The role of language in processes of internationalization: Considering linguistic heterogeneity and voices from within and out in two diverse contexts in Ontario

This multi-voiced paper considers the role of language and linguistic heterogeneity in relation to larger discourses and processes of internationalization and globalization in Canadian higher education by examining two particular educational contexts in Ontario: newly arrived adult students participating in Immigrant language training programs; and Franco-Ontarian students transitioning to post-secondary schools and gaining access to higher education. The authors argue for a multidimensional conceptual approach to theorizing internationalization; one that takes into account the significance of language from the global, transnational and local levels of the social world whereby linguistic heterogeneity is viewed as the “norm” and one that allows for a broader and deeper engagement when considering what international education might mean for citizenship, integration, and linguistic minorities in Canada

Diverse perspectives on interdisciplinarity from the Members of the College of the Royal Society of Canada

Various multiple-disciplinary terms and concepts (although most commonly “interdisciplinarity”, which is used herein) are used to frame education, scholarship, research, and interactions within and outside academia. In principle, the premise of interdisciplinarity may appear to have many strengths; yet, the extent to which interdisciplinarity is embraced by the current generation of academics, the benefits and risks for doing so, and the barriers and facilitators to achieving interdisciplinarity represent inherent challenges. Much has been written on the topic of interdisciplinarity, but to our knowledge there have been few attempts to consider and present diverse perspectives from scholars, artists, and scientists in a cohesive manner. As a team of 57 members from the Canadian College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada (the College) who self-identify as being engaged or interested in interdisciplinarity, we provide diverse intellectual, cultural, and social perspectives. The goal of this paper is to share our collective wisdom on this topic with the broader community and to stimulate discourse and debate on the merits and challenges associated with interdisciplinarity. Perhaps the clearest message emerging from this exercise is that working across established boundaries of scholarly communities is rewarding, necessary, and is more likely to result in impact. However, there are barriers that limit the ease with which this can occur (e.g., lack of institutional structures and funding to facilitate cross-disciplinary exploration). Occasionally, there can be significant risk associated with doing interdisciplinary work (e.g., lack of adequate measurement or recognition of work by disciplinary peers). Solving many of the world’s complex and pressing problems (e.g., climate change, sustainable agriculture, the burden of chronic disease, and aging populations) demand thinking and working across long-standing, but in some ways restrictive, academic boundaries. Academic institutions and key support structures, especially funding bodies, will play an important role in helping to realize what is readily apparent to all who contributed to this paper—that interdisciplinarity is essential for solving complex problems; it is the new norm. Failure to empower and encourage those doing this research will serve as a great impediment to training, knowledge, and addressing societal issues

L'accès des francophones aux études postsecondaires en Ontario : perspectives étudiantes et institutionnelles /

Comprend des références bibliographique

Littératie universitaire en milieu francophone minoritaire : vers une amélioration des habiletés scripturales

Au cours des dernières décennies, l’expérience étudiante en milieu universitaire est apparue comme un élément essentiel quant au maintien et à la réussite des études postsecondaires. La recherche, dans ce domaine, montre l’importance de bien maîtriser la rédaction de textes universitaires pour assurer le maintien aux études en français des étudiants francophones. Dans ce contexte, la littératie universitaire émerge comme un paramètre fondamental. Peu de recherches portent sur la transition vers les études postsecondaires des francophones en milieu minoritaire et leur appropriation de la littératie universitaire. Cet article présente l’analyse de données provenant d’un projet pilote mené en contexte universitaire avec des francophones de milieux minoritaires portant sur le besoin d’appuis pédagogiques en matière de littératie universitaire. Le corpus de notre étude est constitué d’écrits d’étudiants ayant suivi un cours qui visait à s’approprier les pratiques sous-jacentes à la littératie universitaire. Les résultats ont montré que la participation au cours mène généralement à une amélioration des habiletés scripturales requises en milieu universitaire