How Experience Influences Learning

Autoethnography is an amazing time capsule, whether or not you're a researcher. This 2021 snapshot of me and my son, both juggling remote learning during the pandemic, captures the real-world challenges that shaped my approach to Learning Experience design. My husband was stuck in another part of the world due to travel restrictions. I couldn’t afford the small-pod daycares. My dissertation writing was due. My son had his first experience of typing and reading digitally. Being a PhD student and mom, I learned firsthand how learning environments can evolve under pressure. How the joint-engagement evolves both in the physical space (how our study area was setup) and the mental space (multi-tasking without switching contexts too often). I maintained an Autoethnography journal with photos and notes on how my approach to learning changed during this difficult phase. This experience now influences how I design educational tools—empathic, adaptable, and learner-centered. What past experiences shaped your approach to learning something yourself and designing LX for others? #Autoethnography #LearningExperienceDesign #RemoteLearning #EdTech

Experience Teaches More Than Books: A Reflection on Workplace Learning In the professional world, experience often teaches us more than books. While theoretical knowledge is crucial, it’s the practical application that truly refines our skills and understanding. Real-world scenarios present unique challenges that require adaptive thinking and problem-solving beyond what textbooks can offer. I vividly recall making my first few cold calls. Despite having read extensively on sales techniques, the nerves and unexpected reactions from potential clients taught me more about persistence and improvisation than any book ever could. Each call was a lesson in resilience and adaptation, skills that no textbook could impart. Learning from mistakes is a significant part of this process. The trial and error of real-life tasks teach resilience and adaptability, qualities essential for growth in any role. Each misstep provides a lesson, fostering a deeper, more practical understanding that no book can replicate. For instance, handling customer resolutions, especially when they are sensitive, has taught me the importance of empathy and patience. Textbooks provided a framework, but actual interactions revealed the nuances of active listening and thoughtful communication, which are crucial for resolving conflicts effectively. Experience also offers a contextual understanding of how to apply theoretical knowledge. It reveals the nuances and complexities of real-life situations, providing insights into team dynamics, effective communication, and conflict resolution—skills that are vital in an office environment but difficult to master from reading alone. Making sales requires patience and time, a lesson I’ve learned through numerous interactions and negotiations. Books taught me the theory of building relationships, but experience showed me the importance of timing, trust, and understanding the client’s needs deeply. For those who join a business later, like in my case, the learning curve is steep. However, combining fresh perspectives with the practical insights gained on the job can lead to innovative strategies and a more profound comprehension of the business. Ultimately, while books are invaluable for foundational knowledge, it’s experience that hones our skills, shapes our understanding, and equips us to handle the ever-evolving challenges in the workplace. Embrace each challenge as a learning opportunity, and you'll continue to grow both personally and professionally. --- Feel free to connect and share your thoughts on the importance of experience in professional growth! --- *#ProfessionalGrowth #ExperienceVsBooks #WorkplaceLearning*

Experience is the best teacher. Or is it? Experience is a seductive teacher. Personal. Visceral. Real. But experience is only half the story. In our haste to learn from experience, we weigh our own experiences more heavily than we should. Each success becomes a story. Every failure hardens into a rule. The lessons we “learn” from experience draw invisible boundaries around our thinking. The founder who succeeded through persistence tells everyone to never give up. The one who pivoted early preaches rapid adaptation. Both miss the larger truth: they're looking at the world through a keyhole of their own making. Experience is availability bias dressed up as wisdom. The more experience we gain, the more we trust our judgment. The more we believe we know. The more we stop questioning. The more we stop seeing alternatives. And that's precisely when experience becomes dangerous - when it transforms from a teacher into a cage. Real wisdom isn't about collecting experiences. It's about developing the intellectual courage to challenge them. Two questions that can transform how you reflect on your experiences: • What's missing? • What's irrelevant? “Experience isn’t the best teacher. Evaluated experience is.” - John C. Maxwell

𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 [𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟]. - What if my trauma affects my peer relationships? - What if my classroom management suffers? - What if my stress impacts my students? Here's the truth: 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. - Your students sense your stress levels. - Your colleagues notice your reactions. - Your teaching style reflects your history. The one thing that actually matters... How you manage and respond to it. As educators, understanding our own ACEs is necessary because it directly impacts how we manage our classes and interact with students and peers. Strategies to recognize when ACEs might influence your work: 𝟏. 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 → What situations cause stress? Identify them. → Understand how they link to your past. 𝟐. 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 → Stay present and aware of your emotions. → It helps in reducing impulsive reactions. 𝟑. 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 → Ask trusted colleagues for their observations. → Use their insights to improve your responses. Understanding your ACEs can transform your teaching approach. It’s about recognizing the patterns that emerge from our past and consciously choosing how we want to respond in the present. By doing so, we not only create a healthier environment for ourselves but also for our students, who often look to us as role models. 𝟒. 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 → Attend workshops on trauma-informed teaching. → Learn strategies that promote grit and empathy. 𝟓. 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 → Connect with other educators who understand ACEs. → Share experiences and coping strategies. By acknowledging and addressing our ACEs, we can break the cycle of trauma and foster a more supportive and understanding educational environment. This journey is not just about managing stress; it’s about transforming adversity into an opportunity for growth and connection. The only way to manage it? 𝐀𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐭! Remember, your past does not define you, but it can guide you to become a more empathetic and effective educator. Let’s use our experiences to inspire and uplift the next generation. ******************************************************** 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐊. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝- 𝐈 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲….