275: Designing Content Scientifically with Ruth Colvin Clark and Myra Roldan

Both Ruth Colvin Clark and Myra Roldan are evidence-based learning designers who combine a nuanced understanding of learning theory with years of hands-on experience developing solutions. Ruth is principal and president of Clark Training & Consulting and has spent her career as an instructional psychologist, working with diverse organizations. She’s the author of many articles and books, including Evidence-Based Training Methods, and she co-authored e-Learning and the Science of Instruction. Myra Roldan is a technologist and learning professional who currently serves as chief cloudification officer at Amazon Web Services. She does a bit of everything, from research and data analytics, to implementing new technologies, to creating full-blown learning experiences. Much of her personal work is focused on increasing access and opportunity for underserved groups, including women and minorities, so they can get jobs that will earn them a livable income. In this fourth episode in our seven-part series on learning science’s role in a learning business, we speak with Ruth and Myra individually to get their perspectives and expertise on designing effective learning experiences. We cover a variety of topics including research-based principles and their implications on learning, tips for working with subject matter experts to ensure learning objectives are met, how to avoid cognitive load, and the importance of knowing your audience. Full show notes and transcript available at leadinglearning.com/episode275. We are grateful to our sponsor for this series, SelfStudy. ** SelfStudy is a learning optimization technology company. Grounded in effective learning science and fueled by artificial intelligence and natural language processing, the SelfStudy platform delivers personalized content to anyone who needs to learn either on the go or at their desk. Each user is at the center of their own unique experience, focusing on what they need to learn next. For organizations, SelfStudy is a complete enterprise solution offering tools to instantly auto-create highly personalized, adaptive learning programs, the ability to fully integrate with your existing LMS or CMS, and the analytics you need to see your members, users, and content in new ways with deeper insights. SelfStudy is your partner for longitudinal assessment, continuing education, professional development, and certification. Learn more and request a demo to see SelfStudy auto-create questions based on your content at selfstudy.com.