The cultural and educational transitioning of first generation immigrant undergraduate students in Quebec, Canada
The cultural and educational transitioning of first generation immigrant undergraduate students in Quebec, Canada
Sinacore, A.L. & Lerner, S. Int J Educ Vocat Guidance (2013) 13: 67. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/10.1007/s10775-013-9238-y
I really enjoyed this week’s reading as the topic is directly concerned about my profession as well as my passion working as a student advisor in a Canadian post-secondary institution.
Using phenomenological methodology, this article closely examines the institutional, societal, and psychosocial barriers faced by first generation immigration students during their transition into a Canadian university community. The study further examines the importance of those students’ unique needs of mentoring and career counselling in support of their cultural and educational transition. Along with discrimination, difficulties in mastering language proficiency in both English and French were identified as two major societal barriers for immigrant students to facilitate a smooth transition to the Canadian society. Lack of social support with local Canadian students was highlighted as another barrier. From an institutional point of view, universities’ failure to recognize and respond to the unique needs of those immigrant students make the transition process even more difficult. The article points out that it is imperative for institutions to attend the varying transitional needs of this student population by developing appropriate and specific transitional supporting program.
In the literature review part, the authors explains that lots of studies have been focused on immigrants’ educational attainment and immigrant adolescent. In contrast, research on transition needs of immigrant university students has received little attention in the field. There is no doubt that the immigrant students face very unique transitional challenges. I am curious why immigrant students have been neglected in this way? Why there are not many research focused on immigrant students? In addition, I think it would also be interesting for authors to expand a little bit more discussion on conceptual theories or theoretical frameworks on cultures and identities. By doing so, it will help readers to develop a better understanding about the barriers faced by immigrant students.
Another point I thought was interesting is that the findings from this article was from undergraduate student data. However, the study was an examination of both undergraduate and graduate students. I think that immigrant graduate students will face different challenges than immigrant undergraduate students. Maybe further study could be done with a focus on immigrant graduate students and/or how they differ from their counterpart undergraduate students.
Sinacore, A.L. & Lerner, S. Int J Educ Vocat Guidance (2013) 13: 67. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/10.1007/s10775-013-9238-y
I really enjoyed this week’s reading as the topic is directly concerned about my profession as well as my passion working as a student advisor in a Canadian post-secondary institution.
Using phenomenological methodology, this article closely examines the institutional, societal, and psychosocial barriers faced by first generation immigration students during their transition into a Canadian university community. The study further examines the importance of those students’ unique needs of mentoring and career counselling in support of their cultural and educational transition. Along with discrimination, difficulties in mastering language proficiency in both English and French were identified as two major societal barriers for immigrant students to facilitate a smooth transition to the Canadian society. Lack of social support with local Canadian students was highlighted as another barrier. From an institutional point of view, universities’ failure to recognize and respond to the unique needs of those immigrant students make the transition process even more difficult. The article points out that it is imperative for institutions to attend the varying transitional needs of this student population by developing appropriate and specific transitional supporting program.
In the literature review part, the authors explains that lots of studies have been focused on immigrants’ educational attainment and immigrant adolescent. In contrast, research on transition needs of immigrant university students has received little attention in the field. There is no doubt that the immigrant students face very unique transitional challenges. I am curious why immigrant students have been neglected in this way? Why there are not many research focused on immigrant students? In addition, I think it would also be interesting for authors to expand a little bit more discussion on conceptual theories or theoretical frameworks on cultures and identities. By doing so, it will help readers to develop a better understanding about the barriers faced by immigrant students.
Another point I thought was interesting is that the findings from this article was from undergraduate student data. However, the study was an examination of both undergraduate and graduate students. I think that immigrant graduate students will face different challenges than immigrant undergraduate students. Maybe further study could be done with a focus on immigrant graduate students and/or how they differ from their counterpart undergraduate students.
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