The Visual Lounge

Is it time to move beyond the old pedagogical framework?Anybody over a certain age will conjure the same image with the phrase ‘educational film’ - death by talking head + PowerPoint.In this episode Matt was joined by Tiia Grøn, Senior Counselor and Video Producer, Nathalie Blomstereng, Senior Advisor and Learning Designer and Terje Bergli, Senior Tech Advisor, all joining him from UiT The Arctic University of Norway where the Tromsø Educational Film Festival was created.They talk about how the new generation of educators are redefining the framework through educator/filmmaker partnerships and how the diversity of formats, inspirational subject matter and international reach showcased at the festival illustrates that shift.Learning points from the episode include:00:00 – 02:24 Intro02:24 – 05:26 What is T.R.E.F.F and how did it begin05:26 – 06:54 The challenges of bringing film and learning together06:54 – 11:59 What lessons should educators take away11:59 – 15:22 What can filmmakers do to stand out at festivals15:22 – 17:39 What's next for T.R.E.F.F17:39 – 21:35 The T.R.E.F.F submission process21:35 – 27:22 Inspirations from this year's festival27:22 – 28:40 How to find out more about T.R.E.F.F28:40 – 31:26 Final takes31:26 – 32:22 OutroImportant links and mentions:Submit your film in early 2027: Tromsø Educational Film Festival - FilmFreewayKeep up to date with this year’s results and next year’s submission: https://result.uit.no/treff/Follow T.R.E.F.F on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tromso.educational.film.festivalFollow T.R.E.F.F on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tr.e.f.f/Take a look at the University: UiT The Arctic University of Norway | UiT

How much does audio really affect learning? And does it matter whether that voice is human or AI?In this episode, Matt sits down with Stephanie Warnoff, Senior Market Researcher at TechSmith, to walk through new research that looks at how audio quality and AI narration influence learning outcomes, perceived professionalism, and retention in instructional video.The study, conducted by TechSmith, was built around a simple experiment. Participants watched the same 45-second how-to video, with the visuals kept the same each time. The only variable was the audio. Viewers heard one of four versions: high-quality human narration, low-quality human narration, high-quality AI narration, and low-quality AI narration. What the team found was...surprising.Throughout the conversation, Matt and Stephanie explore what the results mean for teams creating training and instructional content, especially as AI tools become easier to access.This episode is part 1 of a two-part research series. Stay tuned for episode 2, where Matt and Stephanie take a closer look at the second half of the study, focusing on AI avatars, and how different avatar styles compare with human presenters in real learning contexts.Learning points from the episode include:00:00 - 01:19 Intro01:19 - 02:53 Stephanie's background02:53 - 04:59 TechSmith’s research on AI voices04:59 - 06:14 The four audio versions used during the study and how the experiment was structured06:14 - 07:47 What surprised Stephanie about the AI voices07:47 - 10:58 Is there a need for disclosure with AI?10:58 - 15:37 Signals for high quality voices15:37 - 18:04 Why poor audio quality performed better than high audio quality18:04 - 20:34 Other considerations for effectiveness of learning through AI20:34 - 23:08 Future research23:08 - 26:22 Closing thoughts26:22 - 27:01 Stephanie's final take27:01 - 28:00 OutroImportant links and mentions:Connect with Stephanie: research@techsmith.comLearn more about the study in this blog post: https://www.techsmith.com/blog/ai-voices-avatars-in-training-videos/

Change is emotional. Even when the strategy is solid, people still feel uncertain, skeptical, or overwhelmed, especially when the vision feels huge and the path feels unclear.In this revisited episode of The Visual Lounge (originally Episode 168), Matt sits down with Jake Gittleson, who leads McKinsey’s Learning Research and Innovation Lab. Jake shares why storytelling is one of the most effective tools L&D teams have for supporting change inside organisations.Instead of trying to persuade people in one big moment, Jake explains why change stories should be shared over time, through small experiments, human insights, and incremental updates that meet people where they are. He also breaks down practical ways to gather stories through interviews, outline your narrative, and use video and audio to create connection, without needing expensive gear or a polished production setup.Learning points from the episode include:00:00 - 01:21 Introduction01:21 - 02:03 Jake’s background02:03 - 04:14 How Jake started using audio and video04:14 - 07:01 What does a successful change look like07:01 - 08:45 Creativity as a tip for using video at work08.45 - 11:55 Jake’s role and expertise in change and innovation11:55 - 15:11 Why human connection matters in change15:11 - 18:13 Operationalizing storytelling without big budgets18:13 - 21:13 Building the right stories21:13 - 27:10 Visual approaches to telling stories27:10 - 30:21 Capturing real voices30:21 - 39:51 Speed round39:51 - 40:46 Jake’s final take40:46 OutroImportant links and mentions:Connect with Jake on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-gittleson/Check out The Learning Geeks podcast: https://www.learninggeekspod.com/Listen to Jake’s first appearance on The Visual Lounge in episode 168: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/ee9c311f-7f51-4a6c-a749-c2d7090a1274

AI is reshaping learning and development faster than any of us expected. So how do we adapt? And what skills will matter most as tools, workflows and expectations keep changing in the workplace?In this episode, Matt speaks with Josh Cavalier, an AI and L&D expert with more than two decades of experience helping organizations modernize the way they design learning. Josh is also the author of Applying AI in Learning and Development, a practical guide for teams looking to build confidence, capability and structure around AI-powered work.Josh shares real-world insights on handling rapid change inside organizations, understanding how AI affects creative and instructional output, and building the skills to keep up. He explores how the role of L&D is shifting, why integrity matters more than ever, and what it looks like to create a personal AI training plan for 2026.You'll also hear how to identify your 'sources of truth' so you can keep up with changes in your industry and in AI without getting overwhelmed, plus why having access to multiple AI models can dramatically improve the quality of your work.Learning points from the episode include:00:55 – 02:17 Introduction to Josh’s book02:17 – 05:37 How do we apply AI to the jobs that we do?05:37 – 08:13 How do we keep up and use AI in the day-to-day?08:13 – 13:41 Why adaptability is paramount with AI13:41 – 17:49 How AI has raised the bar in work17:49 – 19:39 AI as an enabler for creativity19:39 – 25:08 Maintaining your integrity25:08 – 28:48 Avatars vs humans in video28:48 – 30:30 The HUMAN framework30:30 – 34:25 Faster? Or faster and better?34:25 – 37:08 Josh’s final takeImportant links and mentions:Find Josh’s book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Applying-Learning-Development-Platforms-PerformanceVisit Josh’s website: https://www.joshcavalier.com/Connect with Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshcavalier/Learn more about The HUMAN framework: https://www.techsmith.com/blog/human-framework-for-ai-training-videos/

Imagine logging in next month to find your bill for the AI tool you use has doubled, or that you've run out of credits halfway through a critical project.The explosion of AI video tools has brought incredible capabilities to content creators, but alongside these innovations comes a new challenge: complex pricing models that make it difficult to budget, explain costs to your boss, or know if you're getting sustainable value from your tools.Joining us in this episode is Daniel Foster, Director of Monetization at TechSmith, who studies the evolution of software pricing and has been closely watching how AI tools are being packaged and priced.Daniel shares practical advice for evaluating AI tools beyond just their features, looking at the "whole product" including support, documentation, and pricing sustainability. He explains how to navigate credit-based systems, and why bundled solutions might save you both money and headaches.Learning points from the episode include:00:38 - 01:52 Introduction to Daniel01:52 - 03:06 Daniel's tip for using images and video in work03:06 - 05:05 Why pricing decisions matter as much as features05:05 - 07:51 Current AI pricing models emerging in the market07:51 - 10:56 The complexity of credit-based systems10:56 - 13:47 Alternatives and features to look for in pricing13:47 - 19:54 Evaluating all-in-one vs. specialized tools19:54 - 22:29 Support and documentation considerations22:29 - 23:23 The most popular AI feature: Voice generation23:23 - 27:56 Speed round questions27:56 - 28:53 Daniel's final take28:53 - 30:14 OutroImportant links and mentions:Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielfoster/Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/

We've all sat through presentations that feel like a performance, polished, professional, but somehow disconnected. The speaker hits every point perfectly, yet we walk away feeling nothing. So, what's missing?For this episode, we're revisiting a conversation with Leslie Chamberlain, Head of Customer Success at Gibbs Smith Education. Leslie knows that great presentations aren't about perfection, they're about connection.She shares why infusing your personality into presentations matters more than hitting every bullet point, and reveals the secret to keeping audiences engaged through authentic delivery.You'll hear Leslie's approach to making presentations "sense-rich," her take on scripting versus speaking naturally, and practical tips for condensing information without losing impact. Plus, she reveals why being authentic beats being polished every time.Learning points from the episode include:00:00 - 02:49 Introduction02:49 - 05:13 How Leslie became involved in customer success05:13 - 06:49 Making learning presentations successful06:49 - 09:04 Leslie's tip for using videos and images in presentations09:04 - 10:43 Brand vs individual in your presentations10:43 - 16:14 The first steps towards a great presentation16:14 - 19:06 Making your ideas sense-rich19:06 - 24:54 Where people get stuck making presentations24:54 - 26:47 Should you script presentations?26:47 - 31:40 How to condense information and keep things short31:40 - 35:57 Hear Leslie's Speed Round answers35:57 - 36:36 Leslie's final take36:36 OutroImportant links and mentions:Connect with Leslie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-chamberlain-a3475121/Snagit: https://www.techsmith.com/snagit/