Skip to main content
Toronto |

D2L Survey Finds <1% of Respondents Believe Education Will Fully Return to In-Person Classes

D2L’s Future of Education Reimagined webinar survey helps to reveal future higher education trends

Press Release

D2L, a global learning technology company, today announced the results of its March 2022 Future of Education Reimagined webinar survey. In this survey, D2L polled 346 higher education leaders across North America – including professors, deans, student success advisors, IT executives – to discuss challenges and opportunities with respect to the future of higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are the results:

Which skillset do you anticipate will be the most important to the global workforce in the coming years?

  • Innovation and creativity skills (including problem-solving and analytical thinking) – 40.46%
  • Interpersonal skills (including emotional intelligence and social awareness) – 28.03%
  • Technology skills (including data science and programming) – 13.58%
  • Writing, language, and communication skills – 12.43%
  • Global citizenship skills (including sustainability) – 5.49%

When considering at-risk students, what is the point of greatest concern for you or your institution?

  • Socioeconomic or sociocultural barriers – 43.64%
  • Signs of mental health distress – 30.64%
  • Financial troubles – 13.01%
  • Declining grades – 10.12%
  • Camera turned off during virtual calls – 2.60%

What do you feel, is the best way institutions can adapt to changing student needs to support enrollment and retention?

  • Introduce greater flexibility for learners: in-person and online course options – 34.68%
  • Provide early-warning interventions/analytics to help keep students on track – 31.50%
  • Support all student abilities and backgrounds with personalized learning technology – 22.54%
  • Rethink constricting grading systems to ease mental health – 7.51%
  • Provide more scholarships to ease financial burdens – 3.76%

When looking ahead to the ‘Future of Education’ — five to ten years following the COVID-19 pandemic — what do you envision?

  • A return to in-person classes only – 0.86%
  • A mixture of in-person and online (hybrid) – 40.40%
  • Mostly online options – 5.44%
  • A combination of all the above options – 53.30%

For in-depth analysis and visuals related to this survey, please view D2L’s webinar survey report here.

“During the pandemic, we saw that remote and hi-flex learning was challenging for teachers and students alike, and it is clear the status quo is no longer sufficient,” said John Baker, President and CEO of D2L. “Students need learning platforms that can build a better digital experience in the classroom and online – and our clients are investing now to improve educational outcomes and transform the experience to meet the expectations of learners today.”

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. Our 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.

D2L Media Contact

Colin Horgan
‪Executive Communications Director
[email protected]
Twitter: @D2L

© 2024 D2L Corporation.

The D2L family of companies includes D2L Corporation, D2L Ltd, D2L Australia Pty Ltd, D2L Europe Ltd, D2L Asia Pte Ltd, D2L India Pvt Ltd, D2L Brasil
Soluções de Tecnologia para Educação Ltda and D2L Sistemas de Aprendizaje Innovadores, S. D2 R.L de C.V. A

All D2L marks are trademarks of D2L Corporation. Please visit D2L.com/trademarks for a list of D2L marks.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.