Beyond the Curriculum: Exploring the Multifaceted Learning Experiences of Venezuelan Immigrant and Refugee Students

• In Event: Research In Progress Roundtables Session 4
  In Invited Roundtable: Research on Immigrant Students: Curriculum, Identity, and Pedagogy (Table 2)

Abstract

Amid rising forced displacement, educational opportunities for refugee children have become a global concern. Despite education’s role in fostering development and social mobility, half of the world’s refugee children are out of school or lack adequate educational support. Drawing from integration frameworks in education, political science, and refugee studies, this research explores how Venezuelan immigrant and refugee students experience educational integration in Colombian schools. Through in-depth interviews and classroom observations in two schools, I explore students' learning experiences to understand the complexities of integration. This study highlights the challenges, rewards, and meaningful aspects of learning for refugee students, and examines how curricular learning intersects with other school experiences, contributing to a comprehensive process that supports academic success and cultivates belonging.

Author

• Marcela Ortiz, University of Michigan