Rate of Change…and Being Prepared to be Underprepared

Embracing Change and the Importance of Adaptability in the World of Learning Technology

A few weeks ago, I was touring the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) facilities in Savannah, Georgia, with my oldest kid. During that visit, I was reminded of a piece of advice someone had given me when she was about to be born: “Be prepared to be unprepared.” It’s a phrase that holds true not just for parenthood but also for adapting to the rapidly evolving world of learning technology.

The Volume Stage at SCAD

At SCAD, I was amazed by the state-of-the-art facilities and tools available to the students, including multiple digital studios, a Volume soundstage (similar to the one used for The Mandalorian), and an in-development backlot studio space. It made me think about how far we’ve come since my college days in the early ’90s when digital tools were only just emerging.

The pace of change in learning technology has been accelerating year after year, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Today, we have learning platforms that live on our phones, adapt to our interests and habits, and leverage AI tools to generate course descriptions, flashcards, and hashtags. And this is just the beginning.

How can we stay ahead or at least keep up in this sea of change? I go back to that phrase… Be prepared to be unprepared.

But what does that mean, practically speaking?

Stay informed: Keep up-to-date with the latest developments in the field by reading blogs and books, attending conferences, and engaging with colleagues and mentors. Explore new AI tools, sign up for the xAPI cohort, and step out of your comfort zone.

Be flexible: Understand that change is constant and that adapting to new technologies is crucial to staying relevant. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new approaches or learning solutions that deviate from the traditional “click next to continue” courses.

Give it a try: Along with all of the writing and critical discussion about how these tools can reshape learning and development, have you had a chance to use learning tools with built-in AI features? SparkLearn has these tools to help your workflows now, with more to come.

Sign up here, create some content, and ask the built-in AI to generate content descriptions, flashcards, tips and followable  #hashtags.

If you have questions, visit this link for more details or contact our team to discuss.

The learning industry is in for a wild ride as waves of change continue to build. While it may be impossible to be fully prepared for what lies ahead, our team is committed to supporting you in embracing and adapting to these changes.