We were engaged by the Toronto Stock Exchange to create an entertaining online learning experience for students, investors, and the general public. The site was to be the online complement the TSE’s new Stock Market Place (SMP)—$50 million interactive, multimedia tourist attraction located in Toronto’s financial district.

The primary goal was simple: demystify the complex world of capital markets, securities and investing and—oh yes—make it fun.

Learning Designs was asked to design for three distinct learning audiences: i) for web visitors provide an informative, experiential setting, ii) for students and educators provide a series of high-quality lesson plans tied directly to the high school and university curricula, ii) create the staff training program for the guides and facilitators to be hired for the opening of Stock Market Place.

Our ‘virtual’ Stock Market Place features interactive learning games and simulations. Learning Designs created the general site architecture, designed the online ‘exhibits’, and worked with content experts to ensure that all aspects of the learning experience met the rigorous quality standards demanded by the TSE and its blue-chip member firms.

Learning Designs also created in-depth lesson plans (based on the High School curriculum) suggest learning activities for classes visiting SMP. Finally, LDO created a five-day face-to-face induction-training program to introduce newly hired hosts and tour guides to the complexities of stock markets and the features of Stock Market Place.