofficer.com by Nick Romanowski How SAX combined adaptive e-learning and experiential workshops to accelerate capability development and impact the bottom line.
At SAX, we know that to succeed in today’s market, we need professionals who can learn quickly, apply that learning effectively and continuously adapt as client needs evolve.
Yet traditional training methods were no longer enough. Our firm faced familiar challenges: helping staff meet continuing professional education requirements efficiently, uncovering knowledge gaps to guide development and building a more capable, more client-ready workforce.
We found our solution in a flipped learning model that blends adaptive e-learning with live, experiential workshops. The results were transformative. We accelerated CPE credit completion by more than 50 percent, reclaimed 173 billable hours and equipped our people with deeper capabilities.
Here’s how we did it, and what we learned along the way.
Blend technology and human touch: Adaptive e-learning addresses individual knowledge gaps efficiently. Live workshops enable skill development through practice and feedback. Together, they drive both learning efficiency and behavior change.
Today, we’re introducing powerful enhancements to our Firefly Video Model, including improved motion fidelity and advanced video controls that will accelerate your workflows and provide the precision and style you need to elevate your storytelling. We are also adding new generative AI partner models within Generate Video on Firefly, giving you the power to choose which model works best for your creative needs across image, video and sound.
Plus, our new workflow tools put you in control of your video’s composition and style. You can now layer in custom-generated sound effects right inside the Firefly web app — and start experimenting with AI-powered avatar-led videos.
… Generate Sound Effects (beta)
Sound is a powerful storytelling tool that adds emotion and depth to your videos. Generate Sound Effects (beta) makes it easy to create custom sounds, like a lion’s roar or ambient nature sounds, that enhance your visuals. And like our other Firefly generative AI models, Generate Sound Effects (beta) is commercially safe, so you can create with confidence.
Just type a simple text prompt to generate the sound effect you need. Want even more control? Use your voice to guide the timing and intensity of the sound. Firefly listens to the energy and rhythm of your voice to place sound effects precisely where they belong — matching the action in your video with cinematic timing.
ChatGPT can now do work for you using its own computer, handling complex tasks from start to finish.
You can now ask ChatGPT to handle requests like “look at my calendar and brief me on upcoming client meetings based on recent news,” “plan and buy ingredients to make Japanese breakfast for four,” and “analyze three competitors and create a slide deck.” ChatGPT will intelligently navigate websites, filter results, prompt you to log in securely when needed, run code, conduct analysis, and even deliver editable slideshows and spreadsheets that summarize its findings.
Teach business students to write like executives— from timeshighereducation.com by José Ignacio Sordo Galarza Many business students struggle to communicate with impact. Teach them to pitch ideas on a single page to build clarity, confidence and work-ready communication skills
Many undergraduate business students transition into the workforce equipped with communication habits that, while effective in academic settings, prove ineffective in professional environments. At university, students are trained to write for professors, not executives. This becomes problematic in the workplace where lengthy reports and academic jargon often obscure rather than clarify intent. Employers seek ideas they can absorb in seconds. This is where the one-pager – a single-page, high-impact document that helps students develop clarity of thought, concise expression and strategic communication – proves effective.
Also from Times Higher Education, see:
Is the dissertation dead? If so, what are the alternatives? — from timeshighereducation.com by Rushana Khusainova, Sarah Sholl, & Patrick Harte Dissertation alternatives, such as capstone projects and applied group-based projects, could better prepare graduates for their future careers. Discover what these might look like
The traditional dissertation, a longstanding pillar of higher education, is facing increasing scrutiny. Concerns about its relevance to contemporary career paths, limitations in fostering practical skills and the changing nature of knowledge production in the GenAI age have fuelled discussions about its continued efficacy. So, is the dissertation dead?
The dissertation is facing a number of challenges. It can be perceived as having little relevance to career aspirations in increasingly competitive job markets. According to The Future of Jobs Report 2025 by the World Economic Forum, employers demand and indeed prioritise skills such as collaborative problem-solving in diverse and complex contexts, which a dissertation might not demonstrate.
In Episode 5 of The Neuron Podcast, Corey Noles and Grant Harvey tackle the education crisis head-on. We explore the viral UCLA “CheatGPT” controversy, MIT’s concerning brain study, and innovative solutions like Alpha School’s 2-hour learning model. Plus, we break down OpenAI’s new $10M teacher training initiative and share practical tips for using AI to enhance learning rather than shortcut it. Whether you’re a student, teacher, or parent, you’ll leave with actionable insights on the future of education.
I also pondered what functions blogging has provided for me over the years.
Continuity – as an individual you persist across multiple organisations, roles and jobs. Although I stayed in one institution, I had many roles and the blog wasn’t associated with one specific project. Now I have left it continues.
Holistic – you can blog about one topic, but over time I think some personality will creep in. You are not just one thing, you have a personal life, tastes, interests etc which will all feed into what you do. A blog allows this more rounded representation.
Experimentation – there is relatively low cost and risk for much of it (this may not be the case for many people online, we need to acknowledge), so you can try things, and if they don’t work, so what? Also you can try formats that conventional outlets might not be appropriate for.
Development – the blog has been both an intentional and unintentional vehicle for working up ideas, documenting the process and getting feedback, which have led to more substantial outputs, such as books, project proposals and papers. Most importantly though it has been the means through which I have continually developed writing.
Connecting – particularly in those halcyon early days, it was a good way of finding others, working on ideas together, sharing something of yourself. A lot of my career related personal friendships have resulted from blogging.
Publicity – I became at one point (the OU crisis of 2018) something of a public voice of the OU, and have often used the blog for projects such as GO-GN
That’s not a bad return for a lil’ ol’ blog. I couldn’t say the same for academic journals.
AI is rewiring how we learn, and it’s a game-changer for L&D— from chieflearningofficer.com by Josh Bersin As AI becomes central to learner engagement, L&D leaders are being urged to fundamentally rethink corporate training, says global industry analyst Josh Bersin.
What are people really doing with ChatGPT? They’re learning. They’re asking questions, getting immediate answers, digging deeper, analyzing information and ultimately making themselves more productive. So, one could argue that simply by shifting to a “learn by inquiry” model, we may triple our value to the business.
From my experience, there are two main learning models in this industry. The first is “what you need to know”—linear or prescriptive things that every employee needs to understand about the company, its products and their role. This kind of content is well handled by existing L&D models.
The second, and far more important, is “what you’d like to know”—questions, curiosities and explorations about how the company works, what customers truly need and how we can each go further in our careers. Thanks to AI, this kind of learning is now explosive and transformative.
Imagine a sales rep who loses a deal. Naturally, they may ask, “What could I have done to be more successful?” A well-designed AI-powered learning system would take that question, give the employee an initial answer and chat with the individual to dig into the problem.
The system would then surface relevant sales training material and recommend videos, tips or case studies for help. And the employee, assuming they like the experience, would likely keep exploring until they feel they’ve learned what they need.
This “curiosity-based” learning is now possible, and its benefits extend far beyond traditional training.
From DSC: This one is for the youth out there. Learn these lessons NOW, before you go too much further in your journey here on Earth. If you do, you will reap the benefits of this learning for the rest of your days.
As I mentioned to our own kids when I forwarded this article to them:
My dad passed along a bit of wisdom to me when he told me what *his* dad (my Grandpa Christian) had told him:
“If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.”
I’ve always remembered that and I *try* to do quality work.
The following article is worth your time. It touches upon a similar idea: .
I pass it along to help us *try* to do quality things and work…but NOT to load up unrealistic expectations on ourselves or create a harried, perfectionistic lifestyle.
Excerpt:
An old carpenter told his boss that he planned to retire. The boss was sad to lose the carpenter, but understood.
He asked if he’d stick around for one last job—to build one final house.
The carpenter reluctantly agreed, figuring he could get it done quickly. He cut corners, used cheap materials, and rushed through the work.
When the house was done, his boss arrived for the final inspection. But instead of walking the house, he reached into his pocket, and handed the carpenter the keys.
“This is your house,” his boss smiled, “My retirement gift to you.”
The carpenter was stunned. If he’d known he was building his own house, he would have done it differently. Now he’d have to live in a house he had built none too well.
The lesson: You’re always building your own house.
For today’s chief learning officer, the days of just rolling out compliance training are long gone. In 2025, learning and development leaders are architects of innovation, crafting ecosystems that are agile, automated and AI-infused. This quarter’s Tech Check invites us to pause, assess and get strategic about where tech is taking us. Because the goal isn’t more tools—it’s smarter, more human learning systems that scale with the business.
Sections include:
The state of AI in L&D: Hype vs. reality
AI in design: From static content to dynamic experiences
AI in development: Redefining production workflows
NEW YORK – The AFT, alongside the United Federation of Teachers and lead partner Microsoft Corp., founding partner OpenAI, and Anthropic, announced the launch of the National Academy for AI Instruction today. The groundbreaking $23 million education initiative will provide access to free AI training and curriculum for all 1.8 million members of the AFT, starting with K-12 educators. It will be based at a state-of-the-art bricks-and-mortar Manhattan facility designed to transform how artificial intelligence is taught and integrated into classrooms across the United States.
The academy will help address the gap in structured, accessible AI training and provide a national model for AI-integrated curriculum and teaching that puts educators in the driver’s seat.
In an era when the college-going rate of high school graduates has dropped from an all-time high of 70 percent in 2016 to roughly 62 percent now, AI seems to be heightening the anxieties about the value of college.
According to the survey, two-thirds of parents say AI is impacting their view of the value of college. Thirty-seven percent of parents indicate they are now scrutinizing college’s “career-placement outcomes”; 36 percent say they are looking at a college’s “AI-skills curriculum,” while 35 percent respond that a “human-skills emphasis” is important to them.
This echoes what I increasingly hear from college leadership: Parents and students demand to see a difference between what they are getting from a college and what they could be “learning from AI.”
Culture matters here. Organizations that foster psychological safety—where experimentation is welcomed and mistakes are treated as learning—are making the most progress. When leaders model curiosity, share what they’re trying, and invite open dialogue, teams follow suit. Small tests become shared wins. Shared wins build momentum.
Career development must be part of this equation. As roles evolve, people will need pathways forward. Some will shift into new specialties. Others may leave familiar roles for entirely new ones. Making space for that evolution—through upskilling, mobility, and mentorship—shows your people that you’re not just investing in AI, you’re investing in them.
And above all, people need transparency. Teams don’t expect perfection. But they do need clarity. They need to understand what’s changing, why it matters, and how they’ll be supported through it. That kind of trust-building communication is the foundation for any successful change.
These shifts may play out differently across sectors—but the core leadership questions will likely be similar.
AI marks a turning point—not just for technology, but for how we prepare our people to lead through disruption and shape the future of learning.
If you’re anything like me, the answer is an iPad AND a drawing display. I heavily rely on both my desktop apps and Procreate, so limiting myself to only one device doesn’t cut it for my creative workflow.
However, it all comes down to personal preference and understanding which apps you rely on, whether portability is essential, how vital ergonomics are, and ultimately what you can afford. Once you answer those questions, everything falls into place.
LinkedIn is taking a multi-agent approach, using what Agarwal described as a collection of agents collaborating to get the job done. A supervisor agent orchestrates all the tasks among other agents, including intake and sourcing agents that are “good at one and only one job.”
All communication occurs through the supervisor agent, which receives input from human users regarding role qualifications and other details. That agent then provides context to a sourcing agent, which culls through recruiter search stacks and sources candidates along with descriptions on why they might be a good fit for the job. That information is then returned to the supervisor agent, which begins actively interacting with the human user.
“Then you can collaborate with it, right?” said Agarwal. “You can modify it. No longer do you have to talk to the platform in keywords. You can talk to the platform in natural language, and it’s going to answer you back, it’s going to have a conversation with you.”
The Good, the Braver and the Curious.
As we navigate through 2025, the European legal landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, particularly in the realms of artificial intelligence (AI) regulation and data sovereignty. These changes are reshaping how legal departments and more specifically eDiscovery professionals operate, compelling them to adapt to new compliance requirements and technological advancements.
Following on from our blog post on Navigating eDisclosure in the UK and Practice Direction 57AD, we are now moving on to explore AI regulation in the greater European spectrum, taking a contrasting glance towards the UK and the US as well, at the close of this post.
However, as we stand in mid-2025, a new paradigm is emerging. Artificial Intelligence, once a buzzword, is now demonstrably addressing many of the core issues that have historically plagued LegalTech adoption and effectiveness, ushering in an era of unprecedented efficiency. Legal tech specialists like LegalEase are leading the way with some of these newer solutions, such as Ai powered NDA drafting.
Here’s how AI is making profound efficiencies:
Automated Document Review and Analysis:
Intelligent Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM):
Enhanced Legal Research:
Predictive Analytics for Litigation and Risk:
Streamlined Practice Management and Workflow Automation:
The Thomson Reuters “Future of Professionals” report(Opens in a new window) just dropped and one stat standing out among its insights is that organizations with a visible AI strategy are not only twice as likely to report growth, they’re also 3.5 times more likely to see actual, tangible benefits from AI adoption.
Speaking of legal-related items as well as tech, also see:
Landmark AI ruling is a blow to authors and artists — from popular.info by Judd Legum
This week, a federal judge, William Alsup, rejected Anthropic’s effort to dismiss the case and found that stealing books from the internet is likely a copyright violation. A trial will be scheduled in the future. If Anthropic loses, each violation could come with a fine of $750 or more, potentially exposing the company to billions in damages. Other AI companies that use stolen work to train their models — and most do — could also face significant liability.
