Education Commons^™

Western Faculty Members' Cross-Border Lived Experiences, Xin Bu, Bill Mccaw, Patty Kero

Higher Learning Research Communications

Universities in China and the United States have been engaged in cross-border education through partnerships establishing international branch campuses (IBCs). This qualitative study used Moustakas’s (1994) strategy of inquiry as a framework and explored Western faculty members’ cross-border lived experiences at IBCs in China. IBCs in this study were coestablished by American universities and their Chinese partners. The central research question that guided this study asked about the lived experiences of Western faculty members at IBCs in China. This study purposefully selected 14 participants and data were collected through semistructured, one-on-one, face-to-face interviews. Moustakas’s (1994) seven-level method of analysis involving …

Editor's Notes And Front Matter, Suzanne Majhanovich

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

What Is Really New In The “New” Urban Environment?, Nombuso Dlamini, Natalie Davey, Audrey Hudson, Samuel Tecle

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Established in 2009, The Jean Augustine Chair in Education in the New Urban Environment presented the learning community opportunity to define new urbanism through debates, conversations and other learning encounters. As the inaugural chair, Dlamini began conversations with faculty, students and community in order to unpack the meaning of the new urban environment and its associated characteristics and encounters. This article follows ongoing conversations between, Dlamini and three graduate students from her urban education class, which tackled these and many other questions throughout the course. Following the seminar, we find ourselves continually questioning what is meant by new and if …

English Education In Italy: Perceptions Of Teachers And Professors Of English, Farahnaz Faez

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This paper examines the growing impact of English in Italy and in the Italian education system. The analysis focuses on issues of educational policy and practice and addresses discrepancies that exist across these areas with regards to English proficiency and use among Italians. The first part of the paper examines English dominance in non-Anglo countries, the education system in Italy and foreign language policy initiatives of the European Union that impact language policy and practice in Italy. The second part of the paper reports on findings of a survey completed by high school teachers and professors of English as well …

L’ÉDucation À La ToléRance Dans Les Programmes D’ÉTudes En Vigueur Au QuéBec, Simon Lavoie, France Jutras

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Le contexte social actuel caractérisé par un pluralisme culturel grandissant interpelle directement l’école comme lieu de socialisation et nous renvoie nécessairement à la place de la tolérance dans notre accueil de la diversité. Or, est-ce que la tolérance fait partie des intentions éducatives du Québec? Où en retrouve-t-on des traces? Notre objectif est de relever et d’analyser les différents éléments présents à l’intérieur des programmes de formation québécois qui ouvrent la voie à l’éducation à la tolérance, en nous attardant de façon toute particulière sur le nouveau programme d’Éthique et culture religieuse, qui nous apparaît en être le principal véhicule. …

Teacher Candidates’ Perceptions Of An International Practicum Experience In Italian Schools: Benefits Of A Short-Term Placement With Faculty Support, Maria Cantalini-Williams, Mary Lynn Tessaro

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This study examines the perceptions of teacher candidates (student teachers) participating in a faculty-supervised, international teaching placement in Italian schools. Survey responses and journal reflections, supported by faculty field notes indicate that the benefits could be categorized in four main areas such as: the development of resourcefulness and resilience; increased familiarity with the conditions of international teaching employment; a greater awareness of cultural literacy and comparative education; and an enhancement of language sensitivities and strategies for communicating and teaching. Recommendations suggest that professional growth of the teacher candidates is dependent on sufficient preparation, faculty support and immersion in the experience. …

Teacher Perceptions Of Strategies For Improving Esol Students’ Academic English Skills: A K-12 Perspective, Jinyan Huang, Alexis Smith, R. Michael Smith

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This study investigates five North American K-12 classroom teachers’ perceptions of ESOL students’ challenges in academic English skills and strategies for improving ESOL students’ academic English skills. Seven distinct areas of interest emerged from the five interviews: 1) ranking of importance of academic listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills; 2) challenges that ESOL students face in the classroom; 3) strategies to help ESOL students in academic listening; 4) strategies to help ESOL students in academic speaking; 5) strategies to help ESOL students in academic reading; 6) strategies to help ESOL students in academic writing; and 7) strategies to assist ESOL …

Shifting Aims Of Aid To Education, Christian M. Dasilva

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This paper examines the profound and steady influence of aid and aid modalities on the education agenda in Africa and argues that, ultimately, the broader intent of Education for All as advocated at Jomtien and Dakar was narrowed to an almost singular focus on Universal Primary Education. This narrowing phenomenon is attributed to donor obsession with targets and comes at the expense of true ownership while compromising quality and upstream linkages in the education systems of Tanzania and other African countries. The paper concludes with some of the lessons learned and possible future orientations of aid to education for development. …

Cie Journal/Revue Eci 2011 Referees/Evaluateurs

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

Book Reviews

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

Editor's Notes And Front Matter, Suzanne Majhanovich

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

Integrating Young People Of Different Religious And Ethnic Backgrounds In Our Schools, Ratna Ghosh, Denise Lussier, Gretta Chambers

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

Re-Bordering Immigrant And Refugee Identities In Quebec’S Multicultural Society: The Case Of South Asian (Sa) Youth, Ratna Ghosh, Jaswant Guzder

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Re-bordering is an aspect of globalization. Borders have become impervious to national, political and even cultural boundaries. All regions of the world are permeable to political, economic, cultural, social, environmental and epidemic factors. People’s identities and identifications are no longer seen as being stable and fixed, but rather- they are constantly in a state of flux.

Canada is a country of immigrants and the last census (2006) put the number of visible minority people at 16.20% of a population of nearly 34 million people (Statistics Canada, 2007). Canada is known as a country with a broad immigration policy and one …

Language, Thought And Culture: Links To Intercultural Communicative Competence, Denise Lussier

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

We live in a world where many countries are at war, where religious and ethnic conflicts tend to intensify in spite of sustained effort from governments and inter-governments, where solitudes and tensions between linguistic communities still prevail. In a context where geo-political interests predominate, how do we view cultural and intercultural issues? How can we promote values and attitudes that recognize experiences of diversity and openness to other cultures? Can institutions such as schools and universities promote social cohesion through education?

These issues are essential to mankind but they have to be looked upon with logical coherence.This article reviews existing …

Identity Construct Of Adult Immigrants Learning French In Montreal, Valérie Amireault

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This article presents the highlights of a study about the cultural identity of adult immigrants from various ethnic backgrounds learning French in Montreal. This empirical study uses quantitative and qualitative survey instruments in order to examine the different elements characterizing the redefinition of these newcomers’ cultural identity. Findings suggest that participants experience a "me-them" cultural duality referring to ahybrid identification. They feel as if they are in a cultural in-between within which they change and evolve while trying to alter their own identity when in contact with their host society and a new language. While newcomers are aware of being …

Rapport Aux Savoirs Des Étudiantes Moutahajibâte Françaises, Amina Triki-Yamani

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Cet article propose une synthèse des résultats principaux d’une recherche doctorale portant sur le rapport aux savoirs d’étudiantes françaises musulmanes, d’origine maghrébine, vivant en France, et dont la particularité est de porter le hijâb et de fréquenter régulièrement la mosquée. Dans un premier temps, en retraçant les stratégies identitaires de dix-sept étudiantes moutahajibâte, on a tenté de comprendre comment l’adoption de « la stratégie du retournement du stigmate » par ces jeunes femmes accentue leur rapport conflictuel aux savoirs laïques. Dans un second temps, on a exploré les fonctions psychiques du hijâb permettant de réajuster le « Moi-peau » chez …

Religious Diversity: Models Of Inclusion For Schools In England, Julia Ipgrave

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This paper discusses two educational and religious incidents featured in the British press in recent few years. The first refers to a pupil who took her school to court claiming she had been excluded from school for wearing the jilbab (full length coat-like garment). The second incident relates to the issue raised by Michael Reiss as to whether when questions of Creationism and intelligent design are raised by pupils in science lessons, it would be appropriate for the science teacher to discuss them with those pupils rather than dismiss Creationism.

In Britain, Asian and white British youth often live ‘parallel …

The Role Of The Quebec English School Boards Association In The Context Of Diversity And Critical Issues In Education, David Birnbaum

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

Children As The Symptom Bearers: Supporting South Asian Families Through School Interventions, Jaswant Guzder

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This paper will focus on the interface of school, children, families and mental health support for South Asian immigrant children and adolescents in a Quebec context. South Asian students have often been considered a model minority with strong educational achievement. South Asian culture inherently has both protective factors and dissonances with mainstream culture, which often places a burden of cultural negotiation on children and youth. A few clinical vignettes will outline some of the complexities of the ethical, identity, social and mental health agendas that are vital to a discourse on the school as a factor in these negotiations of …

Editor's Notes And Front Matter, Suzanne Majhanovich

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

Taking The Temperature Of Rights And Freedoms: Zimbabwean Secondary School Students’ Knowledge About The African Charter Of Human And Peoples’ Rights And Their Support For Its Provisions, Ottilia Chareka

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

The African Banjul Charter is a cornerstone document promoting human rights education in Africa. As Zimbabwe is one of the signatory states to the Charter, a survey was conducted with 265 Zimbabwean secondary students to assess their knowledge of and support for the provisions detailed in the Charter. Fifty-six percent of the participants knew about the Charter and 59% supported the Chart. Knowledge and support were found to be positively correlated. While gender did not influence responses, grade level was a significant predictor of knowledge and support for the Charter).

La Charte de Banjul est le document de base pour …

The Schema-Based Mathematics Study: Enriching Mathematics Teaching And Learning Using A Culture-Sensitive Curriculum, Anthony N. Ezeife

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Declining enrolment in mathematics and related fields is a common problem in present-day academic world. In many indigenous cultures worldwide, the flight from mathematics and science, noticeable even in advanced, technologically oriented societies, assumes alarming proportions. In Canada, for example, low enrolment and high dropout rates from mathematics and science courses are common among aboriginal students. The few who persist and complete their mathematics courses in high school often end up with low grades, a situation that has resulted in the paucity of qualified aboriginal students in mathematics-related careers at higher levels of education. Several researchers have opined that the …

Integrating Local Cultural Knowledge As Formal And Informal Education For Young African Learners: A Ghanaian Case Study, George J. Sefa Die

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This paper is about schooling, education and socialization in Africa with a focus on the pedagogic and instructional relevance of local cultural resource knowledge such as the teachings of Indigenous proverbs. Using Ghanaian case material, the paper examines how Indigenous cultural knowledges inform the education and socialization of youth and suggest ways for rethinking schooling and education in African contexts. Among the teachings of Indigenous proverbs highlighted are knowings about self and community, development of self-worth and character, importance of social discipline and collective social responsibility. The discussion also addresses the challenges of integrating local cultural knowledges as part of …

Modernization Of Education In Egypt: The Liberal Movement Towards Dewey’S Ideas, Abdelhady M. El-Nagar, Eva Krugly-Smolska

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This paper traces, from a historical perspective, the acceptance of the educational ideas of John Dewey (1859-1952) in Egypt in context of its earlier and ongoing efforts to modernize the education system. It first discusses the different political, educational, and social factors that might have facilitated the acceptance of Dewey‘s educational ideas in Egypt. Then it discusses the ways through which Dewey‘s educational ideas reached into Egypt, including establishment of European and American schools in Egypt, sending educational missions to Europe and the USA, and translation of works of western intellectuals into Arabic. It also discusses the adoption of Dewey‘s …

Tracking The Success Of English Language Learners Within The Context Of The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, Han Han, Liying Cheng

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

The study tracked 8 high school English Language Learners (ELLs) from 2 Ontario secondary schools located in small Ontario cities for 3 years and closely documented their linguistic, cognitive, and socio-cultural learning experiences. Each student was visited 2-4 times per year and face-to-face interviews were used on each visit. It was found that these students‘ difficulties in academic English were the major challenge to their success in their high school subject-area courses and in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). These challenges, in turn, affected their educational goals. The findings of this study provide a rich understanding of these …

Book Reviews

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

Nouvelle RéGulation De L’ÉDucation Et Transformation Du Travail Enseignant : Une Analyse Des ExpéRiences Des Enseignants De Vancouver, Toronto Et MontréAl, Madeleine Tchimou

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Cet article rend compte de l‘évolution des pratiques enseignantes induites par la mise en oeuvre des politiques scolaires définies dans le cadre de la nouvelle régulation. Des entrevues ont été menées auprès des enseignants d‘écoles primaries et secondaires. L‘étude des cas de la Colombie- Britannique, de l‘Ontario et du Québec a été privilégiée. L‘analyse des résultats montre que les effets des nouvelles politiques, en termes de transformation des pratiques enseignantes, sont différemment vécues et interprétés par les répondants de l‘étude.

This article reports on the evolution of teaching practices resulting from the implementation of educational policies as defined in the …

Book Review: The Twenty-First Century University: Developing Faculty Engagement In Internationalization, Ginny Qin Zhan

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

Review of The Twenty-First Century University: Developing Faculty Engagement in Internationalization, by L. K. Childress. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing Inc. 174 pages; ISBN 978-1-4331-0659-0

International Developments (No.1) 2010

International Developments

Table of contents for this issue: Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA); (b) World Bank; (c) Latin America; (d) Middle East; (e) International Schools Assessment Program; (f) Medical testing.

Waging Peace For Colombia’S Youth: Countering The Attack On Education, Phil Price

Human Rights & Human Welfare

After nearly five decades of internal armed conflict, Colombia’s children and education system remain firmly under siege. Boys and girls as young as thirteen are pulled out of classrooms and thrown into battlefields. Teachers routinely disappear and/or are subjected to extrajudicial executions. Guerillas, paramilitaries, and the Colombian army all utilize school buildings as posts for their combatants. School zones have become littered with landmines. Child displacement and poverty have reached epidemic levels. In direct contradiction with the Rome Statute and the Colombian Ministry of Defense Directive 30743, the Colombian government is guilty of war crimes by employing children as spies …