I am proud to work in a learning environment that follows the data and uses evidence-based practices in learning. Several years ago, and before my time, St. Louis University School of Medicine adopted a flipped classroom approach. Students rarely sit in live didactic lectures, but instead watch pre-recorded videos (sometimes created by faculty and often from third-party resources) and come to active learning sessions where they work together to answer questions about patients.
In my role, I spend most of my days talking to students about how to best prepare for these active learning sessions and for their exams. And a question that inevitably comes up is whether or not students should spend the considerable amount of time required to watch the videos. As much as faculty might roll their eyes at that, we actually have some internal (yet to be published) data showing that there is no correlation whatsoever between the hours students spend watching videos and how they perform in the class.
So when I saw the paper that this week’s blog is based on (1), it piqued my interest. While we have our own internal and correlational data that allows me to cautiously allow students to skip the lecture, here we have experimental data that actually says skipping the lecture might be better for my students. Spoiler alert: it’s not that simple. Let me review the study first and then provide the necessary caveats for why I think the jury is still out on this topic.
The Study
Here’s what they did: undergraduate participants came into the lab and watched one of two randomly assigned lectures. They treated it just as they would a lecture in one of their courses and were allowed to take notes (but, for control purposes, not keep them). After the lecture, they downloaded an app that sent them notifications to go take a quiz every 1 to 3 days. They saw 15 random questions during each session (out of 50 total) and were told the correct answer if they got a question wrong, continuing to answer all of the questions until they got them all right.
A month later they took a final test that included reworded questions from what they saw in the app as well as a couple of short essays.
Unsurprisingly, students performed higher at the beginning of the month on the lecture they watched, compared to the one they didn’t. Within a week or two, however, there was no difference between the conditions and this persisted on the final test, both multiple-choice and essay questions.
The authors rightly conclude that, in this study, watching the half-hour long lecture was a waste of time! Students learned just as much from answering questions and receiving feedback as they did when they watched the lecture beforehand.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not something that only tech guys or IT departments use. People in HR, marketing, logistics, and compliance are finding uses for this game-changing tool. But the misconception of being replaced by a bot often seeps into our minds. AI is reshaping how organisations operate and, if employees are ready, they will enjoy the many benefits that come with incorporating this tool into their job functions.
According to recent research, over one-third of companies want to retrain or reskill their teams within the next three years. This is to ensure that they are meeting the growing demand for AI competence. For L&D (Learning and Development), this presents both a challenge and a great opportunity: how can you build scalable, future-forward AI skills within your company?
Assessing Your Organisation’s AI Readiness
Before designing learning pathways or selecting tools, it is of paramount importance to understand exactly where your business stands.
1. Identify Current Skills and Gaps
Start with a skills check. Who already has experience in fields like data science, machine learning, or automation? Next, you need to identify the critical skill gaps. Include both technical roles (such as developers and analysts) and non-technical ones (such as project managers, HR professionals, and marketing teams).
2. Understand New Roles and Competencies
AI is not just creating new tools; it is also creating new roles. Think about jobs like AI Product Managers and Predictive Analytics Specialists, which didn’t exist 10 years ago. Or consider existing roles that are evolving, requiring a better, stronger grasp, like AI Project Management and Digital Transformation Principles.
Designing Effective AI Learning Pathways
L&D leaders need to build learning journeys that are engaging, relevant, and flexible enough to meet the varied needs of different team members.
1. Blend Learning Methods
Use a mix of:
2. Encourage Cross-functional Learning
Develop a culture of trying new things by encouraging employees from different departments to collaborate on AI-related projects. This will give them an idea of what they can do with AI and how it can be incorporated into different job functions. For example, HR and IT could work together to implement AI in Human Resource Management, while marketing teams test out AI-Driven Digital Marketing Strategies.
Leveraging Your LMS
Your Learning Management System (LMS) is more than just a content host. It is a strategic enabler of your AI training goals.
Use built-in analytics tools to track learner progress, completion rates, and engagement metrics. This helps in adjusting content delivery and demonstrating the impact of training on performance.
3. Cater to Both Technical and Non-Technical Staff
A mid-sized law firm, VWV, based in the UK launched an AI innovation programme into everyday L&D tasks in 2023. They began using these tools for contract review, note-taking, drafting and prompt-engineering.
AI tools significantly helped them measure efficiency gains, and reduce time spent on common tasks like drafting and note-taking.
AI was positioned as an enhancer and not a replacer.
The above example shows that AI in L&D can be used even in non-enterprise organisations.
In your company, you can also implement AI tools in some of the following ways:
Help with repetitive tasks
Measure efficiency
Maintain human oversight, but use AI for relevant information
Use AI tools for training new employees
Conclusion: AI Learning is a Continuous Journey
AI is advancing faster than most companies are prepared to handle. This means that continuous learning is the most important strategy for staying competitive in the market. As a learning leader, your role is pivotal in driving AI readiness across your teams.
By focusing on experiential learning, cross-functional collaboration, and customised learning plans, you can create a workforce that’s not just prepared for change but confident in becoming a leader in your field.
Growing global access to AI skills with new content and product experiences
By Greg Hart, Chief Executive Officer, Coursera
The rapid growth and advancements in AI have created an unprecedented demand for AI skills — one that’s still accelerating.
On AI Appreciation Day, I’m proud to announce that there have been more than 10 million enrollments in GenAI courses on Coursera, with 12 new enrollments every minute in 2025. Since ChatGPT’s launch less than three years ago, learners worldwide have spent over 10 million learning hours developing GenAI skills — that’s equivalent to about 1,000 years. And as they learn, they’re increasingly using our GenAI tools to personalize their experience, from getting real-time support with Coursera Coach to learning in their preferred language with AI translations and dubbing.
To build on this momentum, we’re excited to work with leading AI companies to expand our GenAI catalog, which now includes more than 925 courses.
Announcing 7 AI Professional Certificates from AWS, Microsoft, Google Cloud, IBM, and Snowflake
AWS Generative AI Applications: Create AI solutions for real business problems with AWS tools, like Bedrock and Partyrock. No tech background needed.
Microsoft AI Product Manager: Gain the key skills, from market research and UX to product strategy and lifecycle management, needed to launch your career with this entry-level Professional Certificate.
Microsoft 365 with Generative AI: Boost productivity with Copilot by generating data insights, smarter designs, and streamlined communications.
IBM RAG and Agentic AI: Advance your AI career by developing RAG, multimodal, and agentic apps with the latest tools, including LangChain and CrewAI.
Snowflake Generative AI: Use Snowflake and Streamlit to create and fine-tune GenAI apps that unlock real-time data insights with RAG.
New AI courses and Specializations from DeepLearning.AI, IBM, Vanderbilt University, and more
As learners seek job-specific GenAI skills, I’m thrilled to highlight new content made specifically for developers, marketers, product owners, and business leaders.
For learners looking to take their expertise to the next level, CU Boulder recently announced an AI master’s degree for under $16,000.
How Coursera’s AI tools power personalized, accessible learning at scale
Coursera has been a leader in harnessing the power of AI to transform the learning experience. Just months after ChatGPT’s release, we launched several flagship GenAI products to translate content, personalize learning via Coach, and create courses faster with CourseBuilder. Since then, we’ve continued to innovate on these products as well as debut new products.
Today, I’m proud to share how these tools are driving real-world impact — earning Coursera spots on TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies list, Newsweek’s AI Impact Award winners, and Forrester’s Leaders in Technology Skills Development Platforms.
AI translations: Increasing global access to high-quality education
In April 2023, we used AI to translate 2,000 courses in six languages. Now, we offer more than 5,500 courses and 65 Professional Certificates in 26 languages, driving engagement for learners around the world.
1.3 million learners have logged 3.8 million enrollments in AI-translated courses.
The most engaged learners come from Mexico, Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Peru, and Spain.
Learners completed translated courses at higher rates and nearly 25% faster.
Building on the momentum of AI translations, we launched AI dubbing in April 2025 to bring native-language learning to life. We have already expanded our offering and now have more than 300 courses available in five languages, which is driving strong early adoption and engagement.
Over 120,000 learners have used AI dubbing for more than 425,000 hours of learning.
Dubbing has seen the most engagement in Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, and Chile.
About half of the learners said dubbing improved their focus, understanding, and enjoyment.
Coursera Coach: Delivering personalized learning and measurable results
Launched in April 2023, Coach began as a personal tutor powered by LLMs and grounded in course material, helping learners with questions, feedback, video summaries, and more. Today, Coach can now offer career advice and power immersive, instructor-led instruction — ultimately transforming how people learn.
More than 2.6 million learners have exchanged 36 million messages with Coach.
Coach supports traditionally underserved learners and is more likely to be used by women (~11%), those without a degree (~11%), and career starters (40%).
Learners who use Coach are 9.5% more likely to pass quizzes on the first attempt and complete 11.6% more items per learning hour.
In a fast-changing world, Course Builder helps institutions quickly create high-quality content. This tool, announced in April 2023, uses AI to auto-generate course structure, readings, assignments, and glossaries — dramatically reducing the time and cost to create or customize a course.
More than 3,400 courses have been made with Course Builder, resulting in 665,000 enrollments.
Campuses used Course Builder the most, followed by businesses and governments.
As GenAI becomes a common learning tool, institutional leaders need new ways to verify learning outcomes. In June 2024, we launched a suite of academic integrity features to limit access in high-stakes scenarios, control online environments, detect plagiarism, and assess true understanding — leading to a measurable impact for millions.
These academic integrity features have promoted learning in 8.2M course completions.
Low-effort completions decreased by 75%, plagiarized submissions by 30%, and misconduct during proctoring by 90%.
On AI Appreciation Day, we celebrate how AI can create positive change. We’re incredibly proud of how learners, educators, and institutions are gaining GenAI skills on Coursera and using them responsibly to reimagine how we learn, teach, and ultimately, build a more inclusive future.
Partnership brings Cambridge’s renowned expertise to 175 million learners worldwide
By Marni Baker Stein, Chief Content Officer, Coursera
Today, I’m delighted to announce that University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education will bring a selection of the University of Cambridge’s professional education courses to our global learning platform for the first time.
University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education, ranked sixth globally by QS Quacquarelli Symonds, will begin by launching eight courses and two Specialisations between now and 31st August. The first of these courses, Foundations of Finance, is now live, as is the first Specialization, The Science of Mind and Decision Making.
Designed to equip learners for in-demand careers and the evolving skills economy, the offerings span high-growth fields such as finance, AI, psychology, and forensic science. From Principles of Financial Leadership to Ethical AI and Forensic DNA Analysis, each course is built to prepare learners for the practical challenges and opportunities shaping the future of work.
This partnership combines the academic excellence of the University of Cambridge with Coursera’s AI-powered learning platform and global reach of 175 million learners – including over 4.5 million in the United Kingdom.
Situated at the heart of one of the world’s largest technology clusters, the University of Cambridge has established itself as a pioneer at the intersection of academia and business, with a proven track record of fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. Recent research indicates that more seed-round start-ups in Cambridge (41%) make it to a Series A round, more than in any other university city in the United Kingdom, surpassing Oxford (35%) and London (33%).
The partnership will enable University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education and Coursera to:
Connect learners to proven career outcomes in high-demand job fields
Extend Cambridge’s world-renowned expertise in professional education to learners at a global scale
Address critical workforce skills gaps through internationally recognised courses in emerging fields such as AI and behavioral science
Cory Saarinen, Assistant Director of Technology Enhanced Learning at Professional and Continuing Education, University of Cambridge said: “We are looking forward to a successful partnership with Coursera. Professional and Continuing Education at the University of Cambridge has extended access to university-level study to adults for over 150 years. Through this new partnership we aim to support learners from across the world to engage with lifelong learning for professional and personal development backed by the expertise and insights of Cambridge academics”
This partnership further strengthens Coursera’s commitment to providing accessible, high-quality education to learners globally, while expanding its comprehensive portfolio of courses from the world’s leading academic institutions, including all four UK universities ranked within the top ten of the latest QS World University Rankings.
For centuries, a University of Cambridge education has been a gateway to exceptional career opportunities and intellectual development. Today, we’re extending that gateway to millions through our platform. This collaboration represents the future of professional education, where geographical barriers no longer limit access to world-class learning, and where Cambridge’s academic excellence can reach talented learners in every corner of the globe.
Begin your learning journey with the University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education today here.
Get ready to escape to the beach – right from your desktop! Our June freebie is here, and it’s a dreamy wallpaper with calming waves, a colorful beach ball, and lush tropical vibes. It’s the perfect dose of summer to kick off June!
Your June Free Wallpaper Package Includes:
Standard Wallpaper: Admire the winter wonderland in its purest form.
Calendar Wallpaper: Stay organized and inspired throughout the month.
Quote Wallpaper: Find daily motivation with a thoughtful message.
Available in multiple sizes to fit your phone, tablet, and desktop. As an added bonus, I’ve included a social media-ready image featuring graphics from this month’s wallpaper and quote.
Waiting For Summer
We’ve all felt it – that longing for lazy beach days, warm breezes, and endless sunshine. Our June freebie wallpaper perfectly captures that summer yearning with its serene beach scene and the relatable quote, “Wake me up when summer begins.” It’s more than just a pretty background; it’s a little reminder on your desktop to embrace the slower pace and joyful spirit that summer brings.
wake me up when summer begins
P.S. This image is included as a larger file in the download package below! Feel free to post it on your Instagram or Facebook.
With the free download, you get three different desktop options: one with a calendar, a plain one (without any text), and another with a quote. Additionally, there’s a wallpaper available for tablets and three phone options. You’ll also find a social media-ready size that features this month’s quote.
Free June 2025 Wallpaper download includes the following:
Desktop wallpaper x3 (plain, with the calendar, and with a quote)
Phone wallpaper x3 (plain, with the calendar and with a quote)
Tablet wallpaper
Instagram/Facebook ready quote
FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY.
NOTE: This wallpaper is available as a free download through June 30, 2025 only. After that, a $5 download fee applies.
Looking for more?
Browse all wallpapers from this series.
Design Your Digital Success
Just like a great wallpaper transforms a room, a stunning design can elevate your website or blog. A fresh, visually appealing look captures attention and keeps visitors engaged. Take a look at the designs below to find the perfect one to enhance your online presence!
Blogger templates
WordPress Themes
Your voice matters!
If you have your favorite quotes or lyrics and would like them to appear on the next free wallpaper, make sure to post them in the comments below or send us your ideas via email.
Get ready to escape to the beach – right from your desktop! Our June freebie is here, and it’s a dreamy wallpaper with calming waves, a colorful beach ball, and lush tropical vibes. It’s the perfect dose of summer to kick off June!
Your June Free Wallpaper Package Includes:
Standard Wallpaper: Admire the winter wonderland in its purest form.
Calendar Wallpaper: Stay organized and inspired throughout the month.
Quote Wallpaper: Find daily motivation with a thoughtful message.
Available in multiple sizes to fit your phone, tablet, and desktop. As an added bonus, I’ve included a social media-ready image featuring graphics from this month’s wallpaper and quote.
Waiting For Summer
We’ve all felt it – that longing for lazy beach days, warm breezes, and endless sunshine. Our June freebie wallpaper perfectly captures that summer yearning with its serene beach scene and the relatable quote, “Wake me up when summer begins.” It’s more than just a pretty background; it’s a little reminder on your desktop to embrace the slower pace and joyful spirit that summer brings.
wake me up when summer begins
P.S. This image is included as a larger file in the download package below! Feel free to post it on your Instagram or Facebook.
With the free download, you get three different desktop options: one with a calendar, a plain one (without any text), and another with a quote. Additionally, there’s a wallpaper available for tablets and three phone options. You’ll also find a social media-ready size that features this month’s quote.
Free June 2025 Wallpaper download includes the following:
Desktop wallpaper x3 (plain, with the calendar, and with a quote)
Phone wallpaper x3 (plain, with the calendar and with a quote)
Tablet wallpaper
Instagram/Facebook ready quote
FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY.
NOTE: This wallpaper is available as a free download through June 30, 2025 only. After that, a $5 download fee applies.
Looking for more?
Browse all wallpapers from this series.
Design Your Digital Success
Just like a great wallpaper transforms a room, a stunning design can elevate your website or blog. A fresh, visually appealing look captures attention and keeps visitors engaged. Take a look at the designs below to find the perfect one to enhance your online presence!
Blogger templates
WordPress Themes
Your voice matters!
If you have your favorite quotes or lyrics and would like them to appear on the next free wallpaper, make sure to post them in the comments below or send us your ideas via email.
