Canadian Council on Learning | Conseil Canadien sur l'Apprentissage

Findings of the Canadian Council on Learning’s Public Poll on Learning

The Canadian Council on Learning sponsored a poll of the general public to collect Canadians’ opinions on learning, and their perceptions of Canada’s performance in a variety of areas of learning.

The research company Malatest & Associates undertook the poll with 1,500 adult Canadians between March 17 and April 3, 2006. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20 (based on the total sample).

Reasons for Conducting the Poll

The Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) is developing the Composite Learning Index (CLI)—an innovative tool that will allow CCL to report on the state of learning in Canada on an annual basis. The CLI is intended to demonstrate the state of learning across all its dimensions, including the economic, personal and social dimensions of learning, and to stimulate an informed dialogue on lifelong learning.

The CLI is based on four pillars of learning—learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be. (For more information on the theoretical framework of the index, please visit www.ccl-cca.ca/cli.)

Learning to Know
Involves learning to think critically and formulate new ideas

Learning to Do
Involves occupational and practical learning

Learning to Live Together
Involves learning that improves Canadians’ ability to respect and understand each other, and to build strong and cohesive communities

Learning to Be
Involves Canadians learning to enjoy all parts of their life, including through personal development

Public Expectations for Learning in Canada

Canadians were asked in the poll to state whether or not they felt that the current national scores of various learning indicators were acceptable, recognizing that no country is ever likely to be perfect in any area. If a respondent didn’t find the score acceptable, they were asked to provide one they would consider acceptable.

Based on the responses, overall average scores of expectations have been calculated to demonstrate how Canadians feel we should be doing as a country in each of these areas.

Note: Throughout this report, the survey responses of “agreed” and “strongly agreed” are combined as “agreed,” and “disagreed” and “strongly disagreed” are combined as “disagreed.” Similarly, “somewhat important” and “very important” are referred to as “important;” and “not at all important” and “not very important” are referred to as “not important.”

Learning to Know

• Currently, 57% of working age Canadians have some sort of post-secondary credential, such as a degree, diploma, or certificate, whereas Canadians feel that 67% would be an acceptable proportion.
• About 40% of young adults (aged 20 to 24) in Canada are attending some sort of schooling, whereas Canadians, on average, think that 62% would be acceptable.
• Currently, about 10% of young adults could be considered high-school dropouts. On average, Canadians think that 7% would be an acceptable dropout rate.
• About 58% of Canadian adults can meet most everyday reading requirements. Canadians feel that 80% of adults meeting most everyday reading requirements would be an acceptable level.

Learning to Do

• 56% of employers provide some form of structured job training. On average, Canadians believe that 74% would be an acceptable proportion.
• Currently in Canada, the proportion of employees who participate annually in job-related courses or programs is 35%. On average, Canadians feel that 61% of employees should participate in such courses.

Learning to Live Together

The level of volunteering and the level of charitable donations are used to represent social cohesion and engagement.

• About 25% of Canadians filing their tax forms report making tax-deductible charitable donations. On average, Canadians think that 45% of Canadians should make charitable donations.
• Currently, 27% of Canadian adults volunteer on a regular basis. On average, Canadians feel 45% would be an acceptable volunteer rate.

Learning to Be

• About 67% of Canadian children under the age of five are read to by an adult on a daily basis. On average, Canadians think that 79% of children should be read to daily.
• 50% of Canadian household report spending on sports and recreation each year.
  On average, Canadians think 59% of Canadians households should have sports or recreation expenditures each year.
• 85% of Canadian households report buying reading materials each year. On average, Canadians were generally satisfied with the proportion (86% was the expected average).

Canadians’ General Perceptions about Learning

Canadians are nearly unanimous that lifelong learning is important

• 97% of Canadians agree that lifelong learning is important to Canada’s future success as a country.
• 85% of Canadians agree that Canadians value lifelong learning.

Canadians are also personally very positive about lifelong learning

• 98% agree that they enjoy learning new things.
• 97% want to continue to learn throughout their entire life.

Many Canadians feel, however, that lifelong learning is not being adequately supported

• Almost one-third (32%) do not agree that supporting lifelong learning is a priority for government.
• 42% do not agree that most employers actively support lifelong learning.

At the same time, most Canadians’ day-to-day lives do provide opportunities to learn new things

• 87% agree that their day-to-day life provides them with the opportunity to learn new things.
• 83% of Canadians agree that life experience provided them with what they need to succeed in life, compared to 65% agreeing that school had.

There are barriers to lifelong learning for many Canadians, and some Canadians are not learning what they need to succeed in life

• 24% do not agree that they had learned what they needed to succeed in life.
• 19% indicate that they are too busy to learn new things.
• 31% do not agree that their community provides many opportunities to continue to learn new skills.
• 16% indicate that they do not know where to find information on courses, programs or workshops offered in their community.
• Women seem to be more aware of community resources than men: more women (87%) agree that they know where to find information on courses, programs, or workshops than men (81%), and women are more likely to agree that their community provides learning opportunities (73% compared to 65% for men).
• 72% feel that their workplace provides training opportunities for them to continue to learn new skills.

Four Pillars of Learning

• Learning to Know: 88% of Canadians agree that they have learned what they need to think critically and formulate new ideas.
• Learning to Do: 76% agree that they have learned what they need to succeed in their career.
• Learning to Live Together: 90% agree that they have learned what they need to work and live well with others.
• Learning to Be: 81% agree that they have learned what they need to enjoy their life.

Canadians feel that many different types of learning are important

• Canadians feel that learning through reading or personal study is the most important (92.7%) and learning through museums is the least important (58.6% agree that it is important).
• Significantly more women than men feel that learning through social activities is important (86% for women versus 76% for men).
• Canadians feel that many of the types of learning that were identified in a survey question are important: formal schooling, learning through social activities, learning through reading or personal study, workplace learning, learning through the family, peers or friends, media such as Internet, TV or radio, and museums and other cultural activities.

Canadians agree that learning has benefits for a wide range of aspects of life

• Most Canadians feel that learning has “very significant” or “significant” benefits for:
  • Canada’s economic success (88%);
  • Canadians’ health (88%);
  • Canada’s environment (85%);
  • Canadians’ incomes (84%);
  • Helping to care for those in need (84%);
  • Canadians’ relationships and social interactions (83%);
  • Crime rate and overall safety (81%);
  • Canadians’ involvement in their community through volunteering (79%); and
  • Canadians’ job security (78%).

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