Innovative Training Techniques

In the Navy SEALs, one of the first things we do when we get inserted on an operation is called a SLLS (pronounced “SILS”). It's short for Stop, Look, Listen, Smell. It's our way of getting our bearings on the ground before moving forward with a mission. Stop: Take a moment to pause and assess the situation. In business, this means taking a step back to review your goals, challenges, and opportunities before diving into action. Ever heard the saying "don't just do something, stand there?" (yes, I wrote it that way on purpose!) Well, there's wisdom in that! Look: Observe your surroundings and gather critical information. In the corporate world, this translates to understanding the market landscape, analyzing competitor strategies, and identifying key trends. Keep your eyes open—you might spot something everyone else missed. Listen: Pay attention to the sounds around you. For leaders, this means actively listening to your team, customers, and stakeholders. You know what they say: you've got two ears and one mouth for a reason. Smell: Use your senses to detect any potential threats or opportunities. In business, this involves being aware of subtle changes in the industry, staying attuned to the company culture, and recognizing early signs of both risks and opportunities. Think of it as your business's spidey sense. Applying SLLS in business ensures you’re not rushing blindly into decisions. It equips you with the situational awareness needed to navigate complex environments and make informed choices. So next time you're planning a new strategy, launching a product, or managing a team, remember to Stop, Look, Listen, and Smell. Trust me, a little bit of mindfulness can lead to a whole lot of success.

💡 What if every lesson felt like an adventure, not a chore? Let’s be honest: unforgettable learning doesn’t happen with boring lectures or endless notes. It happens when students feel excited, curious, and emotionally connected. 🔥 Here’s how to make learning stick—and spark real transformation in the classroom: 1️⃣ Light the curiosity fire first 🔥 Don’t dump facts. Start with a question so intriguing they can’t look away. When curiosity leads, engagement follows. 2️⃣ Make it a full-sensory experience 🎧👀🖐️ Learning isn’t just mental—it’s physical. Get them seeing, touching, hearing, and doing. The more senses involved, the deeper the retention. 3️⃣ Show, don’t tell 🧪 Skip the theory dump. Demonstrate it. Let them experiment, explore, mess up—and learn through doing. Discovery beats instruction. 4️⃣ Tap into emotion 💥 Stories. Surprise. Laughter. Relevance. When students feel something, they remember it. Emotion = memory glue. 5️⃣ Be the guide, not the guru 🧭 You’re not there to give all the answers. You’re there to open doors, ask great questions, and empower them to find the answers themselves. 🎯 Truth bomb: The best classrooms aren’t quiet—they’re buzzing with energy, ideas, and wide eyes. Learning isn’t about memorizing—it’s about experiencing. Let’s stop teaching for the test and start teaching for life. Who’s ready to make education magical again? #UnforgettableLearning #ModernTeaching #STEMEducation #LearningThatSticks #CreativeTeaching #StudentEngagement #EdTech #ExperientialLearning #FutureOfEducation #TeachingReimagined #India #Kawal #EducationReform #PassionForTeaching #21stCenturySkills #TeachingTips

The Future of Education: Upgrading Teaching Methodologies and Empowering Educators As we navigate the complexities of the 21st century, it's become increasingly clear that our education system needs to evolve. With technological advancements, shifting workforce demands, and diverse learning styles, schools must adapt to prepare students for success. One crucial aspect of this transformation is upgrading teaching methodologies and supporting teachers' professional development. By doing so, educators can create engaging, personalized, and effective learning experiences that cater to the unique needs of each student. Here are a few ways schools can upgrade their teaching methodologies: 1. *Incorporate technology*: Leverage digital tools, such as learning management systems, educational apps, and virtual reality, to enhance student engagement and accessibility. 2. *Personalized learning*: Implement tailored learning plans that cater to individual students' strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. 3. *Project-based learning*: Encourage students to work on real-world projects that foster critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. 4. *Collaborative learning spaces*: Design classrooms that promote interaction, flexibility, and comfort, allowing students to work together effectively. 5. *Continuous teacher training*: Provide educators with ongoing professional development opportunities to stay updated on best practices, technologies, and pedagogies. For example, a school in Finland implemented a project-based learning approach, where students worked on real-world challenges, such as designing sustainable communities or developing innovative products. This led to improved student engagement, motivation, and academic performance. By upgrading teaching methodologies and empowering educators, we can create a more effective, inclusive, and inspiring education system that prepares students for success in the 21st century. What are your thoughts on the future of education? Share your insights and experiences in the comments below! #school #teaching #teachers #emotionalintelligence #education #learning

🚨⚽️ The Power of Eccentrics for Footballers with Tendon Pain ⚽️🚨 Over the years, I’ve worked with loads of players who’ve struggled with patellar or Achilles tendon issues - those really stubborn flare-ups that can make every sprint, jump, or deceleration feel like a chore. What consistently gets them back to full training... Is controlled eccentric loading done right. Here’s a simple framework I’ve used time & again to rebuild tendon load tolerance 👇 For the patellar tendon: • Slow eccentric split squats (3/4s lower) • Spanish squats for tendon load without joint stress • Decline squats (25° board) to bias the quads For the Achilles: • Straight-leg & bent-leg heel drops off a step • Slow single-leg calf raises through full range 💡 ~2/3 sets, 2/3x per week around team training is enough to make a real difference. The goal? Smooth deceleration, improved load tolerance, & less post-session stiffness. Eccentric work isn’t glamorous, but, IMHO, it’s undoubtedly one of the most effective interventions for tendon health - especially in footballers who are already managing heavy weekly loads. I’ve used this exact approach successfully with multiple players dealing with patellar & Achilles tendinopathies, helping them return to full intensity with confidence and control. If you’re a coach or player dealing with ongoing tendon issues, this protocol’s worth building into your week. #StrengthAndConditioning #FootballScience #TendonHealth #EccentricTraining #SportsScience #PlayerDevelopment

As a new manager years ago, I had no playbook. I would often micromanage and then compensate by giving flexibility without direction. It was only much later that I learned about Commander's Intent. Over time I have used it to guide my managerial decision-making. In this weekly essay, I break down Commander's Intent into its key components and offer leadership examples from across the military and the corporate worlds. Here are a few highlights: 👉Commander’s Intent is made of four parts: formulation, communication, interpretation and implementation. The first two components formulation and communication are the boss’s responsibility; the last two, the reports’. 👉The leader decides the end state (thewhat) and shares the same with subordinates without interfering in the methods (the how) to get to that goal. She trusts the judgment of the subordinates to make smart choices along the way. 👉Corporations may practice Commander’s Intent by trusting employees, offering rationale behind decisions, and seeking feedback. But most struggle. They add policies instead. If you're a manager, a business leader, a founder whose impact depends on how well you can get those around you to fulfil their potential, this is for you. Link in the pic. #decisionmaking #curiosityovercertainty #leadership

As LLMs become the core engine behind more and more AI products, customizing them with precision becomes critical. But the question I get most often is: “Should we use Supervised Fine-Tuning (SFT) or Reinforcement Fine-Tuning (RFT)?” Let’s break it down. 👀 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗲-𝗧𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗦𝗙𝗧) 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻: → You have a clean, labeled dataset (preferably >100k examples). → The task is verifiable and deterministic—think classification, factual QA, structured output. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀: → Efficient and reproducible. → Offline training with minimal infra orchestration. → Works well with modular fine-tuning (e.g., LoRA adapters). 𝗟𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: → Doesn't adapt well to subjective or multi-objective tasks. → Plateaus with small or noisy datasets. ♾️ 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗲-𝗧𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗥𝗙𝗧 / 𝗥𝗟𝗛𝗙) 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻: → You’re optimizing for subjective quality, human preference, or multi-turn reasoning. → Labeled data is limited, but you can evaluate outputs programmatically (via reward models or heuristics). 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀: → Incorporates task-specific feedback loops (e.g., correctness, engagement, success). → Allows for dynamic alignment with non-differentiable objectives. → Crucial for tasks like dialogue, summarization, tool use, and creativity. 𝗟𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: → More complex training pipelines. → Reward model design is critical and often brittle. Fireworks AI just dropped major updates to support both paradigms: 💡 𝗦𝗙𝗧 𝘃𝟮: https://lnkd.in/dZM8d54N → Optimized for speed, multi-token training, and massive context lengths → Supports modular LoRA, function-calling fine-tuning, and quantization-aware training 🚀 𝗥𝗙𝗧 (𝗕𝗲𝘁𝗮): https://lnkd.in/dWqB8WEh → Simplifies RLHF for open models (Llama, Qwen, Phi, DeepSeek) → Write your reward function, and Fireworks handles the rest Already showing performance on par with GPT-4o, at a fraction of the latency! If you’re building with open models and need production-grade tuning, these tools lower the barrier significantly. Start customizing your models on Fireworks AI: fireworks.ai/models

An innovative approach to teaching economics that puts student learning first! As an economics educator, I've redesigned my ECO 100-semester project to embrace Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, offering students multiple pathways to demonstrate their understanding of macroeconomics. I was encouraged by Jeni Al Bahrani and her summer project on UDL as part of her doctorate degree to bring back this project. Students can choose from three engaging options: * Create a physical art piece interpreting economic concepts through visual expression * Compile an "EconSelfie" diary connecting real-world observations to classroom theories * Write a critical book review analyzing contemporary economic literature. This semester’s choices were Kyla Scanlon’s “In this Economy?” or Scott Galloway‘ “Algebra of Wealth”. This flexible approach: * Accommodates different interests * Empowers student choice and engagement * Maintains academic rigor while fostering creativity * Makes economics accessible and relevant to everyday life The results? Students are more engaged, demonstrate deeper understanding, and develop unique perspectives on economic principles. Seeing how different creative approaches can unlock complex economic concepts is amazing! I'm particularly proud of how this project breaks down barriers in economics education while maintaining high academic standards. Each option requires critical thinking and authentic application of course concepts. I am appreciate the innovative business education environment we have created at NKU Haile College of Business What innovative teaching methods have you implemented in your classroom? Let's share best practices! You can read more about my research in this area in my newsletter. Link in comments. #TeachEcon #UniversalDesign #HigherEducation #TeachingInnovation #StudentSuccess #UDL #EconomicLiteracy

“Meeting students where they are” has become a familiar refrain in higher education. But - what does it mean? For many, the phrase is interpreted metaphorically: understand students’ starting points, empathise with their challenges, personalise their learning. But we must also take it literally. Students are not where we imagined they would be post-Covid. They are not back in the lecture theatre. Instead, they’re working extra shifts, caring for siblings or ageing parents, training for national competitions, or managing chronic illness. They’re commuting long distances, or not commuting at all. And even when they are online, they’re multitasking, catching up, and learning in short bursts between other responsibilities. Universities are beginning to respond. In Australia, Regional University Study Hubs are locally embedded, tech-enabled spaces that bring higher education into the everyday geographies of students’ lives. The model is expanding, being trialled in suburban communities where participation in traditional campus life is constrained by distance, cost, and complexity. Scheduling is also being reimagined. Institutions such as Victoria University have adopted block teaching models, allowing students to focus on one subject at a time. This deepens engagement and better fits the lives of students juggling work or family. Others are trialling evening intensives, rolling start dates, or asynchronous-first models. Some are experimenting with mobile classrooms or co-locating learning in community hubs like libraries or health clinics. While institutional change moves slowly, instructors can adapt more quickly. Some have moved the bulk of content delivery online, not as lecture recordings, but as purpose-designed modules. This frees up classroom time for what can’t be done well online: guest panels with industry experts, facilitated workshops, debates, and simulations. Others design assessments that invite students to apply theory to their lives, by analysing work or other experiences. Instructors have sliding participation windows, offer multiple modes of contribution, or use voice notes or video clips to respond to student queries, replacing anonymity with presence. Instructors are exploring AI tools to personalise the learning journey, helping students get unstuck with concept explanations tailored to their level of understanding, or providing feedback on formative work. Such tools allow us to also meet students where they are in their current grasp of a concept, their confidence, and their pace. To truly meet students where they are, we need more than convenience. We need redesign that raises our aspirations for the kinds of relationships, rhythms, and structures that contemporary learners need. Meeting students where they are means recognising that their lives are rich, complex, and constrained and that higher education must fit into that world, not ask students to leave it behind. #HigherEducation #Universities

Google Searches reveal the future of Fitness and it’s less about sweat, more about sense. I’ve watched this industry for years and I’ve never seen this kind of shift. For decades, “fitness” meant intensity. Faster. Harder. More visible. But something deeper is happening right now and the data backs it - ✓ 1 in 3 adults now prefer low-impact, sustainable workouts over high-intensity training (Harvard Health) ✓ Searches for “mobility exercises” and “functional training” have grown 5× in four years. ✓ Corporate wellness budgets are shifting from “step challenges” to movement education and pain-prevention modules. I think we’re finally redefining what ‘fit’ means. Not faster. Not thinner. But calmer. Clearer. More connected. And as a Pilates Educator, I’ve never been happier to see this change. ~ Because while the world chased fatigue, Pilates quietly built function. ~ While trends glorified burn, we trained balance. ~ While others talked about visible abs, we talked about invisible alignment — the kind that lets you stand taller, move longer, and live freer. The industry is finally catching up to what Pilates has always known: Strength isn’t in how much you lift. It’s in how deeply you connect — to your breath, your body, your nervous system. The next era of fitness won’t be led by the loudest trainers. It’ll be led by intelligent professionals - who understand the language of the body and teach it with empathy. Because the goal is no longer to perform harder. It’s to preserve better. To stay functional. To live fully. To move freely - for life. #life #movement #health #wellness #empathy #corporate #mindset

Immersive learning isn’t the future—it’s happening now at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah. Over the past term at AURAK, my students and I embarked on a journey to transform traditional teaching materials into interactive, immersive learning modules using ThingLink. Across five departments—from AI and Chemistry to Biotechnology and Media Production—we’ve built something special: a scalable model for faculty-led, student-powered e-learning innovation. In this article, I reflect on our process, share real student projects, and explore the learning theories that guide this work. I also talk about why empowering faculty to design their own immersive content is more sustainable than outsourcing. I’d love for you to read, share, and join the conversation on how we can rethink education together. A big thank you to all the innovators and leaders from AURAK Cijo Vazhappilly Khouloud Salameh Prof. Irshad Ahmad Dr. Sara Faiz Mohamed Sharul #EdTech #ImmersiveLearning #InstructionalDesign #HigherEducation #ThingLink #FacultyDevelopment #VRinEducation #DigitalPedagogy