Online and Remote Learning

How do military experiences shape national identity? Who decides which stories are remembered, and how? This inquiry-based course, developed through a partnership between the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies and Canada Company, invites learners to explore the history, legacy, and commemoration of Canadian military service. Across five modules, learners examine Canada’s evolving role in global conflict, the foundations and functions of the Canadian Armed Forces, and the narratives that shape national identity, including the enduring myth of Canada as a peacekeeper. Through case studies, personal histories, and community-based examples of commemoration, learners consider how military experiences are represented and how remembrance practices reflect broader social values, tensions, and debates. Using the tools of historical inquiry, learners will develop practical skills in research, source evaluation, critical analysis, and interpretation.   They will explore questions of positionality, bias, and perspective while learning how historians and researchers construct and assess evidence-based narratives. The course culminates in a digital storytelling project in which learners present a focused, research-informed interpretation of a topic connected to Canadian military history or commemoration. Guided through the process, from topic selection to final presentation, learners gain valuable experience communicating complex historical ideas to a broad audience. By the end of this course, learning will have a deeper understanding of how military service has been experienced, remembered, and commemorated, and how acts of remembrance continue to shape Canadian society today. Analyze how Canadian military service, conflict, and identity are represented through historical narratives, case studies, and commemorative practices. Examine the structure, roles, and evolving functions of the Canadian Armed Forces within national and global contexts. Evaluate a range of primary and secondary sources to support informed inquiry into Canadian military history and commemoration. Assess how narratives such as peacekeeping, service, and sacrifice are constructed, challenged, and reshaped through lived experiences and public discourse. Reflect on positionality, bias, and perspective when interpreting military history, commemoration, and acts of remembrance. Create a research-informed digital story that communicates a clear and focused interpretation of a topic related to Canadian military history or commemoration.