International and Comparative Education Commons^™

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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 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.

Cosmopolitanism, Globalization And The Field Of Adolescent Literacy, Helen Harper, Thomas W. Bean, Judith Dunkerly

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

In this article we discuss the current nature and circumstances of cosmopolitanism and what it means to the field of adolescent literacy. Drawing on contemporary scholarship, cosmopolitanism is understood as: 1) the local experience or condition of globalization, what has been called ‘internal globalization,’ and, 2) as a disposition or sensibility that ensures productive and peaceful relations in light of globalization or any circumstance that creates dynamic and culturally diverse contexts. From a critical review of the key documents in the field, we argue that for many adolescents their lives and literacies now, and especially in the future, will be …

Learning In A Credit Crisis, Or A Crisis Of Credit? Microcredit Lending, The Grameen Bank, And Informal Learning, Robert Mcgray

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Popular economic discourses have developed a lexicon which will often refer to economic downturns as a credit crisis. Kojin Karatani’s recent reworking of Marx’s analysis of the credit system however forces us to consider that credit itself may be the problem – a problem referred to here as the crisis of credit. This essay is a critical theoretical analysis of the way in which microcredit lending programs constrain informal learning so that people learn in a crisis of credit. After tracing the roots of microcredit to neoliberal gender reforms, I identify and critique three underlying justifications of the crisis of …

General Agreement On Trade In Services And Higher Education In China, Xiaobin Li, Linbin Zhao

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

The Chinese higher education system is the largest in the world. Having an understanding of the Chinese system helps to provide a better understanding of international education. This article discusses the commitments China has made under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), these commitments’ implications for Chinese higher education, and Chinese attitudes towards foreign education. It also discusses the recent development of international cooperation in Chinese higher education. Chinese are interested in learning from developed countries, the demand for higher education continues to grow in China, and most Chinese scholars believe internationalization is beneficial. Indications are Chinese higher …

Understanding Chinese International Students At A Canadian University: Perspectives, Expectations, And Experiences, Zuochen Zhang, George Zhou

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

The objective of this study was to understand perspectives, expectations, and experiences of Chinese international students studying in the graduate and undergraduate programs at a Canadian university, paying special attention to the challenges these students faced in the process of acculturation. Multiple data gathering techniques were used for the quantitative and qualitative data, including a survey questionnaire, individual interviews and focus group discussions. Findings related to the participants’ adjustment to the new environment include English language proficiency, previous education background, communication with other students, and understanding of the local culture. The study found that participants experienced various challenges in their …

Faculty Perceptions Of Chinese Graduate Students’ Communication Challenges In The Science And Engineering Disciplines, Jim Hu

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This paper reports the findings of in-depth interviews with six science and engineering faculty members at a major Canadian university regarding their experiences with and perceptions of Mainland Chinese ESL graduate students’ challenges in using English in the disciplines. Results suggest great cultural and linguistic challenges of the students; however, helpful guidance and interactive feedback-based conferencing could lead to student progress. Nevertheless, the faculty longed for English and technical writing courses for ESL graduate students. The faculty did not perceive plagiarism to be a major issue among Chinese ESL graduate students and adopted an educational approach toward sporadic inappropriate textual …

Multiple Cultures, Multiple Literacies, And Collective Agencies: Chinese And Pakistani Immigrants’ Perceptions Of Family Literacy Support, Zheng Zhang, Nazia Bano

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Challenging the deficit view of immigrant families’ roles in family literacy support, this study is situated in the multiliteracies theoretical framework, which celebrates marginalized, yet diverse, literacy practices in immigrant families. This study used semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to map diverse family literacy practices in Chinese and Pakistani families. It explores whether and how available educational institutions have been inclusive of immigrant families’ multiple cultures and multiple literacies. Adopting a bottom-up advocacy approach, this study also invites Chinese and Pakistani families to envision family literacy programs by themselves. It brings to light immigrant families’ potential collective agencies in …

What’S Language Got To Do With It? An Exploration Into The Learning Environment Of Quebec’S Classes D’Accueil, Gabrielle L. Breton-Carbonneau, Ailie Cleghorn

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This article stems from an on-going qualitative study of the ‘environment’ of Montreal’s elementary level welcome classes for new immigrant students (classes d’accueil), including teachers’ language attitudes and actual language practices in the classroom. Since the official language of instruction in Quebec is French, the classe d’accueil provides a unique setting for exploring many issues: how teachers look upon the linguistic and cultural diversity of their learners; how teachers negotiate their way between potentially opposing tensions-- to integrate newly arrived children into Quebec, and, to reinforce Quebec’s distinct cultural and linguistic status. By drawing on socio-cultural theory of language learning, …

Cie Journal/Revue Eci 2010 Referees/Evaluateurs

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.

“Homeless” At Home: Linguistic, Cultural, And Identity Hybridity And Third Space Positioning Of Kenyan Urban Youth, Lucy Karanja

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

In Kenyan urban locations where speakers of a myriad of different languages and cultures converge, young people have experienced ambivalence, ambiguity, and contradictions regarding language, culture, and identity that they can ascribe to themselves, both as unifying factors at the national level, as well as marking their identity as urban youth. In an attempt to bridge the ethnic divide, and the divide between what they perceive to be traditional values and the urban, modernized values, Kenyan urban youth have developed a “hybrid” language called “Sheng”. This language has opened up avenues for renegotiating their identity and cultures, moving them beyond …

Different Paths, Same Destination: A Case Study Of The 2002 Amendment To The Education Act For Chinese Minorities In Malaysia, Charissa Soek Yee Chan

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This article describes the effects and implications of the 2002 Amendment to the Education Act for the ethnic Chinese community, through exploring the challenges that the policy pose for Chinese school and education, as well as investigating the responses of the different stakeholders in Chinese community toward the change in policy. A case study approach was adopted for this study. Surveys (of students and parents), discussions with educators, and document analysis of textbooks and newspapers were carried out. Findings indicated that this policy had negative implications for mother tongue education in Malaysia, resulting in a huge overhaul of the Chinese …

Conscience Verte Et Éducation Au Burkina Faso « Nous Abandonnons Cela En Soulevant Les Seaux », Constance Lavoie, Amélie Baillargeon

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Cet article examine l’intégration d’une « conscience verte » chez les élèves d’écoles primaires en fonction de deux types d’éducation : bilingue ou unilingue. Dix des anciens interviewés sont diplômés de l’école unilingue, dont le curriculum est né pendant la colonisation, tandis que les dix autres sont allés à l’école bilingue où savoirs, savoir-faire et langues autochtones font partie des activités scolaires. L’article présente les principales préoccupations environnementales de vingt villageois burkinabè sous les angles de la santé, du genre, de la politique et de l’éducation ainsi que les pistes de réflexion qu’ils proposent. À partir des témoignages des interviewés, …

The Difficulties Of Learning English: Perceptions And Attitudes In Mexico, Colette Despagne

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

The political, cultural, and economical relationship between the United States and Mexico is becoming more interdependent, and in general, Mexico’s participation in the world economy has increased the spread of English as a Second Language (ESL). English is ubiquitous in Mexico’s everyday life, as opposed to indigenous languages which are mostly hidden. The diffusion of English makes ESL learning mandatory if Mexicans want to aspire to a better social and economic life. Nevertheless, this contextual ‘imposition’ highly influences perceptions and attitudes Mexicans have towards the language. This in turn may create a strong barrier to the whole language learning process. …

The Language Learning Beliefs Of Self-Identified, Successful Learners Of Spanish As A Foreign Language, Maria A. Rodriguez Manzanaresis, Elizabeth Murphy

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This paper reports on a case study designed to gain insight into the language learning beliefs (LLBs) of eight, self-identified, successful learners of Spanish as a foreign language at a Canadian university. Data collection included an online asynchronous discussion and individual online interviews together with online administration of the Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory (BALLI). Cross-case analyses of LLBs revealed that participants associated success with their ability to create bonds with the target culture. They emphasised developing language strategies as they relate to social purposes, placing emphasis on the social and affective component of learning Spanish, and on learning Spanish …