Pause. Rewind. Learn. More Effective Learning with Patti Shank

Ever clicked play on a learning video that looks polished and professional, only to finish it and think, “Wait, what did I just learn?”  

In this episode, we’re revisiting a conversation with Patti Shank, an internationally recognized learning designer, researcher, and author who has spent years studying how people really take in information. Patti knows that effective learning isn’t about the video itself, it’s about how the viewer processes it. 

She unpacks the hidden reasons instructional videos fall short, why cognitive overload is more common than we think, and how simple design choices can make or break viewer understanding. 

You’ll hear Patti explain the critical role of learner control, the pitfalls of combining text, visuals, and narration, and why background music (even the relaxed kind) can silently derail understanding. Plus, she shares practical ways to design video, so it supports effective thinking, processing, and learning. 

Learning points from the episode include:  

• 00:00 - 01:12 Introduction 
• 01:12 - 01:59 The difference between reading and listening 
• 01:59 - 02:57 The importance of learner control 
• 02:57 - 04:28 Why background music usually hurts learning 
• 04:28 - 05:07 Why video is powerful when designed well 
• 05:07 - Outro 

Important links and mentions: 

• Connect with Patti on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattishank  
• Check out Patti’s website: https://www.pattishank.com/  
• Listen to Patti’s first appearance on The Visual Lounge in episode 155: https://the-visual-lounge.captivate.fm/episode/research-learning-from-videos