Category Archives: Coffee

Culture, Motorbikes and Agility: Fit for the Social Age

Posted on September 9, 2014 by julianstodd

I like Nathan: he’s making his own path. A motorbike custom body shop and artisan cafe. A workshop combined with a social space. Sandwiches and carburettors. He’s got vision and the energy to realise it: create the space, challenge assumptions, … Continue reading →

Posted in Coffee, Culture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Creating an environment for #learning: collaboration and community

Posted on July 12, 2013 by julianstodd

As i sat writing this morning, an elderly gentleman came to the table and asked me if he could lay out the International papers without disturbing me. I’m in the Icebreaker cafe, by the Amstel, one of my favourite writing … Continue reading →

Posted in Choreography, Coffee, Collaboration, Community, Community of Practice, Conversation, Culture, Environment, Formal Spaces, Group Dynamics, Informal Spaces, Learning, Learning Culture, Personal Learning Network, Reflection, Sharing, Social Learning, Spaces | Tagged , , , , , , , | 34 Comments

Forming bonds and partnerships in social learning: joining the community

Posted on March 6, 2013 by julianstodd

My first week in Amsterdam and i’m starting to make friends. The guy in the off licence who sold me the wine, the girl in the coffee shop where i’m writing now, the elderly neighbour. Our initial partnerships are formal, … Continue reading →

Posted in Coffee, Community, Community of Practice, Connections, Conversation, Culture, Environment, Exploration, Identity, Personal Learning Network, Relationship, Social Learning, Social Media, Social Networking | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Backstage learning: preparation and practice

Posted on December 18, 2012 by julianstodd

It’s a crisp morning in London, bright skies with a chill in the air. I’m sat in Covent Garden, one of my favourite spots, with a coffee and banana, looking out over the cream stone of the covered market, over … Continue reading →

Posted in Coffee, Collaboration, Community, Competition, Effectiveness, Introspection, Learning, Performance, Practice, Rapport, Songs | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The worthiness of learning: choosing the right book for the task at hand

Posted on November 12, 2012 by julianstodd

Airport lounges are funny places: microcosms of society based around perfume and whiskey. On a monday morning there are more people travelling for work than to play, but still an eclectic collection of the suited, the bearded and the plain … Continue reading →

Posted in Book, Choices, Coffee, Learning | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The languages of learning: fragrance

Posted on October 29, 2012 by julianstodd

I’m sat drinking a Turkish coffee in the Arab quarter. I fly home tonight, but today is a chance for reflection. It’s hot and humid, as it has been everyday. There’s a faint scent of cardamon, a dusky kind of … Continue reading →

Posted in Coffee, Complexity, Concentration, Craft, Creative, Language, Learning, Memory, Science, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Early to bed, early to rise… understanding everyday reality in learning design

Posted on October 18, 2012 by julianstodd

In an effort to counter the effects of jet lag when i fly to the conference next week, i’ve been getting up ever earlier in the morning. Singapore is nine hours ahead of me here in England, a painful transition … Continue reading →

Posted in Barriers to Learning, Coffee, Community, Context, Effectiveness, Empathy, Engagement, Everyday Reality, Learning, Learning Design | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Amsterdam Diary – Day 1: who creates the learning culture?

Posted on September 24, 2012 by julianstodd

I’ve taken this week out to think, research and write about learning culture: how is it formed, what are the challenges in global learning spaces and who owns it? First, we will think about who creates the culture. I’m unsure … Continue reading →

Posted in Authority, Coffee, Community, Community of Practice, Culture, Formal Spaces, Informal Spaces, Learning, Learning Contract, Networking, Social Learning, Social Media | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

Pilgrimage: the excitement of the record shop

Posted on September 11, 2012 by julianstodd

I’m on a pilgrimage today to a centre of learning: the Rough Trade East record shop in London. In the days of digital downloads, it’s rare to visit a record shop, rarer still to travel far to one, but this … Continue reading →

Posted in Authority, Book, Coffee, Community, Edgelands, Experience, Learning, Music | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

How to recruit great people: head to the coffee shop

Posted on September 5, 2012 by julianstodd

If you need to recruit someone fast, use an agency. If you need to recruit someone great, head to your local coffee shop. Why? Because it’s a great place to see people under pressure learning new skills in a customer … Continue reading →

Posted in Adaptability, Agile, Coffee, Collaboration, Effectiveness, Leadership, Learning, Social Learning | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments