Education Commons^™

A Literature Review For The Implementation Of Computational Thinking For Ontario K-12 Classrooms, Stephan Rogers

Major Papers

The importance of the problem-solving skills involved in computational thinking has gained significant traction since its introduction. As Ontario seeks to implement coding into the school curriculum, an analysis of previous implementation of computational thinking could provide a framework for which to formulate new curriculum in the province. A literature review was completed to investigate the following three questions: (1) How has computational thinking been implemented into education in a K-12 environment? (2) What barriers will affect the implementation of computational thinking in a K-12 environment? (3) What grade levels are appropriate for implementing the varying competencies of computational thinking? …

"I Need More Help": A Rise In Demand For Special Education In Ontario, Brittany Lee Guenot Ms.

Major Papers

According to regulation 298 of the Ontario Education Act (1990), a primary role of educators is to ‘effectively’ instruct the students they have been assigned. It is my understanding that ‘effective’ teaching is more than simply giving the lesson of the day that aligns with the curriculum. As a teacher, I try to support my pupils’ learning by taking into consideration the best possible way to serve their diverse abilities. Furthermore, I acknowledge that students may require personalized and tailored school supports in order to fully benefit from their educational experience. In my own practice, I have utilized special education …

Toward A Culturally Inclusive Canon Of Multimodal Picture Books: Developing Multiliteracies Practices And Assessments For Ontario’S Classrooms, Arwa Jammali

Major Papers

Multimodal picture books are a critical component of children’s literacy development, and in a multicultural province such as Ontario, it is vital that literacy development include cultural literacy. The demographics of the province’s classrooms are increasingly diverse; however, minoritized cultures are underrepresented among teachers, and there are sparse training mandates related to cultural inclusion. Thus, Ontario’s culturally diverse student body is encountering a number of barriers related to gender, ethnicity, perceived race, sexual identity, ability, class, and other social markers. To provide teachers with the tools needed to support their students, the current study utilizes a theoretical framework derived from …

Where Are All The Women?: Exploring The Research On The Under-Representation Of Women In Computer Science, Xiu Tian

Major Papers

Women’s participation in computer science is important for many reasons, including playing a significant role in a country’s economic development. A skilled workforce is needed to remain competitive in the globalized world, especially in the area of computer science. This research aims to explore the recent research literature around the factors that contribute to women’s low participation in computer science. Key to this exploration is helping to answer the question: Why does the proportion of women in Western countries’ computing fields remain low, despite years of research and programs with the intention of increasing women’s participation in computing? In order …

Exploring The Academic And Social Challenges Of Students With Limited And Interrupted Formal Education (Slife) In Ontario, Hawa Yusuf Osman

Major Papers

Since 2010, Ontario’s education system has taken in an increasing number of students from refugee families, many of whom have limited literacy and numeracy skills and are classified as students with limited and interrupted formal education (SLIFE). To ensure the success of these students, it is important to identify the most effective ways to address their unique learning needs. However, there is currently limited research on this subpopulation in Ontario. Therefore, in order to understand the academic challenges this subpopulation faces, a comprehensive literature review has been conducted with the purpose of establishing the issues that influence this phenomenon. Findings …

Bilingual (Zhuang And Han) Education In Urban Guangxi, Yawen Li

Major Papers

Though many people see China as an ethnically and culturally homogenous country, it is actually host to a wide variety of ethnicities. For example, though Mandarin is China’s official language, and Cantonese is commonly used in Hong Kong, the Zhuang language is spoken by an ethnic group of the same name whose population is equal to 90% of Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region (GZAR), one of China’s five autonomous regions (Zhou, 2000). Nanning, the capital city of GZAR, has a population of approximately 7.55 million, and the Zhuang accounts for 4.21 million citizens, equal to 55.78% of the city’s population. However, …

Educational Challenges Of Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Learners In Canada And In The United States Of America: A Systematic Literature Review, Fabiana Menezes

Major Papers

This systematic literature review (SLR) examined Canadian and American peer-reviewed articles published in the past ten years (2009 – 2019) which pointed out the main challenges that affect culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners in their educational settings in Canada and United States. More specifically, it scrutinized the central theories that have been used to explain the main challenges that hinder the success of CLD learners in their educational settings in North American schools. Four key themes emerged in the analysis of fifteen peer-reviewed articles: A research-to-practice gap in the education of CLD learners; inappropriate referrals of CLD learners to …

No Turning Back: Exploring Sex Education In The United States, Xiyuan Chen

Major Papers

Sex education provides valuable information for young people to know and practice safe and appropriate sexual activities. Sex education also educates students on what healthy relationships look like, developing their emotional and psychological well-being. The United States has increasingly adopted sex education for adolescents, who are highly vulnerable age group. However, the programs often only focus on abstinence and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, and to some extent, offer a simplistic discussion around consent. Most however, do not adequately address complicated issues like personal responsibility, open communication, a deeper understanding of gender and gender relations and the incorporation of LGBTQQ …

Integrating Visual Arts And Music To Help Adult Students Learn English In Canada, Azadeh Eftekhari

Major Papers

Canada has recently seen an influx of newcomers who do not speak either of Canada’s two official languages—English and French—many of whom are adult English additional language learners (EAL). Though there are numerous studies on how to support young EAL learners, there is a dearth of literature on adult EAL learners, which is critical as the two populations have drastically different cognitive processes with respect to language learning. Thus, by analysing a critical literature review, the current study considers how multimodal practices and multiliteracies approaches can support this population. Anti-oppressive practices are likewise applied to identify the barriers that students …

Facing Detroit: Assumption College As A Cross-Border Institution 1870-1948, Matthew R. Charbonneau Mr.

Major Papers

“Facing Detroit: Assumption College as a Cross-Border Institution 1870-1948” argues that Assumption College in Windsor, Ontario was more connected with Detroit and the US Midwest than it was with southern Ontario until the 1930s. It does this by considering Assumption College’s student population, alumni activities, and contemporary perceptions of the school. Emphasis is placed on exploring how the primary sources created by those who lived at Assumption College reveal that it was more connected with Detroit and the US Midwest than it was with Windsor or southern Ontario. The work of Michael Power and George McMahon, the two greatest contributors …

Chinese Immigrant Parental Involvement In Children’S Education: Characteristics And Challenges, Jing Tao

Major Papers

In the educational system, students who receive higher support from parents have a positive trend of performing better in school. This paper will focus on the quality and level of parental involvement in Chinese immigrant families, and the factors and challenges that exist. It will examine how language, culture, and parental educational will impact the amount that parents are involved in their children’s education, and how there may be both external and internal factors that affect this. Overall, the study finds that language barriers, communication resources, cultural upbringing and beliefs, and particular school characteristics will have a big impact on …

The Influence Of Family On Children’S Second Language Learning, Yahan Zhou

Major Papers

This major paper talks about the influence of family on foreign language learning of children. Families in different countries, regions, and cultural background have different attitudes and views towards learning a foreign language and may hold unique opinions on the ways and methods of learning foreign languages. This paper introduces the current situation of children learning a foreign language in different countries, at different ages, and discusses whether children's learning a foreign language is deeply influenced by their families. The paper also attempts the analysis from various perspectives, including the attitudes of the parents towards second language learning, the social-economic …

E-Cigarette Consumption In North American Schools, Abdul Hakim Merhi

Major Papers

E-Cigarette use has grown at an unprecedented rate in North America. Studies are being conducted to understand the social and health-related implications of this phenomenon. Teenagers are at the center of the discussion when e-cigarette consumption is researched and examined. Understanding the rate of growth and consumption relative to school settings is important to understanding this phenomenon.

A knowledge synthesis is provided to direct the following questions: (1) Where are teenagers consuming e-cigarettes? And why? (2) What are some current North American policies that address smoking and vaping in schools? (3) Why is the consumption of e-cigarettes school property problematic …

Chinese Women, Marriage And Gender: Exploring The Idea Of Women And Marriage Over Time In The Context Of China., Siyu Chang

Major Papers

Chinese women who pursue professional careers must secure degrees in higher education and often require graduate degrees; however, in China, women are expected to be married and have begun a family by their mid-twenties. While, it is also a prime time for women to pursue their education and career advancement. Thus, Chinese women’s familial expectations and academic goals often come into conflict. The phenomenon of young people being pushed to marry is more common among women. Some people believe that a woman who does not marry at this age has failed to conform to social expectations and may be undesirable. …

Cultural Roots: An Ecojustice Analysis Of Scholarly Articles On Ontario’S K–12 Environmental Education, 2009–2018, Daomao Zheng

Major Papers

Environmental education has experienced both challenges and opportunities in the Ontario K–12 context. Drawing upon a culturally focused ethical approach—EcoJustice—this major research paper attempts to interpret the relationships between environmental crises and cultural assumptions by discussing root metaphors, discourses, and ideologies that may inform environmental education from cultural perspectives. This paper includes a qualitative document analysis of 21 peer-reviewed articles over the past decade (2009–2018), aiming to explore the relevant philosophical foundations of Ontario K–12 environmental education through an EcoJustice lens. The analysis and discussion of the examined literature reveals that different philosophical notions existed in Ontario K–12 environmental education …