McGill Journal of Education / Revue des sciences de l'éducation de McGill

Essentialization of teachers’ representations of immigrant students and their families in Quebec

Xavier St-Pierre, Corina Borri-Anadon, Sivane Hirsch — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The objective of this article is to document the way in which the essentialization of teachers’ social representations of students identified as having an immigrant background and their families manifests itself. The study is based on individual and group interviews conducted with these actors in 8 Quebec secondary schools. After proposing a constructivist conceptualization of essentialization, we describe 3 interlocking procedures that we then illustrate empirically. The results are likely to contribute to the training of school staff and more particularly to the understanding of this process and its procedures. They also warn against the possible reinforcement of essentialization by research on the educational success of these students.

The internalization of higher education through the sustainable development goals: Multiculturalism, diversity, or interculturality?

Angela Barthes — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Major international organizations guide the curricular orientations to be followed by European universities. The idea behind this orientation is to tackle major societal challenges by responding, among other things, to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We examine the curricula content related to the internalization of master’s degrees through the participation in European programs. We note the risks of weakening scientific references linked to the fragmented modes of calls for projects and the risks of referring to a single model, between benchmarks, exchanges of good practices, and unequal access to funding. This raises issues of reorganization of international power hierarchies through university systems and once again questions diversity and multiculturalism in curricula.

Between performance and fragility: Constructions of masculinity in high school boys’ discourses on gender

Hasheem Hakeem — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

This article presents the results of a qualitative case study of high school boys’ perceptions of gender diversity. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire, audio recordings of discussions of two comics by trans writer Sophie Labelle, reflective journals, and semi-structured individual interviews. Three findings emerged from the data analysis: (1) support for biological and binary conceptions of gender; (2) cisgender fragility, that is, defensiveness when cisgender worldviews are challenged; and (3) the social performance of transphobia as a means of constructing hegemonic masculinity. We conclude with a discussion of the findings and their pedagogical implications.

The development of phonological awareness. Comparison of teaching practices in and out of priority education

Laurent Hen, Maria Popa-Roch , Odile Rohmer, Nadege Doignon-Camus — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The first aim of this study was to observe, based on established research, the teaching practices for developing the phonological awareness of pre-reading students. The second aim was to determine whether these vary according to the students’ socio-economic background. These practices were observed in real class situations with kindergarten students in priority education areas (i.e., least advantaged areas) or in standard areas. An observation grid was used to record the activity, the phonological unit, and the support modalities. The results indicate that teachers favour simple tasks, accessible units, and less effective modalities. The use ineffective modalities appears to be more pronounced in priority education areas than in standard areas.

History at school, two steps back or one step forward? The nature of historical thinking and the didactic approach to diversity in citizenship education

Marc-André Éthier, David Lefrançois — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Distinguishing between the plurality of cultural identities, registers of knowledge and epistemological norms has sparked debates in history teaching. Some decolonial currents argue that a history teaching centered on historical thought, defined by sexias and others, promotes a eurocentric view of history. These criticisms apply to certain curricula and historians, not to the operation of historical thought itself, which values epistemological norms that are resistant to the instrumentalization of history. Developing historical thinking in the classroom would promote students’ intellectual autonomy, critical thinking, and tolerance, as opposed to substituting one narrative for another. However, the article expresses doubts about the ability of the school, in its current state, to provide the necessary conditions for this development.

Cross-disciplinary, subject-centered, place-based didactics: For diversity education that is both biotic and epistemological

Virginie Boelen — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The environmental crisis calls for diversity education that extends beyond humanity and involves all living beings around the question of living together on Earth. The purpose of this article is to develop an educational proposal based on ecological living together that opens the reflection on welcoming epistemological diversity to develop a finer understanding of our relation to the world. A general didactic of Bildung centered on the Subject in his relationship to the world is proposed. This place-based learning approach mobilizes a dimension of our humanity – spirituality – often dismissed though central to us all. Spirituality would then become part of diversity education that considers diversity amongst all living beings, as well epistemology diversity by integrating indigenous epistemologies.

Experimenting with an educational strategy to develop a learning territory on the island of Corsica: Impacts on students’ eco-citizen profile

Laure Moretti — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

This article presents the foundations, methodology and results of an action-research project aimed at modeling, testing, and evaluating an educational strategy based on the construction of a learning territory. Based on the enhancement of student-territory links, it tests a hypothesis that considers the territory’s heritage component as an educational lever to develop quality eco-citizenship education, understood as emancipated eco-citizenship: responsible, willing, and able to make commitments. The methodology consists of a comparative analysis of three groups of students representative of three increasing degrees of participation in the learning territory. The results obtained highlight positive and statistically significant impacts on the eco-citizen profiles of students who are active, authors and builders of the learning territory.

Intercultural competences in teacher training: A polyphonic response to cultural diversity

Marie Lucy, Karima Gouaïch — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

This article presents ethnosociological research in educational sciences analyzed from an interdisciplinary and collaborative perspective. The didactics of diversity is discussed with observations and analyses of teaching interculturality in a plural context. Based on observations and analyses, this study questions the notion of intercultural competencies and proposes avenues for teacher training. These aim to support teachers and trainers in the implementation of participatory and innovative pedagogies. The objective is to accompany teachers on current issues in education and on the management of difficult situations in schools. Cultural diversity is both a scientific and ethical issue for higher education and research.

Volume 58 Numéro 1 : Éditorial

Bruno Garnier, Angela Barthes — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Volume 58 Issue 1: Editorial

Bruno Garnier, Angela Barthes — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400