Looking Back, Moving Forward

As the year comes to a close, I have been reflecting about the people, the ideas and the conversations that stayed with me throughout 2025.

Competencies and Recognition of Learning 

This year, much of my focus was anchored in recognition of prior learning, developing and assessing competencies, and valuing lived experience whether through training needs, environmental scans or RPL and competency-based assessment pathways. Some highlights include:

• RPL-Based National Certification Program (Canada): Designed, developed and launched a Recognition of Prior Learning-based certification for Career Development professionals. Awarded Professional Certification Programme of the Year by the e-Assessment Association.

• Training Needs Analysis: Reviewed and analyzed structures, curriculum, and training model to define the current state; led consultations to define the desired state; conducted gap analysis with best practices and EDI considerations; and delivered actionable curriculum enhancement recommendations.

• Competency-Based Faculty Development Program: Designed a structured yet flexible Faculty Development Program to build foundational skills in teaching, curriculum design, facilitation, and educational technology while advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and Indigenous ways of knowing. The goal: support faculty growth from basic to advanced levels to enhance the quality of teaching and learning across the institution and cultivate a culture of teaching excellence and innovation. 

• Environmental Scan on Recognizing RPL Practitioners: Conducted a comprehensive environmental scan to assess the training needs within the field of Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR/RPL) across Canada. The project included practitioner and employer surveys, focus groups, interviews, and research to gather insights aimed at shaping the future of RPL/PLAR in Canada, including potential development of a national RPL certificate or voluntary certification program.

Takeaway: Partnerships and collaboration with clients and interest holders make recognition and learning systems stronger, sustainable, and capable of amplifying human potential.

Learning, Teaching, and Community Engagement

This year, I had the privilege of teaching my Instructional Design course at UVic CACE guiding adult learners to design meaningful, evidence-informed learning experiences while learning alongside to shape the practice of instructional design.

I wrote many blog posts and LinkedIn Articles and contributed to BCcampus's Digital Pedagogy Toolbox with my article: Who Are We Leaving Behind? where I reflected on the hidden costs of digital pedagogy and explored how we can address these challenges and promote more inclusive learning environments.

I attended CredX: B.C.'s Inaugural Symposium on Micro-credentials, Badges, and Recognition and BCPLAN Symposium and The Accessible & Inclusive Design Conference 2025 by The Training, Learning, and Development Community and met friends and colleagues, who like me, are passionate about promoting innovative solutions, sharing insights, and supporting recognition practices and accessibility across learning and work. 

I also presented at:

• CAPLA Conference (May)

• CAPLA Community of Learning (June) - "Reclaiming the L in RPL/PLAR"
  Experience alone doesn't guarantee learning

• CAPLA Fall Webinars (Nov)

• BCcampus Digital Learning Strategy (DLS) Forum (Nov)
  
  

Takeaway: Ideas grow stronger when tested in dialogue with a curious and engaged community who isn't afraid to challenge you. Collaboration is where learning multiplies.

Podcasts and Panels

Being invited for podcasts and panels offered a slower, more reflective space to explore. These conversations were less about answers and more about sense-making, which felt timely.

• Getting Comfortable with AI

• Fingerprints of Work: Humanizing Learning & Recognition in the Age of AI 
  Work Fingerprints

• Competencies in a Changing World of Work
  Competencies make the invisible, visible

Takeaway: Thoughtful dialogue and reflection together with peers and practitioners help navigate complexity and encourage innovation.

Questions That Kept Resurfacing

Across projects, presentations, and dialogue, two questions kept resurfacing: 

• How do we design learning, assessment, and work systems with a human-first mindset?

• How do we move beyond tools and trends to address authenticity, trust, and belonging in learning systems?

Looking Ahead to 2026

I am deeply grateful for the practitioners, educators, sector leaders, and peers who engaged thoughtfully and generously and for my colleagues, clients, partners and collaborators who trusted me with work that matters.

As we move into 2026, my commitment remains the same: to design and support learning and recognition practices that are collaborative, equitable, and deeply human.

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I want to acknowledge that this reflection captures some of the visible work from the year, but not the failures, challenges, or breaking points that sat alongside it. Growth is uneven, learning is messy, and meaningful work is shaped as much by uncertainty as by accomplishment. So, if this resonates, I hope it does so not as a "checklist of achievements", but as a reflection on learning, partnership, and the questions that continue to shape my work and as an invitation to learn/share, and to give ourselves and others a little more grace as we continue the work.

BCcampus Digital Learning Strategy Forum 2025

 

Taruna Goel Vodcast with Britt and Tracy

If AI were a song, movie, or book title, what would it be?

Well… I definitely have an answer, but you will have to watch the vodcast to hear it! I had such a great time chatting with Britt Dzioba, M.Ed. and Tracy Roberts about digital literacy, AI, and all the ways educators are trying to make sense of this moment. We reflected, we geeked out a little… and yes, I revealed my favourite tool too. 

Watch the vodcast here:  Taruna Goel Vodcast with Britt and Tracy

But that was just the warm-up.

Last week, over three days, the BCcampus Digital Learning Strategy Forum 2025 brought together more than 400 educators, leaders, and practitioners from BC and beyond. The theme was "Human-Centered Design in Digital Learning Environments" and every presentation, every conversation and every question was on point.

A huge thank you to the Program Committee, to every speaker who shared their expertise, and to all the participants who joined the conference. My session on "AI Literacies for Educators: From Fear to Fluency" was reflective, practical, and full of the competency-based goodness you know I adore :) We discussed the UNESCO AI Competency Framework for Educators and identified ways to include it into our teaching and learning practice. 

Here is a copy of my slides: 2025 DLSForum-TarunaGoel-Slides_18Nov25

I am leaving the forum feeling inspired and hopeful about where BC’s post-secondary community is heading. And if your team or institution wants to dig deeper into AI literacy, competency frameworks, or building skills-first pathways, I would be glad to continue the conversation.

If you made it this far, what is your answer to: 

"If AI were a song, movie, or book title, what would it be?"

#BCcampus #AILiteracy #AICompetencies #DigitalLiteracy #DigitalStrategy #BCPostSecondary #Educators #Teachers #Competencies #Skills #ArtificialIntelligence #CriticalAILiteracy #UNESCOAICompetencyFramework #UNESCO

From Choice to Judgment: Redefining Self-Directed Learning for the AI Era

This reflection emerged from a recent discussion with fellow post-secondary educators, where we explored how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles come alive in real courses and programs. In the ongoing conversations about choice and voice, I often find myself returning to a simple truth:

Choice doesn’t automatically lead to better learning.

One of the goals of UDL and of any learner-centered design is to nurture learner agency. But so many learners, including adults returning to formal education, people engaging in continuing education, or professionals participating in corporate upskilling programs, are not accustomed to navigating multiple pathways. I have seen how giving too many options can quickly shift from being empowering to being confusing or even overwhelming.

What we don’t talk about enough are the self-directed learning behaviours that make any “choice” meaningful. Things like learning how to learn, how to self-assess and reflect, and how to connect content or information with purpose. In courses and in organizations, we tend to assume the existence of these meta-learning skills, and we don't put as much energy behind developing these skills more intentionally.

This is where leadership in learning design matters.

Our role isn’t just to provide choice and flexibility; it is to create guided structures or scaffolds that help people build confidence in making informed decisions about their own learning.

Image by wal_172619 from Pixabay

At the course level, guided choice-making is about helping learners make purposeful micro-decisions within the context of specific learning outcomes. In practice, within a course, this might mean offering guided choice-making. For example, providing a choice of recommended readings and additional resources, but framing those with brief cues such as:

- “If you’re curious about the theory behind this concept, explore this reading.”
- “If you want to apply it in your work context, try this one.” 

At the organizational level, the same principle scales up to how we design learning systems that balance autonomy with direction, where we enable people to self-direct their growth without being lost in choice overload.

In competency-based or skills-first organizations, guided choice can show up in multiple ways. For example:

- Curated, purpose-linked learning pathways: Organizations must offer guided learning pathways based on roles, competencies, or career aspirations. This can be aided by providing employees with self-assessment tools that map to these learning pathways. For example, the results of a self-assessment may show strong technical expertise but lower leadership competencies, and that might be an area the employee may explore next in terms of purposeful and meaningful learning experience.

- Recognition systems that reward reflective choices: Recognition systems can be designed to reward, nurture, and encourage reflective learning. For example, when an employee chooses a professional development activity, they could be asked to articulate why they chose it, how they intend to apply it, etc. Over time, these reflections can help people identify and recognize their own learning and develop the meta-skill of learning how to learn.

- Adaptive learning with human guidance: If an organization is developing skill platforms that use AI-driven recommendations, guided choice-making can mean connecting the algorithmic suggestions with human judgment, such as manager notes and recommendations, peer feedback, or self-reflection diaries or assessments that bridge the gap between machine personalization and meaningful human guidance.

Small design choices like these create big shifts. And we need these big shifts.

The next evolution of self-directed learning is already here. We need to start moving from making choices within a course towards making informed, ethical, and purposeful choices about our learning in an AI-augmented world.

As educators and learning leaders, we have to support people to not just exercise choice but to develop the judgment to use it well, and this capability feels even more critical in the age of AI. 

In many ways, building choice and supporting self-directed learning behaviours isn’t just about learner autonomy anymore; it is about helping people learn how to think with AI without outsourcing their thinking to AI.

AI won't teach us how to learn; that's still our job!

#UDL #LearningDesign #AILiteracy #CriticalThinking #HumanizingAI #LifelongLearning #LearnerAgency #LeadershipInLearning #AdultLearning #LearnerAgency #InstructionalDesign

The Real Work of Training Lies Beyond Knowing and Telling

Image by Manfred Steger from Pixabay

Recently, I was researching some academic papers on effective "Train-the-Trainer" models, and this statement from one of the papers stopped me in my tracks:

"Though individuals can be taught teaching techniques, not everyone is able to teach."

YES! 'Knowing' something isn’t the same as being able to 'teach' it and as Harold D. Stolovitch and Erica J Keeps famously put it: “Telling Ain’t Training.”

The real work of training lies beyond knowing and telling. 

Teaching and training involves way more than subject matter expertise. It demands empathy, patience, curiosity, inspiration and listening. While it may seem counterintuitive, I have found that most training is about listening rather than talking, and this also means listening for what's not always said! 

Training is about recognizing who is in the room, including their prior learning, experiences, interests, motivations, biases, and assumptions. 

I've been doing this for over 25 years but before I step into any 'training' room and while I am in it, I ask myself:

- How do I check my assumptions about “what good learning looks like”?

- How do I challenge my biases about language, culture, confidence, or professionalism?

- How do I simplify something without dumbing it down? 

- How do I resist the urge to talk too much when silence might work better?

- How do I stay present and flexible instead of always sticking to my plan?

- How do I resist giving answers and hold spaces for others’ growth? 

- How do I help people lean into their own voice?

- How do I make it less about the showcase of my content knowledge and more about the facilitation of their learning?

And while I will continue to design Train-the-Trainer programs and frameworks that are about structure, tools, and approaches, what I truly want to nurture is to:

Help trainers make the shift from knowledge holders to learning facilitators

It’s a nuanced shift and a hard one to capture in a conceptual framework.

So, let me ask you. What makes someone a good trainer? Is it something we can teach or something we need to nurture? 

#Trainers #TrainTheTrainers #TellingAintTeaching #Training #Facilitating #EffectiveTraining

Beyond Artificial Intelligence: Making AI "Care" Better?

Throwback Thursday: A year ago, I wrote about “work fingerprints”, the unique blend of skills, experiences, and insights that define us as humans in what is becoming a world that is increasingly being shaped by AI.

 
Fast-forward to today: As a part of my morning reading ritual, I took a deep dive into some recent articles and discussions on what makes us human and what the pathways are to enhance human connection.

Some ideas that stood out for me were:

"The challenge is designing AI systems that enhance human interaction rather than erode it."

"True intelligence isn’t the ability to generate information. True intelligence is the ability to generate emotion. The future of AI won't be about how fast it computes — but how deeply it connects."

"If, as we anticipate, human goals and preferences become increasingly co-constructed through interaction with AI systems, rather than arising separately from them, then AI safety requires paying as much attention to the psychology of human-AI relationships as the wider societal factors and technical methods of alignment. We now highlight core ingredients of this emergent psychological ecosystem: humans as social animals and AI systems as increasingly capable social agents."

This conversation has only become more urgent. I don't think the real risk of AI is replacement. I think it is the erasure of our unique fingerprints. It is the things that each of us leaves behind as breadcrumbs that highlight the mix of who we are through our choices, decisions, and connections with other humans.

In my work designing RPL pathways and competency-based frameworks, I have seen how often human potential goes unrecognized; not because it is missing, but because 'systems' overlook the stories behind it.

Given that, how do we ensure that technology enriches, not erodes, our fingerprints and human connections? If the next revolution is emotional, not technical, how do we make sure we are building a human-first AI ecosystem that doesn't overlook the human?

Well, the ‘godfather of AI’, Geoffrey Hinton, presented an intriguing solution in an interview with CNN where he suggested we build "maternal instincts” into AI models, so “they really care about people”. He goes on to say:

“Evolution obviously made a pretty good job with mothers. AI developers have been focusing on making these things more intelligent. But intelligence is just one part of a being. We need to make them have empathy towards us. And we don’t know how to do that yet. But evolution managed and we should be able to do it too.”

So, the challenge ahead is not (just) about making AI think better, but to help it "care" better?

https://www.hec.edu/en/knowledge/articles/ai-divide-human-not-technological

https://www.forbes.com/sites/dangardner-1/2025/05/12/the-next-ai-revolution-isnt-technical-its-emotional/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/pialauritzen/2025/08/14/geoffrey-hinton-says-ai-needs-maternal-instincts-heres-what-it-takes/

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/13/tech/ai-geoffrey-hinton

#WorkFingerprints #FingerprintsInAnAIWorld #HumanFirstAI #MotherAI #EmotionalIntelligence #DigitalEthics #AIEthics

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL/PLAR) is Opening Doors for Many

One of the most common misconceptions I often hear about Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) is that it's a shortcut. That it's the easy way out that lowers the standards.

But it's not.

Ask RPL Advisors and Mentors about the kind of investment that's required to help applicants understand the competency standards and collect and document evidence that maps meaningfully to those standards.

Ask successful RPL/PLAR graduates about the kind of time and effort (and emotions) it takes to prepare for a structured RPL Assessment.

Ask Assessors how much training and mindset-shifting it takes to move from checking boxes to 'assuming competence first', and then doing assessments with fairness and intention.

And ask the RPL experts and consultants, like me, who work behind the scenes with subject matter experts, industry committees, sector advisory groups and regulators to build the competency frameworks and assessment tools, develop RPL requirements and procedures, and ensure that the process and tools are valid and defensible. It takes months of consultation, alignment, and consensus-building across the industry to make sure the bar is high, transparent, and trusted.

None of it is easy. 

In fact, sometimes "RPL-ing" a requirement can take longer and it often demands more reflection than attending a formal education program.

RPL doesn’t lower the standards bar, it simply focuses on various ways that people can demonstrate that they meet the standards.

Instead of forcing everyone through the same gates in the same sequence, RPL opens multiple doors by recognizing that learning happens in diverse and deeply valuable ways on the job, in life, through community, through life challenges. None of the doors are shortcuts but they do offer diversity, inclusion, fairness, relevance, and rigour.

Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

RPL/PLAR is all about creating pathways that meet people where they are, not where the system expects them to start. 

The bar stays high. The route and assessment becomes more human-centred.


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Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is known by many names in different countries. See: Wikipedia.
For more information on RPL/PLAR in Canada: CAPLA - https://capla.ca/

The Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment (CAPLA) is the national
voice for the recognition of prior learning (RPL) in Canada. CAPLA is a
Membership-based Association that offers learning and professional development
resources for RPL/PLAR practitioners.


#RPL #PLAR #VPL #CPL #RecognitionFirst #HumanPotential #LearningAndDevelopment #LifelongLearning #WorkplaceLearning #AlternatePathways

Reclaiming the 'Learning' in RPL/PLAR

Thank you to the Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment (CAPLA), the Community of Learning (CoL) team and CanCred.ca 🇨🇦 for the kind recognition following my recent session:

"Reclaiming the 'L' in RPL/PLAR – Why Experience Alone Isn’t Enough."

https://passport.cancred.ca/app/badge/info/33457

It was meaningful to revisit the core principles and foundations of RPL/PLAR and focus on what lies at its heart: the recognition of real, reflective learning, not just accumulated experience.

I set out to peel back the layers of RPL and my session covered: 

- The key differences between experience and learning

- Three common “experience traps” we fall into

- The consequences of mistaking experience for learning for equity, quality, and growth

- And my practical, best practices for surfacing learning that is often hidden, informal, or unspoken

It was especially rewarding to see meaningful conversations unfold in the breakout rooms from experienced practitioners and those just entering the field. Everyone shared generously and reminded me how powerful any community can be when we stay grounded in principles that matter.

#RPL #PLAR #VPL #Recognition #PriorLearningAndAssessment #RecognitionOfPriorLearning #LearningOverExperience #ReclaimingLearning #CAPLA #CAPLACOL #Community #RPLPractice


You can find the event content including my Presentation deck and the session recording in the Badge details. https://passport.cancred.ca/app/badge/info/33457

Recognition Before Reskilling

There’s a theory, "tabula rasa", which says that we are born as blank slates. That knowledge is only gained through experience and that we start from nothing and build up from there.

But is that really true?

As newborns, we instinctively root, grasp, and respond to voices. We are born with reflexes, rhythms and preferences. There is knowledge already encoded in our bodies that is passed through our DNA. New research also suggests that the knowledge of our culture, survival, pain and trauma is perhaps also stored in our cells.

And yet… in most of our learning and talent development systems, we still treat people as if they are starting from scratch. Before we acknowledge their expertise, we create plans to train, reskill, upskill, and make people 'fit' for the job.

- What if we stopped assuming blank slates and asking people to start from zero and, instead, recognized the wealth of learning and skills they bring to the table, from day one? What if Bootcamp Day 1 is all about recognition of learning and validation of skills?

- What kind of conversations can we have in our teams, organizations and industry sectors, that can allow us to acknowledge, recognize and validate this prior learning and skills and meet people where they are?

- How can we use a strength-based lens and recognition-first mindset? What can help us reframe our thinking and our work?

The answers? I hope you will find some in the following podcast! 

"Recognition before reskilling." - I hope that's the message you will get from listening to the latest episode of the TIDES Podcast. I am so grateful to Shveta Malhan for inviting me as a guest, for asking such thoughtful and pragmatic questions and for creating the space for such an important conversation.

I have been working in the areas of learning and recognition for over 25 years. But what I have found is that we often rush to retrain, reskill, or retool without pausing to ask, what do our people already know. What do we value and recognize and therefore, what are we failing to see, name, and value?

In a world chasing efficiency and automation, I am all about scaling our humanity :) So, if you're curious about how we can use recognition of prior learning as a mindset to center human fingerprints in AI-powered workplaces, give this episode a listen.

Listen to the episode here https://lnkd.in/gudtsw83

I'd love to hear your thoughts on how a recognition-first mindset has helped surface skills in your work and how recognizing lived learning can change lives.

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Shveta's Original Posting on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shvetamalhan_tidespodcast-recognitionofpriorlearning-humanizingai

Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment

#RecognitionOfPriorLearning #RPL #PLAR #PLA #APL #RCC #PriorLearningAsssessmentandRecognition #HumanizingLearning #RecognitionBeforeReskilling #WorkBasedRecognition #WorkFingerprints #VPL #AI #SkillsRecognition #WorkplaceLearning #HumanCenteredDesign

From Fear to Fluency: Rethinking AI in Post-Secondary Education

Image by Manfred Steger from Pixabay

I am writing this post as a follow-up to a recent panel discussion I participated in at the annual BEAC/BCCAT meeting. The Business Education Articulation Committee (BEAC) is part of the BC Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT), bringing together educators to explore key issues in post-secondary education. The panel, titled “Getting Comfortable with AI,” was organized by BEAC Chair, Garima Kamboj and moderated by Vice-Chair, Jennifer Duffy.

I had the pleasure of sharing the virtual space with thoughtful colleagues Gwen Nguyen and Fuat Ramazanov as we discussed the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in post-secondary teaching and learning.

Below are some of the key questions we explored and the reflections I shared during the session.

"If there was one mindset shift you would recommend to post-secondary educators about AI, what would it be?"

One Mindset Shift: From Answers to Questions

A video of Steve Jobs from 1983 recently shifted my own mindset. In it, he imagines a world where machines can hold and convey the spirit of thinkers like Aristotle allowing us to ask them questions even after they’re gone. That future is here. 

So, if there’s one mindset shift I’d recommend to educators, it’s this: Let’s stop treating AI as a shortcut to answers, and start seeing it as a way to deepen our questions.

The magic of education has never been about having the right answers. It’s about learning how to ask better ones. I don’t see AI as replacing educators. I see it redefining our role from content providers to social architects helping learners make meaningful connections with themselves, others, their work, and the world. In that world, AI becomes Augmented Intelligence, not Artificial Intelligence.

"Should academic integrity policies explicitly include guidance on AI use? If so, what might that look like in a way that is fair, inclusive, and educative?"

Academic Integrity: From Policing to Partnership

Yes, academic integrity policies should explicitly address AI. But not in a way that is rigid or punitive. Instead, I advocate for policies that are transparent, contextual, inclusive, and educative.

Here’s what that can look like:

- Make expectations visible. Clearly articulate when and how AI can be used and align AI use with course learning outcomes/objectives or the context of teaching.
- Prioritize disclosure over detection. Encourage statements like: “I used AI to brainstorm ideas” or “I checked clarity using a tool and revised it myself.” These aren’t confessions, they’re reflections.
- Avoid the binary. Move beyond “allowed vs. banned” and toward a continuum of use from “no AI” to “AI as co-creator.”
- Include learners. Involve students in setting norms. Ask them what responsible AI use looks like in your course context. Let policies be co-created, not just imposed.
- Model teaching with integrity rather than teaching for integrity. 

In my experience, people rise to clarity. Students grow when they understand not just what is expected, but why it matters.

"What does digital fluency around AI look like for both instructors and students?"

Digital Fluency: From Tool Use to Learning Agility

Digital fluency isn’t just about knowing how to use AI tools. It’s about knowing when, why, and to what extent to use them and when not to.

For instructors, this includes:

- Enhancing human agency in teaching and learning
- Developing judgment around the technical, ethical and pedagogical dimensions of AI
- Practicing with real-world cases of integrating AI, not just introductory demos of AI tools
- Leveraging AI for driving their own lifelong professional development

It is important that instructors and educators apply frameworks like UNESCO’s AI Competency Framework for Teachers into their teaching practice.

Educators don’t need to become AI experts. But we do need to become AI-literate facilitators and be  able to guide students in a landscape filled with both promise and peril.

For students, AI literacy must include:

- Learning to co-create with AI
- Critically evaluating outputs
- Practicing prompt engineering
- Understanding bias and ethical considerations

Both instructors and students need learning agility and develop their ability to adapt to rapidly evolving tools and systems. Our expectations must shift from mastery of a fixed set of AI tools to the ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn how we work with AI.

“What is one actionable step you recommend educators take next week to deepen their comfort with AI?” 

One Action to Take Next Week

I invite everyone to try a "Plus One" mindset. This is a concept I love from Universal Design for Learning.

Think of one challenge you or your students consistently face. Then ask: Can AI help reduce or remove this barrier?

For example, maybe students often struggle with understanding assignment instructions. This leads to confusion, low-quality submissions, or a flood of emails. Could you use AI to rewrite your instructions in plain language? Or perhaps your students have trouble grasping abstract concepts. Could AI help generate analogies, visuals, or real-world examples at different levels of complexity giving students multiple ways to connect with the content?

You don’t need to overhaul your teaching. Just take one meaningful step. That’s the heart of Plus One thinking.

Getting comfortable with AI isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. So, we have to keep building our stamina and strengthening our muscles. And like any good workout, it helps to run alongside others. Let's stay connected and keep the conversation going!

Resources:

UNESCO AI Literacy Competencies – An overview: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/what-you-need-know-about-unescos-new-ai-competency-frameworks-students-and-teachers?hub=32618

UNESCO AI Literacy Competencies for Teachers: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/ai-competency-framework-teachers

UNESCO AI Literacy Competencies for Students: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000391105

GenAI in Teaching and Learning Toolkit for Educators: https://opentextbc.ca/teachingandlearningwithai/front-matter/introduction/

From Tabula Rasa to RPL/PLAR: Valuing What’s Already There

There’s a theory, "tabula rasa", which says that we are born as blank slates. That knowledge is only gained through experience and that we start from nothing and build up from there. But is that really true?

As newborns, we instinctively root, grasp, and respond to voices. We are born with reflexes, rhythms and preferences. There is knowledge already encoded in our bodies that is passed through our DNA. New research also suggests that the knowledge of our culture, survival, pain and trauma is perhaps also stored in our cells.

And yet… in most of our learning and talent development systems, we still treat people as if they are starting from scratch. Before we acknowledge their expertise, we create plans to train, reskill, upskill, and make people 'fit' for the job.

- What if we stopped assuming blank slates and asking people to start from zero and, instead, recognized the wealth of learning and skills they bring to the table, from day one? What if Bootcamp Day 1 is all about recognition of learning and validation of skills?

- What kind of conversations can we have in our teams, organizations and industry sectors, that can allow us to acknowledge, recognize and validate this prior learning and skills and meet people where they are?

- How can we use a strength-based lens and recognition-first mindset? What can help us reframe our thinking and our work?

The answers? You will have to wait just a bit :) I had a great conversation on all things recognition of prior learning where I got a chance to chat with a wonderful colleague for their upcoming podcast. Coming soon to your feed!

In the meantime, I am heading to the Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment Conference in Antigonish, Nova Scotia and looking forward to both presenting and participating in all things RPL/PLAR!


May 26, 2025 - Preconference
1:15 – 4:45 p.m.
Andy Brown, CAPLA Chair; Dan McFaull and Taruna Goel, North Pacific Metrics Inc.
"Recognizing RPL Practitioners: Findings from the CAPLA/ONCAT research project"


Day 2 - May 28, 2025
10:05 - 11:05 a.m.
Dan McFaull and Taruna Goel, North Pacific Metrics Inc.
"RPL Tools for Upskilling in High Tech"

https://capla.ca/

https://caplacon2025.mailchimpsites.com/schedule

L&D in the Age of AI: Value Creators, Not Just Validators

Inspired by and in response to Dr Philippa Hardman's insightful vision of ADDIE 4.0, I explore how AI is reshaping Instructional Design and why L&D professionals must go beyond validation to create cultural, ethical, and emotionally resonant learning experiences.

I propose an expanded version, ADDIE 4.1 :), where L&D acts as social architects designing not just learning, but connection, equity, and community. The way I see it, the future of L&D lies in intentionally shaping behaviour, meaning, and workplace performance alongside AI!

Image by Iris,Helen,silvy from Pixabay

Last week, I read an insightful post on how AI is impacting the role of instructional designers and the future of Instructional Design. In her latest post, Dr Philippa Hardman argues that Instructional Design isn't dying, it is infact evolving into more "specialised roles that reflect both the capabilities of generative AI and the strategic imperatives facing modern organisations." You can read her post here: https://drphilippahardman.substack.com/p/instructional-design-isnt-dying-its

I really like her take on the complimentary roles of AI & ID especially the breakdown of which tasks in the Instructional Design process are best handled by AI versus those that require human insight. It offers a good roadmap for what lies ahead. In her post, she also proposes an ADDIE 4.0 version of the classic ADDIE model focusing on "Where Humans & Machines Collide".

I appreciate the proposed ADDIE 4.0 model but I also recognize how it assumes a highly mature AI system and organization-wide, bias-free, accurate data to generate valuable learning content on an individual basis.

But this kind of data organization and personalization is very resource-intensive and perhaps somewhat unrealistic for many small and medium-sized organizations.

I am also thinking about the accuracy and fairness of data that is guiding these automated pathways. Isn't there a critical role of L&D to prevent AI from using data sets that might inadvertently reinforce existing biases or limit exposure to diverse perspectives?

Perhaps what is missing in this ADDIE 4.0 model is how L&D work goes beyond the validation function into the more value creation function by bringing the cultural, ethical, and emotional context into the work we do.

To build on Dr Philippa Hardman's vision, I would advocate for ADDIE 4.1, which expands the human L&D tasks column to bring the the lens of learning contexts around ethics, accessibility and building a community.

In my version of ADDIE 4.1, successful L&D roles and functions will need to:

1) actively identify and reduce the bias in datasets collected by AI,

2) consciously add contextual, cultural, and emotional relevance to learning in order to build a community, and

3) intentionally move beyond being the providers and validators of learning experiences to become the architects of equitable and meaningful connection and workplace performance.

In my version of ADDIE 4.1, I see L&D as social architects. Just like architects design spaces not buildings, L&D social architects will design human connection and shared meaning through learning and performance.

Because the real impact of our work lies not only in what people learn but in how they behave and how they connect, with themselves, with each other and with the work they do.

How do you see the role of L&D evolving alongside AI? I am curious to hear your thoughts and perspectives!

#InstructionalDesign #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #LearningandDevelopment #HumanCenteredDesign #FutureOfWork #LDCulture #ADDIEModel #LeveragingAI #ADDIE

L&D as Social Architects

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

The 2025 World Happiness Report was released recently and people in Canada are less happy than they were last year. But more importantly, we are less happy than ever, since the survey began in 2005. Canada was 5th in 2015 and has now slipped to 18th. The United States also dropped to 24th and U.K. fell to 23rd. Finland once again is on top, named the happiest country in the world and has been for 8 years in a row. 

Among other things, the report underscores the profound impact of social connections on individual well-being and societal happiness. And it reminds us that social connections are not about social media and building and nurturing relationships is not about the number of posts, number of followers or number of views. It is about caring, sharing meals, living with family, connecting with and supporting others, trusting others, and being kind and giving. 

While Canada's ranking was disappointing; something gave me hope. 

Last week, I heard Facilitating on Purpose Podcast where Beth Cougler Blom had a chat with Pete Bombaci on "Fostering Social Connection". Pete, the founder of the GenWell Project, underscored the critical role of social connections in enhancing individual well-being and community health. 

Pete shared that Canada has come up with the world’s first Social Connection Guidelines developed by the Canadian Alliance for Social Connection and Health! I think it is a great first step forward and having these guidelines signals our understanding of what's important but more importantly, Canada's commitment to improving health and societal well-being. 

The 2025 World Happiness Report, the "Facilitating on Purpose" podcast with Pete Bombaci, and Canada’s Social Connection Guidelines all emphasize the fundamental role of social connection in individual well-being and societal happiness. 

All of this took me back to a blog post that I had written a decade ago titled, "From Dependence to Interdependence: The Changing Role of Learning Consultants". 

10 years ago, I reflected on my role as a learning consultant and the move I wanted to make from creating learners who are highly dependent towards a role where my relationship with my learners is all about interdependence. I described this evolution as follows:

"I see my role as a facilitator of the process of learning and not necessarily the provider of information or knowledge. I see myself as the seed for learning conversations through which I can enable my learners to connect with other learners, their peers, and experts in their personal learning network. In that sense, I am a node in the learning path; and hopefully a critical one. I see myself as the one that connects learners and creates opportunities for interaction and engagement." 

What I read and heard over the past week and what I wrote a decade ago are all deeply relevant to my work today, and to the work of facilitators, trainers, and instructional designers. We are not just learning designers or knowledge experts. We are catalysts of connection, and curators of learning environments where people feel seen, supported, and invited to grow. But not in isolation, rather within a community. 

Social collaborative learning is not a new concept. But my vision for the next decade is that we lean more intentionally into our role as social architects, creating learning spaces rooted in interdependence, not just independence. 

How would I imagine a social architect in the context of learning and development? 

Well, they certainly aren't someone who builds walls, creates silos, or delivers knowledge (training) top-down. Instead, they are someone who designs an invisible infrastructure that makes human connection, belonging, and growth possible. 

A social architect in L&D is a connector of learning, people and purpose.

I see social architects in L&D as the ones who nurture a community by weaving threads between people, ideas, experiences, and purpose where each thread represents a moment of learning and shared meaning. 

Just like architects design spaces not buildings, L&D social architects design human connection and shared meaning through learning. Because the real impact of our work lies not only in what people learn but in how they behave and how they connect, with themselves, with each other and with the work they do. 

When Recognizing Prior Learning Raises the Standard

The NSCDA Certification Program for Career Practitioners has been named a finalist for the Professional Certification Program of the Year at the e-Assessment Awards 2025 and as you can tell, I am feeling proud!

I had the opportunity to contribute to this project as a consultant, working alongside Dan McFaull, the team at North Pacific Inc., and NSCDA’s dedicated team. Together, we co-designed and validated a competency-based certification model rooted in recognizing prior learning and supported by robust, real-world assessment tools.

Launched on December 10, 2024, the National Career Development Certification (NCDC) program has set a new national standard for Career Development Professionals (CDPs) across Canada. It ensures that all certified CDPs meet consistent, measurable standards of excellence and ethical practice, which is not only raising the professional standards of CDPs but also benefiting job seekers, students, employees, and employers nationwide.

This international recognition by the e-Assessment Association underscores the value of thoughtful, inclusive, and forward-looking approaches such as RPL/PLAR for professional assessment and certification. The awards will take place in London this June, and I’m so happy to see Canada’s work in this space being celebrated on the global stage! Wish the team all the very best!

Congratulations to the incredible team at NSCDA Lindsay Guitard Tara Deveau, BRM CCDPcm Ashley Halverson Teresa Francis Kathy McKee Sareena Hopkins CCDF-FCDC and many others who've played a big part and to all the partners including the Advisory committee and the Technical Working Group and the 515 recently certified CDPs!

It’s a beautiful thing when your work in advancing a profession makes a real impact.


https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7316232458805383168/

#RPL #PLAR #Certification #CareerDevelopment #CompetencyBasedLearning #ProfessionalRecognition #NSCDA #WorkforceDevelopment #LearningAndDevelopment #ProudMoment

Digital Pedagogy Toolbox: Who Are We Leaving Behind?

Photo by Taruna Goel

As a member of the post-secondary education community in B.C., I, like many others, have celebrated the expansion of digital pedagogies and the B.C. Post-Secondary Digital Literacy Framework as a way to promote flexibility, accessibility, and innovation. But beneath the surface, I have realized that perhaps some students, and some instructors, are quietly struggling to keep up.

As we adopt digital transformation, we must ask ourselves: who are we leaving behind? Are we unintentionally creating learning environments that benefit some while disadvantaging others?

In this article, I reflect on the hidden costs of an increasingly digital learning landscape. I also highlight how some of the strategies included in the Guidelines for Technology-Enhanced Learning can help post-secondary educators design more inclusive learning experiences that ensure all learners have equitable opportunities to succeed.

The Hidden Costs of Digital Pedagogy

I teach a post-secondary course, Instructional Design in Adult Education, at the University of Victoria (UVic) as a part of the Certificate in Adult and Continuing Education (CACE) program. The course is an asynchronous, online course. While I am always excited about the opportunity to introduce adult learners to instructional design, I also realize that teaching the course in this format, though incredibly flexible, poses its own set of challenges; not only for me as an Instructor, but for my students as well.

I have facilitated this course for many years and what strikes me most in this teaching experience is how digital tools that are meant to enhance learning can sometimes unintentionally create barriers. The tools and technologies that promise flexibility or accessibility can leave some learners feeling excluded.

Online and/or hybrid learning was often framed as offering students more flexibility and choice. Given that students come from diverse backgrounds and have diverse needs, flexibility is desirable. However, while flexibility has the potential to increase access for some learners, the form it takes needs to be addressed. (Ikebuchi, 2023, p. 15)

Digital learning environments, especially asynchronous ones like the course I teach, are often framed as offering freedom, but that freedom comes with hidden costs. As instructors, we must acknowledge the challenges and hidden costs of digital pedagogies including cognitive, emotional, and financial costs. The systems that seem to work for the most tech-savvy students sometimes overlook those who are still adjusting to the pace of digital education or grappling with the overwhelming demands of digital pedagogy.

Who Struggles in the Digital Environment

While online/hybrid learning offers the promise of greater support for learners from marginalized groups such as those with learning differences and/or disabilities, or those who live in underserved, remote/rural communities (often Indigenous communities), these are often the groups that are most identified as facing challenges of access to technology, the Internet, or accessible content. Addressing issues of access is vital if institutions want education to be equitable and inclusive. Learners cannot be expected to have digital literacy skills if they do not have access to technology. Students with learning differences and/or disabilities can only benefit from online learning if they can access the content in equitable ways. (Ikebuchi, 2023, p. 14)

After teaching and working in the online learning world for over two decades, I have come to realize that digital learning isn’t inherently more inclusive; in fact, it often amplifies existing disparities.

• Students without digital fluency

Many students struggle with digital literacy, and this isn’t just a generational issue. While some of us may take it for granted, it is not easy to navigate different types of learning management systems, stay organized using digital and cloud-based resources and tools, and engage in asynchronous discussions and group work. It requires a level of digital literacy that not all students possess. Without focused guidance, these learners are not able to keep pace. Also, technology evolves so quickly that if you take a break from it for a year or two, or don’t use it for education and learning, getting back to it can be intimidating and overwhelming.

As an instructor I cannot assume digital fluency; it is something that must be taught and supported. Also, I view digital literacy not as an isolated skill, but an integrated part of the educational journey.

As post-secondary educators, we need to remember that integrating digital literacy into every aspect of the learning journey is not just a pedagogical choice; it’s an ethical imperative. It ensures that learners are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed academically, professionally, and personally in an increasingly digital world. (Goel, 2023)

• Students with disabilities and neurodiverse learners

In the online environment, neurodivergent students and students with disabilities are faced with barriers like cognitive overload, poor UX/UI design, and overreliance on text-based digital content and resources. Tools like auto-generated captions and screen readers help, but they are often secondary considerations rather than a core design philosophy. Students in my class who report their ADHD difficulties usually express how they have difficulty with web-based course platforms being distracting and overwhelming, especially when the layout, navigation, and functionality across courses and programs are inconsistent.

Without one-on-one dialogue and individual mentoring, these students are behind the game before they even begin. I am more than willing to help those who reach out, but I cannot help but think about how many others are quietly struggling without anyone even knowing it.

• Non-traditional students

My course attracts many adult learners returning to post-secondary education after years in the workforce. They also come from a variety of backgrounds including sectors that may or may not be considered tech-savvy. Many are mid-career professionals transitioning into training and education roles (e.g., tradesmen, clinicians, therapists, nurses, law enforcement officers, and emergency responders). They are returning to university digital learning environments and struggling to meet the expectations of online participation and engagement.

These learners are proficient in their field of practice and have specialized areas of expertise but may or may not have experience with online, formal learning. They struggle with the self-directed nature of many online courses and often find themselves isolated from other students who are more comfortable with digital tools. When they see other students navigating the online platforms with ease, and engaging in extensive virtual discussions and collaborative activities, they often experience frustration. This can sometimes affect their confidence in their ability to succeed in the course, and lead to disengagement and dropping the course. As an instructor, I have trained myself to be particularly sensitive to the needs of these non-traditional learners. Regular personal check-ins, clear expectations, and opportunities for in-person interaction such as frequent office hours can help support their learning and engagement.

• Financially disadvantaged students

During COVID, we all realized that the digital divide wasn’t just about access to the internet. It was about high-speed connectivity, updated devices, specialized software, and, more importantly, quiet study and working spaces. As more assessments and courses move online, students with limited resources face more hurdles. The hidden costs of digital pedagogy are often financial and these barriers are rarely acknowledged in the broader conversation about digital education.

As stated in the B.C. Post-Secondary Digital Literacy Framework:

A person’s access to adequate hardware and software is required for developing digital literacy. However, not all people in B.C. have access to hardware and software, nor are included in digital or online environments. Therefore, alongside this framework, post-secondary institutions are encouraged to consider and address barriers learners might encounter when accessing digital learning spaces including connectivity, software, devices, and learning spaces. (Government of B.C., n.d., p.3)

• Students who are digitally fatigued

There’s an important emotional hidden cost of digital pedagogies around digital fatigue. Yes, digital pedagogies are making online education flexible, but for many students, it feels like an ‘always-on’ environment with no clear boundaries between personal and academic life. In my teaching, I have observed how students can experience online burnout from managing work, study, and life because everything is increasingly becoming more digital!

The challenge is not about just keeping up with content, it is about managing what seems like an unending stream of digital interactions. This constant connectivity can lead to burnout and a sense of detachment. In the context of digital fatigue, conversations around the mental health and well-being of both university students and instructors are important topics in post-secondary education.

What Can Post-Secondary Educators Do?

Digital transformation, though revolutionary, is not always inclusive. But digital pedagogies don’t have to be exclusionary. By designing more intentionally, educators can mitigate some of the hidden costs of digital pedagogies.

Professional development topics related to digital learning are broad and varied. Like the challenges related to digital learning, some topics are directly related to technology use and others are more technology-adjacent (professional development related to assessment, instructional practices, and student support. (Canadian Digital Learning Research Association, 2024, p. 26)

The Guidelines for Technology-Enhanced Learning were developed by the Quality Enhancement Working Group in alignment with recommended action 1 (a) from the Digital Learning Strategy. These guidelines provide a roadmap for post-secondary institutions in British Columbia to ensure digital learning models are inclusive, equitable, and sustainable.

Among other things, the guidelines emphasize:

Designing for equity and inclusion

• Digital learning environments should accommodate diverse learners by considering systemic inequities and integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL). In addition, institutions should use intersectional approaches to assess how different groups experience digital learning.
• Accessibility should extend beyond compliance with technical standards to address barriers related to technology access, affordability, and student support services.

Addressing the digital divide

• Not all students have access to reliable technology. The guidelines recommend low and no-tech alternatives such as providing downloadable or print-based course material, offering technology borrowing programs, and creating physical learning spaces where students can access digital tools.
• Institutions should clarify how required technologies align with learning outcomes and provide alternative ways to complete coursework if students face barriers.

Supporting educators and learners

• Technology-enhanced learning should take a human-centred approach. Institutions should provide mental health and well-being support for both students and staff in digital environments.
• It is important to create opportunities for educators to upskill so they can effectively teach in digital environments. Educators need ongoing professional development in digital pedagogy so that they can develop new teaching strategies and design models that support the needs of digital environments and inclusive learning practices.

Moving Forward: Making Digital Learning Work for Everyone

The 2024 Pan-Canadian report on digital learning states:

Given the continuing interest in increasing hybrid, online, and technology-supported learning, it is important to acknowledge the challenges associated with technology adoption. Some challenges, like faculty and student digital literacy or technology infrastructure, are directly related to technology use, whereas others are more systemic in nature and become more pronounced when technology is introduced into the institutional context (e.g., faculty fatigue and burnout, quality assurance, and addressing inequities). (Canadian Digital Learning Research Association, 2024, p.21)

While digital learning offers new opportunities, it also creates barriers that disproportionately affect some learners. As we continue to innovate, we must also recognize and address the hidden costs of digital pedagogies that prevent both students and instructors from fully participating.

By leveraging the Guidelines for Technology-Enhanced Learning we can navigate the expanding use of digital technologies in teaching and learning. This includes fostering the development of localized digital literacy policies and increasing digital literacy knowledge, skills, and abilities for all, including people of all levels of digital experience, backgrounds, contexts, and worldviews. We want to create a post-secondary system that truly works for everyone, not just those with access to the right tools and resources.

References

Canadian Digital Learning Research Association. (2024). 2024 Pan-Canadian report on digital learning: https://cdlra-acrfl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024-Pan-Canadian-Report_EN.pdf

Goel, T. (2023, November 15). Digital pedagogy toolbox: Integrating digital literacy practices. BCcampus. https://bccampus.ca/2023/11/15/digital-pedagogy-toolbox-integrating-digital-literacy-practices/

Government of British Columbia (n.d.). The B.C. Post-Secondary Digital Literacy Framework https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/post-secondary-education/institution-resources-administration/digital-learning-strategy/bc_post-secondary_digital_literacy_framework.pdf

Government of British Columbia (n.d.). Appendix 1: Guidelines for Technology-Enhanced Learning https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/post-secondary-education/institution-resources-administration/digital-learning-strategy/guidelines_for_technology-enhanced_learning.pdf

Ikebuchi, S. (2023). Accessing education: Equity, diversity, and inclusion in online learning. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 49(1). https://doi.org/10.21432/cjlt28349  https://cjlt.ca/index.php/cjlt/article/view/28349

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Originally published by BCcampus: https://bccampus.ca/2025/03/05/digital-pedagogy-toolbox-who-are-we-leaving-behind/