York University launches innovative Learning Experience Design program to help Canadian employers thrive in the new economy

The pandemic has made enhancing e-learning and e-training a top priority.

TORONTO, May 25, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, York University's School of Continuing Studies announced the launch of a new Certificate in Learning Experience Design. This innovative part-time program will enable education and training professionals to quickly up-skill and significantly improve how employers and educational institutions deliver engaging experiences for employees and students.

As the economy prepares to reopen, organizations are looking to reskill and upskill workers to support changes in the workplace and organizational priorities.  

Tracey Taylor-O’Reilly, Assistant Vice-President, Continuing Studies (CNW Group/York University School of Continuing Studies)

Successful adult learning initiatives, particularly those delivered online, require learning to be engaging and empowering. Audiences crave stories, interaction, dialogue and want to learn in different ways. This has created a paradigm shift and an entirely different dynamic between educators and students, trainers and employees. 

Learning experience designers seek to engage learners by blending an organization's objectives and incorporating user preferences in a human-centered and goal-oriented way. They create lessons that solve a specific problem, personalize the learning experience to the user, and reflect an interdisciplinary balance between curriculum, design thinking and UX (user experience) design.

According to Michelle Levesque, a Program Advisory Board member and Learning Lead at Shopify, "In essence, learning experience design looks at the whole learning journey. It looks beyond traditional instructional design practices to consider the entire learning ecosystem and tailor the experience to meet the needs of both the learner and the business. While I think the need for more deliberate learning experiences has always been important, it is essential now because our online experiences have evolved to be incredibly curated and personalized.  So, the one-size-fits-all approach to adult learning design simply won't do anymore." Levesque adds, "Learning experience design is an essential skill set professionals will need to future-proof their careers in adult learning." 

The Certificate in Learning Experience Design can benefit corporate trainers, human resource professionals, instructional designers, teachers, professors, and curriculum developers who are looking to elevate their skills.  

Tracey Taylor-O'Reilly, AVP of Continuing Studies at York University emphasizes that, "Understanding how people learn and comprehend new material is an essential skill that educators and trainers need to transform learning experiences in the digital world. That is why today, I am so excited to launch the York University School of Continuing Studies' innovative Certificate in Learning Experience Design, with classes starting in September 2021. The future requires smarter Learning Experience Design to engage adults to effectively reskill and upskill our workforce to adapt to the rapidly-changing world of work." 

The program was designed in collaboration with leading education and training experts to fill an urgent need that employers are seeking. While York anticipated this trend prior to the pandemic, the jump to online learning has accelerated the need for professionals to up-skill.  In fact, according to recent labour market data and an analysis of job postings, there has been a 34 per cent increase in the demand for learning experience designers across Canada.¹

Expert instructors will be sharing the latest applied research, practical strategies, and best practices so educators at all levels can quickly enhance their skills and put techniques to work immediately.

The part-time program enables working professionals to bolster their skills while they are working. Students can expect to work on an individual, real-life project that threads through each course. Assignments mirror the critical deliverables that students can expect to follow in a learning experience design role.

In this three-course certificate, instructors will guide learners to:

• Identify user experiences that align with the needs of learners and the objectives of an organization.
• Develop content curation strategies to create diverse learning experiences.
• Leverage current collaboration technologies.
• Use UX and design thinking principles to build a curriculum that reflects learner needs and desired outcomes.

Click here to find out more about the Certificate in Learning Experience Design.  Enrolment is now open, with classes beginning on September 20, 2021.

About the York University School of Continuing Studies

The York University School of Continuing Studies is a diverse community of learning united by a shared sense of purpose: Achieving personal and professional growth in a rapidly changing career and educational landscape. Our ability to offer accelerated, accessible and innovative programs that prepare our students to adapt and lead in response to this change has made us the fastest-growing school in Canada.  

Codesigned and delivered by senior industry leaders, our professional programs feature experiential learning methods that help students develop career-specific technical skills and robust cross-functional expertise. 

The School is also home to the international-award-winning York University English Language Institute, one of the largest language institutes in Canada. Our students come from around the world to pursue English-language proficiency and achieve their academic goals.  

¹ Burning Glass, Job Statistics (2015 – 2020)

SOURCE York University School of Continuing Studies

To schedule interviews and for further information please contact: Hassan Ally, Director, Marketing and Enrolment Management, School of Continuing Studies, York University, [email protected], Tel: [phone]