The Canadian Digital Learning Research Association (CDLRA) has released its comprehensive 2024 Pan-Canadian Report on Digital Learning, offering valuable insights into the evolving landscape of digital learning across Canadian post-secondary institutions. The report, authored by Dr. Nicole Johnson, analyzes data from two national surveys conducted in 2024. The Spring survey gathered responses from 441 participants and the Fall survey from 196 respondents, representing perspectives from across Canada’s diverse post-secondary ecosystem – including universities, colleges, polytechnics, and CEGEPs. Survey participants included administrators, teaching and learning leaders, instructional designers, educational developers, institutional researchers, and other key educational staff members.
Digital Transformation: Reality vs. Narrative
The report challenges popular narratives about rapid technological transformation in higher education. While technology integration continues to increase, the data suggests changes are more evolutionary than revolutionary. Most institutions are focused on implementing widely available technologies such as learning management systems, video-conferencing tools, and generative AI, primarily to enhance efficiency and accessibility rather than fundamentally reimagining educational practices.
Technology Integration and Teaching Modalities
Survey findings indicate that hybrid learning is expected to experience the strongest growth over the next 24 months, with 73% of respondents anticipating increased hybrid offerings. Online learning follows at 62%, while in-person and multi-access learning modalities are projected to grow at a more modest pace (52% and 51% respectively). However, the report emphasizes that this growth pattern reflects institutions addressing historical gaps in flexible learning options rather than suggesting a wholesale shift away from traditional delivery methods.
Artificial Intelligence in Education
The report provides substantial data on artificial intelligence adoption in post-secondary education. While 85% of respondents believe AI will become a normal part of education within a few years, perspectives on its impact vary significantly. Concerns about academic integrity coexist with recognition of AI’s potential as a learning tool, with 83% of respondents expecting students to use AI for cheating while 80% anticipate its use as a study aid.
Institutional Challenges
Academic integrity emerges as the most pressing teaching and learning challenge, followed by faculty fatigue and burnout. On the operational side, impacts on faculty workload and technology infrastructure requirements are identified as primary concerns. The report notes that professional development opportunities, while available, remain largely voluntary, potentially affecting the sector’s ability to address these challenges effectively.
Looking Forward
Despite ongoing challenges, the post-secondary sector maintains a cautiously optimistic outlook. The report indicates that while all respondents expect changes in the next five years, most feel at least somewhat prepared for future developments. However, there has been a notable increase in pessimistic outlooks from 2023 to 2024, with reasons for pessimism including funding, student preparedness, and concerns that post-secondary education is responding too slowly to the pace of technological change.
Participate in Future Research
The CDLRA continues to expand its research reach and seeks diverse perspectives from across the Canadian post-secondary landscape. Faculty members, administrators, teaching and learning leaders, instructional designers, educational developers, institutional researchers, and other post-secondary staff are invited to join the CDLRA’s survey roster. Participants receive invitations to contribute to future studies that help shape our understanding of digital learning in Canadian higher education.