Research services

This interactive 20-minute course, awarded the Industry Minister's Prize at Japan's e-Learning World 2007, uses an entertaining story-based approach to introduce Nissan Japan's 30,000 production employees to the serious sustainability issues facing auto makers, and to the varied measures being taken by Nissan to address these issues. Produced in both English and Japanese, the course takes learners on a test drive with Pivo, a NISSAN electric concept car, and highlights the innovative technologies and programs deployed by the company to curb CO2 emissions, reduce the use of chemicals, and achieve one of the highest recycling rates in the industry.

J. LeCavalier & Associates played an active role in the design and launch of this ground-breaking eight-month distance learning course that trains professionals in the European chemical industry to become "sustainability change agents" within their respective companies. Hosted by Sweden's Blekinge Institute of Technology and the Natural Step - and financially supported by Hydro Polymers and Rohm and Haas - the course is a rich blend of e-learning, expert-led webinars, on-site workshops and collaborative project work. In its first year, the course attracted participants from 14 companies in the UK, Austria, France, Sweden, Norway and Germany.

Created for The Natural Step Canada, this 4-hour award-winning eLearning course provides a rich, interactive overview of sustainability and of The Natural Step Framework. The highly interactive course has become a key part of sustainability training in communities such as Whistler, BC and Canmore, AB and in organizations like the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association.

"Sustainability 101", a one-hour condensed version of the course, was also developed and customized for a number of leading organizations. The course is now available in English, French and Swedish (other languages to come) and is used by tens of thousands of people around the world.

"The course does a masterful job of incorporating a rich variety of interaction techniques. This is a "Wow" experience for sustainability learners!"

Jacques was selected as external evaluator for the Pembina Institute's GreenLearning.ca initiative, a sustainability education web site serving Canadian school teachers and students. In this role, he completed a web site usability analysis (with 7th Floor Media), carried out interviews and focus group testing with Alberta and BC teachers, benchmarked leading North American environmental education web sites, and provided design advice on curriculum materials provided through the site. Many recommendations were implemented in GreenLearning's improved web site, launched in the fall of 2007.

As a core team member, Jacques contributed to the development of this new Similkameen Valley institution that will combine online and on-farm learning in organic production methods and sustainable agriculture. He organized and co-facilitated the kick-off focus group where 35 community leaders selected an Organic Farming Institute as a winning strategy for using rural broadband capacity for education and sustainable economic development, co-authored the OFIBC strategic plan and Business Plan, and participated actively in fundraising and initial course planning.