ERIC Number: EJ1158528
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1467-5986
EISSN: N/A
Learning from Each Other: Using a Service-Learning Citizenship Course to Promote Intercultural Understanding
Tinkler, Barri; McGann, Gabriel; Tinkler, Alan
Intercultural Education, v28 n5 p447-455 2017
Many U.S. college students are unaware of the processes for refugee resettlement and the steps that refugees must take to attain citizenship. We designed a college course to address these gaps. The course, "Citizenship and Education in the US," aims to provide a fundamental overview of the history and processes of immigration and naturalisation in the United States, including an exploration of the refugee system. Since our community supports refugee resettlement, we included a service-learning component where college students tutor adult learners (primarily refugees) who are preparing for the citizenship exam to allow students an opportunity to develop relationships with refugees and to learn about their history and relocation. We developed an exploratory, qualitative study to determine the impact that this experience had on the college students enrolled in the first iteration of the course. We found that in addition to increased knowledge of the refugee system and the processes for attaining citizenship, the participants demonstrated increased intercultural understanding and an expanded worldview.
Descriptors: Citizenship Education, Cultural Awareness, College Students, Refugees, Adult Students, Tutoring, Service Learning, Tests, Course Descriptions, Interpersonal Relationship, Relocation, World Views, Outcomes of Education, Qualitative Research, Student Attitudes, Immigration, Public Policy, Tutors, Questionnaires, Participant Observation
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Vermont
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A