Academic Exploration
Intercultural Curriculum and Educational Research in Brazil: Some Illustrations of Knowledge Production View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Ana Ivenicki
The present study discusses how intercultural competence in educational research could be integrated as a curricular component in higher education. It argues that such an articulation could promote learning and digital learning as a conversation of race and racism through research-informed action. In a decolonial multicultural theoretical framework (Banks, 2004; Ivenicki, 2018; 2023), it argues that such a perspective helps problematize homogenized and colonized ways of developing educational research and digital learning, therefore representing both a way to develop intercultural competences and inclusion in curriculum in higher education, and of protesting against research that silences the voices of minoritized groups. Methodology has been based on bibliographic analysis of knowledge production, as the paper seeks to articulate theoretical considerations to the analysis of illustrations of institutional research as evidenced in articles of a Special Interest Group called Racial and Ethnic Relations within the Brazilian National Association of Research and Post-Graduate Studies – ANPEd , a relevant association that develops research and organizes bi-annual conferences with presentation of cutting edge articles authored by Educational Post-Graduate faculty and their supervised MEd and PhD students in Brazil. It also delved into PhD theses developed in an intercultural study group at a public Brazilian university, taken as illustrations of ways in which intercultural thinking informed and has been translated into curriculum syllabuses. The study concludes, discussing possibilities in translating intercultural thinking into curricular competences aimed at developing inclusive perspectives in educational research.
Culturally Responsive Teaching and Practices in Online Learning Environments
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Sepideh Mahani
The principles of culturally relevant pedagogy, suggests, in order to promote a more nurturing learning experience, educators must ensure they offer opportunities for students to connect their cultural backgrounds to the content. As a racial minority educator, one of the greatest outcomes of becoming an educator has been experiencing a sense of empowerment when I teach and assess my students through culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy. Growing up in Canada as a young Iranian girl, I often struggled to identify myself in the curriculum, an educational experience that I often refer to as an education without mirrors, and that impact even extended into my life as a graduate student. Today, as an educator, I have made it a priority to provide my students with opportunities to tap into their diverse cultural backgrounds and use their lived experiences as a bridge to make sense of the content they are learning. Despite the prevalence of online learning in higher education, there is limited literature about what constitutes effective culturally relevant and responsive online teaching. While online education has revolutionized learning by increasing educational access and opportunities to students, it has also led to an increase in classroom diversity, leaving instructors to struggle with how to create and foster a culturally relevant and responsive learning environment. As an online educator who teaches graduate-level education courses, I reflect on my practices that focus on diversity, equity, and social justice and discuss how online educators can engage in culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy.
The Relationship between Individual Learning Factors with the Academic Achievement of Two EFL University Learners: Facilitative or Inhibitory Effects?
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Cinthya Olivares
This mixed-method research study delves into the intricate relationship between learner beliefs, learning strategy utilization, and the academic achievement of two English language students at a rural university campus in southern Costa Rica. The research investigates the connection between learner beliefs, learning language strategies, and academic achievement recognizing the significance of individual learner differences to unravel how preconceived beliefs and expectations may influence student success. Data were collected through one interview, two questionnaires, and artifact collection. The findings underscore the critical role of addressing learner beliefs and expectations in language learning. The study advocates for a "deconditioning" stage in language programs, where students can express their beliefs, fears, motivations, and expectations. The need for educators to approach learner beliefs strategically is emphasized, recognizing their potential impact on both the process and product of language learning in the early stages of learning and the correlation between instrumental motivation and effective learning strategies. While recognizing the limitations of studying individual factors in isolation, this study suggests that an in-depth analysis of learner beliefs and strategies offers insights into the complex essence of the learner. The researcher concludes with a call for positive instructional practices and realistic classroom expectations to counter misleading beliefs, maximize learning strategy use, and ultimately foster a hopeful perspective for every learner, even in the face of inhibitory individual factors.
Service-Learning and the Development of Students’ Intercultural Sensitivity in Higher Education: Differences Based on Service-Learning and Non-Service-Learning Teaching View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Rosa Maria Rodríguez Izquierdo
Many higher education institutions aim to promote intercultural sensibility in their students. However, most research has focused on the content of educational programs (what educators offer) rather than on pedagogical methodologies to assist students experience intercultural learning. This study fills this gap by examining the impact that Service Learning (SL) has on the development of students´ Intercultural Sensitivity (IS) in Higher Education. The Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS)) and a quasi-experimental design of repeated measures pretest and posttest, using a comparison group, was implemented to compare two groups of undergraduate students enrolled on the same course, and in two different formats: SL and non-SL. The sample consisted of 233 Higher Education students. Our hypothesis predicted that SL students would report higher levels of IS and the data confirmed this. The results indicate that the students of the two groups are in the minimizing phase and that the posttest scores are higher than the pretest for both groups, although the SL group reveals a significantly higher level in all subscales (reversal, acceptance/adaptation, and encapsulated marginality) with the SL course except in the denial/defence and the minimization stages. These results can guide teachers and administrators to foster SL to promote students’ IS.
