Online and Remote Learning

The foundation of any good story is… a good story. This 8-week session led by novelist and screenwriter Barbara Radecki focuses on the fundamentals of effective storytelling for fiction, memoir, and screenplay. Discussions will include real-world experience, with an emphasis on essential writing tools, examples, and checklists. The course is designed to help learners at every stage in their writing journey, from those with only a fledgling idea to those looking to take a fully-realized project to the next level. You will receive written and/or verbal feedback on your developing story structure. This course is applicable to the Certificate in Creative Writing.  How to structure a story in the most effective way.       How to build compelling character arcs. How to build and invigorate each scene. How to create a workable template that will enhance your story and your writing experience.               

If you are leading an L&D project or team, or are part of a team, understanding L&D within an organizational context can help you make more strategic and effective decisions – for your organization, team and career. By taking a holistic perspective, you’ll enhance your ability to examine the role of L&D in relation to your or your client’s strategic plan and mandates; appropriately scope, resource and finance projects; and learn how to develop persuasive and informative business cases.  You’ll learn about change management models and tools and how to apply these concepts to your current projects, team or organization.  After completing this course you’ll be able to: Research, develop and present a business case for a learning and development project Evaluate and select the appropriate resources and technology for learning and development projects Analyze the management, cost and risk issues associated with deploying an learning and development project Describe the foundational aspects of change management and the critical role project manager’s play in the change process.

Build on your knowledge of adult learning and hone your understanding of widely used instructional design models. Gain the skills you need to design and analyze professional learning resources in any field. You will learn the essentials to design and develop measurable instructional programs informed by fundamental learning theories to meet a variety of learner needs. You will have the opportunity to apply principles of instructional design following a model step by step from needs assessment to evaluation, and build a solid understanding of the process of learning design. Identify and describe widely utilized instructional design theories and principles. Apply techniques relevant to each of the five phases of ADDIE. Compose a learning needs analysis to inform the instructional design process. Develop an enhanced understanding of the learning cycle and its implications to designing instructional strategies. Evaluate, select, and recommend design approaches for effective instructional solutions. Analyze and critique the merits and challenges of using instructional design models to develop intentional learning outcomes. Critical analysis and reflection of ADDIE and other instructional design models to relate to your current or aspiring role.

How we define and measure success critically influences the overall process of learning. Designing, developing and delivering high-quality program evaluations can provide insightful data and ensure a strong return on your investment of training resources. Through an examination of diverse evaluation models, the exploration of cutting-edge assessment methods rooted in competency-based learning and the cultivation of a reflective practice, this course will increase your evaluative expertise by helping you select the most appropriate model and measurements criteria for your specific needs. You will also learn how to effectively communicate the role your findings have played in addressing a business problem or challenge. After completing this course you’ll be able to: Think critically to isolate the business problem and set measurement criteria. Select an evaluation model and articulate a clear rationale for its use considering desirability viability, and feasibility. Appraise a variety of assessment frameworks and tools to select the most appropriate. Develop an evaluation plan that integrates a chosen assessment strategy and optimizes the collection of data related to specified measurement criteria. Describe how an evaluation plan impacts the design of a learning experience and vice versa. Formulate a plan to analyse and present data, that leverages digital tools and multimedia artefacts to effectively communicate results in an engaging fashion. 

Regardless of your industry or role, if you have a stake in shaping learning experiences, this course will equip you with the tools, techniques and insights that are universally relevant and actionable. You will explore key concepts that can provide the basis for planning any learning design project – regardless of delivery method, complexity or demographic. Your course experience will include both theoretical and practical applications of behaviourist, cognitivist, constructivist and connectivist approaches to teaching and learning. This will allow you to articulate your own learning design paradigm, aligning with values appropriate to your organizational context. Additional key learning will relate to motivating learners, inclusive design, and accommodation of a range of learning styles. You will be coached through an integrative process of identifying audience needs, situational factors and learning needs before designing a short training that applies these key principles in a practical capstone project. After completing this course you’ll be able to: Describe key concepts in the learning design landscape Identify learning theories and their application in learning design Articulate a personal learning design paradigm and preferred theories  Conduct an environmental scan to assess situational factors for a group of learners Evaluate strategies to support learner motivation and retention Select an approach in which to ground learning design and provide a rationale for selection Create an outline for a training asset which addresses a variety of learning needs and preferences

Possessing an in-depth understanding of Canadian customs procedures is critical for those working with the importation or exportation of goods into, or, out of Canada. During this course, learners will develop their knowledge and practical understanding of Canadian customs procedures through the examination of pertinent legislation, government agencies and trade administrators, processes, rationale and documentation for the import/export of goods, use of the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) and the application of tariffs.  This course will also include the opportunity to gain experience with customs forms and the proper process for completion. Identify, define and explain the roles, responsibilities of, and relationships between, Canadian government agencies, customs brokers and specialists, and other trade administrators. Identify and summarize relevant legislation and the importance of the role of ethics in trade.  Explain the process, documentation, and how to complete documentation associated with importing goods into Canada and exporting from Canada to the US. Identify tools and resources needed to calculate duties and taxes payable to the CBSA.  Value imported goods, utilize the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS), and identify and apply relevant tariffs. 

Mastering the core concepts and principles of UX Design is paramount for establishing a robust groundwork in your UX journey. These principles act as navigational tools, helping designers make well-informed choices while providing a shared language and structure for seamless collaboration within a cross-functional team. In this six-week online course, delve into the intricacies of the UX Design process and its alignment with Agile and other project management methodologies. Uncover the diverse responsibilities of a UX Designer, learn about cultivating empathy for users, and gain proficiency in championing UX Design and decisions to stakeholders. Within 4-6 weeks of successfully completing this course, you will receive your micro-credential indicating achievement of the outlined learning outcomes and competencies/skills. Micro-credentials are tamper proof, verifiable, blockchain-based and 100% digital. They can be shared on social media, including LinkedIn and Facebook, embedded in websites or downloaded as PDFs. By the end of this micro course, you'll be able to: Grasp the essence of user experience (UX), comprehending the goals and methodology behind user-centered design. Explore the roots, evolution, advantages, and overarching aims and principles of the User Experience Design process. Recognize the pivotal role of empathy within a user-centric design framework, emphasizing the user's emotional connection to a product, service, or experience. Familiarize yourself with the diverse roles of User Experience Design and research, discerning their contributions to the user-centric design process. Advocate effectively for the importance, value, and impact of user-centered design to stakeholders. Learn to foster collaboration and inclusivity with diverse stakeholders throughout the design process, including articulating outcomes and decisions. Competencies/skills developed in this micro course include: User Experience  User-Centered Design  Empathy  User Experience Design Roles  Stakeholder Communication 

Understanding the human-centered design process is critical to succeeding as a UX Designer. Using this methodology will help you cultivate deeper empathy for the people you’re designing for; generate great ideas for new features, products, or services; validate those ideas to help ensure success at launch; and ultimately, design a great user experience. In this six-week online course, you’ll learn more deeply about each phase of the user-centered UX Design Process. You’ll apply best practices to develop key UX design skills, including articulating user needs, ideating, and prototyping. At each step, you’ll also learn how to advocate for the importance of each design phase to key stakeholders. Within 4-6 weeks of successfully completing this course, you will receive your micro-credential indicating achievement of the outlined learning outcomes and competencies/skills. Micro-credentials are tamper proof, verifiable, blockchain-based and 100% digital. They can be shared on social media, including LinkedIn and Facebook, embedded in websites or downloaded as PDFs. By the end of this course, you'll be able to:  Understand the role and benefits of each phase of the UX design process. Start building key UX Design skills, including needfinding, ideation, and prototyping. Learn the most common tools and deliverables that UX designers use in their work. Practice some of the most common methods or activities for each phase of the design process. Apply best practices for proposing a human-centered UX Design Process for solving a design problem. Advocate for the value of each phase of the UX Design Process to stakeholders. Competencies/skills developed in this micro course include: User-Centered Design Stakeholder Communication  Design Process Planning User Needs Ideation  Prototyping  

Wield the power of Information Architecture to create a stronger user experience. In this six-week online course, you’ll define the relationship between content and its on-screen interface. You’ll create and arrange more meaningful content and improve navigability to meet users’ needs and expectations. You’ll translate business goals and UX research findings into more effective maps and workflows. You’ll apply tested principles and best practices to improve content creation, distribution, management, validation, prioritization, organization, space allocation, taxonomy and terminology. Within 4-6 weeks of successfully completing this course, you will receive your micro-credential indicating achievement of the outlined learning outcomes and competencies/skills. Micro-credentials are tamper proof, verifiable, blockchain-based and 100% digital. They can be shared on social media, including LinkedIn and Facebook, embedded in websites or downloaded as PDFs. By the end of this micro course, you'll be able to: Develop User Experience design through content creation and information management  Align IA with business goals and user needs Understand information gathering and structuring data Develop content structures and information taxonomy Gather and apply insights towards better content creation and information management Understand the application of content and IA into product development processes and business processes Competencies/skills developed in this micro course include: User Experience Design Thinking Strategically  Information Planning & Analysis  Problem Solving  Insights Management & Analysis  Organizational Awareness

If you want hands-on experience in digital mapping and basic spatial analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this online course is for you. You’ll start with foundation concepts such as digital data, scale and map projections, then learn to input and store data, create maps and analyze geographic problems. Blending theory and practical skills development, you’ll explore a real case study that applies high-resolution aerial photography and the latest GIS techniques to determine whether brownlands in Toronto are suitable for reclamation and residential development. Acquire and input data from a range of sources. Create and edit data using different file formats. Store spatial data in geodatabse and run queries from tabular or spatial data. Perform basic types of vector spatial analysis such as map overlay. Design a quantitative map to communicate analysis results. Approach a GIS-related problem with confidence, knowledge and skill.