Cultural Diversity and Education Inclusivity
International Students’ Use of Online Information
Bruce, Christine, and Hilary Hughes. “International Journal of Learning.”
2005/2006, Vol. 12 . Issue 9, p33-39
This article sheds light on the importance of addressing the linguistic and the cultural diversity of the students. It tackles the way the online information resources are designed to satisfy the “delivery of information literacy education.” It defines the information literacy as the “foundation for learning in our contemporary environment of continuous technological change.” It is based on an experiment on nine international students at an Australian university asking them about their experiences with the online information system. Finally, the paper highlights “the importance of well developed information literacy for effective learning in the current Australian educational context that is characterized by increasing cultural diversity and predominance of ICTs (information and communication technologies).”
International Students and the Academic Library: A Case Study
Morrissey, Renee and Lisa M, Given “Canadian Journal of Information & Library Science."Sep-Dec2006, Vol. 30 Issue 3/4, p221-239
This article focuses on the difficulties that may face international students while using the library. The authors interviewed some Chinese graduate students at the University of Alberta, Canada. It shows that the libraries “are designed for user-driven searching (e.g. computer databases, open stacks, etc), that demands on graduate students to master library processes is vital to academic success.” This paper, then, suggests designing a specific information literacy program for international students “to bridge the gaps between the Canadian library experience and those of other countries.” The school should do that after they arrange with the international students to look specifically what their needs are. It concludes, “By understanding and meeting international students' information needs, and by evaluating existing library programs and services, librarians and information scholars may identify innovative and effective strategies that can benefit all university students.” (p.17)
Defining Literacy: Paradise, Nightmare or Red Herring
Roberts, Peter.“British Journal of Educational Studies.” Volxxxx111,
no.4, December 1995, p 412-432
Roberts shows that the idea of focusing on a definition is not always helpful since the definition itself does not usually reflect the core and the essence of the thing that we try to define. For example, if we give a definition for literacy, still there are many important aspects of literacy that the definition does not touch. Roberts states, “for some theorists, there is no single ‘correct’ definition of literacy; instead, there are competing accounts of what it means to be ‘literate’ or ‘illiterate’” p.2
An investigation into pedagogical challenges facing international tertiary-level students in New Zealand
Johnson, Marcia E. “Higher Education Research & Development.” Vol.
27, No. 3, September 2008, 231-243
This work tends to highlight the difficulties that international students have inside the classroom. These difficulties, as the author suggests, affect the academic literacy of the international students. The students whom were interviewed seemed to agree that the main obstacle they face inside the classroom is the ambiguity of the assignments. The participants stated quite similar reasons, like, “complex wording, too wide a topic choice or topics that were too general, and use of such terms as ‘evaluate’ or ‘discuss’” (p.6). The paper emphasizes the need of making the assignments and generally the “academic tasks” clear and interpretable among second-language learners.
Information literacy in academic libraries: Assessment of Japanese students' needs for successful assignment completion in two Halifax universities
Sciences” Mar2007, Vol. 31. Issue 1, P 1-26
This work is also related to the academic and the information literacy of the international students. Also, it is related to the assignments given to students—here it focuses on two schools: Dalhousie University and Saint Mary’s University, both are in Canada. The participants are Japanese students who show that they face some difficulties when they look for resources in the library. It argues that students who came up with good background are more likely would do better. The objectives of this project are:
1. to understand international students' experiences in working on assignments in Canadian universities,
2. to identify international students' information literacy skills (ability to formulate information needs, to access, evaluate, and use information, and to understand information ethics), and
3. to identify the types of assistance international students need in completing assignments and developing information literacy skills. ( P7)
Working with International Students on Literacy Issues
This article focuses on the literacy issues that face the international students. First, it tends to study the nature of the students—their backgrounds, countries, etc. Also, it aims to understand “the adjustments that students with language backgrounds other than English have to make in the higher education context.” Perhaps the main criteria that this article has tackled is the “awareness of practical strategies for teaching international students.”
Therefore, this article suggests 8 points:
• recognize that teaching and learning are culturally constructed
• avoid stereotyping
• be explicit about your expectations
• help students understand their new learning context
• provide guidelines for tasks given
• provide modeling for tasks given
• provide opportunities for students to interact with native English speakers in classes
• be explicit in assessment about proportion given to grammar. (p.6)
Literacy An Advanced Resource Book for Students
Street, Brian, and Adam Lfstein. Literacy An Advanced Resource Book
for Students. New York: Routledge, 2007
It is an advanced resource book that contains a number of methods and theories that any researcher should know.
Section A: focuses on the importance of literacy, “why study literacy?”
Section B: Extensions: key words “the terms used by various practitioners and theorists in the field of literacy”: Educational, anthropological, psychological terms.
Also, it focuses on Literacy Acquisition, Consequences of Literacy, and Literacy as a social practice.
Section C: Explorations
Exploring literacy as social practice
Literacy and education
Literacy at large
http://www.deltasigaz.com/deltasigaz/Literacy.html
It states that the most responsible people when it comes to literacy are the educators themselves. It argues, “The percentage of literacy among any region becomes the deciding factor in determining the culture or the social well being of that region. Literacy among people makes them prepared to face the challenges in their life and live with full respect in their society. Thereby, it becomes mandatory among every government or private authorities to give a look on the progress of literacy among people.”
Looks like you were able to find a number of good outside resources, and your annotations are very useful.
ReplyDeleteTwo additional suggestions as you prepare this project for the final Research Portfolio:
1. Your annotations might effectively include a sentence or two about how the source might (or might not) be directly (or indirectly) relevant to your own study (and how).
2. Your annotations might include specific sections or chapters of assigned texts of particular importance to your project. You needn't reference the entire text if the entire text isn't going to be useful to your study.
That's really excellent annotation..I like the idea that you have very relevant and rich resources..and now it's your choice which to choose since they become at hand...
ReplyDeleteGOOD LUCK