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The eLearning Coach Newsletter
For Curious Learning Professionals
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August 1, 2025
Greetings Reader,
It’s peak heat season for much of the Northern Hemisphere, and every day can feel like a slog through humidity and high temps. Still, garden tomatoes, breezy summer nights, and fireflies make it all worthwhile. I hope you’re having a good season, wherever you are.
Now, on to the articles.
7 Books That Will Make You a Better Writer
Many people—myself included—didn’t realize just how much writing was involved in many instructional design roles. Did you? This is a roundup of writing books I’ve found valuable. You might find them helpful too. Feel free to send me your favorites or share them in the comments.
Psychological Barriers to Career Visibility and What You Can Do About It
If you know visibility is good for your career but you're holding back, see if anything in this list resonates with you. I found a few myself as I was researching and writing.
Elaboration Strategies That Benefit Learning
Did you know that self-explanation and learner-generated examples can help learners retain information? There's lots more in this article and it's all based on elaboration theory.
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LearnWorlds, an LMS platform, is putting on a free AI for L&D event next week.
Learn how to intentionally (and effectively) use AI in your Instructional Design workflows—free summit + certification. If you've been curious about using AI in your course design or L&D workflows, this one's for you.
Join LearnWorlds' free virtual summit on August 7 for practical AI insights—no fluff, just real tools, workflows, and expert advice. You'll get 4 live sessions, a certification workshop, exclusive bonus materials for registrants, and a networking opportunity to connect with like-minded pros. Learn more about the event and register here. |
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Now on to the goodies below. |
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GOOD FINDS
Before downloading files, please be sure to check that they are virus and spam-free. Note that freebies often require some form of registration.
FEED YOUR MIND
MULTIMEDIA
- Character in different poses with transparent background, from Articulate
- Lottie Labs: A motion design tool for creating lottie animations with a free plan
- Fotor: Photo editing tools with a free plan
- Zapsplat: Registration required. Free sound effects to download. They add realism to a scenario (as long as they aren't intrusive while learning)
- Draw.io: Free diagramming tool for teams
COOL TOOLS
- VoiceLens: An AI tool made by Pooja Jasingh that improves inclusive language
- Lovable AI: One of many no-code tools that can build small apps
- ClickUp: All-around work productivity and management tool with a free plan.
- Quillbot: An AI writing tool to strengthen your writing (don't let it steal your voice!)
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MY COMMUNITY AND COURSES
MASTERING INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
A welcoming learning community for instructional designers who want to grow. Inside, you’ll find 15+ self-paced courses, recorded monthly guest speakers who are industry leaders, member calls for connection and support, and a discussion forum. All courses are included with membership, so you can learn at your own pace while having a forum for asking questions and discussion. ELEVATE YOUR PROFILE AND VISIBILITY
My free 8-lesson email course about becoming more visible as a learning professional. This course will help you develop a visibility plan that feels genuine, overcome hesitation, and share your work with confidence. You’ll receive one lesson every few days to build consistency without feeling overwhelmed. BREAKING INTO INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
A free 12-lesson email course to help you transition to a career in instructional design. You’ll learn about the variety of ID career paths, typical tasks, where to network, salary ranges, and more. You’ll receive two lessons a week for six weeks, or you can get all the lessons at once by purchasing the eBook. |
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Stay inspired!
Connie Malamed
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