To meet instructors and learners where they’re at, when they need it most, to support them as they build and navigate their own learning pathways.  

Inclusive, accessible, human-centred learning that meets learners’ needs and creates a positive and lasting impact on the teaching and learning ecosystems of the future. 

People-centric teaching and learning

Once upon a time there was a group of people who loved learning and helping to create better learning experiences for others. 

Every day they worked together to provide human-centred services for the students and employees of the college. 

Because of that, Lethbridge College can boast high-quality, innovative learning experiences, built through partnerships around the college. 

Joyful instructor  

CTLI is an upbeat helper who meets diverse learners where they’re at to ensure they are equipped to excel. Our recipe for empowerment? Engage joyfully with learners’ unique challenges with proven tools, methods, and expertise—so that learners can pave their own path to success.  

We’re the friendly librarian that points the way to the right resource for a project. We’re the learning experience designer who clears the learning path of information overload. We’re the instructor who meets students precisely where they’re at along their learning journey—from an impromptu meeting in the cafeteria to a round of after-hours emails—to better understand and help them.  

That means we’re friendly, open, and, most importantly, engaged in the success of our learners. 

Think Bill Nye the Science Guy: 

“The more you find out about the world, the more opportunities there are to laugh at it!” 

We’re a diverse group here at CTLI, with different lived experiences, areas of expertise, and passions working and creating here. We cherish this rich tapestry and treat every member of our community fairly and equitably. In everything we do, we aim to support and reflect institutional EDI initiatives. 

Working with diverse groups means working with learners with diverse needs. We aim to create content that is accessible to all readers, including English language learners and readers with disabilities. This benefits everyone because it ensures our content can be easily found, understood, and used. To make our content as accessible as possible, we follow the guidelines of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). This means we use plain language, avoiding idioms, colloquialisms, or any advanced modes of speech whenever possible. For more information, review this article on writing for accessibility. 

We are grounded in the world around us, in the needs of learners and of prospective employers. Unlike a university that teaches complex concepts to pass on knowledge, we teach learners career skills backed by the theoretical understanding they need to excel.  

We serve many different stakeholders through various services, including course creation and training for other entities, both inside and outside of Lethbridge College. When writing for others, it’s important to keep in mind that we’re not focused on amplifying our own voice, but on the voice of our clients. 

It’s essential to know how we want to come across, but it’s equally important to know what we want to avoid. Below we’ve included lists to further define our brand voice through contrast. 

CTLI’s brand stems from each of our core values. Together, the words below define and shape each sentence we write. This allows clients to get a feel for who we are. 

Learner-centred  

The learner experience is at the core of all we do and all we deliver. As a service team, our essential purpose is to help instructors and students reach their full potential. 

We portray this by: 

• posing open-ended, thought-provoking questions to the reader 
• speaking directly to readers when appropriate by using second-person pronouns you, your, etc. 

Examples:

How do you feel about learning in a classroom versus online?

Some students believe they may learn best in a classroom setting.

Teamwork

Because each member of our team brings with them unique skills, experiences, and perspectives, we’re able to offer a more diverse and inclusive range of ideas and solutions. 

We portray this by: 

• using inclusive language 

• speaking from a first-person plural perspective (i.e., we and us) 

Examples: 

At CTLI, we think there’s no better way to start a project than by meeting for a good old-fashioned round of brainstorming.

The employees at CTLI start every project with a creative meeting.

Learning innovation 

We build dynamic learning pathways through supporting instructor development and investing in the latest educational technologies.  

We portray this by: 

• linking quality, data-driven information  
• balancing positivity with professionalism 

Examples: 

According to a recent study from (reliable source), micro-credentials are one of the fastest-growing condensed learning pathways out there! We’re happy to say that yours truly has a veritable library of micro-credentials available.

We just love working with really smart people to create super awesome, tiny little courses that are so inspiring.

Creativity 

We push boundaries and dare to fail forward to find inspiring new ideas, initiatives, and solutions. We’re limited only by what we can dream up, and at CTLI, we dream BIG! 

We portray this by: 

• being creative in our writing—sometimes even making words up! 
• framing data and ideas with a sense of wonder and excitement 

Examples: 

Did you know X percent of people are neurologically diverse and don’t even know it? Just think how many opportunities that give us to optimize learning experiences!

X percent of people are neurologically diverse but undiagnosed.

To grab our ideal client’s attention, we relate to their desires. That means speaking to them in their language. 

When writing, this means: 

• we do infuse our content with joy and creativity whenever possible to make the learning journey more enjoyable. 
• we do not get in the way of learners’ experience (i.e., overwhelming, confusing or frustrating their journey). 

When readers interact with our content, we want them to feel: 

• curious 
• engaged 
• empowered 

*These voice types are based on industry context. Because CTLI works in the post-secondary space, it naturally tends toward slightly advanced vocabulary and longer cadence. Keep this in mind as you read our voice types.

Translator  

Make the complex simple. That’s what the Translator does. Whether they’re talking about modern medicine or the politics of the globe, the Translator makes it easy to digest. To do that, they keep things short. So, they write at a reading level that’s lower than others in the industry. And they like to keep their sentences focused on a single idea. Instead of using long sentences, they chop complex ideas into multiple sentences. It’s not that they’re simple or slow. It’s that the Translator is committed to making the world more understandable so readers can act. That comes through in their tone as well, which tends toward friendly and informal. 

Think Neil De Grasse Tyson: 

“You’ve never seen me debate anybody. On anything. Ever. My investment of time, as an educator, in my judgment, is best served teaching people how to think about the world around them. Teach them how to pose a question. How to judge whether one thing is true versus another. What the laws of physics say.”

Strengths	Weakness and limits
relatable  easy to understand  great for communicating to entry-level users	choppy  oversimplification  impersonal  boring   basic

Friend at the bar 

Just like the name implies, the Friend at the bar is friendly. Often, their words are as much about interacting with their audience as they are about telling them something. So, they tend to keep things light and breezy. As a result, their cadence is fairly standard—not too long, not too short. They aim for that Goldilocks length. Their vocabulary, however, is pretty basic. They’re not trying to wow people with their words. They’re trying to get to know them. They’re always friendly, usually colloquial, and very welcoming. Often, they can get quite playful and like to tell stories. 

Think Bilbo Baggins: 

“‘If ever you are passing my way,’ said Bilbo, ‘don’t wait to knock! Tea is at four; but any of you are welcome at any time!’”

Strengths	Weakness and limits
relatable  fun  likeable	threatens authority  impacts credibility  can cross the line

Voice test 

We speak to our audience like a group of co-workers/learners heading out to unwind after a teaching and learning conference. We’re out here sharing our insights, marveling at innovations, and laughing about the little things. 

A good way to determine if you’re using the right vocabulary is the “post-conference attendee” test. Read your copy aloud while imagining you’re hanging out with your peers at a cozy restaurant, discussing the events and discoveries of the conference. 

Does what you wrote sound authentic? Or does it sound robotic, diluted, or even forced? Does it maintain our level of informal professionalism? Your answers will help align your copy! 

Major tones

We keep our tone informal, but professional. That breaks down into two major categories we’ve dug a little deeper into below. 

While your brand may only have one voice, it has many tones, as outlined above. Just like the tone of your voice, your brand tone will vary depending on who you’re dealing with and what they want. 

Below, we’ve outlined which of the two major “tone pillars” (analytical vs. joyful) to use in the media we publish. 

Blog 

Here we offer insightful toolkits and articles that give us a chance to help people at a distance. This is also a space where we can demonstrate our knowledge and expertise, helping us gain credibility and trust with our readers. To support this knowledge, we rely on keeping analytical tones prominent, while the joyful tones take a bit of a backseat (but they certainly don’t disappear entirely). 

• Average sentence length: 14–18 words 
• Example of ideal content: The 4 Cs: Our Key to Hiring an Awesome Team 

Social media 

This is CTLI at its most casual. While we still want to inform, we know very few of our followers are going to take the time to fully digest complex statements. So, keep it simple, upbeat, and educational through the use of our joyful tones. 

• Average sentence length: 10 words 
• Example of ideal content: lc_ctli 

Website 

Here we’re showcasing who we are, what we offer, and what we’re working on. This space should be easy to navigate and provide users with clear, useful information. Analytical tones may slightly win out here, but they should be pretty balanced with the more joyful tones. 

• Average sentence length: 12–16 words 
• Example of ideal content: What we do 

Courses, credentials, and collaborations 

Though clarity and simplicity in all writing for the following examples are key, it’s a good idea to consult with your project lead to confirm which tone is most appropriate, whether that’s more analytical or more joyful. 

You can also find more CTLI writing guidelines in the following documents: 

• CTLI Writing Style Primer 
• CTLI Editing Checklist and Style Guide 
• CTLI Course Editing Guide 
• CTLI Website Blog Submission Guidelines  

CTLI micro-credentials

These are upskilling opportunities for members of our team, and so, we typically lean toward a more joyful tone. 

Non-academic courses

Smaller than academic courses, non-academic courses can be mini-courses or micro-credentials (e.g.: LCx, HR, OH&S, Student Affairs). The preferred tone for these could be more joyful, more analytical, or a balanced mixture of both, depending on the SME and the intended audience. 

Academic courses

Larger than non-academic courses, academic courses typically lean toward a more analytical tone, with more formal or specialized language. However, this is dependent on the requests of the SME and learner demographics. 

LCx courses

The tone for these collaborative pieces is entirely dependent on the needs of the client and their intended audience. Be sure to consult with your project lead to determine the appropriate tone before starting the project. 

Pronouns 

We default to collective pronouns we and us.  

Ampersands 

We only use ampersands (&) when trying to compress a title or social media post to make it fit. In regular copy, use the word and. 

Ellipses 

We don’t often use ellipses, but when we do, we format them with a space before and after three periods. 

Example:  

• This … is how we do ellipses. 

Parenthetical statements 

We use parenthetical statements sparingly to create clarity (e.g., lists and examples that start with i.e.) or to add humorous asides. 

Commas 

We DO use the Oxford (series) comma. 

Exclamation marks 

We are enthusiastic about teaching and learning, which means we do use some exclamation marks. However, use them sparingly. Overuse can feel childish and threaten our authority. 

Other punctuation 

Use one space after a period in a sentence. 

Place periods and commas inside quotation marks. 

Use closed em and en dashes. 

Capitalization 

• Use lowercase letters for names of seasons except when referring to an academic semester (e.g., this course will run in Fall 2023). 
• Capitalize schools and formal programs and courses (e.g., School of Justice Studies, Construction Estimating). 
• Lowercase subjects and academic degrees (e.g., psychology, bachelor’s degree). 
• Capitalize titles when they are listed before a person’s name (e.g., President John Burns, but John Burns, president of the board). 
• Lowercase titles such as manager, associate dean, instructor, coordinator, etc. 
• We typically use headline-style capitalization for document titles and Canvas page titles and sentence-style capitalization for headings and subheadings. More formal documents may require a different style, so check in with your project lead if you’re unsure. 

Italics 

We use italics, not quotation marks, to identify words used as words. 

Emojis 

We use some emojis in our social media copy. Usually, we max out at two, though more often, we use one or none. We default to the standard yellow emoji for faces and gestures. 

Spelling and style 

For any questions this guide does not answer, CTLI defaults to Canadian spelling and APA style manual (7th edition) formatting of references and citations. 

When we write words in the local Blackfoot language, we don’t italicize them. This has the effect of presenting Blackfoot terms as a regular part of our vocabulary and worldview. We must use these terms respectfully and accurately. When in doubt, reach out to your supervisor (who may direct you to Indigenous Services or directly to an Elder).  

Active voice 

Unless there’s a good reason not to, we use active voice. Good reasons to use passive voice might include talking about negative experiences without being accusatory. 

Example:  

Active (direct, more accusatory): Sharon created a disturbance at the bar. 

Vs. 

Passive (less accusatory): There was a disturbance at the bar. 

For in-depth clarification on the difference between the two, read Grammarly’s post on active vs. passive voice. 

Times and dates 

• Use periods for lowercase abbreviations (e.g., a.m. and p.m.). 
• When writing dates, use only the number (e.g., June 1 not June 1st).  
• Use from and to when writing out a range of times; otherwise use an en-dash between numerals. 

Lists 

If bulleted list items are complete sentences, punctuate the sentences normally. 

Here are a few fun facts about CTLI: 

• We follow human-centred design principles. 
• We aren’t afraid to fail. 
• We support our teammates and celebrate one another’s successes. 

If list items are not complete sentences, do not use capital letters or closing punctuation. 

We at CTLI value the following: 

• human-centred design 
• the lessons that can come from trying and failing 
• collaborative teamwork  

If list items complete a sentence started in an introductory element and the list items are phrases or sentences with no internal punctuation, no punctuation should be used after each list item. Each item in the list begins with a lowercase letter. 

CTLI team members aim to: 

• follow human-centred design principles 
• learn from mistakes and failures 
• collaborate effectively 

Acronyms and initialisms 

We love our acronyms and initialisms here at CTLI, and so, we’ve gathered a list of common ones you’ll see and use when creating content. 

• CTLI – Centre for Teaching, Learning and Innovation 
• SME – Subject-matter expert 
• LXD – Learning experience designer (or just “design” if referring to the field/practice) 
• LXDs – Learning experience designers 
• ID – Instructional design 
• IDs – Instructional designers 
• EDI – Equity, diversity, and inclusion 
• UDL – Universal Design for Learning 
• UXD – User-experience design 
• DLT – Digital Learning Team 

Acknowledgement to Siksikaitsitapi 

Lethbridge College is located on lands traditionally occupied by Siksikaitsitapi, the Blackfoot Confederacy. Blackfoot lands extend north to south from the North Saskatchewan River in Alberta and Saskatchewan to the Yellowstone River in the state of Montana, and east to west from the Great Sand Hills in the province of Saskatchewan to the mountainous Continental Divide. 

Today, four nations make up Siksikaitsitapi: the Apaitsitapi or Kainai (Blood Tribe), the Aapatohsipiikani or Piikani Nation, the Siksika Nation in southern Alberta, as well as the Ampskaapi’piikani or Blackfeet Tribe in northern Montana. 

As both the traditional and current Land Keepers of this area, the Blackfoot Nations have welcomed people from other Indigenous territories, including all signatory Nations of Treaty No. 7, members of the Métis Nation of Alberta Region 3, and non-Indigenous people who have come to call the City of Lethbridge home.  

It is the intent of our college community to honour the land from a place of connection, Kakyosin, to become fully aware and truly recognize the knowledge encompassed of what it means to say we are on Blackfoot Territory.  

Our Blackfoot name 

Lethbridge College proudly carries the Blackfoot name of Ohkotoki’aahkkoiyiiniimaan, Stone Pipe. Pipes are used in the sacred ceremonies of the Blackfoot people to make an offering or a commitment to Iih’tsipaatapi’op, the Source of Life.  

Our Blackfoot name brings significance to the personal commitment of embarking on post-secondary education, carrying honesty and the integrity needed to fulfill this endeavour, and acknowledging that this personal accomplishment is a transfer of knowledge that you have earned. Its meaning connects our place of learning to the land and to the promise and principle that the land sustains all. 

The CTLI headquarters, which includes the Buchanan Library, learning commons, Learning Café, and offices, is also known as Niitsitapi’ksimpstaan, which is Blackfoot for “Real Thinking.” Here, teams gather in person to:  

• study 
• learn 
• consult 
• experiment 
• ideate 
• collaborate 
• evolve 

Above all, CTLI is about meeting people from every walk of life where they’re at and providing meaningful, accessible, relevant, and enjoyable learning experiences. Keep this in mind with every piece of content you create, and you’ll maintain the spirit of our brand.