Learning Nerd’s Diary #87
Welcome back Learning Nerds!
Sharing has been a key theme for me last week - both personally and professionally. So it only seemed natural, that I share that with you.
(Bad) jokes aside, this week’s diary unpacks the interplay of sharing & learning. It is a gentle reminder that -
👀 Sneak peak
Here is what I have in store for you this week -
💭 Learning About Learning: 5 ways to share & learn like a pro
🥜 Learning Nugget: Chefs & Sharing
💥 Coolest Thing I Learnt This Week:
Learning in Public
Mind Gardens
Learning Industry is Closed Off
🔦 Spotlight: Workshop at Offbeat
Let's jump right in!
💭 Learning About Learning
There is an African Proverb that says -
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Sharing is a great way to learn! And I’m not talking about helping other people learn but also enriching your own understanding.
But how can you share to learn? Here are 5 different ways:
1/ Accountability Buddies 🤝🏻
Gather people trying to build a learning habit and form a group. Decide the frequency & output of each learning habit (E.g. Working out 2x a week). A group of people working towards growing themselves is a great way to stay motivated.
Example:
2 years back I did a 30-day Atomic Writing Challenge with a group of complete strangers. The rest? I wrote 30 essays every day and seeing other people’s work is what kept me going day on day
2/ Peer Learning 👯♀️
Learn with a group of peers who are on the same journey as you are. Think of school or a group class in the gym. Sharing insights and tackling challenges together makes the learning journey smoother and a lot more enjoyable.
Example:
In April, I wrapped up the course Nervous System Mastery. It was a cohort-based course where every session had breakout rooms with an opportunity to share & reflect with peers and learn from them. My favourite memories (& learnings) from the course happened in those breakout rooms!
3/ Jigsaw Learning 🧩
When each person focuses on a different part of the puzzle in a way that the whole can come together - that is Jigsaw Learning. This allows for length and breadth by the learning group and allows for a more holistic understanding of a topic.
Example:
In college, while learning about new manufacturing technologies, our professor divided us into smaller groups assigning each group with 1-2 technologies to work on & present to the class. He could have come and given. lecture on all of them himself but this method allowed for learning in a way that a lecture could never do it.
4/ Co-creation 🛠️
Building something together - a specific project or even a document is a great way to learn something. Collaborating not only helps you become better at the task at hand but also builds lateral skills like communication.
Example:
The LxD Lab is a prime example of learning through co-creation. 17 learning experience designers came together to build a handbook around Motivation. And looking back at our journey? There is no way any of us individually would have been able to have such enriching learning without each other
5/ Learning Barter 🎁
Trade skills with someone who wants to learn what you know and can teach something you want to learn. This way, it’s a win-win for both! You both gain new skills while helping each other grow and get better at skills you already have by teaching the other person.
Example:
A few years back, I had a friend who wanted to get better at cooking. He was a musician and was really good with the Ukelele - an instrument I was trying to learn. We spend 90 mins every week trying to help each other build these very different skills!
Which sharing method have you tried in your context? Did it work? Tell me in the comments below!
🥜 Learning Nuggets
What if chefs started gatekeeping their recipes?
Would recipe books exist? How different would food look across the world?
Think of the last time you didn’t share something you were doing - what would you do now?
💥 Coolest Thing I Learnt this Week
Learning in Public
Putting ‘half-baked’ ideas out there can seem really scary. I remember when I started writing online, I used to second guess every single post I put out there! Fear is real, but as Elizabeth Gilbert says -
“You just need 1% more curiosity that fear. That’s all!”
Check out the full video here -
Mind Gardens
Anne-Laure Le Cunff in this article talks about the idea of our minds being similar to gardens -
Taking care of your mind involves cultivating your curiosity (the seeds), growing your knowledge (the trees), and producing new thoughts (the fruits).
I resonated with this a lot because I approach my writing like a digital garden. Ideas, thoughts that are a work-in-progress and yet out there - to invite dialogue & debates :)
Learning Industry is Closed Off
Last week, I had an interesting conversation about how closed the L&D/ LxD Industry is. Lavinia did a great job of summarising it here.
You know what they say, charity sharing begins at home!
🔦 Spotlight
Last week, Harsh & I took a workshop for the wonderful folks at Offbeat on The Golden Circle of Motivation - a framework developed by the LxD Lab.
One of the reasons I love facilitation is I always leave the session learning so much more in the process - even though I am supposedly the ‘expert’ in the room. But that is the power of sharing! Sharing can help you look at something familiar from a completely fresh perspective 👓
Love & Learning
Until we meet next week!
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