Posted: January 4, 2018

By: Alison Adair

What are we Learning?

In this new article series, What are we Learning?, we feature a Western Continuing Studies employee each month to discover what they’re currently learning at Western Continuing Studies, see how they’re applying it to their role and find out what they hope to learn in the future.

This month, we asked Christine Wilton, Program Manager for our professional and corporate learning portfolios; What are you learning?”

What’s Christine Learning?  

I have worked at Western Continuing Studies for almost 10 years managing our professional and corporate development programs. I am responsible for the planning, development, and quality of programs designed for adults seeking career growth. I am also privileged to partner with organizations to help identify and deliver the best learning solutions for their employees.

What is the most recent course you’ve taken with Continuing Studies?  

Design Thinking taught by Anna Foat

This two-day workshop can be taken on its own or as part of our Innovative Thinking Certificate.

Design thinking is a method that uses a human-centric approach to innovate and solve problems.  It transcends industry and can be applied to product, service or business models.  Empathy is the “secret sauce” of design thinking. The organizations that get innovation right are able to feel what their customers feel.
 

How are you applying what you learned to your current role? 

Not only did I walk away with three new ideas for my work, I have been using the process to reframe a problem when I get stuck. I have been looking at processes that have been in place since I started 10 years ago. Just because processes made sense 10 years ago, does not mean they work today.  I keep asking these two questions:

How do we want our students to feel?

How is what we are currently doing making our students feel?

Do you have a learning tip for other students?

When you take a course, commit to being present. Clear your schedule, put your out of office on and get ready to focus. Put your phone away while you are in class, if you absolutely need to check-in, you can do so on a break. Learning requires concentration. If your mind is occupied with other things that need your attention, you cannot be fully engaged.

What are you hoping to take next?

I will be taking Problem Solving Decision Making and Creativity as my next course in our new accelerated Innovative Thinking Certificate.

Related Articles

See what Academic Program Manager, Nicole Tate-Hill is learning.

See what Administrative Officer, Patrick Vanhie is learning.