LEARNING DESIGNS, INC. - Blog

QUESTION FOR YOU:

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 18:48:57 GMT

By Mary Carter
President, Learning Designs, Inc.

Have you noticed the increased interest in Emotional Intelligence (or EQ) lately? I’m wondering how it relates to our growing reliance on technology. Walk into any meeting or training event, and count the number of people with their faces down and focused on their phones. Look at the customers in a restaurant, and you’ll see the same thing. Young people no longer have face-to-face conversations; they communicate via text even in the same room. It’s no wonder EQ skills are lacking!

If you Google EQ, you’ll find a wealth of training options – many of them online. We’re teaching people how to identify and manage their emotions – as well as the emotions of others – by interacting with a computer screen. I may be a traditionalist, but I believe this ignores Bloom’s Taxonomy and the instructional methods appropriate for different levels of learning. Some things are learned better in a classroom, with opportunities to practice and receive feedback. I believe EQ is one of them. What do others out there think?

Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) Succeeds with Seamless Implementation Across All Levels

Thu, 02 May 2024 12:11:54 GMT

By Jim Carter, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant, Learning Designs, Inc.

To achieve the goals of the Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) program, it must be successfully implemented across the federal, state, local, and interpersonal levels. A breakdown at any point prevents meeting the goals of aiding individuals in their journey back to the workforce, ensuring integrity of unemployment services, and reducing utilization of resources. Thus, all workforce staff responsible for delivery of RESEA may benefit from a review of key concepts emphasized across levels of implementation.

Federal Level
Since 2005, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has made significant accomplishments towards planning, developing, delivering, evaluating, and updating RESEA. Not surprisingly, DOL continues to show strong support for RESEA to accomplish the major goals of reducing unemployment insurance utilization (UI) by increasing employment, strengthening UI integrity, aligning with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and serving as an entry point to other partners.¹ On the federal level, the DOL has provided a pathway for implementation that highlights the importance of collaboration, integration with other workforce efforts, and utilization of evidence-based strategies.²⋅³

State Level
By providing individual states with flexibility, RESEA grants allow for variation in terms of how states identify program participants, establish outreach efforts and goals, and integrate services with other statewide initiatives. As a result, implementation approaches across states can be tailored to their demographics, industries, and market demands. For example, the State of Texas updated and integrated their RESEA model with the Goals in Texas: Jobs Over Benefits (GiT:JOBS) initiative.⁴ Several states have embraced the use of multimedia technology (e.g., Arizona, Arkansas, California, and others) to offer online virtual orientations that prepare RESEA participants for initial meetings. Finally, many states have also integrated behavioral insights to successfully promote increased attendance at scheduled RESEA meetings.⁵

Local Level
At the local level, workforce agencies develop unique and innovative procedures to meet the more specific needs of their communities. For example, many boards focus on developing partnerships with local employers, educational and vocational training institutions, and community organizations to provide targeted support services (e.g., transition from military to civilian life) that align with regional needs and opportunities.⁵ These implementation efforts require ongoing awareness of local resources and market trends, as well as the development and maintenance of professional relationships with other agencies and staff, to ensure that referrals and recommendations remain current and valid. Local agencies also focus on staffing and staff training to fulfill federal and state requirements. Thus, at the local level, a great deal of effort is focused on executing the details of implementation.

Interpersonal Level
Because RESEA is ultimately implemented on an interpersonal level between the case managers and participants, workforce staff require specialized knowledge and communication strategies to effectively capitalize on claimants’ participation and affect the desired outcomes. Not only should staff be informed about all applicable, federal, state, and local RESEA policies, but they also need interpersonal skills related to enhancing participant engagement, providing personalized feedback and recommendations, and addressing barriers. This combination of staff knowledge and skills can enhance optimization of the guidance and resources offered to job seekers.⁶⋅⁷ If participants become confused, overwhelmed, withdrawn, dismissive, defensive, or oppositional, outreach efforts are less likely to be put into action. Thus, the person-to-person interaction skills may be a critical piece of the RESEA implementation puzzle.

In conclusion, the success of RESEA implementation depends on integrated efforts at the federal, state, local, and interpersonal levels. All participating workforce agencies are encouraged to assess and bolster staff knowledge and capabilities required at all levels as part of their commitment to supporting individuals in their pursuit of gainful employment. By leveraging evidence-based strategies, targeted interventions, and collaborative partnerships, RESEA can continue to play a vital role in helping individuals navigate a seamless pathway to reemployment and economic stability.

Citations

Parton, B (2024) Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Funding Allotments and Operating Guidance for Unemployment Insurance (UI) Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) Grant – Training and Employment Guidance Letter No. 11-23. US DOL Website, Employment and Training Administration.
Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment Grants (RESEA) – Facilitating Employment and Increasing Program Integrity (2024) US DOL Website, Employment and Training Administration.
Chief Eval Office, Office of the Assist. Secretary for Policy, US DOL (2023) Always Learning Something New: How Building a Culture of Evidence, Evaluation, and Learning Leads to Program Improvement (2023) Webinar, Abt Global.
Robinson, S. (2023) Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment: RESEA GiT:JOBS Initiative. Presentation at Texas Workforce Commission Conference, Houston, TX.
Chief Eval Office, Office of the Assist. Secretary for Policy, US DOL (2022) RESEA Program Strategies: State and Local Implementation. Abt Associates.
Britt, E. et al. (2018) Motivational Interviewing to promote employment. J of Employment Counseling, 55, Wiley.
Darling, M, Lefkowitz, J., Amin, S., Perez-Johnson, I., Chojnacki, G., & Manley, M. (2017) Practitioner’s Playbook for Applying Behavioral Insights to Labor Programs. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research.

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Business Writing

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 14:49:57 GMT

How Much is TOO Much?

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 17:39:39 GMT

By Laurie Ferrari

“It is possible to have too much of a good thing.”
– Aesop –

Years ago, my son was telling my niece a funny – but somewhat long – story. He suddenly stopped and asked, “Are you even listening to me?” And she responded quite simply, “I’ve lost interest.” I think this is how many people feel about a lot of mandatory employee training and professional development.

With training, I think two issues are “too” common:

Too long – Some experts say online training should last between 15 and 30 minutes. Others say courses that last 60-90 minutes indicate the content is important and not just an inconsequential activity. Ideal length is subjective. It may depend on the learner’s level of interest, personal attention span, or even attitude. So how long is too long? There’s not a clear-cut answer. But when a course gets too long, the learner is more likely to tune out.
Too many – In many industries, employees take courses to satisfy certification or compliance requirements. But often, the courses start to duplicate content. A high school offers Biology and Chemistry, and no one expects them to be the same. There might be some common topics, but the material is different. So how many is too many? There’s not a “right” answer here either. But if content gets repetitive, the learner is more likely to be less attentive and miss something important.

The solution is simple:

Be concise. Make training and compliance courses only as long as they need to be. Get to the point and say what needs to be said.
Be selective. Reduce the number of mandatory training or compliance courses. Determine your objectives and require only what you really need.

Many businesses invest in employee training because it can increase staff motivation and enhance their skills. But it’s only worthwhile if the employees see the value. And if they “lose interest?” The potential gain becomes a loss. When it comes to training, it’s quality that counts – not quantity.

“Less is more only when more is too much.”
– Frank Lloyd Wright –

Knowledge is Power

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 17:09:43 GMT

By Laurie Ferrari

“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”
– Confucius –

Though I now work as an Instructional Designer, I spent nearly 30 years teaching high school mathematics. As cliché-ish as it might sound, it really was a rewarding career. But at some point every year, one of my students would ask, “When will I ever have to know this?” To be fair, quite often this question would arise during our unit on “imaginary numbers.” And if you’re not planning to be an electrical engineer, a quantum physicist, or a math teacher, I guess the real answer is, “Maybe never.” But each year when this question was posed, I would talk about learning with my students and how we should value the opportunity to learn – relatively easily, I might add – what our predecessors and ancient mathematicians discovered. Is “knowledge for the sake of knowledge” a bad thing?

These are the four possibilities:

We learn what we need to know: If a skill is known to be necessary in order to be successful, learning obviously is a good thing.
We don’t learn what we need to know: If a skill is known to be necessary in order to be successful, not learning obviously is a bad thing.
We don’t learn what we don’t need to know: My father used to say, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” If you don’t know something, how can you be sure that it’s not needed?
We learn what we don’t need to know: Refer back to #3 above – how can you be sure you will NEVER need to know something? Just having knowledge may open the door to new ideas you wouldn’t have otherwise known were possible.

And just because something is not enjoyable doesn’t mean it’s not good for you. I mean, you might not like going to the dentist, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go. So even if learning – or the training your employer provides – doesn’t seem gratifying at the time, at least appreciate the opportunity.

“The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.”
– Aristotle –

Need Supervisor Training?

Mon, 15 May 2023 15:43:31 GMT

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Tue, 03 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Happy Holidays!

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

eLearning Teamwork

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Fireworks Safety

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

July is filled with festivities – parades, barbeques, and fireworks galore! With $1.09 billion spent on fireworks in 2015 –$755 million dollars was spent in the consumer firework market (according to the American Pyrotechnics Association).
So what are consumer fireworks?

Consumer fireworks are those that average citizens use. Examples include Sparklers, Bottle Rockets, Firecrackers, Roman Candles, etc. According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, in 2015, the United States consumer fireworks market used 260.7 million pounds. That’s A LOT of fireworks!

Did you know…
Fireworks start an average of 18,500 fires per year? These fires cause an average of three deaths, 40 civilian injuries, and $43 million in direct property damage (National Fire Protection Agency).
In 2015, the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated 11,900 people in the U.S. were treated at hospital emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries? 51% of those injuries were to the extremities and 41% to the head. Children younger than 15 years of age accounted for one-quarter (26%) of the estimated 2015 injuries.

More fires are reported on July 4 than any other day of the year?
What can you do to stay safe?

It is important to practice safety measures when using fireworks. Here are some recommended safety tips from the National Council for Firework Safety:

Obey all local laws regarding the use of fireworks.
Know your fireworks; read the cautionary labels and performance descriptions before igniting.
A responsible adult should supervise all firework activities.
Never give fireworks to children.
Alcohol and fireworks do not mix - save your alcohol for after the show.
Wear safety glasses when shooting fireworks.
Light one firework at a time and quickly move away from it.
Use fireworks outdoors in a clear area - away from buildings and vehicles.
Never relight a “dud” firework - wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
Always have a bucket of water and a readily-available water hose nearby.
Never carry fireworks in your pocket.
Do not shoot fireworks into METAL or GLASS containers.
Do not experiment with homemade fireworks.
Dispose of spent fireworks by wetting them down and placing them in a metal trash can away from any building or combustible materials until the next day.
Report illegal explosives, like M-80s and quarter sticks, to the fire or police department.