Jennifer Dumoulin’s new online course will help students build the skills and competencies needed to succeed at university. A part-time professor in the Department of Communication, Professor Dumoulin witnessed the effects of the pandemic on first-year students. In response, she is creating a course to bridge the gap for incoming high school students, and prepare them to maximize their success during their undergraduate studies. Her course provides flexibility, allowing students to take the modules that best suit their needs. In a world ever-dominated by technology, it teaches students to use it as efficiently as possible while avoiding the traps. Students will gain writing and critical thinking skills and the confidence necessary to make their University experience exactly what they want it to be. 

More and more of our communication happens online. How can students communicate clearly, engage with audiences remotely, and handle challenges unique to virtual settings? This course, by David Pratt, Part-Time Professor at the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI), will equip students with essential communication skills for remote work and virtual learning environments. It covers techniques for video presentations, online discussions, and managing virtual interactions effectively. Students will be equipped with practical skills for their studies now and their professional lives to come.

The Faculty of Arts has a long and successful history of providing language training to government employees and supporting their career advancement.  In this way, it has strengthened bilingualism in the national capital region and throughout our federal government.Reza Farzi, Director of Undergraduate Studies Program, and Parvin Movassat, Associate Professor at the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) are launching two new Language Excellence and Advancement courses with the support of the Learning Futures Fund. Their courses will offer comprehensive language training, enabling prospective and current government employees to master French and/or English.

Students, whether undergraduates completing their degree or working professionals advancing their career, can learn Spanish at their convenience thanks to this new online asynchronous course. Designed by Luis Abanto Rojas, Director of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, it will provide students with a flexible, accessible 72-hour curriculum. Professor Abanto has developed innovative ways to train and teach Spanish to students, meeting them where they are in their learning journey, since he started at the University of Ottawa in 2007.

How can professionals tap into the power of creativity to build well-being and resilience? Jennifer Macklem, a professor in the Department of Visual Arts, and Anne Vallely, a professor in the Department of Classics and Religious Studies, are developing a series of four graduate-level courses ideal for professionals working in mental health, art therapy, education, social work, healthcare and corporate wellness. “Art, Wellbeing and Consciousness Studies” will be equally useful to degree students in psychology, visual art, education and social work. A first of its kind in a Canadian university, the slate of courses will enable students to develop their emotional intelligence and integrate art and contemplative practices to enhance their personal and professional effectiveness. 

This course explores the powerful cultural taboos surrounding aging in contemporary society, engaging students in reflections, discussions, and contemplative practices that encourage them to navigate the inevitable changes that life brings. Having been enormously successful with their in-person format for this course, Anne Pitman, Part-Time Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies (Mindfulness & Contemplative Studies), and Neeta McMurtry, Part-Time Professor and Doctoral Candidate, Religious Studies, hope to parlay this success to an online component with the support of the Learning Futures Fund, all in an effort to  allow greater participation and a diversity of views. By expanding reach and including a broader community, including seniors, it will enable rich discussions, provide well-rounded perspectives on aging and mindfulness, and foster intergenerational understanding and learning.

In a field marked by complexity, Mélanie Houle, Adjunct Professor, Department of Classics and Religious Studies, makes the history of medicine easily digestible, while also moving beyond its mainstream interpretations. She is putting her course ‘History of Medicine’ online via an asynchronous model in order to improve access to its content and attract students from various backgrounds and regions. The possibility of increasing their knowledge of the historical roots of medicine throughout various eras and cultures will interest not only our students here at the Faculty, but also young health professionals taking preparatory courses in medicine and the health sciences as well as non-traditional learners passionate about continuing education. The proliferation of such courses, leading to the eventual creation of a Certificate in medical terminology, will favour flexibility and adaptability for those hoping to learn at their own pace according to a microlearning format.