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 View Digital Media
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? View Digital Media
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.
Integration and Inclusive Education: How to Integrate Students during the Process Migration in Brasil x Portugal? View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Gabriela Da Silva Duarte
We discuss the historical emergence of so-called universal rights, in the historical context from the Enlightenment to current global neoliberalism. One of these is the right to education. The aim is to clarify the scope of the universality of education, in particular that of access and academic success for immigrants in Portuguese schools. To this end, we investigate the approach of integrating students into these institutions. This serves as a basis for putting the teleological question of education into perspective, in terms of its formative, socialising and subjectivising functions. We gain an understanding of these reflections through interviews and content analysis, using a qualitative approach, with basic education students in the Portuguese system, after having studied the same in Brazil. This research project is justified by the plan to study for a PhD in Educational Sciences at the University of Minho in Braga.
