Educational Insights Episodes

Ideas and reflections on teaching, learning, and the evolving education landscape—exploring effective practices, changes, and actionable steps for educators.
42
Aug. 24, 2025

Mastering the ARCS Model for Adult Learning

Ever designed a learning experience that simply didn't connect with your audience? The missing ingredient might be motivation—the essential element that transforms passive content consumption into active, engaged learning. In this comprehensive exploration of John Keller's ARCS model, I break down the four pillars that create truly motivational learning experiences for adults: Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction. Developed in the early 1980s, this powerful framework addresses ...
41
Aug. 17, 2025

Light the Fire, Don't Fill the Pail: Adult Learning Secrets

Welcome to episode 41 of the Designing with Love podcast, where I cover why understanding Adult Learning Theory is fundamental to creating effective and engaging learning experiences for adult learners. Ever wondered why some learning experiences resonate deeply with adult learners while others fall flat? The answer lies in understanding how adults learn differently from children – a critical distinction that shapes effective instructional design. In this illuminating episode, I dive into the ...
40
Aug. 10, 2025

Breaking Free From Bad Course Design With Dr. Catrina Mitchum

Ever wondered why so many online courses fail to deliver meaningful learning experiences? In this enlightening conversation with Dr. Catrina Mitchum, founder of Catrina Mitchum Learning Design, we uncover the critical mistakes that derail course creators and the powerful solutions that can transform digital learning. Dr. Mitchum shares her journey from higher education professor to course design specialist, revealing how she became an "accidental instructional designer" when her community colle...
39
Aug. 3, 2025

Faith Leads the Way: Building a Better World Through Giving With Tommy Kilpatrick

Tommy Kilpatrick's spiritual journey takes us from the classrooms of California to the villages of the Philippines in this thought-provoking exploration of faith, purpose, and radical giving. Subscribe now to hear Tommy's practical wisdom on practicing "random acts of kindness" in cross-cultural contexts, his unique perspective on breathing as a spiritual practice, and his inspiring vision for rehabilitating those struggling with addiction. His story reminds us that true purpose emerges when...
38
July 27, 2025

Beyond the LMS: Why Instructional Design Keeps Growing With Shane Strand

Ever wondered how educators transform into instructional designers? Shane Strand takes us through his fascinating journey from high school teacher to curriculum coordinator to instructional designer in higher education. What begins as a story of career transition unfolds into a masterclass on navigating the evolving landscape of instructional design. For those entering the field or looking to advance, Shane offers practical advice: "There's always new tools popping up. Almost all of them have f...
Guest: Shane Strand
36
July 13, 2025

Math Revolution: Rethinking Education With Dr. Craig Hane

Mathematics doesn't have to be intimidating, confusing, or useless. Dr. Craig Hane proves this through his remarkable journey from being told he wasn't "college material" to revolutionizing how math is taught and learned. Dr. Hane shares how his uncle taught him practical mathematics that put him ahead of his peers, yet traditional algebra instruction nearly derailed his academic future. This contradiction sparked a lifelong mission to transform mathematical education. With refreshing candor...
34
June 29, 2025

The 5-Step Method to Reinvent Your Classroom in the AI Era With Dr. Matthew Metzgar

When students suddenly started acing exams while finishing them in record time, Dr. Matthew Metzgar knew everything about education was about to change. Rather than fight this AI revolution, he embraced it – developing a practical framework that's now helping educators worldwide transform their courses for this new reality. Drawing from his experience as a Clinical Professor of Economics and author of "The Overnight Educator: Transform Your Course in 24 Hours," Dr. Metzgar walks us through his ...
33
June 22, 2025

From Cloud Architect to AI Specialist: Naveen Krishnan's Microsoft Journey

What does the future of work look like when AI becomes your daily assistant? Microsoft AI Solutions Architect Naveen Krishnan offers a compelling glimpse into this reality, sharing how artificial intelligence already handles 30-40% of his daily tasks—and why that percentage will likely reach 70-80% soon. Naveen's 16-year journey from electronics engineering in India to his current specialized AI role at Microsoft provides valuable context for understanding how rapidly technology careers can evo...
32
June 15, 2025

The Human Loop: How AI Can Transform Instructional Design With Nathalie Doremieux

Artificial Intelligence may be revolutionizing education, but are we using it effectively? In this eye-opening conversation with Nathalie Doremieux, we dive deep into the reality of online learning and how to create experiences that actually work. The statistics are sobering—only 3-5% of people typically complete online courses. But this isn't just a student motivation problem; it's a fundamental design issue. "People don't want more; they want results," Nathalie explains, challenging the commo...
22
Feb. 26, 2025

GCU Alumni Interview With Charlene Drews and Markeda Johnson

Welcome to episode 22 of the Designing with Love podcast! In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Charlene Drews and Markeda Johnson, two recent graduates of the Master of Science in Instructional Design program at GCU. In this interview, Charlene and Markeda share their overall experiences with the classes they completed in the program together and advice that they have for current students who are completing the program. Send Jackie a Text Join PodMatch! Use the link to join PodMa...
17
April 21, 2024

Benefits of Creating a Facilitation Plan

Welcome to episode 17 of the Designing with Love podcast, where I cover the benefits of creating a facilitation plan when designing a learning experience in any industry. The episode covers five main areas that you should include in your facilitation plan, along with how to properly review and adjust as needed, and what else to consider. 🔗Episode Links: Please check out the resources mentioned in the episode. Enjoy! What's the Best Way to Design a Facilitation Plan That Meets Everyone's Needs?...
16
Feb. 25, 2024

GCU Alumni Interview With Shane Wolfe

Welcome to episode 16 of the Designing with Love podcast! In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing a recent graduate of the Master of Science in Instructional Design program at GCU, Shane Wolfe. In this interview, Shane shares his overall experiences with the classes he completed in the program and advice that he has for current students who are completing the program. Send Jackie a Text Join PodMatch! Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect. Disclaime...
11
Oct. 8, 2023

Using Polls for Learner Engagement

Welcome to episode 11 of the Designing with Love podcast, where I share how to use polls during lesson delivery, training, and professional development for learner engagement. This episode also provides information on three well-known and trusted polling software tools I have used, along with five different ways to engage your learners. 🔗Episode Links: Please check out the resources mentioned in the episode. Enjoy! Poll Everywhere Slido Polly 📑References: 9 reasons to use live polls to drive e...
10
Sept. 24, 2023

GCU Alumni Interview With Chris Phelps

Welcome to episode 10 of the Designing with Love podcast! In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing a recent graduate of the Master of Science in Instructional Design program at GCU, Chris Phelps. In this interview, Chris shares his overall experiences with the classes he completed in the program and advice that he has for current students who are completing the program. Send Jackie a Text Join PodMatch! Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect. Disclaim...
4
June 18, 2023

GCU Alumni Interview With Jessie Navedo

Welcome to episode 4 of the Designing with Love podcast! In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing a recent graduate of the Master of Science in Instructional Design program at GCU, Jessie Navedo. In this interview, Jessie shares her overall experiences with the classes she completed in the program and advice that she has for current students who are completing the program. Send Jackie a Text Join PodMatch! Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect. Discl...
2
May 21, 2023

What is Microlearning?

Welcome to episode 2 of the Designing with Love podcast! In this episode, I discuss what microlearning is, including a general definition, the benefits of microlearning, and different content types, and share some design tips to keep in mind when designing microlearning assets. 📑References: Andriotis, N. (2021, May 12). What is microlearning: A complete guide for beginners. eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/what-is-microlearning-benefits-best-practices Corbeil, J., Khan, B. H....