Education Commons^™

Narratives Of Learning And Resisting: An Intersectional Analysis Of Lived Experiences Of First-Generation South Asian Female International Graduate Students, Tasnia Tarannum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was influenced by my own experience as a first-generation South Asian female international graduate student in Canada. As I reflected on my experiences as part of an assignment for one of my Master of Education courses, I became interested in experiences of others who have followed a similar path. Namely, first-generation female international graduate students from South Asia. A literature searches of education databases at the University of Windsor Leddy Library led me to the conclusion that while several studies have examined experiences of international students in Canadian post secondary institutions (Chataway & Berry, 1989; De Moissac et …

Effects Of Political Transition On The Education System In Ghana: An Analysis Of The Fourth Republic, Lovinger Yamoah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examines the intricate relationship between political transitions and the educational landscape in Ghana, with a specific focus on the Fourth Republic that commenced in 1992. The objective of this study is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of how changes in government have influenced educational policies and outcomes in the country. By employing a qualitative research methodology, six participants were selected who represent a diverse range of perspectives, including teachers and education researchers. The research investigates the nuanced dynamics of consecutive political transitions, exploring the development of educational agendas and programs under different administrations. By engaging with …

Cultural Intelligence In A Tourism Industry: Differences In Cultural Perceptions In A Brazilian Host Community, Eduardo Armando Guadalupe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dynamism of politically and socially transparent geographical borders has created new opportunities for businesses, cultural interactions, and learning. Since Earley and Ang (2003) first presented the concept of cultural intelligence (CQ)—a construct referring to human ability to adapt, operate, and administrate effectively in culturally varied situations and settings—substantial research has been conducted regarding this subject. Consequently, CQ has been rapidly gaining popularity as a construct to help predict and clarify one’s effectiveness and performance in cross-cultural surroundings. The tourism industry is a valuable illustration of a cross-cultural setting because a great deal of it is based on interactions among …

Learning To Belong: An Autoethnography On Acculturation And Identity Negotiations, Anita Toronyi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT The purpose of this research was to uncover my lived experiences that spanned two continents and four countries involving acculturation and subsequent re-acculturation. I have employed autoethnography to shed light on my experiences as an English Language Learner (ELL) in various linguistic, cultural and social environments while living, studying and working in Canada and the United States. I relied on rich narratives (Richardson, 2000) in the form of personal vignettes followed by intricate analysis and interpretation (Chang, 2008) to provide a layered account of my participation in different communities of practice (Wenger, 1998). The Methodology section presents an in …

On A New Taxonomy Of Concepts And Conceptual Change: A Probabilistic Frame Of Reference And Its Experimental Manifestations, Lin Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the probabilistic aspect of international students’ intuitive and counter-intuitive conceptions of pendulum motion. The probability here is rooted in a moving neural time average in the mind for characterizing students’ cognition (sampling and decision making) and learning processes (resampling and making a new decision) rather than a frequentist’s or a neural counter’s way of keeping track of learning occurrences in the mind’s conceptual space. I follow the daily use of the word "time" for any durable and differentiable interval that everyone can observe or measure directly and the words "reaction time" for any uncertain latency period …

Chinese International Master’S Students’ Reticence In Engagement Within Business Classrooms, Bohui Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current literature shows that a large number of Chinese international students (CISs) encounter challenges in academic learning, in which their participation in classroom communication is an outstanding problem for these international students. Zhou et al. (2021) demonstrate that many CISs learning in a master of education program at a comprehensive university in Ontario Canada did not actively engage in classroom interaction and communication, and the causes for their passive performance in classroom communication can be various. This study was built on their research to examine Chinese international master’s business students’ classroom learning experience at the same Ontario university to …

Music As A Bridge To Literacy And Multiliteracies Development For Second Language Learners, Siyu Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to explore the learning and teaching of adult learners for second language acquisition and multiliteracies advancement when music is a primary mode of instruction in the second language learning setting. This qualitative research examines the progression of language proficiency with adult English language learners (ELLs) in the language learning environment where music is used as a learning tool and delves into learners’ multiliteracies expansion when different multimodal modes combine with music in the course of English learning. Data collected from face-to-face interviews, field observations, document analysis, and original film footage are analyzed using case …

Navigating Digital Identity As Graduate Students: Perceptions And Experiences Influencing Performativity In Higher Education, Samantha Ryan Szcyrek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores and makes visible how graduate students perceive, experience, and perform their digital identity. It will explore how graduate students' perceptions and experiences influence the navigation of their digital identity, using Goffman's (1959) performative theory and Tajfel & Turner's (1979) social identity theory to address the phenomenon of performativity on Social Networking Sites (SNSs). This research study will deepen scholarly understanding of the phenomenon of performativity in higher education. There is a need to understand this as the phenomenon of performativity is ever-present for graduate students as they navigate context collapse (Marwick & boyd, 2011; boyd, 2013) between …

A Narrative Inquiry Into The Experiences Of Racialized Internationally Trained Professionals In The Academe: A Pedagogy Of Cultural Wealth, Samuel Jokodola

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Though significant attention has been drawn to the diversity or lack thereof within the Canadian academe, the attention shown to professionals in non-faculty positions has been quite insignificant in comparison to that shown to faculty members. The purpose of this study is to investigate the experiences of racialized internationally trained professionals in academe and to raise awareness of the gap created by a lack of research into the experiences of non-faculty staff members in Canadian academe. In this study, a narrative approach to understanding the experiences of racialized internationally trained professionals (both faculty and non-faculty) in Canadian post-secondary institutions was …

The Spectrum Of The Journey: Narrating Identities During Professional Learning In Pivotal Response Treatment For Novice Elementary Teachers Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Svetlana Popovic

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In Ontario, Policy/Program Memoranda No. 140 (PPM 140) authorizes educators to utilize Applied Behavioural Analysis methods to support students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the classroom. Although typically favoured, inclusive policies are difficult to translate into practice without training (Lindsay et al., 2013). Novice educators (i.e., first five years of their career) are at the cusp of developing a teacher identity as they are shifting roles from that of a teacher candidate to what it means to be a professional teacher.

Symbolic interactionism (SI) is one theory deemed useful for narrating and investigating identity. According to Blumer (1986), SI …

A Critical Analysis Of Instructors' Perceptions Of The Academic Skills Of First Year International Graduate Students Enrolled In Education Courses, Wendy M. Sager

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Academic literacy is essential for English language learners to be successful in their graduate programs within a Faculty of Education in Ontario. In this paper, I argue that with careful collaboration between faculty members and English for academic purposes instructors, our international graduate students could be provided with an understanding of academic culture, discourse, genre, context and critical thinking needed for academic success. The main question addressed in the study is: what are instructors’ perceptions of the academic literacy skills of first-year international graduate students at an Ontario university? Through the researcher’s use of critical theory and participant interviews regarding …

Translanguaging And Bi-Lingual/Cultural Acquisition: A Narrative Inquiry Into Young Chinese Visiting Students' International And Cross-Cultural Experiences Between Canada And China, Haojun Guo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Situated within Dr. Shijing Xu and Dr. Michael Connelly’s Project entitled “Reciprocal Learning in Teacher Education and School Education between Canada and China” (Xu, 2019; Xu & Connelly, 2017), this study makes a narrative inquiry into five K-5 young Chinese visiting students’ translanguaging and bi-lingual/cultural acquisition in the international and cross-cultural experiences between Canada and China. Three research questions are addressed in this thesis: 1) What are young Chinese visiting students’ translanguaging practices in their international and cross-cultural experiences? Do they change over time? If so, how? 2) What is young Chinese visiting students’ bi-lingual/cultural acquisition in their international and …

A Narrative Inquiry Of Teacher Candidate Experiences Of Sexual Violence Prevention Education, Salsabel Almanssori

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual violence scholars and practitioners in postsecondary and community contexts have long called for K-12 education to join them to take on the challenge of sexual violence prevention, citing school as simultaneously an important factor in addressing sexual violence and a place where it occurs. Meanwhile, teacher education scholars have pointed out there are missed opportunities to provide training for teachers at the earliest point in their training. Teacher candidates’ concurrent roles as an at-risk population and as educators and leaders entering schools puts them in an interesting space that is worth investigating. This research uses narrative inquiry to explore …

Teach A Person To Fish: An Examination Of The Functionalities Of Outdoor Classrooms In Windsor-Essex County, Loretta Marie Sbrocca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Outdoor classrooms are valuable learning environments that are adaptable in the face of differing terrain, climate, geography, weather and changing educational requirements. They can be used to teach all subjects, engage students in personal development goals and organizational priorities, and promote community involvement. How can educators harness the vast potential of outdoor classrooms as a learning tool? Understanding their functionalities is one means. This research employs an online questionnaire and optional follow-up interviews with various types of educators throughout Windsor-Essex County to help participants understand the functionalities of their own outdoor classrooms. Results showed that educators had different interpretations of …

Maintaining Cultural Values, Identity, And Home Language In Vietnamese Immigrant Families: Practices And Challenges, Xuan Le Nguyen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the topics of maintaining cultural values from the children’s perspectives and investigating the factors that influence the children’s views and personal values, including the cultural values of their families. Four children from three Vietnamese immigrant families in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, were invited to take part in semi-structured in-depth interviews using a narrative inquiry approach. Field notes were also used as a supplementary method for collecting field text. The findings indicate how the children value the Vietnamese cultural values in their families (food, moral values, sense of community) and consider them part of their identity. The study also …

Déjà Vu, Harris And Ford: Exploring The Neoliberal Project In Ontario’S Education System Over Three Decades, Nicolle Alexander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

More than two decades after its introduction, neoliberal ideology has increasingly created a class and race-based gap in relation to student achievement in Ontario’s education system. Due to market-based rhetoric shaping policies and legislation, schools are increasingly encouraging students to adhere to the demands of a newly globalized world with a focus on the economy, regardless of their background. This study aims to analyze the presence of neoliberal reforms in Ontario’s education system through decisions made in government from Mike Harris’ in 1995 to the present Doug Ford administration. Specifically, I investigate how the so-called knowledge economy has produced a …

International Graduate Students’ Perceptions Of Their Educative And Miseducative Online Learning Experiences During Covid-19: A Narrative Inquiry, Rana Abduelmula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This narrative inquiry will explore International Graduate Students and their online learning experiences due to the forced online setting of graduate courses caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic. The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of international students but specifically to explore what international students defines as educative and miseducative online experience. Given that faculties of education are to be thought and experience leaders in learning contexts the experiences of international students within its graduate program offers a legitimate critique of the faculty’s ideologies, inspirations, and efforts.

Towards Achieving The Sustainable Development Goal Four (4) In Ghana: The Role Of The Free Senior High School Programme, Bismark Edusei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was undertaken to explore the Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy’s role in helping to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 4 in a select Senior High School in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. A qualitative case study was adopted to help achieve the objective of the study. The data was obtained from 20 respondents comprising school management members, teachers, students, policymakers, and parents. These groups were selected for their practical experience and knowledge of the policy on FSHS. Semi-structured interview questions were used to collect data, and subsequently, thematic data analysis was used to analyze the data recorded. …

Chinese Female Students And The Stem Gender Gap: How Stereotype Threat And Expectancy Value Shape Performance And Engagement, Yixin Qiao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Globally, women have been underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, and this is true in China. The current study seeks to identify factors that shape adolescent girls’ decision-making when deciding whether to pursue STEM studies and the barriers they face. The study likewise seeks to develop recommendations to encourage and empower girls to choose STEM. Data was collected from one-on-one interviews with six Chinese female international students: three in the STEM fields, and three in non-STEM fields at a comprehensive university in southwestern Ontario. The interviews explored the familial, educator, and peer influences that promoted or challenged …

Internationalization Of Higher Education In China: A Case Study Of The University System In Shandong, Ying Zhu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This case study explores the current situation and problems associated with the internationalization of China’s higher education institutions. The collection of research data was completed online from 12 universities in Shandong Province. This research shows that the organizational arrangements for the internationalization of higher education in China are diversified and improving gradually. Especially local non-research-oriented universities are more flexible and innovative in the specific organization and arrangement of internationalization. In addition, the research results also show that there are many difficulties and conflicts between academic and cultural integration in the internationalization of universities.

Linguistic And Cultural Diversity: Examining Support For English Language Learners In Canada Through Multiliteracies And Sociocultural Theories For Teaching And Learning, Rasha Qaisi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores and analyzes the use of multiliteracies, multimodalities, and sociocultural perspectives as pedagogical practices for the teaching and learning of secondary school students and adult learners for literacy and second language acquisition. This qualitative, comparative case study research questions the impact of the theory of multiliteracies and the use of multimodalities and technology has on student experiences across the curriculum and language acquisition with English language learners (ELLs). More specifically, this research study investigates the implementation of multiliteracies, multimodalities, and sociocultural theories of education in language acquisition classrooms, the use of technology in the classroom, and the role …

French As A Second Language Teaching: Identifying Methods That Improve Adult Learners’ Competencies, Nicole Moussallem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis illustrates the inventive methods used in teaching French as a second language(FSL) to adult learners, in conjunction with principles of the innovative methodology in second language teaching and learning. This study will also offer new methods and materials to teach adult learners French as an additional language (Myers, 2012). Moreover, the literature review identifies studies that have been conducted with French as a second language teaching. The new methodology for teaching a foreign language (FL) relies on acquaintance and know-how aims. Consequently, formal/traditional teaching has been modified due to a lack of adult learners’ interest in learning language …

An Investigation Of The Self-Efficacy Development Of Newly Hired Occasional Teachers In Southwestern Ontario, Dayna Haslam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many new teachers, Occasional Teaching is often a rite of passage into the teaching profession. These early years in a new teacher’s career are significantly impactful and formative, as signified by the research of self-efficacy development of new teachers. However, an overwhelming majority of this self-efficacy research focuses primarily on new teachers working in permanent positions. This research study endeavors to examine the ways in which Occasional Teachers perceive their self-efficacy in a constantly changing work environment. In this qualitative research study, I investigated the lived experiences and the precarity that define Occasional Teaching. Semi-structured interviews and an autoethnographic …

Phenomenological Experiences Of First-Generation Working-Class Students Entering University: Motivational Factors And Teacher Influences, Kayla Franco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Discrimination in education over the last few decades has been apparent in the form of racial, gender, and even intergenerational prejudice. Educational inequities also exist for marginalized students of the first-generation working-class trying to access and successfully navigate post-secondary studies. In addition, they may face several additional challenges that include lack of proper academic foundation, minimal support from family, friends and teachers, and financial hardships (Blackwell & Pinder, 2014). This research is an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) that investigates the lived experiences of first- generation working-class students at a university in southern Ontario by investigating the key factors that influence …

Understanding The Challenges Faced By Chinese International Graduate Students In Acquiring Information Literacy: The Impact Of Internet Censorship, Haoying Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research identified that Chinese international students face challenges in acquiring information literacy. However, few studies have addressed the influence of Internet censorship. Thus, this study aims to explore the adaptation of Chinese international postgraduate students during the transition from undergraduate study in China to postgraduate study in Canada, with reference to their information literacy skills under the impact of Internet censorship in China. Data collection for this study was comprised of two components: an online survey and individual interviews with four participants. Examined through the mechanism of Internet censorship in China created by Roberts (2018), the findings conclude that …

Running On Empty: Exploring Parent Perceptions Of Special Education Processes, Aliyyah Datoo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Though educational legislation in Ontario promotes parental involvement in special education, collaboration between educators and families from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds must be improved. Thus, this qualitative study explored the lived realities of five immigrant Indian and Pakistani families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as they navigated Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings. Via semi-structured interviews, the study details how these parents understood, perceived, and experienced their roles in a collaborative relationship between special education and school personnel and themselves, before, during, and after the IEP meeting. The analysis was informed by four theoretical frameworks: Hoover-Dempsey and …

A Study Of Steam Instruction And Its Impact On Female Students’ Underrepresentation In Stem Fields, Xin Huang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In China, there have traditionally been two streams of education in college: STEM and liberal arts. However, some tertiary institutions have introduced a third option—STEAM—that integrates arts into STEM as supplemental practice. Given that this is a recent approach, it remains unclear how this new model shapes female students’ engagement in STEM and the effects that STEAM has on their performance in STEM fields. To gain insights into this phenomenon, focus group discussion and one-on-one interviews were conducted to collect individual experience and in-depth perspectives to explore the influence that STEAM-based instruction has on females’ interest in, self-confidence in, and …

A Study Of Chinese International Students’ Online Learning Experience In A Post-Secondary Institution In Canada, Li Ji

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the importance of English language proficiency in the job market in China and globally, an increasing number of Chinese students seek advanced education in English-speaking countries, and many students choose Canadian higher education institutions because of their high-quality education programs. Beginning in 2020, because of the COVID-19 health crisis, many higher education institutions temporarily moved their courses online, which caused different types of challenges for teachers and students. This study focuses on the experience of Chinese international students in online education at a Canadian University, examining their challenges and strategies related to their learning experience. Data were collected by …

Examining Environmental Risk Factors And Opportunities For Intervention In The Emergent Literacy Development Of Low-Ses Students In Windsor, Ontario, Beckie Berlasty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Applying Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems theory (1979), this study sought to understand environmental risk-factors and the interactions between them that construct emergent literacy development, as well as attitudes towards the literacy learning of low-SES children from disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Windsor, Ontario. Data collection for this qualitative study was conducted in the form of semi-structured interviews, organized and coded according to common themes and concepts for further analysis and interpretation. The perspectives of Early Childhood Educators (ECE) were sought to understand the challenges faced by children from low-SES families in gaining early literacy skills, due to environmental factors, and what implications this …

Phenomenological Experiences Of First-Generation Working-Class Students Entering University: Motivational Factors And Teacher Influences, Kayla Franco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Discrimination in education over the last few decades has been apparent in the form of racial, gender, and even intergenerational prejudice. Educational inequities also exist for marginalized students of the first-generation working-class trying to access and successfully navigate post-secondary studies. In addition, they may face several additional challenges that include lack of proper academic foundation, minimal support from family, friends and teachers, and financial hardships (Blackwell & Pinder, 2014). This research is an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) that investigates the lived experiences of first- generation working-class students at a university in southern Ontario by investigating the key factors that influence …