- Future Students
- Current Students
- Programs
- Programs of Study
- Undergraduate Studies
- Teacher Education
- Professional Development Program (PDP)
- Professional Linking Program - Lower Mainland (PLP-LM)
- Professional Linking Program - Peace Region (PLP-PR)
- Helping Ease Access for Returning Teachers (HEART)
- Alaska Highway Consortium on Teacher Education (AHCOTE)
- Bachelor of Education as a Second Degree
- BC Education System Familiarization Program
- Programs in French
- Graduate Studies
- Masters Programs
- MA, MEd in Arts Education
- MA, MEd in Counselling Psychology
- MA, MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Educational Theory and Practice
- MA, MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Equity Studies in Education
- MA, MEd in Educational Psychology
- MA, MEd in Educational Technology & Learning Design
- MA, MEd in Teaching English as an Additional Language
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Contemplative Inquiry & Approaches in Education
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Digital and New Media Literacies
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Ecological Education
- M.Éd. dans Curriculum & Instruction: Enseigner et apprendre en français: plurilinguismes, francophonies et éducation
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Imagination in Teaching, Schooling and Place
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Innovations in Mathematics Education
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Place- and Nature-Based Experiential Learning
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Post-Secondary
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Science Education and Communication
- MEd in Educational Leadership: Expanding Possibilities in K-12 Education
- MEd in Educational Leadership: Indigenous Resurgence
- MEd in Educational Leadership: Post-Secondary (Surrey)
- MEd in Educational Practice
- MEd in Educational Practice: Indigenous Pedagogy and Indigenous Inquiry
- MEd in Educational Practice: Practitioner Inquiry
- MEd in Teaching Languages in Global Contexts
- MSc, MEd in Secondary Mathematics Education
- Doctoral Programs
- EdD in Educational Leadership: Leading for Educational Change in the Yukon
- PhD in Arts Education
- PhD in Educational Psychology
- PhD in Educational Technology & Learning Design
- PhD in Educational Theory and Practice: Curriculum and Pedagogy Stream
- PhD in Educational Theory and Practice: Philosophy of Education Stream
- PhD in Languages, Cultures and Literacies
- PhD en langues, cultures et littératies
- PhD in Mathematics Education
- Areas of Study
- Program Comparision
- Masters Programs
- Programs in French
- Faculty & Research
- Indigeneity
- Community
- About
- News & Events
- Support Us
- Instructor & Staff Resources
- Work With Us
- Contact
Master of Arts, Master of Education
MA, MEd in Educational Technology & Learning Design
Develop practical designs for learning that address learning needs in the real world. The MA/MEd in Educational Technology and Learning Design program provides you with the opportunity to learn research-based approaches to designing learning technologies, planning for their use, and evaluating their impact on learning.
Delivery Method and Location: In-person at SFU Surrey campus
Applications Open: October 1, 2026
Applications Close: February 26, 2027
Next Start Date: September 2027
Estimated Tuition Fee: $2,192.57 per term
This program is ideal for:
K-12 teachers and postsecondary instructors aiming to refine and optimize their use of technology in teaching
Professionals looking to transition into instructional design, e-learning or learning and development roles in corporate or postsecondary environments
Education and training professionals seeking to design engaging, technology-enabled learning experiences across diverse real-world settings
Individuals interested in preparing to pursue a doctoral degree in Education
How the program is structured
- In-person classes, with material delivered online
- Classes held one evening per week
- Regular pace: one course per term
- Accelerated pace: involves up to two core courses per term (option for those who do not work fulltime)
- Complete an MEd or ladder to an MA (with faculty approval)
Intake Schedule
Next Start Terms
Fall 2026 (applications closed)
Fall 2027 (applications open October 1, 2026)
Program Design
In this program you will learn research-based approaches to designing learning technologies, planning for their use and evaluating their impact on learning.
The program features:
- Students from diverse backgrounds (K-12 teaching, higher education, industry)
- In-person classes that encourage networking within a cohort
- Project-centered coursework that relates to your workplace or research goals
- Opportunities to participate in cutting-edge research projects (for MA students)
The Educational Technology and Learning Design program can lead to one of two degrees: Master of Education (MEd) and Master of Arts (MA).
Master of Education (MEd)
The Master of Education (MEd) is a course-and-capstone degree program. Courses address practical approaches to instructional design, psychological mechanisms that can limit the benefits learners derive from technology-aided learning designs, and approaches to thinking about technology-aided learning in social and organizational contexts. At the end of your coursework, you will develop a major new technology-supported learning design for learners of your choice, to demonstrate your achievement in the program. This capstone is often useful as part of a professional portfolio for those seeking instructional design roles.
Master of Arts (MA)
The Master of Arts (MA) is a course-and-thesis-based degree program. In this program you will take many of the same courses as those in the MEd program and then work with your supervisor(s) to write a scholarly thesis to complete the program.
If you intend to apply for the MA program, we recommend that prior to starting your application, you reach out to a faculty member whom you think could be a suitable supervisor for your thesis, to explore their availability as a supervisor.
transfer between the MA and MEd degree
Students wishing to switch from the MA route to the MEd route must approach their pro-tems or senior supervisors, and complete the appropriate forms with them.
Switching from the MEd to the MA degree route is more complex, because producing an MA thesis in a timely way requires strong writing ability, a clear plan and committed advisement. To ensure that all three are in place, the following procedure will be observed:
- Students should ordinarily have completed EDUC 890, 891 and 864 before applying to switch from MEd to MA. At this point they must consult a prospective advisor for the thesis. If this faculty member is other than the pro-tem advisor, the pro-tem advisor should be informed.
- In consultation with the prospective thesis advisor, the student will then prepare a written thesis proposal. This will be a minimum of 15 pages in length and will include a) a critical review of literature relevant to the study proposed, b) a description of the methodology to be used, and c) other elements as determined by the proposed faculty advisor.
- The proposal must be approved by two faculty members (the prospective supervisory committee) before the degree-route change form is submitted to the Graduate Programs office.
If any of these conditions are not met, the change of degree route will not be approved.
B.C. K-12 Educators: You may be eligible for a TQS category upgrade upon successful completion of the program.
MEd and MA student both complete:
EDUC 890-4: EDUCATIONAL MEDIA AS FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM
Provides a historically-grounded treatment of the constructive role of technologies in the transmission and production of cultural knowledge and understanding. Students develop a grasp of the ways in which technologies have mediated and transformed the nature of knowledge, the knower, and processes of coming to know.
EDUC 892-4: COGNITIVE TOOLS & MULTIMEDIA LEARNING
Design principles for multimedia learning are derived from the theories and research of cognitive science. Topics include: tutorial interactions, history of adaptive learning systems, adapting to individual differences, dialogues with teachers (and other agents), problem solving and cognitive load, learning from multimedia, cognitive principles for document design, tools for self-regulated learning, intrinsic and situational motivation, simulations and self-regulated inquiry, inquiry with microworlds and cognitive tools, multimedia scenarios for anchored instruction.
EDUC 891-4: LEARNING DESIGN IN TECHNOLOGY-MEDIATED ENVIRONMENTS
Engages students in a critical analysis of learning design theory, including the underlying assumptions these embrace about knowledge, learning, the learner, learning technologies and the nature of instruction. Students will examine the appropriateness of media and learning technologies to support teaching and learning, and create a learning design according to a principled approach.
EDUC 893-4: ORGANIZATIONAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF LEARNING TECHNOLOGY DESIGN
Reviews constructive approaches to integrating learning technologies, provides analysis tools from cultural historical activity theory, reviews impact of organizational culture and draws on visualization of social activity networks. Organization and change strategies are examined in higher, school and workplace learning; providing a source for designing organizational learning technologies.
EDUC 864-5: RESEARCH DESIGNS IN EDUCATION
Designing and interpreting research about education. Introduction to survey techniques, correlational designs, classic experimental and evaluation designs for investigating causal relations, case study methods, interpretive approaches to research. Students with credit for EDUC 814 may not take this course for further credit. Equivalent Courses: EDUC814
MA and MEd students also participate in the non-credit Program Institute, a conference held in the Fall term.
MEd students also complete:
EDUC 934-4: LEARNING DESIGN DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
A faculty-mentored workshop in which MEd students in Educational Technology and Learning Design produce a major new technology-enhanced learning design for a setting that interests them, to demonstrate their mastery of principles, ideas and skills acquired in the core courses. Students will have scheduled meetings with their instructor throughout the term to report progress and seek advice. Prerequisite: EDUC 864, EDUC 890, EDUC 891, EDUC 892, EDUC 893. Corequisite: EDUC 935.
EDUC 935-0: LEARNING DESIGN DEMONSTRATION OF MASTERY
A public demonstration of mastery of theories, principles and practices of technology-enhanced learning design covered in the core courses of the Educational Technology and Learning Design MEd program. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Prerequisite: EDUC 864, EDUC 890, EDUC 891, EDUC 892, EDUC 893. Corequisite: EDUC 934.
and a minimum of 5 units of elective course work chose in consultation with Supervisor.
MA students also complete:
EDUC 866-5: QUALITATIVE METHODS IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
This course introduces students to qualitative research in education and examines topics such as identifying problems, using conceptual frameworks, coding, data analysis, drawing interpretations, and constructing arguments.
or
EDUC 863-3: QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
Focus on critical analysis of quantitative research in education. Research studies examined will be based on exploratory and confirmatory data analysis, including group comparisons and correlations. Students will use calculators and computers for data analysis and display. Prerequisite: EDUC 810 or 864.
and
EDUC 898-18: Master's Thesis
The thesis is a research investigation designed to generate and/or examine critically new knowledge in the theory and/or practice of education. The thesis should normally be completed and approved in three terms. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
Note: EDUC 898 may be taken either concurrently with one of the above two courses or after all coursework is complete, but always until thesis is defended and submitted to library.
Course Challenge Policy
Course challenges are considered on a course-by-course basis. If you have taken a course at SFU or at another university that you believe fulfills the requirement of one of the core courses in your program or the required elective(s), follow this process:
- Meet with your supervisor; they will coordinate this process.
- Provide your supervisor with the course outline(s)/syllabus and, if possible, a copy of the table of contents annotated to identify what your course covered and/or a list of readings assigned in the course(s) you took that you believe fulfills requirements of the course(s) you are challenging.
- Your supervisor will forward this information to the instructor(s) of the courses you are challenging. The instructor(s) will consult with your supervisor to determine the merit of your challenge.
- If your challenge is supported, your supervisor will provide to the appropriate ETLD program coordinator and the Director of Graduate Programs a brief written rationale and copies of material you submitted.
The Director of Graduate Programs must approve the course challenge(s). If approved, the materials you submitted and the instructor’s written rationale will be added to your student file.
