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M.E. Knowles

The Supervisors Role in Counseling

We are fortunate to work with some of the leading facilitators in the worldwide talent development community. Our facilitators bring a wealth of experience and insight to their classrooms. We’re spotlighting their stories here.Meet Jonathan Halls!Jonathan is the award-winning author of Confessions of a Corporate Trainer and bestselling author of Rapid Video Development for Trainers.What is your favorite motivational quote?It changes every week but at the moment I like this one from Carl Rogers: “I can’t teach you anything but I can help you learn.” It emphasizes that our role is to partner with learners.How many years have you been a facilitator? Did you find the career path, or did it find you?I like to say I’ve been a facilitator for more than 10 years and that’s not lying. But, errr, I’ve been doing it for more than 30 years. I’m a bit unusual in that I’m not an accidental trainer. I always intended to be a trainer due to the influence of a mentor in my teenage years. In fact, I was teaching broadcasting skills in my teens, so I was geeking out on andragogy and adult learning skills before I left high school.What is something you wish you knew before becoming a facilitator?I wish I realized that being a polished trainer with nice slide decks and well-formatted handouts isn’t necessarily learner-centric. My bachelor’s and master’s degrees are in adult learning so I knew all the theories from Knowles to Rogers to Freire. But knowing them and practicing them are different. What took me years to learn was that the key is trusting the learner and all the knowledge, skills, and intentions they bring to the learning experience.What is your go-to facilitation tool?Questions are my number 1 tool, partly because they’re easier to carry than trainer toys and laptops and projectors. But mostly because when a trainer asks questions, it unlocks the learner’s long-term memory to help them build new mental models for cognitive and psychomotor learning. That’s not all–questions also provide dignity. When we ask questions, we show that we value and honor the learner’s perspective and trust their capacity to learn. And we get to learn from them too.How has hybrid learning changed how you facilitate?Not a whole lot. Our job is still to help learners build their skills. I think it’s more important to focus on trusting the learner to learn than being polished with technology. And I’m not a luddite. Hybrid situations still require the learner to do the work. It’s less about what we do than what the learner does.What is your best piece of advice for anyone looking to become a facilitator?Study how the learner builds their learning and reflect on what your role as a trainer is in helping them do that learning. Ask yourself, do I really need to present? To talk? Have cool slide decks? Or do the learners need to be doing stuff? Then grab a glass of your favorite wine, sit back, gaze into the distance, and marvel at the incredible capacity humans have to learn.What is your favorite part about being a facilitator?It’s the privilege we have to partner with folks as they walk on their learning journey. It’s truly awesome and it teaches us so much about life, other people, and ourselves. I love connecting all that to organizational performance, which is about helping people learn new skills, gain confidence, and help their organizations thrive. It’s an awesome part of the job.What is your favorite song these days, the last great book you read, or your favorite hobby outside of work?I’m a classical music buff and like some jazz. I know this sounds really nerdy but every month I get hooked on different composers. This month I’m reveling in Mozart piano concertos because of their incredible precision and light touch, especially Piano Concerto No. 21.How have your facilitation skills and training aided you in other aspects of your personal or professional life?Gee, where do I start and where do I stop? They help me understand people. They help me be patient (well some of the time). They help me know when to shut up. Most of all they teach me about other people and all they bring into our lives.

“It’s more important to focus on trusting the learner to learn than being polished with technology.”

Could the APTD be a way to validate my career and provide me with additional knowledge in training development, delivery, and learning technology?

The APTD Wasn’t "an" Option—It Was "the" Option

Marla designs help documents for the software applications her company produces. She sits across from Sean who develops monthly training webinars. Marla would like to “move up” to building instruction like Sean does, but Sean tells Marla that he thinks that the work that Marla does is actually more useful for the company’s users.We could argue the merits of documentation versus training, but there’s always the question of what each user needs at each moment of time. Context is everything.The science of learning is a science that works to understand how we learn and how we can improve learning and instruction. But to be fair, humans have been learning on their own since, well, forever.For instance, if Corinne wants to know how to do something, she often asks the person next to her and then gets on with her job. Yan mentors Morey and they meet most Tuesday afternoons. Marlena uses self-study materials and is going to take the certification exam in less than three weeks.So why do numerous disciplines (neuroscience, psychology, education, computer science, and others) expend enormous energy and resources to figure out how we learn and how to best build instruction? Can’t we just leave people alone?We Learn All the TimeAn interesting study by D.W. Livingstone shows that the majority of workplace learning happens not in formal settings but in informal ones. Numerous studies, including those by Livingstone, Jay Cross, Jane Hart and others, show informal learning as a proportion of all workplace learning at greater than 70 percent.If you haven’t already looked into informal learning, you should, because training professionals need to understand it more. Saul Carliner’s book, Informal Learning Basics, on the subject is a good primer, as are writings by Jay Cross and Jane Hart.You might think that the definitions of learning and instruction are self-explanatory, but actually they aren’t so simple. And they help us see exactly what we are trying to do.Learning, DefinedThere are many definitions of learning. A favorite comes from De Houwer:  “Learning is changes in behavior that result from experience.”Some definitions don’t require changes in behavior, only changes in knowledge. For me, this doesn’t cut it. If you can’t do what you are learning, the learning isn’t quite cooked yet. For example, if you can’t use what you are learning, you are on your way but not there yet.Applied learning requires knowledge and experience with the range of possibilities, of course. As my colleague Catherine Lombardozzi reminded me, people need deep knowledge, not only to follow a script. So if a customer service agent is following a script for handling returns, but she cannot handle the variety of returns, she only knows how to follow a script. She hasn’t really learned the whole returns process.One definition of learning discusses how learning requires the ability to correct errors. Now this is truly deep learning. One of the biggest problems people have is correcting things that go wrong. Misconceptions and mistakes are a big problem in learning. So when defining learning, we may want to determine how far into expertise we are talking about. Are they proficient (competent or skilled) or are they expert?Why Build Instruction?People can and do learn on their own. But we also know that when there are very specific things we want people to be able to do, there are efficient ways to help them. If learning occurs when we interact with our environment, then instruction is the creation of special environments specifically to promote learning.Dr. Richard Mayer, professor of psychology at the University of California, in his book Applying the Science of Learning reminds us we are trying to change behavior as a result of instruction and there are methods to do so that are more effective than others (that’s what the science of learning and instruction are about).This view has very far reaching implications. It means that if we are building “instruction,” we have to impact what people do. That’s a high bar. Although it is may not be practical to expect that everything we do reach that high bar, we ought to reach that bar often.So that leads to two question that we should ask ourselves:How do we infer (assume changes in) learning after instruction?How do we determine if the change has made it from instruction to the job?We will answer these critical questions soon.This is article 1 of Science of Learning 101, and I very much want your comments. Is this helpful to you? Does it answer your questions? Your comments can change the course of this series.ReferencesCross, J. (2007). Informal learning: Rediscovering the Natural Pathways that inspire innovation andPerformance. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.De Houwer, J., Barnes-Holmes, D. & Moors, A (2013). What is learning? On the nature and merits of a functional definition of learning. Psychonomic bulletin & review.Livingstone, D.W. (2001). Adults’ informal learning: Definitions, findings, gaps and future research. NALL Working Paper 21-20010. Centre for the Study of Education and Work, Ontario Institute for the Study of Education, University of Toronto. Retrieved from  Mayer, R. E. (2011). Applying the science of learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Science of Learning 101: What’s the Point of Instruction?

Who are the more than 4,500 talent development professionals who have earned the APTD or CPTD credential? She earned the Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) credential in 2014.

"My CPTD credential gives me confidence in my knowledge and skill set...."

The worldwide talent development community is diverse. Our members bring a wealth of experience and insight to their work. We're spotlighting their stories.Viacheslav Yurchenkov has been a member of ATD since 2016 from Russia. Here's his story in his own words.Tell us a little bit about yourself.I am head of the Centre for Advanced Learning Technologies at Sberbank Corporate University in Russia. My team and I research the best instructional strategies and technologies to implement in our in-class, distance, and blended-learning programs. We host monthly EduTech seminars for L&D professionals, universities, business schools, and training providers to share the best practices in the field. Based on these events, we develop the monthly EduTech magazine with the tips, cases, and additional research content on the specific educational technology. I am also responsible for developing the EduTech digests with the latest trends, news, startups, and events. Additionally, my department consults our program development staff about methodology and instructional technology-related questions regarding how to create the best learning experiences. Prior to working at Sberbank Corporate University, I completed my master’s degree in learning, media, and technology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and also worked as an instructional design intern at Volvo Group in Greensboro, North Carolina.What are your professional goals?My main goal is to develop, for all interested, the educational technologies and instructional design content, research evidence, and tips that will help to provide the best learning experience for their audience and to show return on investment—how learning and development add value to the business.What challenges have you overcome in your career?The biggest challenge was to develop the fire-prevention e-learning program for more than 100,000 Sberbank managers. I was under pressure because I had to deal with SMEs who wanted everything to be included in the program. Additionally, I felt a high responsibility for writing clear instructions as they may have saved thousands of lives. This project helped me understand how to deal with project stakeholders, external providers, and the e-learning program audience.What’s the most valuable thing you’ve gained or experienced during your membership with ATD?I am taking advantage of the many ATD resources with membership. TD magazine helps me find cool tools and instructional design strategies that I can share with my colleagues at Sberbank Corporate University. ATD Research helps me prove why learning technologies improve employees’ knowledge retention. Additionally, the Ask a Trainer section helps me to understand opinions on solving training development challenges.Could you share any professional tips, specific to talent development, that you have picked up along the way?My greatest tip is to continue constantly exploring and learning new information. We have a lot of resources available. They might be helpful when working on your latest project. For example, I learned a lot from Tim Slade’s about how to use animation, design storyboards, and prototypes from Tim Slade’s webcasts. Additionally, talk to people because they have different opinions. You develop learning for people, not yourself, so their advice might help you to create something relevant for them.What’s a common misconception you see when it comes to talent development?A misconception is that educational programs can solve every issue. It is certainly not true. We first need to diagnose a performance issue to find a problem then provide an appropriate instructional strategy and format. However, it may be something more serious that training won’t fix and may need leadership’s attention. We cannot, nor should we, develop training just because “it is your job to fix problems.”Do you have any advice for people looking to further their careers?Search for projects that require you to share the best practices and building TD knowledge, skills, and confidence in what you are doing.What is your personal definition of talent development?For me, talent development is about helping people to gain relevant knowledge and use it right away. When they can demonstrate what they have learned, it is a signal you are doing your job correctly.How do you stay motivated?I love what I am doing. I focus on the audience and the project. I am happy when people recommend our EduTech project (seminars, workshops, issues) to their colleagues and friends.How do you find meaning in your work?The target audience feedback is key and my manager’s support keeps me motivated.Have your own story to tell? Share it with us.

"Constantly Exploring and Learning New Information"

I was meeting a new client and introduced myself as a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP). Her immediate response was, “Did you pass it on the first try?” This question didn’t faze me. I smiled and thought to myself, “She knows…Obtaining that certification was no joke.”Unlike some other certification tests, the CPLP Knowledge Exam is not a memorization test. The questions are carefully and deliberately crafted to cover each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Will there be some questions with one obviously correct answer? Yes. But there will also be questions for which several answers are possible and appropriate, but only one yields the best results. Yes. This type of question requires you to imagine each answer in practice, envision how they all play out, and compare the results with one another. It will take some time, so the more thoroughly you know your material, the better you’ll be at answering it.I’m not telling you this to scare you. This insight is meant to prepare you. The Knowledge Exam is difficult, yet achievable. Passing it will instill in you a lasting sense of pride, and you will share a silent understanding with other CPLPs. You quite literally join the club.Focus When StudyingSo how should you best prepare in order to pass this exam? In my previous post, I stressed the importance of changing your daily routine. This is critical to your success. I set aside 45 minutes each morning before work and additional time on Saturdays. Some days I found myself easily distracted by external factors or even my own thoughts. In both cases I simply put in ear plugs. The absolute silence helped me to concentrate.Apply What You LearnI don’t study well in groups, so I had to look for other ways to bring to life the knowledge I was acquiring. Many mornings, I found myself inspired by what I read. I would jot down ideas and use them at work. One of my favorite ideas was a job aid for newly promoted directors. Two of my clients had been recently promoted while I was studying Managing the Learning Function. The new directors appreciated the job aid, and I scored well in that exam area because I had really thought through the material.Practice Taking the ExamIt is not enough to get through the materials. You will need to take the practice exams in order to kinesthetically prepare for the Knowledge Exam. Football players study the plays and then practice on the field. So should you. This will help you get used to the different types of questions and get a feel for taking the test at the exam center. I gave myself a one-month cushion after studying the materials. During that month, I ran through the practice questions over and over, carefully reviewing my notes for the lowest-scoring sections.Reach a State of Quiet AcceptanceI chose St. Patrick’s Day to bring a little luck o’ the Irish with me to the exam. Unfortunately, a late-season snowstorm blew in the night before. I was pretty worried about not being able to get to the exam center. By 5:30 the morning of the exam, I had a call and an email notifying me that the exam center was closed. Rescheduling was quick and easy, and I took the exam a couple of days later.I suppose plenty of people would interpret my luck o’ the Irish as the bonus 48 hours of study time. Not me. I didn’t study on those days. I didn’t need to. I knew I was ready. Most of the material was in my long-term memory and I was at peace.Remember the Bigger PictureMy goal wasn’t to prepare for or even to pass the exam. My mission was to improve my overall level of expertise. This prompted me to take more time to learn the material at a higher level of Bloom’s taxonomy than needed to pass the exam. I know it sounds lofty. However, I invite you to consider striving for the same purpose. Don’t just pass the Knowledge Exam. Incorporate it. Together, this is how we strengthen our profession.Learn more about the CPLP Certification.

Becoming a CPLP: Incorporating the Knowledge Exam

Certification gave me inner strength. It’s the affirmation of my know-how. I admit that no prospective client has asked whether I have a CPTD. But then, they don’t need to ask. It shows up in my work.

Certification Is Part of My Lifelong Learning

I try to play it cool, but if I’m being honest, AI is a little scary, especially from a professional perspective. Imagine you’re a renowned chef stepping into a kitchen you know like the back of your hand. But now, the knives sharpen themselves, the oven predicts your next move, and the blender … talks. That’s sort of what the new AI-powered workplace feels like to me. You can’t rely on the same old recipes—it’s time to rethink the entire menu.That’s the challenge today, and if talent development professionals don’t evolve, they—and their organizations—risk falling behind in a world where artificial intelligence is rewriting every rule.Beyond Prompts and PlatformsThe discussion isn’t just about writing better prompts or learning the latest tools. Talent development must move beyond tactics into transformation. AI is reshaping the workforce at breakneck speed, with disruption already touching everything from customer service to search engine operations. Some workers are thriving while others are falling through the cracks.To meet this reality head-on, we need to recognize four types of employees. Most conversations center around upskilling and reskilling. But we must also account for the underskilled and the unskilled. Failing to address the latter two categories means failing to build a truly inclusive learning culture, plus losing valuable talent in the process.Equal Access or Gated Pathway?Is learning in your organization open to everyone, or is it only available to those who have their manager’s approval? Too often, development opportunities hinge on subjective approvals. That’s a legacy model, and in an AI-powered world, it’s a liability. Democratizing learning means removing barriers and giving every employee—regardless of background or bandwidth—equal access to growth opportunities.When people don’t participate in training, it’s easy to assume they’re resistant. However, the real reasons are often deeper: caregiving responsibilities, digital access gaps, and burnout. Talent leaders must listen first, then build pathways that meet people where they are.The 5 Roles Talent Leaders Must MasterVisionary Cultivator. Focus on potential, not just performance. Envision growth beyond mere job descriptions and design ecosystems that make it possible for less boisterous, silent talent to thrive as well.Empowering Coach. Help employees own their learning journeys. Create motivational structures and use language that resonates to ensure people feel supported.Inclusive Innovation Catalyst. Build culturally diverse teams that use their differences to develop creative results. A bevy of perspectives leads to better decision making and stronger learning cultures.Collaborative Ecosystem Builder. Tear down silos and facilitate interdepartmental knowledge sharing. In an AI-enabled workplace, collaboration is no longer optional!Boundary Pusher. Challenge assumptions about who can grow and how fast. Create stretch assignments, microlearning opportunities, and space for employees to explore, fail, and adapt. Rethinking the Conversation Around AIHow we talk about AI is just as important as how we implement it. Expressing excitement in AI innovation can sound like a threat to job security. We must shift the narrative:AI isn’t replacing people—it’s redefining what people can do. Talent leaders must become translators who guide the workforce through change with empathy, clarity, and purpose. That means using language that acknowledges fear while also lighting the path forward. It means adapting delivery methods—like podcasts for deskless workers or short-form training for time-starved teams—to make learning accessible to everyone.Yes, the tools have changed, but the goal hasn’t, which is to empower people to grow, thrive, and succeed.

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