Excellence in eLearning

Digital Education Strategies (DES) at The Chang School, Toronto Metropolitan University, is a leader in online learning and technology-enhanced education. Working in close collaboration with educators and industry partners, DES designs high-quality online and blended learning experiences that serve diverse learners and evolving professional needs.

Since 1999, our expert team has applied research-informed and innovative approaches grounded in learning experience design, user experience design, open educational resources, and serious games and simulations. DES was also one of the first recipients of the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Award for Excellence in Online Education, reinforcing its position among Canada's leading digital education teams.

DES advances TMU's strategic priorities by building strong partnerships, strengthening staff and instructor engagement, expanding experiential and career-connected learning, piloting the responsible use of artificial intelligence, and supporting a future-ready digital infrastructure. Through scalable systems, innovative pedagogical practices, and technology-enabled solutions, DES enables accessible, adaptable, and impactful digital learning across continuing education and non-credit programming.

What We Do

  • Curriculum & Course Development

    • Curriculum and course design
    • Needs assessment and competency mapping
    • Scalable online and blended course development
    • Assessment Planning

  • Learning Experience Design & Technology

    • Learning Experience Design
    • Quality assurance and standards alignment
    • Technology integration and innovative learning tools
    • Simulations and Serious game design
    • Open Educational Resources
    • Multimedia Design and Production

  • Training & Support

    • Instructor training and professional upskilling
    • Facilitation support and implementation guidance
    • Administrative and technical support for digital learning

  • Project Leadership & Research

    • Project management and workflow optimization
    • Business efficiency applications
    • Applied research

Project Highlights

Serious Games and Simulations

Development of innovative game-based learning products, from immersive video simulations to role-play scenarios. Our serious games and simulations immerse the player into a world where they can learn through fun and at their own pace, placing learners in real life situations that allow them to make connections between theory and practice in realistic, risk-free environments. Our team has developed over 10 games and simulations, attracting 25K+ players.

Multimedia

Production of multimedia content such as documentaries, TED Talk style expert interviews, interactive videos, animations, and scenario-based activities that help learners connect more deeply with concepts and themes, and apply skills in realistic, risk-free environments. We combine creative storytelling with learning science, ensuring that all media assets are fully accessible, pedagogically sound, and aligned with course outcomes.

Teaching Adult Learners Online (TALO)

Development of TALO, a professional development program to help Instructors enhance their skills in assessment design, content design, and facilitation when teaching diverse adult learners online.

eLearning Partnership Projects

Council of International Schools (CIS)

Interactive hybrid learning modules on evidence-based report writing for CIS assessors to support accreditation processes. Orientation for facilitators to strengthen effective delivery of online and hybrid learning.

The Aga Khan Academies

Hybrid learning modules and a comprehensive Train-the-Trainer program. Provided coaching to designated facilitators to enhance hybrid learning delivery and build professional learning and instructional capacity.

Ontario Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility

Series of practical online MOOCs and interactive open textbooks to raise awareness of digital accessibility requirements and inclusion. The initiative reached 4,887 students across 70 countries and over 1,800 OER textbook downloads.

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC)

eLearning modules designed to help Canadians improve their financial knowledge and make informed financial decisions.

Law Practice Program (LPP)

Designed, developed, and delivered a unique online articling program using interactive, web-based collaboration tasks that replicate the experience of working in a law firm.

Pearson Canada Inc.

Customized interactive training program on instructional design fundamentals, including employee needs assessments to support effective training across departments ranging from marketing to editorial.

University of the West Indies

Online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) program that expanded access to high-quality online education for learners across 12 Caribbean countries.

Awards