Canadian Council on Learning | Conseil Canadien sur l'Apprentissage

Study of foreign students’ conceptions of educational practices in the context of a primary/junior teacher education program in Francophone Ontario

Claire Duchesne, University of Ottawa

Background

French-speaking foreign students admitted to the teacher education program at the University of Ottawa, enter their practicums at a disadvantage compared with Canadian students because of their lack of knowledge about Canada’s educational practices and school system. They must therefore devote a large portion of their very-short practical training (two five-week practicums) to catching up. For some of these students, this cultural gap, on top of the other practicum requirements, constitutes a stressor that is difficult to overcome and that sometimes culminates in a mediocre practicum evaluation, or even failure.

Goal

To better understand this phenomenon and identify possible solutions, this research was undertaken to determine the perceptions of educational practices held by foreign students enrolled in the primary/junior teacher education program at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Education, Francophone sector.

Results

The results of this research, notably the resulting potential solutions, will help facilitate these students’ entry into practicums, thereby improving their chances of academic success and school-to-work transition. Adopting a qualitative approach, the researchers gathered data through semi-structured interviews and conducted an analysis using “grounded theory” procedures and techniques, as described by Strauss and Corbin (1990).