Migrant Students Research Articles

Teachers' attention to students' funds of identity in Dutch primary school classrooms

Paying attention to students' Funds of Identity (FoI) has the potential to minimize the discontinuity between school and home. This study explored how teacher attention to students' FoI relates to student outcomes (motivation, well-being, growth mindset, and citizenship), and how relationships differ between native and migrant students. Multilevel analyses of student questionnaires (N = 533; 31 classes) from 24 Dutch primary schools show significant positive relationships between teacher attention to sub-categories of students’ FoI and outcomes, and reveals differences in outcomes for migrant and native students. Our study presents a reliable questionnaire on FoI for further research in this field.

Mediation of social support in the relationship between mobile phone dependence and childhood physical maltreatment among left-behind and returned migrant middle school students: A multi-group structural equation modeling

Mobile phone dependence (MPD) is a form of addictive behavior that poses a threat to the physical and mental health of adolescents. MPD is closely linked to individual characteristics, as well as family and social environments. However, existing literature has yet to thoroughly investigate the relationship between MPD and childhood physical maltreatment in middle school students, including its mediating and moderating mechanism. This study involved 16,216 adolescents and examined the relationship between MPD and childhood physical maltreatment in middle school students while exploring the mediating mechanism of social support. To examine the moderating effect of parental migration status, a multi-group structural equation model (SEM) was employed to investigate potential group differences in MPD, childhood physical maltreatment, and social support among three groups: left-behind middle school students (LBS), returned migrant middle school students (RMS), and middle school students whose parents do not immigrate (NMS). The findings of this study suggest that childhood physical maltreatment positively influences MPD, with social support serving as a mediator in this pathway. We found that the mechanisms affecting the onset of MPD vary across RMS, LBS and NMS. It is recommended that educators or managers not only reduce physical maltreatment and increase social support channels but also identify key groups and develop targeted policies for different social subjects.

Migrant students’ experiences with and perceptions of assessment in Norwegian lower secondary schools

ABSTRACT This study explored how 12 lower secondary school students with migrant backgrounds experienced and perceived assessment in Norwegian lower secondary schools. Interviews were conducted to understand their perceptions of assessments, of the feedback they received through these assessments, and of the ways in which their teachers adapted assessments and assessment situations to meet their individual needs. The students reported diverse experiences with the assessment criteria and formats and explained how their teachers’ adaptions made in the assessments and assessment situations helped them demonstrate their competence and made them feel included. The assessment aspects they perceived as challenging included demonstrating their knowledge using the language of instruction, understanding how to participate and using assessment to further learning. Our findings suggest that teachers must develop students’ assessment literacy by actively teaching them how to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding through classroom participation and by explaining how feedback can improve their learning. Such actions will also help make assessment practices more inclusive and equitable.

Social Boundaries and Stigmatization in a Border Territory: Experiences of Peruvian and Bolivian Students in the Northernmost Region of Chile

By paying attention to what Peruvian and Bolivian students in schools say about how they are seen and treated by their native-born peers, this article aims to analyze the ways in which symbolic boundaries are produced, eventually giving way to social boundaries between natives and migrants. The methodology is based on in-depth interviews with students, parents, and educators of rural and urban schools in the region of Arica y Parinacota, the northernmost region of Chile, by the borders with Peru and Bolivia. We conclude that the production of symbolic boundaries among students emerges as discourses about nationality, skin color, ethnicity, and history. Peruvian and Bolivian migrant students describe being teased by their native-born peers because of their country of origin, for being darker-skinned, for being Aymara, and for having lost the War of the Pacific (and, in the case of Bolivians, for having lost access to the coastline). Some migrant students perceive these discourses as discrimination and consider them harmful; however, many others accept them as normal school stuff—as long as there is no physical violence. Moreover, teachers and parents do not see these interactions as problematic. The article concludes that the normalization of stigmatizing and discriminatory dynamics against migrant students complicates their inclusion in Chilean schools.

Cultural intermediary in higher education based on ethical relation

<span lang="EN-US">Preliminary studies on cultural intermediaries focused on social classes that mediate the production and consumption of culture. Therefore, this study determined the importance of the cultural intermediaries of migrant worker university students who popularize the values of higher education for the working class. Habitus and replication of meaning were used as analytical tools, with an alternative perspective proposed on cultural intermediaries using an ethical approach. The results showed that the cultural intermediary based on ethical relationships produces a new individual involvement of marginalized groups. Meanwhile, community relations with a similar social context are strengthened, enabling individuals to combine their allegiances and continuously generate values to suit certain social situations.</span>

Loneliness of PhD-ing: Migrant bodies of colour and Irish neo-liberal academia

This paper will look at loneliness as both an affective and a political reality, rather than simply a subjective individual feeling. Using auto-ethnography, I will look at my own PhD experience as a migrant woman of colour in a largely white male dominated Irish academia. I situate this loneliness of PhDing by looking at (a) loneliness of a migrant body of colour and (b) how this loneliness is accentuated by neo-liberal academia. Irish university spaces provide an ideal context to understand the politics of loneliness of minorities because besides being white, these spaces are also extremely neo-liberal, with the country's austerity politics changing its higher educational spaces forever. While talking about loneliness of migrant PhD students of colour as structural and institutional violence, I also illustrate moments of ‘speaking up'. Finally, the paper understands how foregrounding and weaving care and community as ethics into the everyday can one aim to contend with such loneliness of migrant woman precarious academics of colour, particularly within Irish higher educational spaces.

Self-Rated Quality of Life of Foreign Medical Students Getting Education in the Chuvash Republic

Introduction: Currently, about 3,000 foreign students study at I.N. Ulyanov Chuvash State University. Globalization of education involves Russian universities into a common global educational space and makes higher education more accessible to foreigners. However, moving to another country creates a stress problem, which affects the quality of life and health of migrant students. Objective: To study the quality of life of Indian medical students receiving education in the Chuvash Republic. Materials and methods: A continuous sample of Indian first and fifth year students of the Medical Faculty was examined in June 2023, out of examination sessions. For a subjective assessment of the quality of life, the brief version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL–BREF) was used. Results: We observed no significant differences in satisfaction with physical and psychological well-being among the first and fifth year students. The calculated indicator was 66.2 % (95 % CI: 63.5–68.9) for the first-year students and 66.7 % (95 % CI: 59.5–73.9) for the fifth-year students. Statistical differences were established in the analysis of answers concerning self-perception: the level of satisfaction was 66.3 % (95 % CI: 63.2–69.4) vs 47 % (95 % CI: 41.0–49.0) respectively, in the groups of first- and fifth-year students. The final indicator of satisfaction with the sphere of microsocial support was 62.5 % (95 % CI: 58.7–66.3) among the first–year and 61.5 % (95 % CI: 54.0–69.0) among the fifth-year students. Satisfaction with the sphere of social well-being was 63.0 % (95 % CI: 60.1–65.9) and 65.1 % (95 % CI: 58.0–72.2) in the groups of first- and fifth-year students, respectively. Conclusions: Self-rated quality of life of the first-year medical students is poorer than that of the fifth-year students, which is mainly attributed to low satisfaction with social well-being factors.

Okul Müdürlerine Göre İmam Hatip Liselerindeki Göçmen Öğrencilerin Eğitimi

Son yıllarda ülkemize başta Suriye olmak üzere farklı ülkelerden sayıları milyonları aşan göçmen gelmiştir. Göçmenlerin yeni bir hayata adım attıkları bu süreçte eğitimden sağlığa, ekonomiden sosyal birçok alanda yeni durumlar ortaya çıkmaktadır. Bu alanlardan biri olarak eğitim alanında da göçmenlerin eğitimi ile ilgili gelişmeler yaşanmış ve akademik çalışmalara konu edilmiştir. Gerek genel gerek çeşitli boyutları ile akademik çalışmalara konu edilen göçmenlerin eğitimi meselesi, sınırlı sayıda din eğitimi çalışmasının da konusu olmuştur. Bu çalışmada göçmen öğrencilerin İmam Hatip Liselerindeki eğitim durumları okul müdürlerinin görüşleri çerçevesinde incelenmiştir. Göçmen sayısının yüksek olduğu tespit edilen Ankara’daki 11 okulun müdürleri araştırmanın çalışma grubunu oluşturmaktadır. Nitel yöntem ile tasarlanan araştırmada veriler yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler ile toplanmış ve betimsel analize tabi tutulmuştur. Analiz sonucunda okul müdürleri, göçmen öğrencilerin İmam Hatip Liselerinde Arapça, Kur’an-ı Kerim vb. derslerin bulunması, dini ve kültürel yakınlık, okul ortamında diğer göçmenlerle beraber olma isteği ve imkânı gibi nedenlerle İmam Hatip Liselerine geldiklerini belirtmiştir. Göçmen öğrencilere ilişkin tespit edilen temel problem alanları ise göçmen öğrencilerin Türkçe düzeylerinin yetersizliği, devamsızlık veya okul terki, iletişim sorunları, önceki aşamalardaki öğrenme eksiklikleri, sınıflardaki dağılımları ve diğer öğrenciler ile aralarındaki sosyokültürel farklılıklardan oluşmaktadır.

The Role of Self-Efficacy and Competence in International Student’s Sociocultural Adaptation

This study examines the role of self-efficacy in intercultural communication as a mediator between competence perception and sociocultural adaptation among international students in Japan. The research uses a quantitative approach with convenience sampling technique, and obtains 92 international student participants. Several validated questionnaires are utilized, namely the Sociocultural Adaptation Scale (SCAS), a = 0.874 by Ward & Kennedy (1999) adapted by Simic-Yamashita & Tanaka (2010); Self-Efficacy in Intercultural Communication (SEIC) a = 0.914 by Peterson et al., (2011); Japanese Proficiency by Iwao & Hagiwara (1988); and Intercultural Communication Competence (ICC), a = 0.691 adapted by Gonçalves et al. (2020) from Arasaratnam (2009). A hypothesis model is constructed with competence perception as the predictor, self-efficacy as the mediator, and sociocultural adaptation as the dependent variable. Competence perception is a latent variable measured by two manifest variables: intercultural communication competence and Japanese language proficiency. Data analysis is conducted using Path Analysis, a form of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), with results indicating that the hypothesis model has an acceptable fit index. Although the proposed hypothesis model as a whole can be confirmed, a significant effect is found in the direct path between competence perception and sociocultural adaptation, while the indirect path is not significant. This means that self-efficacy does not act as a mediator, but rather as a predictor in sociocultural adaptation. The practical implications of this study emphasize the importance of stakeholders, such as international offices at universities, paying attention to the role of language proficiency, intercultural communication competence, and self-efficacy in international migrant students, especially in taking preventive or curative actions for adaptation problems.

Risky business: medical students' feedback-seeking behaviours: a mixed methods study.

There are differing views on how learners' feedback-seeking behaviours (FSB) develop during training. With globalisation has come medical student migration and programme internationalisation. Western-derived educational practices may prove challenging for diverse learner populations. Exploring undergraduate activity using a model of FSB may give insight into how FSB evolves and the influence of situational factors, such as nationality and site of study. Our findings seek to inform medical school processes that support feedback literacy. Using a mixed methods approach, we collected questionnaire and interview data from final-year medical students in Ireland, Bahrain, and Malaysia. A validated questionnaire investigated relationships with FSB and goal orientation, leadership style preference, and perceived costs and benefits. Interviews with the same student population explored their FSB experiences in clinical practice, qualitatively, enriching this data. The data were integrated using the 'following the thread' technique. Three hundred and twenty-five of a total of 514 completed questionnaires and 57 interviews were analysed. Learning goal orientation (LGO), instrumental leadership and supportive leadership related positively to perceived feedback benefits (0.23, 0.2, and 0.31, respectively, p < 0.05). Perceived feedback benefits are related positively to feedback monitoring and inquiry (0.13 and 0.38, respectively, p < 0.05). The personal cost of feedback is unsupported in quantitative data, but was a strong theme in interviews, as was feedback avoidance, peer feedback, and unsupportive learning environment. No differences were observed across sub-groups based on gender, study site, or student nationality. Integrated analysis describes FSB: avoiding 'unsafe' feedback (first, do no harm) and overcoming barriers (beat the system) and goal-centred curation (shop around) to optimise benefits. Diverse medical students across three continents undertake FSB with careful navigation, as a valued but risky business, that is highly contextualised. Promoting a constructive FSB is complex. Overcoming outdated theory and practices on the wards remains a challenge to psychologically safe, learner-centred feedback.

Higher education trajectories of migrants and the role of age of arrival: evidence from native and migrant students in Chile

Higher education trajectories of migrants and the role of age of arrival: evidence from native and migrant students in Chile

Design of Independent Curriculum Implementation for Migrant Students with Autism in Taiwan

Purpose: This research aims to develop a curriculum implementation design tailored specifically for Indonesian migrant students with autism residing in Taiwan. Recognizing the unique needs and challenges faced by this population, the study seeks to address the gap in educational support for migrant students with autism in an international context. By focusing on curriculum development, the research endeavors to enhance the educational experiences and outcomes of Indonesian migrant students with autism in Taiwan. Methods: The research methodology employed is research and development, utilizing the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) concept as the framework. This approach allows for a systematic and iterative process of curriculum development, ensuring that the curriculum design is informed by thorough analysis of needs, effective in addressing identified challenges, and responsive to the specific context of Indonesian migrant students with autism in Taiwan. Results and Discussion: The outcomes of the research include the formulation of a comprehensive curriculum design, encompassing the school's vision and mission, learning objectives tailored to the needs of students and the school, and considerations for addressing cultural adaptation and potential challenges such as culture shock. With a focus on student development aspects, particularly tailored to the needs of students with autism, the curriculum design aims to provide a supportive and inclusive learning environment conducive to their growth and development. Implications of the Research: The research findings have significant implications for educational practice and policy, particularly in the context of supporting migrant students with autism in international settings. By developing a curriculum implementation design specifically tailored to the needs of Indonesian migrant students with autism in Taiwan, the research contributes to enhancing the educational experiences and outcomes of this underserved population. Furthermore, the insights gained from this study may inform the development of similar initiatives targeting migrant students with special needs in other international contexts. Originality/Value: This research contributes to the field by addressing a gap in the literature and practice surrounding the educational support for migrant students with autism in international settings. By focusing on curriculum development and implementation, particularly for Indonesian migrant students in Taiwan, the study offers a novel approach to enhancing educational inclusivity and support for this population. The research provides valuable insights and knowledge about the implementation of independent curricula abroad, particularly for migrant students with autism, thereby contributing to the advancement of inclusive education practices in international contexts.

Unhealthy diets increase the likelihood of being overweight or obese among African migrant students in China, but not among African non-migrant students: a cross-sectional study.

The impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is disproportionately felt by immigrants from low- to medium-income countries (LMICs), partly due to their dietary habits. To thrive in their new environment, migrants either omit or consume certain food items, which could lead to nutritional deficits. As a result, most migrants experience more NCDs than their compatriots in their native countries. Therefore, we evaluated the difference in dietary habits, quality, and the influencing factors of overweight or obesity among African migrant students in Nanjing (China) and non-migrant students in Africa using cross-sectional data. The researchers used the food frequency questionnaire and the global diet quality score metrics to assess food intake and quality, respectively. Then, cross-tabulation was employed to explore the differences between the groups in meal skipping, eating habits, and diet quality. Finally, the factors associated with overweight or obesity were assessed with binary logistic regression stratified by African students in Nanjing and students in their native countries. Approximately 678 responses were received, mainly between 18-25 years (46.7%) and 26-36 years (45.4 %). The majority of them (52.3%) were international students. The non-migrant African students' diets lacked citrus fruits (22.2%), deep orange fruits (15.4%), deep orange vegetables (18%), cruciferous vegetables (24.6%), and dark leafy vegetables (26.5%). While the African migrant students consumed more high-fat dairy (50.7%), processed meats (23.9%), sweets and ice creams (51.3%), sugar-sweetened beverages (40.5%), and juice (61.5%), p < 0.001. Furthermore, consuming late-night meals constantly [Exp (B) = 39.607, p = 0.049], eating twice a day [Exp (B) = 6.527, p = 0.036], consuming red meat [Exp (B) = 29.287, p = 0.001], processed meats [Exp (B) = 719.979, p = 0.0011], refined grains and baked foods [Exp (B) = 15.752, p = 0.013], and sweets and ice cream [Exp (B) = 193.633, p = 0.006] were factors inducing overweight or obesity among only African migrant students. Controlling the what (Western diet and nature of late-night meals) and the when of eating can drastically reduce their influence on obesogenic condition formation in African migrant students in China and elsewhere.

‘I came to the Basque Country, and now I have to learn their language’. Migrant students’ attitudes towards the use of a minority language

ABSTRACT This study analyzes the attitudes of migrant children towards the Basque language within the context of varying linguistic models and the dichotomy between public and private educational institutions. Engaging 145 migrant children aged 12–16; the research utilised open-ended questions analyzed via Iramuteq software to discern patterns in language perception. The analysis concludes that participants in model A or those attending private schools perceive Basque as a challenging aspect of their education. In contrast, students in model B regard it as just another language subject, while those in model D appreciate its community-binding significance, acknowledging its role in social integration. Students from public schools, which exhibit a higher prevalence of Basque than private religious institutions, recognised its instrumental value. The study emphasises the necessity of fostering positive attitudes towards minority languages like Basque, highlighting the importance of approaches based on the educational setting and linguistic framework. It also alerts to the ongoing risk of ghettoisation, stressing the imperative for meticulously devised and executed educational policies to foster inclusivity and prevent segregation. Additionally, there is a warning against the processes of ghettoisation that is currently taking place, highlighting the need for careful planning and implementation of such educational strategies.

Science and Heritage Language Integrated Learning (SHLIL): Evidence of the effectiveness of an innovative science outreach program for migrant students

AbstractMigrant students tend to underperform in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects and are less likely to pursue higher education in STEM when compared with their nonmigrant peers. Given the substantial increase in migration, this disparity has been a central concern in science education in many European countries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of an innovative science outreach program that brings together migrant students and STEM professionals with the same linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The program consists of one‐off workshops that follow an inquiry‐based approach and include hands‐on activities and science communication in the students' heritage language. Using surveys with adapted scales and open‐ended questions, we applied a randomized block design with waitlist control groups and repeated measures. Eighty‐three Portuguese‐speaking migrant students aged 6–17 years participated in the workshops in Germany and the United Kingdom. Results indicate that both the students and STEM professionals evaluated the program positively and that students who participated in the workshops tended to demonstrate an increase in their attainment value for science and an increase in their self‐concept of ability for the heritage language 4 weeks after the intervention when compared with students in the control condition. These effects were particularly pronounced for students with low prior motivation to study science or speak the heritage language. Our results thus show that it is possible to foster migrant students' attainment value for science and increase their self‐concept of ability regarding the heritage language through a brief science outreach intervention.

Connecting chronotopes and language ideologies: Educator views on migrants’ majority language use in vocational education

This study explores the role of language and migrant students’ language use in the interplay of chronotopes (Bakhtin 1981) and language ideologies (Blommaert 1999) in vocational education and training (VET) in Finland. The study scrutinises how 16 educators imagined and situated migrant students’ language use and constructed values for the majority language and migrant students’ other languages. Data were gathered team-ethnographically in a VET institute. Critical sociolinguistic analysis showed that language use was spatiotemporally located in present education and present and future blue-collar worksites. In these timespaces, the majority language was valorised and viewed as a tool for graduating from VET and performing blue-collar work tasks. The findings indicate that migrant students’ imagined language use rarely extends beyond their VET education or worksites, and that their diverse language resources should thus be better considered and valued in VET.

Shifting Narratives of Suzhi (Quality) and Suzhi Education: What Migrant and Rural Children in China Tell Us About the Changing Nature of Chinese Education

Using the comparative case study (CCS) method, this article compares the findings from a longitudinal ethnographic research project of rural children in Northwest China (2005–2012) and a second longitudinal study of migrant children in eastern China (2015–2019). It examines rural and migrant students’ and educators’ (re)interpretations and uses of suzhi (quality) and suzhi education in the context of rapid urbanization, various locations in between the city and the countryside, and how these usages problematize and challenge the rural-urban dualism embedded in the existing literature on rural and migrant children in China. These two studies explore how suzhi means different things for different stakeholders across time and place in both formal discourses, such as the curriculum, and in informal discourses, as seen in what educators and students value and practice. The article enriches theories on suzhi by showing how it: 1) reflects both the rural-urban gap and social stratification in China; and 2) reveals the shifting paradigm of suzhi education specifically and of education in China more broadly. The article also showcases how the CCS approach can be used to disrupt taken-for-granted categories and dichotomies, such as the urban-rural dualism, by closely examining concepts like suzhi across place, time, and with different groups of children.

Two-Case Study of Rural Migrant TVET Female Students in Western China: Aspirations of Learning English

This study is an investigation of the English language learning aspirations and deprivations of female rural migrant youth in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) schools in two locales in western China. This study adopted basic interpretive research focused on individual voices and experiences. The capability approach provided the conceptual framework. Participants in this research primarily aspired to learn English for instrumental purposes: to pass exams, earn higher degrees, find better jobs in cities, and support their children in learning English. A lack of English proficiency, economic situation, and living environment greatly limited their aspirations. Participants showed a spectrum of levels of aspirations of English learning. For participants with low levels of English proficiency, their English could neither support their educational and employment goals nor inspire them for greater future plans. Participants from the TVET–university joint program formulated a stronger and wider range of aspirations when compared to those encapsulated in secondary TVET. Recommendations include increasing opportunities for exposure to English, reforming exam-oriented English learning, enriching the prevailing culture of learning and the perceived value and social uses of English, increasing TVET school and university cooperation, and adapting the TVET English curriculum to economic imperatives.

Do the institutionally disadvantaged students benefit more from boarding at school in their studying? The role of migration and Hukou status in China

While the impact of boarding school on academic achievement has been extensively debated, the differential effects on distinct student groups divided institutionally have yet to be thoroughly explored. Moreover, previous studies focus on comparing boarding schools vs. day schools, which tend to suffer from bias due to the sorting processes of different school types. In this study, we employ the school-fixed effect model and inverse probability weighting approach to examine the association of boarding on middle-school students’ academic outcomes in China, where most schools have a mixed population of boarders and non-boarders. Based on the two waves of panel data from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS) in 2013 and 2014, we find that boarding is positively associated with students’ academic scores, particularly math and Chinese. Rural-origin students, including rural local students and rural migrant students, benefit more from living on campus. Reduced study distractions, such as housework and playing can partially explain this positive boarding effect. This study lends empirical support to the positive effect of boarding on academic performance among students who are segregated by Hukou and migration status in China.

The Analysis of the Situation of Migrant Students in China

Due to the household registration system (Hukou) acting as an institutional barrier, migrant children face a lot of challenges in China. They are prevented from gaining local education resources, such as library, computer lab and gym. This led to the formation of low-quality migrant schools to respond to strong schooling demand. So migrant children face more difficulties than urban students. They get poorer performances and are more vulnerable than urban children. Analyzing the situation of migrant children can help policy makers improve existing policies to enhance the quality of education for them. By summarizing several literatures, this paper found that except Hukou system, imperial examination in the history also caused the poor performance of migrant children. Besides, on society and family level, social work such as media publicity and in depth investigation into migrant family is recommended. In terms of government, more money from the government is needed to increase the quantity and quality in educational resources and institutions. Schools can organize activities to promote the integration of migrate children and apply advance teaching method to improve the academic achievement. Based on the current situation, several proposals are proposed to help migrant children in the final section.