Toronto, Jan. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new survey commissioned by D2L, a global learning technology leader, has found that Canadian parents are feeling connected (36%), overwhelmed (29%), and empowered (20%) by online learning platforms as part of their child’s education experience.
While emotions are mixed about the year ahead, most parents feel positive about their children’s academic progress with a majority (54%) indicating that their children are meeting expectations, and one-quarter (23%) believing their children are exceeding expectations in school.
"After a year like no other, this survey has shown us that our kids, parents and teachers are incredibly resilient. The country was catapulted into an online environment when classrooms closed and learning went virtual, but it allowed parents to become more active partners in their kids’ education through technology. As the pandemic continues to challenge Canadians, we have one goal – to help students succeed,” said John Baker, President and CEO of D2L. “The pandemic continues to challenge all of us, but with the right resources and collaboration, learning technology will play an even bigger role as a partner in supporting learning growth.”
The national survey was conducted by Maru Public Opinion on December 15, 2021 among a representative sample of Canadian parents with K-12 student children (both D2L and non-D2L users). The purpose of the study was to gather insights as to how parents felt about the school year thus far, their feelings toward the upcoming year and their views toward online learning.
Survey Says
The survey found that parents attribute teacher communication, digital tools and learning platforms, and being back in the classroom as the biggest contributors to their children’s progress over the past semester.
As technology becomes more integrated with the learning experience, parents are finding that online learning and the use of technology can help:
- Overcome disrupted learning from school absences, distractions and mental health concerns through maintaining strong school-home connections
- Offer additional support where it's needed
- Maintain hybrid learning models where students can learn online and in class, and
- Personalize learning to meet the unique needs of each student.
However, with the delayed return to classrooms for some provinces in January, parents are feeling a mix of uncertainty (47%), hopefulness (35%), and anxiety (24%). The results caught an increase in uncertainty from a benchmark survey conducted on August 16, 2021, finding that parents were mostly hopeful (36%) about the upcoming school year, followed then by being uncertain (30%) and anxious (19%).
"In the survey, we saw that many parents feel they have a responsibility to help their children maintain strong school-home connections (23%) and offer additional support where it's needed (37%), and D2L has seen this desire for involvement grow. That's why we developed our Brightspace Parent & Guardian app to make it easier than ever for families and teachers to connect, stay informed, and receive notifications to support learning that happens both inside and outside of the classroom," continued John Baker.
For resources on supporting learning at home, please visit www.D2L.com/D2L-supports-parents/, and for in-depth survey results, please contact pr@D2L.com.
About D2L
D2L is transforming the way the world learns—helping learners of all ages achieve more than they dreamed possible. Working closely with clients all over the world, D2L is supporting millions of people learning online and in person. D2L’s growing global workforce is dedicated to making the best learning products to leave the world better than they found it. Learn more about D2L for K-12, higher education, and businesses at www.D2L.com.
Survey Methodology
These are some of the findings of a Maru Public Opinion survey among a representative sample of 256 Canadians who are parents of children in K-12 completed December 15, 2021, with the results weighted by education, age, gender, and region (and in Québec, language) to match the population, according to Census data. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. The findings were contrasted to the results of a comparable survey conducted on August 16, 2021, among 279 parents of children in grades K-12. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of either size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of +/- 6.1%, 19 times out of 20.
D2L MEDIA CONTACT
Tory Waldron
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications, D2L Corporation
pr@D2L.com
Twitter: @D2L
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