The City and You: Find Your Best Place
Welcome to The City and You: Find Your Best Place. I'm excited to have you in the class and look forward to your contributions to the other learners in our community. This free course will provide the knowledge and the tools needed to understand what cities do, why they matter, the forces shaping the greatest wave of urbanization in history, and how to pick the right place for you. The course will also help you develop critical thinking skills. We'll accomplish this by providing evidence of the importance of cities, and why and how they matter to you.
Monthly Subscription Starting at AED 99 + VAT
- Level Foundation
- Duration 18 hours
- Course by University of Toronto
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Offered by
About
Welcome to The City and You: Find Your Best Place. I'm excited to have you in the class and look forward to your contributions to the other learners in our community. This free course will provide the knowledge and the tools needed to understand what cities do, why they matter, the forces shaping the greatest wave of urbanization in history, and how to pick the right place for you. The course will also help you develop critical thinking skills. We'll accomplish this by providing evidence of the importance of cities, and why and how they matter to you. Then we’ll ask you to apply what you’ve learned in an exercise which will help you assess your own community and find your best place. This course is accessible and open to anyone who is interested in learning more about cities and the ways they affect our lives. It is organized around five key modules: (1) Why Cities Matter, (2) A World of Cities, (3) The Creative City, (4) The Divided City and the New Urban Crisis, and (5) How to Find the Best Place for You. After completing the course, you will be able to: (1) Identify why cities are the drivers of economic prosperity; (2) Explain the drivers and implications of fast-growing urbanization worldwide; (3) Outline the key characteristics of a creative and innovative city; (4) Describe the social divides and challenges facing cities and the solutions cities are using to address them; and (5) Recognize the trade-offs of staying in your current city versus moving, and identify the best place for you and your family to live. Of course the world has changed a great deal since I developed this course. The Global COVID-19 Pandemic is affecting cities, businesses and people around the world. It is something I have been writing about and working with mayors, city managers, economic developers, urban leaders and communities across the globe. I have put together a new module on Cities and the Coronavirus to help you better understand the ways in which the Covid-19 crisis is impacting cities and how you can best understand and deal with that. I’d like to wish each and every one of you good luck as you get started on this journey. I hope you enjoy the course!Modules
Why Cities Matter
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8
Videos
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5
Readings
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1
Discussion
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2
Assignment
2
Assignment
- Pause and Reflect: Should You Stay or Move?
- Why Cities Matter
1
Discussions
- What Do Cities Do?
8
Videos
- Introduction to the Covid-19 Module
- Course Overview - The City and You (Instructor Video)
- What The City and You is About & How It Will Benefit You (Instructor Video)
- Why Cities Matter (Instructor Video)
- Richard Florida Week 1 Follow-up - Cohort 1
- Richard Florida Week 1 Follow-up - Cohort 2
- Richard Florida Week 1 Follow-up - Cohort 3
- Richard Florida Week 1 Follow-up - U of T Alumni Edition
5
Readings
- Course Syllabus
- What Makes for a Great City
- Triumph of the City
- Jane Jacobs - Who Changed the Way We Think About Cities
- Optional Activity: Living Atlas
A World of Cities
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6
Videos
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6
Readings
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1
Discussion
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2
Assignment
2
Assignment
- Pause and Reflect: Tell Us about Your Global City
- A World of Cities
1
Discussions
- What is a Global City?
6
Videos
- A World of Cities (Instructor Video)
- Opportunities & Challenges of Global Cities (Instructor Video: includes discussion of the exercise for this week)
- Richard Florida Week 2 Follow-up - Cohort 1
- Richard Florida Week 2 Follow-up - Cohort 2
- Richard Florida Week 2 Follow-up - Cohort 3
- Richard Florida Week 2 Follow-up - U of T Alumni Edition
6
Readings
- The World is Spiky
- Planet of Cities
- Urbanization Without Growth
- The Problem of Global Slums
- Why Cities Matter in the Developing World
- OPTIONAL ACTIVITY: Population Density Map
The Creative City
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7
Videos
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6
Readings
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1
Discussion
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2
Assignment
2
Assignment
- Pause and Reflect: Your Creative City
- On the Creative City
1
Discussions
- What Makes Cities Creative?
7
Videos
- The Creative City (Instructor Video)
- Technology, Talent and Tolerance in the Creative City (Instructor Video)
- How Cities Spur Creativity (Instructor Video: includes discussion of the exercise for this week)
- Richard Florida Week 3 Follow-up- Cohort 1
- Richard Florida Week 3 Follow-up- Cohort 2
- Richard Florida Week 3 Follow-up- Cohort 3
- Richard Florida Week 3 Follow-up - U of T Alumni Edition
6
Readings
- Creativity and Cities
- Global Startup Cities
- The Urban Tech Revolution
- The Geography of Innovation
- Optional Activity - UNESCO Creative Cities Network
- Innovation
The New Urban Crisis
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6
Videos
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5
Readings
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1
Discussion
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2
Assignment
2
Assignment
- Pause and Reflect: The Divides and Challenges of Your City
- The New Urban Crisis
1
Discussions
- To What Degree are Our Cities Becoming More Divided and Unequal?
6
Videos
- The New Urban Crisis (Instructor Video)
- Gentrification and the Divided City (Instructor Video: includes discussion of the exercise for this module)
- Richard Florida Week 4 Follow-Up- Cohort 1
- Richard Florida Week 4 Follow-Up Cohort 2
- Richard Florida Week 4 Follow-Up Cohort 3
- Richard Florida Week 4 Follow-up - U of T Alumni Edition
5
Readings
- Why America's Richest Cities Keep Getting Richer
- How Expensive Housing is Stifling of Creativity of Cities
- The Divided City
- Confronting the New Urban Crisis
- OPTIONAL ACTIVITY: Wealth Divides
Cities and the Coronavirus
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3
Videos
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5
Readings
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1
Discussion
1
Discussions
- How will the Covid-19 pandemic change our cities?
3
Videos
- How the Coronavirus will Reshape Cities
- Reinforcing Existing Divides
- How Cities can Reopen After the Covid-19 Pandemic
5
Readings
- The Geography of Coronavirus
- The Coronavirus Class Divide in Cities
- How Our Cities can Reopen After the Covid-19 Pandemic
- Webinar - How are Cities Preparing to Reopen in the Context of Covid-19?
- Optional Activity - How has the Current Covid-19 Pandemic Affected Cities?
Find Your Best Place
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7
Videos
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2
Readings
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1
Discussion
1
Discussions
- Find Your Best Place
7
Videos
- Find Your Best Place (Instructor Video)
- Use the Place-Finder Tool to Find Your Best Place (Instructor Video: includes discussion of the final assignment)
- Richard Florida Final Remarks
- Richard Florida Week 5 Follow-up and Final Remarks - Cohort 1
- Richard Florida Week 5 Follow-up - Cohort 2
- Richard Florida Week 5 Follow-Up Cohort 3
- Richard Florida Week 5 Follow-up - U of T Alumni Edition
2
Readings
- How to Love the Place You Live
- On How to Choose the Place That Is Best for You
Final Assignment - Peer Assessment
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1
Readings
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1
PeerReview
1
Peer Review
- Find Your Best Place - Capstone Activity
1
Readings
- Peer Assignment Option: Story Map Tour
Auto Summary
Discover the intricacies of urban life with "The City and You: Find Your Best Place," a free personal development course on Coursera. Led by an expert, this foundational course spans 1080 minutes and includes five modules covering the importance of cities, urbanization, creativity, division, and finding your ideal place to live. Gain critical thinking skills and practical knowledge to understand the forces shaping cities and their impact on your life. Perfect for anyone interested in urban studies, with flexible subscription options available.
Richard Florida