034: Chris Rawlinson on behavioural science in education

In this episode I talk with Chris Rawlinson about his online education company 42 Courses and how behavioural science has influenced its formation and growth.

Show notes

• What is 42 Courses and the BS principles behind it
• Chris’s unusual background: vineyard owner, commercial pilot, then at Ogilvy revamping digital training programmes
• Weaknesses of most e-learning platforms
• Chris’s dyslexia & love of learning
• Matt Mullenweg and other random connections
• Influence of Sir Ken Robinson, his TED talk – need for an education revolution & the benefit of not being an academic
• Creating the feel of an internship at 42 Courses
• Support of Rory Sutherland and Dan Bennett at Ogilvy
• BS principles informing 42 Courses: storytelling, make learning more accessible (regular praise), chunking lessons, gamification, social norms, curating without overloading 
• Why is traditional education behind the BS curve? 
• Measuring engagement and success at 42 Courses 
• Course personalisation, choice architecture around new courses
• What online learning looks like today: from Coursera to Masterclass
• Non-education inspirations for 42 Courses
• Gradeless teaching and the value of conventional certifications
• Virtual Reality in education

Chris is massively dyslexic, runs an education company and is a qualified pilot. He is also a cancer survivor, former vineyard owner and (to his wife’s chagrin) a massive LEGO enthusiast having reached the rarefied air of completing the 1m long Saturn 5 rocket, a space shuttle, a mini Yoda and the Porsche 911. He is a joy to listen to.

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• Podcast music: Tamsin Waley-Cohen's Mendelssohn's violin concerto