Internationalization of Canadian higher education: discrepancies between policies and international student experiences

Maitra

2019

JCIE

Self Cite

Since 2011, the armed conflict that began in the Syrian Arab Republic has displaced an estimated 12 million Syrians, forcing them to seek refuge in various countries around the world. Over half of those uprooted are children. Education is key to integration of refugee children and is considered critical in bringing back a sense of normalcy, routine as well as emotional and social well-being in the lives of refugee children. In Canada, integration of Syrian refugee children in the public school system has, therefore, been identified as one of the vital aspects of their settlement needs. This article examines the challenges experienced by newly arrived Syrian refugee children as they struggle to integrate to the Canadian school system. We have conducted five focus groups with twelve Syrian refugee parents and eighteen Syrian refugee children between the age group of 10-14. Our research shows that Syrian refugee children not only find it difficult to make friends with local students but are also subjected to constant bullying and racism that affect their sense of belonging and connection. Making the views of these students explicit, we hope to provide a starting point for not only understanding their experiences in more detail, but also for developing educational strategies, resources and policies that might best meet the needs of these students and future refugee children and youth.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“I Belong to Nowhere”: Syrian Refugee Children’s Perspectives on School Integration

Maitra

2019

JCIE

Self Cite

Canadian Journal of Higher Education

“…In the context of a highly uneven geopolitical landscape, Global North countries like Canada are the primary beneficiaries of this "war" (Altbach & Knight, 2007;Johnstone & Lee, 2014). A growing body of work also addresses the racism and xenophobia experienced by international students in Canadian higher education institutions (Coloma, 2013;Guo & Guo, 2017;.…”

Section: International Studentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(p. 144) She contends that, as a result, internationalization efforts often reproduce Canada's geopolitical hegemony, particularly in relation to partners in the Global South (see also Johnstone & Lee, 2014). Others point out that in the rush for revenues and other international opportunities, Canadian institutions have failed to create culturally responsive environments for international students and scholars (Guo & Guo, 2017), or to adequately consider and manage the ethical complexities of international study and service abroad experiences and research partnerships (Beck, 2012;Khoo, 2011;Larkin, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pluralizing Frameworks for Global Ethics in the Internationalization of Higher Education in Canada

Stein

Andreotti

Suša

2019

Internationalization continues to be a priority within many Canadian universities. While it is imperative to attend to the ethical dilemmas that accompany the intensification of internationalization, different ethical frameworks operate according to different orientating assumptions. In this paper, we seek to pluralize and deepen conversations about the ethics of internationalization by illustrating how three global ethics approaches address questions of international student mobility, study and service abroad, and internationalizing the curriculum. We conclude by emphasizing the need for both scholars and practitioners to engage in multi-voiced, critically-informed analyses, and dissensual conversations about complex ethical dilemmas related to internationalization. Résumé Beaucoup des universités Canadiennes donnent la priorité à l'internationalisation. Bien qu'il faut considerer les dilemmes éthiques qui suivent l'intensification de l'internationalisation, il faut dire que des divers cadres éthiques suivent des divers hypothèses fondamentales. Dans cet article, nous cherchons de diversifier et d'approfondir les conversations sur l'éthique de l'internationalisation; nous illustrons comment trois approches éthiques répondent aux questions de mobilité des étudiants internationals, des études/l'aide internationals, et l'internationalisation du programme. Nous

“…All these factors have driven EAP to evolve. A case in point is EAP education in Canada, which has witnessed major changes in recent times due to a marked emphasis on internationalization of higher education (e.g., Cheng, Myles, & Curtis, ; Douglas & Kim, ; Fox, ; Fox et al., ; Guo & Guo, ). Second language (L2) scholars contend that the diversity in EAP reflects the changing dynamics of internationalization in higher education (Altbach & de Wit, ; Liyanage & Walker, ; Ryan, ).…”

Section: Fast‐changing Eap Landscapementioning

confidence: 99%

Preparing Diverse Learners for University: A Strategy for Teaching EAP Students

Bhowmik

Kim

2017

TESOL Journal

With a burgeoning international student population, most universities around the world offer English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses. Because classes are so diverse, it is challenging to meet the specific needs of EAP students. Keeping this status quo as a departure point, the authors discuss a five-prong strategy for teaching EAP, which involves academic culture acclimatization, student voice, teachable moments, reflection, and autonomy. They discuss this teaching strategy with specific examples, arguing that it helps provide a common reference point that all EAP instructors can use as heuristics, regardless of the context of their teaching. In addition, it promotes studentcenteredness in the EAP classroom and encourages students to become more involved in the learning process.