Multilingual Pedagogies and Digital Technologies to Support Learning STEM in Canadian and French Schools

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 13
  In Roundtable Session: STEM Education in a Globalized World: International Perspectives on Critical Teacher Education for Diversity

Abstract

Objectives and purposes
Many countries are experiencing an influx of newcomer students originating from across the globe. For teachers, school boards and governments, the arrival of students who do not know the language of the school poses a significant challenge. The SSHRC-funded project "Multilingual Pedagogies and Digital Technologies to Support Learning" is a partnership between Canada and France that aims to provide insight into the feasibility of implementing a multilingual digital tool with respect to its potential to provide reliable estimates of language learners' prior knowledge, to support their development, and to foster their inclusion in local school systems.

Perspectives
In order to provide an educational approach adjusted to each student’s individual needs, it is crucial to equip the teachers with tools that will allow them to accurately recognize the needs of their students (Benson, 2010). However, schools often underestimate the importance of digital methods and teachers are not prepared to use them for teaching. It is thus equally important to support teachers in adopting novel resources and understand to what extent the option for students to choose the language in which academic content is presented is beneficial for their knowledge acquisition (Cummins, 2017; Cenoz & Gorter, 2017; Garcia & Wei, 2013). For the purpose of this project, we used a novel digital tool called Binogi that provides STEM content in multiple languages and thereby allows students to use their own languages as resources (Ruiz, 1984; Cummins 2006; Author 5, 2017; Author 5 & Author 4, 2021) instead of having to "forget" or even hide them to avoid possible stigmatizations (Lorcerie, 2021).

Methods & Data
To examine the extent to which the multilingual feature of the tool promotes academic engagement in language learners, we gathered both qualitative and quantitative data. We compared average performance metrics within and across sites obtained through the back end of the platform. Additionally, students participated in focus groups animated by the teachers and answered questionnaires before and at the end of the trial. We encouraged students to reflect upon the strategies they employed to solve problems and use the different languages to comprehend, elaborate and communicate about the problem at hand. Teachers engaged self-reflexively, using a journal.

Results & scholarly significance of the study
Preliminary results show how the resource maximized student inclusion and enhanced student engagement with academic content. In this presentation, we will examine the extent to which the multilingual features supported the academic engagement of students and compare these results with their teachers' experiences in using this technology.
These findings will enable innovative and equitable pedagogical practices and new educational policies to support linguistic diversity in schools across contexts. They will also enable the education of teachers who embrace more equitable practices in STEM.

Authors

• Nathalie Auger, University Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3 (France)

• Jeremi Sauvage, University Paul-Valery - Montpellier 3

• Carole Fleuret, University of Ottawa