Grab your favorite frosty adult beverage, hit that subscribe button, and join Shannon Tipton and Deborah Harris for another round of Drinks After Work! This episode is all about the real difference between engaging and compelling learning—why we confuse the two, and what it takes to actually hold attention beyond the first click.
This time, we’re asking:
- Are we designing learning that hooks people, or just entertains them?
- What’s the role of curiosity and tension in getting learners to care?
- Why do attention spans seem shorter—and what can we do about it?
- How do we move beyond the checkbox of “interactivity” and into something deeper?
From ChatGPT’s identity crisis to Claude’s unexpectedly helpful questions, Shannon and Deborah unpack how AI is reshaping collaboration, ideation, and even how we think about course design. They also explore how to apply marketing tactics—teasers, cliffhangers, emotional hooks—to create learning experiences that people actually want to finish.
So grab your drink, tune in, and get ready to:
- Rethink your approach to engagement
- Explore how story tension and incomplete information keep people curious
- Move beyond learning objectives and into learner investment
- Get practical strategies for turning “meh” modules into meaningful moments
Because it wouldn’t be Drinks After Work without the Happy, here are our Frosty Adult Beverage (FAB) picks:
Deborah: Rise Mushroom Coffee + Vodka – For when you need antioxidants, attitude, and just enough kick to start a new blog post.
Shannon: Moonshiners Coffee Liqueur – Like Baileys’ cooler cousin, this bottle-shelf treat brings the vibe and the buzz.
Resources:
How the Little-Known Zeigarnik Effect Impacts Everyone Daily
Ditch Engagement! Create Learning People Can’t Ignore
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Hosts:
Shannon Tipton &
Deborah Harris
Podcast produced by:
Obsidian Productions
