York University’s School of Continuing Studies is proud to launch an innovative new program, the Certificate in Learning Experience Design (LXD). This part-time program will enable education and training professionals to quickly upskill and will significantly improve how employers and educational institutions deliver engaging experiences for employees and students.
Successful adult learning initiatives, particularly those delivered online, require learning to be engaging and empowering. Audiences crave stories, interaction and dialogue, and want to learn in different ways. This has created a paradigm shift and an entirely different dynamic between educators and students and between trainers and employees.
Learning experience designers seek to engage learners by blending an organization’s objectives and incorporating user preferences in a human-centred 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.
While York anticipated this trend prior to the pandemic, the jump to online learning has accelerated the need for professionals to upskill. 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]
According to Michelle Levesque, a Program Advisory Board member and Learning Lead at Shopify, “In essence, LXD looks at the whole learning journey. It looks beyond traditional instructional design practices to consider the entire learning ecosystem and to 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’s 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. LXD is an essential skill set that professionals will need to future-proof their careers in adult learning.”
The Certificate in LXD can benefit corporate trainers, human resource professionals, instructional designers, teachers, professors and curriculum developers who are looking to elevate their skills.
According to Tracey Taylor-O’Reilly, assistant vice president of Continuing Studies at York University, “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. This is why I’m 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 LXD to engage adults to effectively re-skill 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. 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 also enables working professionals to bolster their skills while they’re 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 an LXD role.
Enrolment is now open, with classes beginning on Sept. 20, 2021. Find out more about the Certificate in Learning Experience Design or view the School of Continuing Studies’ other innovative programs in high-demand and emerging fields here.
1 Burning Glass, Job Statistics (2015–2020)
