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Diversity and inclusion: A case study of female, immigrant , adult leaners in Ontario
ORLN 1995Assignment #3June 17, 2012
Group 1Nimao Ali
Becky BrooksCamille LawrenceLeslie Malloy-WeirKeri-Ellen Walcer
By PresenterMedia.com
• According to a report for the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (2012):
• The number of recent immigrant adult learners attending post-secondary institutions in Ontario is growing
• Many recent immigrant adult learners face barriers
• Post-secondary institutions need to:
• Identify this student population
• Provide programs to this student population
Background
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• To learn more about the unique challenges faced by female, immigrant, adult learners we interviewed three women from this group
• Click the link below to watch a video introduction to our scenario. This video features the three women that we interviewed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5l69HEGcGI
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Case scenario
• The three challenges (or barriers to learning) that were identified by the women in our video included:
1. Language (most frequently identified)
2. Religious beliefs and customs
3. Child care responsibilities
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Case scenario
• The potential impact of each challenge on female, immigrant, adult learners are discussed and strategies to address each are proposed using:
• Principles and concepts derived from adult learning theories
• Responses obtained from the women that we interviewed
• Discussions with Dr. Joanne Buckley, student counselor, McMaster University
• Relevant academic resources
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In the slides that follow:
Click on the link below to see and hear the women in our study talk about the challenge of language
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQGohIi6Zzk
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Challenge 1: Language
Using the principles of adult learning theories, language barriers may:
• Reduce or limit an adult leaner’s ability to attend to, retain, and/or reproduce information . This may, in turn, cause adult learners to develop negative feelings about their abilities (i.e., low self-efficacy). (Bandura, 1977)
• Prevent adult learners from reaching their full potential (Maslow, 1943)
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Challenge 1: Language
• Use visual aids to reinforce text-based materials
• Use transition words
• Repeat and clarify main points
• Rephrase complex sentences
• Use inclusive language when communicating information to students
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To address language-related barriers, teachers/trainers can:
• Extra time to answer questions in class (to encourage reluctant speakers)
• A written copy of the main points covered in class
• A list of key terms
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To address language-related barriers, teachers/trainers can also provide students with:
“Joanne Buckley has a B.A. in English and French from Wilfrid Laurier University, a B.Ed. in English and French, an M.Ed. in Curriculum, an M.A .in English, and a Ph.D. in English from The University of Western Ontario. She also has a certificate in Teaching the Adult Learner from Ontariolearn.com and a TESL certificate from the University of Saskatchewan.” (Nelson Education, no date)
To hear a discussion on the strategies used by Dr. Joanne Buckley to address language-related challenges click the
link below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm6vaxqXlgs
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Strategies to overcome language-related barriers:
Click on the link below to see and hear the women in our study talk about some of the challenges associated
with religious beliefs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flY4XbcVyFU
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Challenge 2: Religious beliefs
• The religious beliefs held by students may:
• Necessitate a private space for prayer
• Require students to excuse themselves from class
• Prevent female students from seeking assistance from male teachers/trainers
• Create conflicts with scheduled tests/exams
• All of the above may create barriers to learning (Maslow, 1943)
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Challenge 2: Religious beliefs
• Communicate the location of dedicated prayer spaces to all students at the beginning of the course
• Communicate any institutional policies and procedures regarding religious holidays, sickness, or any other planned/unplanned absences at the beginning of the course
• Become informed about different religious holidays
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To address challenges associated with religious beliefs, teachers/trainers can:
• Create a safe, non-threatening, and inclusive environment for students to learn
• Encourage both exploration and tolerance of diversity in the classroom
• Model tolerance of diversity in the classroom
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To address challenges associated with religious beliefs, teachers/trainers can also:
To hear a discussion about religious beliefs with Dr.
Joanne Buckley, click on the audio icon below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10JmbMerbJE
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Strategies to accommodate religious beliefs
Click on the link below to see and hear the women in our study talk about some of the challenges associated
with child care responsibilities
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV10pBKb-p0
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Challenge 3: Child care responsibilities
• Female, immigrant, adult learners with child care responsibilities:
• Often balance the costs of childcare with the costs of tuition and running a home (Chaze, 2010)
• May wrestle with feelings of guilt when their studies take time away from their children
• May distract adult learners from their studies
• All of the above may create barriers to learning (Maslow, 1943)
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Challenge 3: Child care responsibilities
• Ensure that the social, esteem, and physiological needs of students are met in the classroom
• At the beginning of the course, learn the reason(s) why students are taking your class
• Tailor the classes to meet the goals/needs of students
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To address challenges associated with child care responsibilities teachers/trainers can:
• Be aware of, and be able to communicate, the location of any support services for immigrant mothers both on and off campus
• Allow students to access lecture materials remotely
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To address challenges associated with child care responsibilities teachers/trainers can also:
To hear a discussion about child care responsibilities with Dr.
Joanne Buckley, click on the link below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nQLa32od_I
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Strategies to address challenges associated with child care responsibilities
• In order to respond to the unique challenges faced by female, immigrant, adult learners, teachers/trainers can:
• Become knowledgeable about the issues that affect this group of students
• Become knowledgeable about any resources available to female, immigrant, adult learners both on and off campus
• Display sensitivity, flexibility, tolerance, and patience in their approach to teaching
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Summary
• We wish to express our sincere gratitude to:• The three women who graciously shared their challenges
with us and who appeared in our videos
• Dr. Joanne Buckley at McMaster University for sharing her experiences and suggestions with us
THANK-YOU!
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Acknowledgements
“As we grow in awareness of one another – whether two people beginning a romance or two disparate and far-removed
strangers taking an interest in the other's culture – a wonderful
thing begins to happen: we begin to care for the other as if the
other is part of us. This is the magic of life that our ancient
teachers have bid us to see; the invisible filaments of
interconnectedness that bind us together in love and appreciation.“
Scott A. Hunt
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• Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Englewood Cliffs, New
Jersey: Prentice Hall.
• Chaze, F. (2010). Immigrant Student Parents: The Ultimate Balancing
Act for Immigrants in Canada. Retrieved from
http://www.theinduslink.com/554/immigrant-parents-in-canada
• Lum, L. and Grabke, S. (2012). Academic Engagement of Recent
Immigrant Adult Students (RIAS) in Postsecondary Education: A Case
Study of Ontario Colleges and Universities. Toronto: Higher
Education Quality Council of Ontario. Retrieved from:
http://www.heqco.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/RIAS_ENG.pdf
• Maslow, A. H. A. (1943). Theory of human motivation.
Psychological Review, 50, 370-396.
• Nelson Education (no date). Meet the author. Retrieved from
http://www.checkmate2e.nelson.com/ student/meetauthor.html
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References