L&D Article Review #8

I'm getting much more informal and personal in my reviews and I think that's a good thing! This practice is helping me find my voice and create content that will hopefully be helpful to others. Join me as I review 30 L&D articles in 30 days! (link to the article down below)

Article #8: 10 Principles of Learning Experience Design - By Connie Malamed

How long it took to read?: 5 minutes

Who is it for?: Designers who are interested in LXD and what it's used for. (Connie has a series dedicated towards LXD and this is the first one in that series).

What I took from this article: When I was practicing in Psychology I always felt there was a duality in what theory you based your work on. Some theories were better suited for certain clients, such as Applied Behavioral Analysis helping to diminish maladaptive behaviors. Those that practiced these theories would dedicate their lives towards one theory. But, even though they were proficient in said theory, they would use that tool for everything. Sometimes using it with clients when it wasn't best suited to help them. "If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail".

Now, many other practitioners would practice an eclectic approach. They might have a baseline theory too work from, but they would gladly draw on other theories if it meant having the right tool for the client's needs. These practitioners may not be as proficient in said theories, since they're spreading themselves across multiple realms, but they often get good results because their seeking out the best outcome for the client.

This whole tirade brings me back to LXD, a human centered theory. While L&D may not be as high stakes as psychology, I do feel that the same duality still applies. An ID can spend their whole career following a couple adult learning theories and miss out on other tools that might be better suited for the job. LXD's goal is to shape positive and meaningful experiences for the learner and I can see this tool being one that's pushed to the side when timelines and budget concerns bring precedent. However, I would encourage you to add it to your tool set. An eclectic approach may take more time and energy, but it will also achieve greater results in the long run.

https://theelearningcoach.com/lxd/10-principles-of-lxd/