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.