This week’s curated content includes links exploring the following:

• a critical look at learning assessment
• why creative people often make no sense
• a “how to” guide for creating your next infographic
• Problems with the current world of “learning outcomes”
• Using the “Rule of Three” in your learning content
• Tips for those considering speaking at a conference for the first time

What is authentic assessment? by Steve Wheeler
Assessment is an important part of training and education. Mst professionals would agree with this statement, but I’m not sure most would be coming from it from the angle and interpretation I am in this context. Assessment is often used to measure learning, and towards that end, most learning programs are built in a way that enables individuals to successfully pass the assessment. And it’s in that statement that I say assessment is important. If assessments are based on memorization of facts, it will likely lead to designs that work towards that goal. We need to link how and what we assess directly to what people need to do with information. This applies to both academic and corporate learning environments, as this post explores.

Why Creative People Sometimes Make No Sense by Matthew Schuler
Creativity is a major asset to learning professionals. But what does it mean to be creative? This post indirectly explores that question while examining some of the seemingly conflicting traits of truly creative people. I would guess that most people reading this post could find at least a few areas of their approach that could benefit from more balance.

The One Thing That Can Make a Big Difference in Your Infographics by Jelian Devanesan
Infographics continue to be popular in L&D. Not only can they be used as a tool on their own, but infographics can also help inspire more useful graphics for the learning programs we are creating in our organization. This post is more valuable than the clickbait-like title implies. The one thing the title is referencing? It’s an outline. But what makes this post valuable isn’t the revelation of what the one thing is, but the way the author lays out and explains each step of the outline. It’s a nice “how to” post for creating an infographic.

The Misguided Drive to Measure ‘Learning Outcomes’ by Molly Whorthon
Measuring the effectiveness and value of learning is something that’s always been important, and it’s rapidly becoming big business. This article shares an opinion on the current state of learning assessment in higher education settings. I share it here for two reasons. First, the way the author critiques and challenges assessment in her context is something we can all learn from and replicate, even if we work in a corporate learning environment. Second, the post does a good job of articulating the unique aspects and goals of higher education, which is helpful to those that need to understand the different goals of higher education and corporate training.

How to Use the ‘Rule of Three’ to Create Engaging Content by Brian Clark
There are many tools writers use to create more engaging content. One of those tools is called the “Rule of Three”. This post explores the rule of three and looks at ways it can be used to influence content. It’s a great tool for you to add to your skillset for the content you create.

5 Ways to Get Over Your Fear of Public Speaking by Mark Bonchek and Mandy Gonzalez
One of the best ways to share your knowledge and skills with others is to present your story at an industry event or conference. For some people though, that idea could be extremely intimidating. This post explores five specific things you can do to overcome your fear of public speaking. And with the DevLearn Call for Proposals currently open, isn’t now a great time to make the jump to speaking? :-)

What’s NEW at Learning Solutions this year?

This year’s #LSCon is bigger and better than ever, and we’ve added a number of new features based on the feedback from our community. Here are a few exciting things you can expect in the conference this March in Orlando:

• Learning Platforms: The learning technology landscape is more complex than ever before. Our new dedicated track helps you make sense of the expanding world of learning platforms
• International Perspectives: We’re featuring more speakers from outside North America to showcase examples from all around the globe.
• Industry Insights: Do you work in healthcare, finance, or retail? We have curated paths exploring stories from your industry.
• More and Longer Hands-On Sessions: Our expanded selection of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) sessions enable you to follow along with the instructor in a hands-on session. Be sure to stay for our extended double-length sessions on Thursday to take an even deeper dive into tool-based sessions.

These are just a few of the exciting things we have planned for Learning Solutions this year. Be sure to check out all the details on our website, and plan to join us March 27-29 in sunny Orlando!