Addressing academic aspirations, challenges, and barriers of indigenous and immigrant students in a postsecondary education setting

ABSTRACT

Canada ranks high among the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries in terms of advanced education with 66% of Canadians having completed some form of postsecondary education. Yet, students from indigenous and immigrant backgrounds face several psychosocial and institutional barriers that hinder their academic progress. The current study used a qualitative approach to examine the experiences and challenges faced by indigenous and immigrant learners who were enrolled in a postsecondary human services program in Western Canada. Findings suggest that despite 40 years of a multicultural approach to education these students continue to experience several barriers to continuing their study programs. The need for radicalizing teaching by using alternate critical decolonizing discourses and pedagogy is discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Immigrant learners
• indigenous learners
• financial schemes
• higher education
• critical race theory (CRT)

Notes

^1. Canadian indigenous scholars Schissel and Wotherspoon (2003), Castellano (2004), and Hart (2007) have reflected on the use of First Nations, Métis or Inuit such terms in research and have pointed out that indigenous peoples of Canada represent a plethora of varying ethnic backgrounds, cultural groups, languages, and historical experiences. Furthermore, according to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996), these groups’ distinctiveness and political legitimacy leads to them being referred to as “nations.” It should be noted that our use of indigenous descent is predicated on the Canadian colonial standpoint on who is considered indigenous. This is based on the treaties Canada’ First Nations signed with successive colonial administrations. The labels of First Nations, Métis or Inuit frames the current relationship the colonial government of Canada has with indigenous peoples often regulated according the Indian Act of Canada. Consequently, indigenous people in Western Canada, particularly in and around the study site self-identify as Cree, Blackfoot, Métis, and so forth.