“Equitable multilingualism” for equitable access to learning

Addressing the digital and linguistic divide in connected higher education for refugees

Authors

  • HaEun Kim York University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25071/2564-2855.29

Keywords:

digital divide, English language learning, connected learning, technology-mediated language learning, higher education for refugees, emancipatory literacy

Abstract

Addressing the digital divide for refugee learners accessing higher education in displacement also involves addressing the linguistic divide, particularly as we live in a world of interlanguage inequality where academic digital resources and learning opportunities available largely require fluency in colonial languages like English, French, Spanish, etc. This paper focuses specifically on English as many connected tertiary programs available to refugees around the world are English-mediated. It is crucial that as connected higher education becomes a key strategy for access by the United Nations, INGOs, bilateral institutions, and private donors, universities involved in this work expand their use of technology to deliver programs to integrate technology-mediated language education for digital-skills, language awareness, and language development. This argument is based on an emancipatory approach that argues literacy (i.e., English literacy and digital literacy) only empowers people when it renders them active questioners of the social reality around them.

References

Bakibinga-Gaswaga, E., Bakibinga, S., Bakibinga, D. B. M., & Bakibinga, P. (2020). Digital technologies in the COVID-19 responses in sub-Saharan Africa: Policies, problems and promises. The Pan African Medical Journal, 35(38), Article 38. https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.supp.2020.35.2.23456 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.supp.2020.35.2.23456

Bauer, C., & Gallagher, M. J. (2020). Education for humanity: Higher education for refugees in resource-constrained environments through innovative technology. Journal of Refugee Studies, 33(2), 416–436. https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/feaa040 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/feaa040

CLCC. (2022). Programme archive. Connected Learning in Crisis Consortium. https://connectedlearning4refugees.org/programmes/

Dahya, N., Dryden-Peterson, S., Douhaibi, D., & Arvisais, O. (2019). Social support networks, instant messaging, and gender equity in refugee education. Information, Communication & Society, 22(6), 774–790. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2019.1575447 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2019.1575447

Dippo, D. (2021). Learning with and from people living in displacement: The promise of borderless higher education. In O. Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia, S. Nell-Müller, & R. Happ (Eds.), Digital Approaches to Promoting Integration in Higher Education: Opening Universities for Refugees (pp. 21–29). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77151-5_3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77151-5_3

Fairclough, N. (1992). Language and power (Third edition). Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Freire, P., & Macedo, D. P. (1987). Literacy: Reading the word & the world. Bergin & Garvey Publishers.

Frelick, B., Kysel, I. M., & Podkul, J. (2016). The impact of externalization of migration controls on the rights of asylum seekers and other migrants. Journal on Migration and Human Security, 4(4), 190–220. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14240/jmhs.v4i4.68

Glossary of Education Reform. (2016). 21st century skills definition. The Glossary of Education Reform. https://www.edglossary.org/21st-century-skills/

Happ, R., Deribo, T., Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia, O., & Reinhardt, F. (2021). Identification of vulnerable groups in terms of language proficiency in higher education. In O. Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia, S. Nell-Müller, & R. Happ (Eds.), Digital Approaches to Promoting Integration in Higher Education: Opening Universities for Refugees (pp. 117–130). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77151-5_7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77151-5_7

Hilbert, M. (2016). The bad news is that the digital access divide is here to stay: Domestically installed bandwidths among 172 countries for 1986–2014. Telecommunications Policy, 40(6), 567–581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2016.01.006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2016.01.006

Ibrahim, H. B. (2021). Virtual exchange: What are students signing up for? The Conversation. http://theconversation.com/virtual-exchange-what-are-students-signing-up-for-159796

ICRC. (2016). Protracted conflict and humanitarian action: Some recent ICRC experiences. International Committee of the Red Cross. https://www.icrc.org/sites/default/files/document/file_list/protracted_conflict_and_humanitarian_action_icrc_report_lr_29.08.16.pdf

Lomicka, L., & Lord, G. (2019). Reframing technology’s role in language teaching: A retrospective report. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 39, 8–23. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190519000011 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190519000011

Marette, C. (2023). 6 culturally responsive pedagogy strategies to boost student engagement. http://disq.us/t/3s6dix4

Moser-Mercer, B., Hayba, E., & Goldsmith, J. (2018). Higher education spaces and protracted displacement: How learner-centered pedagogies and human-centered design can unleash refugee innovation. In Technologies for Development (pp. 41–52). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91068-0_4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91068-0_4

Ortega, L. (2017). New CALL-SLA research interfaces for the 21st century: Towards equitable multilingualism. CALICO Journal, 34(3), 285–316. https://doi.org/10.1558/cj.33855 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1558/cj.33855

Phillipson, R. (1992). Linguistic imperialism. Oxford University Press.

Stockwell, G., & Hubbard, P. (2013). Some emerging principles for mobile-assisted language learning. The International Research Foundation for English Language Education, 15.

UNHCR. (2019). Stepping up: Refugee education in crisis. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. https://www.unhcr.org/steppingup/wp-content/uploads/sites/76/2019/09/Education-Report-2019-Final-web-9.pdf

UNHCR. (2021a). All inclusive: The campaign for refugee education. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. https://www.unhcr.org/publications/education/631ef5a84/unhcr-education-report-2022-inclusive-campaign-refugee-education.html

UNHCR. (2021b). Connected education for refugees: Addressing the digital divide. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. https://www.unhcr.org/61b743ef4

UNHCR. (2021c). Global trends: Forced displacement 2021. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. https://www.unhcr.org/publications/brochures/62a9d1494/global-trends-report-2021.html

UNHCR. (2021d). UNHCR global report 2021. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. https://reporting.unhcr.org/globalreport2021

UNHCR. (2022a). Refugee connected education challenge. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-connected-education-challenge.html

UNHCR. (2022b, October). Refugee statistics. UNHCR. https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/

Wee, L. (2011). Language without rights. Oxford University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199737437.001.0001

Wu, Z., & Li, X. (2019). Developing cosmopolitan communicative competence through online transnational encounters. TESL Canada Journal, 36(3), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.18806/tesl.v36i3.1323 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18806/tesl.v36i3.1323

Downloads

Published

2023-11-06

How to Cite

Kim, H. (2023). “Equitable multilingualism” for equitable access to learning: Addressing the digital and linguistic divide in connected higher education for refugees. Working Papers in Applied Linguistics and Linguistics at York, 3. https://doi.org/10.25071/2564-2855.29

Issue

Section

Articles

Similar Articles

<< < 1 2 3 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.