Experience and Expertise
Dr. Nicole Johnson is an internationally-recognized expert in the field of digital learning with a professional network extending across the globe. She specializes in researching and understanding digital learning trends with a focus on the Canadian post-secondary landscape.
Digital Learning Leadership, Founder and CEO
After many conversations with educational decision makers and digital learning leaders, Dr. Johnson identified a need to better connect decision makers with the expertise that exists within the EdTech world.
In 2026, she launched the Digital Learning Leadership Community, an initiative designed to bring decision makers, EdTech experts, and folks simply wanting to learn more together. Inspired by the way the community quickly formed, she decided to build it into a larger company, Digital Learning Leadership, to help educational decision-makers navigate complex digital learning challenges.
Canadian Digital Learning Research Association, Executive Director
Dr. Johnson currently serves as the Executive Director of the Canadian Digital Learning Research Association (CDLRA). In this role, she works closely with post-secondary institutions, provincial education ministries, and other organizations with an interest in digital learning in Canada. She is the longtime project lead for the CDLRA’s annual Pan-Canadian Digital Learning Survey project, which gathers longitudinal data on digital learning trends and practices nationwide.
Research Interests
Dr. Johnson is passionate about supporting the development and expansion of affordable, high-quality online education. She actively participates in international initiatives and communities that work towards researching and advancing best practices for technology use in teaching and learning.
Her current research interests include:
Examining the implications of artificial intelligence in education (with a special interest in AI literacies and governance)
Exploring potential futures for higher education
Investigating the use of open educational resources (OER)
Defining and operationalizing key terms associated with digital learning to ensure consistent and predictable student experiences
Investigating faculty experiences with technology
Understanding how adults learn informally in digital contexts