Thomas Creighton De Farias

Is curiosity a trait or a skill? Most people answer quickly. Too quickly. And the speed of that answer probably tells you more about their assumptions than the question does. We tend to treat curiosity as something you either have or don't. A personality feature. A gift. But this framing carries a hidden weight. It tends to privilege people who grew up in environments where questioning was safe, where not-knowing wasn't something to be ashamed of. When we call curiosity innate, we're often just describing the conditions some people were lucky enough to grow up inside. This is what the research actually suggests: Curiosity isn't a fixed quantity. It's closer to a tolerance for uncertainty. And that capacity is absolutely shaped by experience, context, and deliberate practice. Which means it functions very much like a skill. Fear suppresses curiosity more reliably than any absence of talent. Environments that reward smart questions while punishing dumb ones are quietly destroying the very thing they claim to want. Nobody notices the question that never got asked. This came up in a conversation with Ian Kitajima and Cassie Nii yesterday on The Learning Buzz Episode 5, where we talked about the evolution of L&D into creator communities and kept circling back to the same uncomfortable truth: the most important thing a learning community can cultivate isn't content or tools. It's the permission and practice of genuine inquiry. Check out the webinar recording: https://lnkd.in/g8sk2R-A Critical analysis doesn't begin with frameworks alone. It begins with a willingness to not-know. Design thinking is often taught as a process, a toolkit. But the process is hollow without the foundational move underneath it: the suspension of certainty long enough to actually see what's there. That move is curiosity. Not as mood or personality. As practiced capacity. Curiosity isn't a nice-to-have that precedes learning. It is the learning. And our job, as instructional designers really, is to design conditions in which it can safely exist. That's a harder problem than most learning experiences account for. #StayCurious #TheLearningBuzz #AppositeLearning

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Wellbeing is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ – it's becoming a core component of resilient, high-performing organizations. #Coaching is evolving. It’s not just about performance metrics or executive goals anymore. Increasingly, coaching addresses the human side of the workplace: emotional wellbeing, mental clarity, and the ability to navigate uncertainty. Research shows that when coaching integrates wellbeing, it leads to stronger engagement, better retention, and healthier teams. But this only works when the approach is grounded in trust, empathy, and relevance to real-life challenges. At #Speexx, we see every coaching conversation as an opportunity to empower people — not just to do more, but to feel better doing it. How are you integrating wellbeing into your people development strategies? #LeadershipDevelopment #WellbeingAtWork #CoachingCulture #FutureOfWork #Speexx https://lnkd.in/d24XAqBz

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Thank you Amy Brann for this thoughtful post. It’s a strong reminder that we should use AI with care, making sure we don’t outsource all the tricky problems to it and ensuring we exercise and protect our cognitive abilities.

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🚀 Transforming Training with Gamification 🚀 In today's fast-paced world, keeping learners engaged is more crucial than ever. That's why integrating gamification into eLearning is a game-changer! 🎮 Imagine turning mundane training into an exciting adventure. By incorporating stories, challenges, and rewards, we can elevate the learning experience and make it more effective. 🔹 **Stories:** Craft narratives that resonate with your audience. A compelling story can make complex topics relatable and memorable. 🔹 **Challenges:** Introduce interactive challenges that stimulate problem-solving and critical thinking. This not only engages but also empowers learners. 🔹 **Rewards:** Recognize achievements with badges or points. It’s amazing how a little recognition can boost motivation and participation. These elements not only make learning fun but also enhance retention and application. Have you tried gamification in your training programs? Share your experiences or tips below! 👇 #eLearning #Gamification #TrainingInnovation #LearningAndDevelopment

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🌟 10 Top Retail eLearning Trends of 2026: What Works on the Sales Floor. In 2026, retail eLearning is no longer just a support tool it’s a strategic engine driving performance, confidence, and consistency across global store networks. 1. InstaLearning Learning in the Flow of Work👇 Ultra-short, mobile-first content often 10 seconds to 1 minute long mirrors how people consume information today. Visual, scrollable micro-units meet retail teams where they are: between client interactions and shifts. This format boosts completion, retention, and repeat engagement.  2. Branching Scenarios & Smart Authoring Tools👇 Retail learning in 2026 goes beyond telling people what to do it lets them act. Branching scenarios simulate real customer interactions and decisions, increasing both engagement and real-world skill transfer. 3. Branded Learning Experience👇 Training is now an extension of the brand universe. Fully branded LMS environments design, tone, narrative strengthen emotional connection, deepen pride, and make learning feel as intentional and curated as the boutique experience itself.  4. AI Chatbots as On-Demand Learning Companions👇 AI chatbots aren’t just a “nice-to-have.” They offer instant, contextual guidance in real time before a client interaction, during product launches, or while preparing for service rituals. 5. Blended Learning Seamless Digital + In-Store Journeys👇 The strongest retail programs blend mobile learning, in-store workshops, and manager reinforcement. When digital and human coaching work together, knowledge retention and behavior change increase significantly.  6. Community, Social & Peer-to-Peer Learning👇 Learning becomes richer when it’s shared. Social learning ecosystems communities, user-generated content, peer challenges help knowledge travel faster and deepen collective expertise.  7. Mobile Learning as the Default Format 👇 Mobile isn’t optional it’s the primary learning channel. With offline access, push notifications, and micro-content, mobile learning fits naturally into the rhythm of retail life.  8. Audio & Video-Based Learning 👇 Audio and video aren’t just content formats they amplify learning by aligning with how people naturally absorb knowledge: by watching, listening, and observing. 9. Next-Generation Authoring Tools👇 SCORM is no longer enough. Modern tools support interactive, mobile-first experiences with real-time analytics enabling agility and continuous updates that match retail launch cycles.  10. Activity-Based Learning👇 Training isn’t complete until it’s done. Activity-based approaches embed real tasks from in-store challenges to real client encounters into learning, ensuring skills transfer directly into performance.  🌟 In 2026, the common thread is clear: Retail learning must be useful, human, measurable, and deeply connected to brand experience.

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Most AI conversations in L&D focus on speed and efficiency. Faster content. Quicker updates. Automated workflows. But that is not where AI’s real value begins. The real shift is deeper: From enhancing courses to transforming capability and performance at scale In this article, I explore how AI is redefining Learning and Development by embedding learning into the flow of work, enabling real-time performance support, and moving L&D closer to business outcomes. If you are thinking beyond content creation and toward measurable capability building, this perspective may resonate. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gzZ2jKa4 #LearningAndDevelopment #AIinLearning #CapabilityBuilding #FutureOfWork #WorkplaceLearning #CorporateTraining #Leadership #AI #Learning #eLearning #EmployeeTraining

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Completion rates only tell part of the story. When learning investments are measured against the metrics that truly matter (knowledge application, behavioural shifts, and bottom-line impact) training moves from cost centre to value driver. In our latest blog, we unpack: - Practical ways to link learning data to performance KPIs. - Frameworks for tracking time-to-competency and operational efficiency. - Strategies for embedding ROI evaluation into your LMS from day one. If you’re under pressure to show clear, defensible value from your L&D budget, this guide offers a roadmap for turning insight into measurable outcomes. Dive into the full article: https://lnkd.in/dzvXtykH

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AI can save time. But only humans can bring empathy, creativity, and context to learning. The future isn’t AI or human — it’s AI + human. #LearningAndDevelopment #AI #eLearning

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AI is the buzzword everywhere right now and Learning and Development is no exception. An interesting time is upon us which is leading to a new set of tools and capabilities to match learning experiences to students, allow us to identify content needs proactively, and deliver premier learning opportunities with the most up to date tools. This article describes some of those impacts of AI on learning and how it will be useful within the L&D industry.

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The younger/tech nativist workforce demographic shift we've all been talking about is actually happening. And it's changing everything about L&D content delivery. Claire Moore (Darmanin), Chief Learning Officer at the International Carwash Association, is seeing it firsthand: more young people are entering the workforce, and they're completely comfortable engaging in learning on their phones because that's how they've experienced the world. This isn't theoretical anymore. It's operational reality. Claire's team stopped fighting against phone-based learning and started designing for it. They bring content into learners' realm and make it feel like something they're using every single day. Even at the management level, this younger workforce engages with mobile content in ways that would have been impossible just a few years ago. Here's what's interesting: Claire mentions they couldn't have done this kind of course development 10-15 years ago because the workforce wasn't ready for it. The technology existed, but the comfort level didn't. Now, the opposite is true. If we're not designing for mobile-first learning, we're designing for a workforce that's rapidly disappearing. The demographic shift isn't coming—it's here. And the organizations that design for technology natives will have a massive advantage over those still optimizing for desktop learning. Claire shares more insights on designing learning experiences for technology-native workforces in her full conversation on the They Learn, You Win podcast. Check it out below 👇

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Don’t let the “blank page” keep you up at night! A few tips from me about scaling content creation for your customer academy so that you can think about nicer things when you’re falling asleep. Like…where might Megan Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson have their wedding?

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Automate Your L&D Workflow with AI + Scenario Design + Storyline Triggers This week’s @Training Magazine Network (TMN) update brings together AI-powered efficiency, smarter scenario design, and advanced authoring techniques—all focused on helping learning teams work faster and design with greater impact. Inside this week’s TMN lineup: • Live webinars happening this week • Fresh insights from Training Magazine • New eBooks and on-demand recorded sessions Whether you’re looking to automate L&D workflows with AI, design more realistic decision-based scenarios, or master conditional triggers in Articulate Storyline, this week’s content is built to sharpen your practice and save you time. 👉 Explore the full update and register: https://lnkd.in/gyQKy3xV Featuring insights from: @Garima Gupta (GG) @JD Dillon @Zainab Fawzul @Diane Elkins @Christy Tucker @Dr. Kevin Thorn, CNH @David Goldberg #LearningAndDevelopment #InstructionalDesign #AIinL&D #Storyline #ScenarioDesign #TMN

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If you're interested in online education or you're building with tech in Africa right now, you might find our report interesting... We've done some research on the current state and future of e-learning in Africa, and well, the stats are as pressing as they are promising. Get a copy here >> https://lnkd.in/eHqunEap

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One thing I’ve realised about designing learning experiences is this: People don’t resist learning. They resist experiences that feel meaningless. Look around — adults happily learn new skills all the time: how to cook better food, invest better money, take better photos, run better marathons, parent better kids, or build better side projects. Nobody forces them. Nobody assigns modules. Nobody chases completion rates. So why does enthusiasm evaporate when the “learning experience” becomes formal, structured, or institutional? It’s not because people don’t want to grow. It’s because most learning experiences aren’t designed around how adults actually learn. Adults don’t learn because there is content to consume. They learn because there is: • a problem to solve • a desire to fulfill • a transition to navigate • a curiosity to explore • or a capability to strengthen This is why building learning experiences starting with “What content should we create?” usually fails. The better starting point is: “What change does the learner care about enough to pursue?” When the experience aligns with that question, learning becomes intrinsic. When it doesn’t, it becomes friction disguised as learning. Some of the best learning experiences I’ve seen in the wild weren’t “designed” in the traditional sense at all — they emerged from communities, hobbies, subcultures, mentorship, and challenges. They were social, contextual, and personally meaningful. And here’s the interesting part — every time I’ve seen learner motivation taken seriously, the need for “engagement tricks” drops dramatically. You don’t need gamification to make people care about things they already care about. Empathy is underrated in learning design. Context is underrated in learning design. Curiosity is underrated in learning design. We spend so much time designing experiences for learners, and not enough time designing experiences with learners — which is where intrinsic motivation lives. Once you get that part right, behaviour change and outcomes stop being theoretical and start becoming observable. #LearningExperienceDesign #LXD #Learning #DigitalLearning #AdultLearning #DesignStrategy

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