Exploring the Impetus Behind Faculty Participation in CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) Collaborations Using an Ecological Understanding of Agency

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Abstract

This study explores the impetus driving content faculty's (CF) participation in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) collaborations with applied linguists at a Canadian university. Adopting an ecological understanding of agency, we examine how cultural, structural, and material conditions influence CFs' engagement in interdisciplinary partnerships. Analysis of semi-structured interviews with three CFs from diverse disciplines using qualitative case study methodology reveals that CFs’ personal and professional backgrounds and current institutional and disciplinary environments significantly shape their involvement in CLIL initiatives. These findings contribute to understanding faculty agency in curriculum development and teaching practices in higher education. They also highlight CLIL collaborations’ potential to support multilingual students' access to disciplinary knowledge and language skills, promoting equity and inclusion in higher education.

Author

• Amanda J. Wallace, Simon Fraser University