Education Abroad: Examining the Experiences of International Students in K-12 Canadian Public Schools

• In Event: Examining the Experiences of International Students

Proposal

Objectives
In the past three decades, there has been a growing number of international students seeking K-12 education in Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), 2019). For several years, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has welcomed tuition-paying international K-12 students into its elementary and secondary programs. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, over 2,000 tuition-paying international students from 67 countries attended TDSB schools across the City of Toronto. In the 2020/21 school year, TDSB had 1,453 students from 55 different countries enrolled as K-12 international students. There are few studies that examine the experiences of K-12 international students in public school Boards across Canada (Deschambault, 2015; Kuo & Roysircar, 2006; Mockute, 2016; Nelson, 2013; Popadiuk, 2010).

Theoretical framework
The theoretical anchors of this study are rooted in an anti-colonial framework, which unpacks the omnipresent reality of coloniality in Canadian public education systems (Lopez, 2021). This presents “a system of power, control, and hegemony based on racial hierarchical relationships that upholds European social classification, knowledge systems, and culture as superior over all ‘others’” (TDSB, 2022, p. 23). This particularly creates power imbalances and unequal learning experiences for Indigenous, Black, and racialized students, such as the international student population originating predominantly from Global South countries. The theoretical framework also situates itself in public policy making in (neo)colonial states such as Canada, which are inevitably impacted by other structures related to colonialism like capitalist and neoliberal education policy.

Methodology and Data Sources:
We employed a qualitative case study approach to understand the lived experiences of a specific case; tuition-paying K-12 international students in TDSB schools. We also adopted a narrative inquiry as our analytical approach (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000). Specifically, we utilised Leggo’s (2008) five-step analytical approach; reading, interrogating, thematising, expanding and summarising as methods of interpreting the data that emerged from the focus groups and interviews. The data discussed in this paper was drawn from 23 focus groups conducted with tuition-paying international K-12 students during the 2019/2020 school year. Out of the 23 focus groups, 9 focus groups were conducted with international students from China, 5 focus groups with students from Iran, 4 focus groups with students from Vietnam, and 5 focus groups with students coming from a mix of other countries. These countries were chosen because most international students in the Board came from these countries.

Key Findings
Academic study and support
In reflecting on their schooling experiences, many international students revealed that learning in Canada was more fun and that they had the option to select different elective courses. Despite these favourable perceptions, most students shared that they faced challenges in their academic studies and in the overall learning environment at school. The academic experiences of international students were understandably mired in feelings of culture shock, where for many international students, the teaching and learning experiences in Canada were completely different compared to their home country. Some of the students reported encountering biased or discriminatory microaggressions at school. Additionally, some of the students did not feel seen in the classroom and had challenges participating in class conversations and group activities/projects.
Transition and Sense of Belonging
For many international students, the presence or absence of caring attitudes among teachers and other school staff determined their feelings about the school they attended. On one hand, international students mentioned having encountered school adults who actively offered help or showed care to them. Students were particularly appreciative of their teachers ' or other school adults’ efforts to incorporate their home culture into class discussions or when communicating with them. On the other hand, some international students reported a lack of care or help from some teachers and staff. Students narrated how they faced unfriendly or hurtful remarks from some of their teachers. These students felt being picked on, ignored, judged or discriminated against by some school adults.

Integrating with local Canadian students
Most international students found it difficult to interact and build connections with local students. Some of the students mentioned that it was difficult to establish friendships with local peers mainly because of language and cultural barriers. They found it difficult to start conversations with local students due to perceived language challenges. Also, cultural differences added another layer of barrier to international students’ integration with local students.
Key Issues of Concern
A key concern for international students also came from high tuition fees, particularly rising fees in the context of provincial austerity measures and public-school board budget cuts. In addition, international students from Iran, in particular, were impacted due to the government of USA’s sanctions on Iran in early 2020, which caused the Iranian economy and currency to fall. These students found themselves facing precarious working conditions where they had to seek employment to support their financial needs.

Many students also lived in homestays and reported challenges with this living arrangement, particularly as adolescents growing up in a new country without parental support or care. These constraints, along with other challenges students faced as young minors in the country took a significant toll on the mental health and well-being of international students. Some of the students revealed that they had suicidal thoughts and faced extreme mental health challenges which also affected their overall educational experiences.

Scholarly Significance
This study contributes to the emerging literature on the experiences of international K-12 students in Canadian School Boards. The study draws from the schooling experiences of newcomer students from different countries in the Global South. The findings provide a preliminary understanding of the lived realities of most international K-12 students in Canada and beyond. The research highlights key opportunities and challenges that mostly impact learning alongside psycho-social experiences of international K-12 students. Key findings from this study provide a starting point for school districts to strengthen guidance, counselling and psycho-social support mechanisms. Also, the study points to the need for capacity development of educators in anti-racist and international education.

Authors

• Mandeep Kaur Gabhi, Toronto District School Board

• Kenneth gyamerah, Faculty of Education, Queen's University