My Blurry Vision

A Brief History 

Starting in the late 19th century, but gaining more traction in the early 20th century after the Smith Hughes National Vocational Education Act of 1917, when it began receiving federal funding, vocational training programs in America have been a strong thread in the nation’s education system. Vocational programs, sometimes referred to as Career Technical Education (CTE), are defined in the 1990 Perkins Act as “organized educational programs offering a sequence of courses directly related to the preparation of individuals for paid or unpaid employment in current or emerging occupations requiring other than a baccalaureate or advanced degree.” (Vocational Education in the US, 2025) More simply they are programs designed to teach students a skill or a trade so that they can get a job immediately after high school without the need for a college education. 

The first widespread acceptance of these programs came shortly after World War I and continued to grow in popularity well into the 21st century. (ACTE, 2019) However, their rise was met with strong opposition when such programs were “used to track low income students off to work while wealthier kids went to college” (Hanford, 2014). Although these programs have had a complicated history, the structure of how they  operate remains a key point of focus. They provide hands-on learning experiences designed to teach students a trade or profession directly.

My Vision

At the ChangSchoolTalks conference in 2016, James Paul Gee stated, “I believe that people learn from experience. But I don’t think they learn from experience because you put them in one. They have to be well designed and well mentored experiences.” My vision for the future of learning experience design is trifold and it builds on the foundations of what has worked in the past and what learners state they need now in the training programs they take part in. 

1. Learning Experience Design (LXD) must lean into creating training experiences that mimic real world scenarios so learners can connect theoretical knowledge in realistic settings. 

2. LXD needs to move towards developing training programs that offer more opportunities that are more informal in nature. 

3. LXD has to focus on creating a mindset shift of what it means to learn and retain information. 

Experiential Learning

CTE programs have been successful because they focus on developing skills through real world experiences. For example, students have the opportunity to learn about welding and how to weld in the same class period. A core component of this style of program development comes from the concept of Experiential Learning Theory, which emphasizes the importance of engaging learners with the knowledge necessary to live and work in today’s world, and coaching them to express what they have learned in highly skilled ways (Kolb, 2019). 

We have seen the benefits of realistic training opportunities firsthand in formal education, and we know they translate well into learning experiences within organizations. What I envision next for learning experience design is for organizations and programs to take hands on learning one step further. 

Informal Learning

Employees have less time than ever for formal training during the work week, and many are resistant to anything that feels like it disrupts their normal workflow (Kumar, 2025). While I still believe there should be intentional time carved out for formal learning, especially for complex topics like learning new software platforms, the future of learning design lies in smaller, less formal learning experiences that keep motivation and engagement high.

According to Neethi Kumar’s 2025 L&D Trends Report, the best approach is to create learning that does not feel like training at all, but rather something woven naturally into daily routines and used to solve real problems in real time. This idea may sound familiar because it is not new, but its relevance has grown as workplace demands have evolved. Employees are increasingly dreading training, and until organizations can shift the overall mindset around learning and development, the design of those experiences must change first.

By embedding learning opportunities within everyday work tasks, employees can acquire new knowledge, refine their skills, and solve problems as they arise, ultimately improving both performance and productivity. This approach recognizes that learning should not be a separate event, but an ongoing process integrated into the natural flow of work activities (Thimmaiah, 2023).

A New Mindset

In my view, this shift represents not just a design strategy, but a mindset, one that values learning as part of the work itself rather than an interruption to it. My vision incorporates the idea that Authentic experiential learning helps concepts to real-world contexts (Kolb, 2025). It also highlights the importance of knowing what motivates students, all while recognizing the benefits of the designs of the past. Organizations should shift towards focusing on the learner’s needs when creating learner experiences. 

The Buy In

Change cannot happen without the right people involved. My vision requires support not only from top-level leadership but also from the leaders closest to the learners. Both groups play a critical role in ensuring success. Because this vision represents a significant shift from current practices, it must be supported from the top down. With strong incentives such as short ramp up times and corrected workflows allowing for accurate billing, increased morale amongst teammates that could lead to higher retention, these innovative training experiences will set us apart and years ahead from others in the industry.

Stakeholders	Vision	Skills	Incentives	Resources	Action Plan
Training Managers & Directors	How will this group participate in the vision? They will be the ones to approve the design from an organizational standpoint. They will also help to create the mindset shift.	What skills do these members need to help enact the vision? They will need a strong understanding of clinical workflows and policies. They will also need to understand the Epic system to help create efficient workflows.	What incentives are there for these members to help enact the vision? Shorter ramp up time for new hires, when workflows are followed correctly revenue is not lost, increased morale amongst new hires, higher retention.	What tools or resources are needed for these members to enact the vision? Time to meet with the design team to go over workflow processes, system updates,  and time to update simulation lab practices.	What steps need to happen for these members to enact the vision? Meet with the design team to understand the costs, timeline, and implementation plan. Once the strategy has been approved they will need to help with getting cross functional team members onboard.
Direct Managers & Supervisors	How will this group participate in the vision? They will need to support their team members through the transition to the new design experience. If they are onboard and able to encourage adoption of the mindset shift.	What skills do these members need to help enact the vision? Project management, patience, encouraging leadership, open mindedness, flexibility, and adaptability.	What incentives are there for these members to help enact the vision? Shorter ramp up time for new hires, when workflows are followed correctly revenue is not lost, increased morale amongst new hires, higher retention.	What tools or resources are needed for these members to enact the vision? Access to the simulation lab materials, as we all promotional material to send out to new hires during their first week of training.	What steps need to happen for these members to enact the vision? They need to go through the new training process so they can have a first hand view of what’s required.

References: 

ACTE. (2019). CareerTech VISION 2019. Acte. https://www.acteonline.org/history-of-cte

ChangSchool (2016, July 25). Learning and Games - James Paul Gee | ChangSchoolTalks 2016. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-zSKTV5Qxk&t=25s

Hanford, E. (2014, September 9). The troubled history of vocational education. APMreports. https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2014/09/09/the-troubled- history-of-vocational-education

Kolb, L. (2025, July 1). Learning by Doing in the Digital Age. ASCD. https://ascd.org/el/articles/learning-by-doing-in-the-digital-age

Kumar, N. (2025, April 3). 10 Trends That Will Shape L&D In 2025. eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/trends-that-will-shape-ld-in-2025

Thimmaiah, J. (2023, May 18). A Manager's Guide to Prioritizing eLearning Content Development. Thinkdom. https://www.thinkdom.co/post/a-managers-guide-to- prioritizing-elearning-content-development

Vocational Education in the US. (2025b). Ed.gov. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs/web/950243.asp#ft2