(EDU6) Critical Sociological Approaches to Educational Policy for Adult and Higher Education

In this session, we examine the implications of educational policy through the critical lens to understand how concepts such as access and equity manifest themselves in adult and higher education settings. Educational policy as text, discourse and actions of day-to-day people (Ball 1992, 2015; Lipsky, 2010) has been used to push for shifts and changes towards a more just and equitable world. The presentations in this session argue that while the intention of improving access to and student success in post-secondary education may be prevalent among those developing educational policy at higher educational institutions, the reality of equitable access and sustainable success remains elusive for those who still feel excluded from colleges and universities. Even for adults in community settings where informal education is more common and readily available, equitable access to adult education is often a struggle especially for those looking to work on their literacy and those who have recently arrived in Canada. By examining educational policy for adult and higher education through critical sociological lenses, we hope to highlight the importance of moving beyond simply aspirational educational policy into ensuing meaningful changes for those who have long been marginalized by various educational institutions in terms of access and success (Ahmed, 2007). Tags: Éducation, Égalité et Inégalité, Politique

Organizers: Annie Luk, University of Toronto, Paula Elias, University of Toronto, Norin Taj, University of Toronto; Chair: Annie Luk, University of Toronto

Presentations

Paula Elias, University of Toronto

Critical inquiries about ideology in adult literacy policy and practice

I review the uptake of ‘ideology’ in research about adult basic literacy education. I reflect on ideology as a critical sociological concept, drawing upon feminist and Marxist scholars like Dorothy Smith (2011) and Himani Bannerji (2020) who have examined ideology as a mode of consciousness and praxis that is historically specific and constitutive of capitalist social relations that shape our experiences of gendered and racialized oppressions, among other forms of social struggle. This is a departure from researchers studying adult literacy, where ideology is regarded as a model for understanding the sociocultural ideas and values that determine frontline adult literacy work and learning (see Street, 1984; Luke, 1988). In the context of Canadian adult education, ideological critique has been used to explain the shift of local and national literacy directives and their promotion of human capital theories, presenting a transition from learning for self-empowerment to learning for employment (Atkinson, 2019; Darville, 2014; Pinsent-Johnson, 2015). However, this framing erases the ways literacy has served as part of the infrastructure for capitalist development, a reality not possible without the co-constitutive relationship between adult education and the state. I challenge this narrow representation of ideology through the case study of immigrant and racialized young adults enrolled in basic literacy programs with desires for higher education. I argue that an ideology about educational access comes to life through the work of young adults seeking opportunities to get credentialized alongside the work of allies (literacy workers) to enhance the human capital of adult learners. Collectively, their activities are organized, but not hegemonically determined, by the neoliberal capitalist state. Understanding ideology as the production of complex, historical, and material relations rather than the imposition of a hegemonic set of ideas and texts offers important considerations for building a transformative – rather than reproductive – praxis for social change.

Ryan Hargraves, University of Toronto

Understanding the factors that influence the construction of faculty-led admissions committees at highly-regarded Canadian public universities

The social impact of university student demographic underrepresentation, which may be construed as an indicator of what Lucas (2001) referred to as Effectively Managed Inequality or EMI, a framework that ensures that many members of underrepresented minority (URM) communities fail to realize the social mobility benefits of an elite educational experience. University admissions committee work is broadly considered a factor which can lead to or lessen student underrepresentation (Bastedo and Bowman, 2017; Guinier, 2003; Jayakumar and Page, 2021; Posselt, 2016; Robinett et. al, 2019). Beyond broad underrepresentation in postsecondary education, many URM students are underrepresented in greater proportion at Canada’s most prestigious or highly-regarded (e.g., highly-ranked by Times Higher Education) universities (Davies et al., 2014). This qualitative dissertation study used cultural reproduction (Bourdieu, 1973) and the homophilic tendencies observed in elite graduate school admissions committees in the United States by Posselt (2016) as the basis of a theoretical framework to understand better the construction of admissions committees at Canadian universities. This research investigates the factors that are important to faculty leaders at two highly-regarded Canadian universities as they consider faculty colleagues for admissions committee service. The study also sought to understand the influence of a faculty leader’s social identities and lived experiences on their approach to committee construction. Fourteen faculty members from the two sites who were associate or full professors and had prior academic administrative leadership experience (e.g., department chair) participated in the study. The two-part participant interview included a mock undergraduate interdisciplinary honors admissions committee construction simulation, wherein participants selected candidates from among imaginary colleague bios and a semi-structed interview during which they reflected on their choices and their prior experience and knowledge of admissions committee construction at their home institutions. For this inquiry I used Iterative Thematic Inquiry (Morgan and Nica, 2020) to identify themes emanating from data generation. I also used dual scaling (Nishisato and Nishisato, 1994) to understand better the selections made by participants during the committee construction simulation, attempting to connect their backgrounds (e.g., social identities) to their selections of imaginary colleagues based on review of their bios. The thematic inquiry results suggest that a colleague’s experiential and identity diversity (e.g., professorial rank), their willingness and capacity to serve and their records of student engagement (e.g., teaching, advising) are factors faculty leaders consider when evaluating colleagues for committee service.  Data suggest study participants rely on their networks and consider the interpersonal skills of potential admissions committee candidates. The data also suggest that a faculty leader’s race, gender identity, and academic background may influence their evaluations of potential committee candidates. Finally, the data also indicate interviewed faculty leaders prefer to construct admissions committees without undue influence from top university leadership though many believed those leaders could connect the process to the institution’s mission. This research serves to support understanding of how access at highly-regarded  universities may be influenced by admissions committee construction practices, which may serve to perpetuate barriers.

Annie Luk, University of Toronto

Becoming a collective: An examination of consciousness, ideology and praxis through stories from an adult literacy program in Toronto, Canada

Adult literacy practitioners in Canada often find themselves straddling a tricky balance between actualizing the state’s agenda of using adult literacy as a labour market strategy and advocating for learners in pursuit for equity (Elias et al., 2021).  Despite the challenge in this contradiction, many adult literacy practitioners continue with their work and their commitment to learners and social justice as much as they could (Barker et al., 2023).  The increasing pressure from the government policies to narrow the goal of adult literacy education for employment (Elfert & Walker, 2020; Elias 2023; Walker & Rubenson, 2014) is sometimes translated into valuing certain knowledge more so than others and privileging learners of certain characteristics more so than others (Gardner, 2017).  While research typically focuses on practitioners’ approaches and strategies to support learners (Allatt & Tett, 2019; Smythe, 2015), it is also beneficial to examine the practices that attempt to challenge the underlying social hierarchy of abilities and knowledge. This paper shares stories from practitioners in one adult literacy program in Toronto, Ontario and how they used the program’s collective or non-hierarchical structure as a way to push for equity and social justice.  Through the Marxist concepts of consciousness, ideology and praxis as discussed by Paula Allman (1999, 2001, 2007), I set out to further understand whether through using a collective organizational structure, the collective members of this adult literacy program were agents of change or reproduction with an uncritical/reproductive or a critical/revolutionary praxis.  The stories of adult literacy practitioners were collected using narrative inquiry to understand how their learnings through their experience of becoming a collective had impacted their consciousness, ideology and praxis.  Through critically analyzing these stories from collective members of an adult literacy program, I hope to highlight the importance of also paying attention to the changes that we need to make to ourselves and the structures we find ourselves as part of our pursuit for social change.

Monica Paabo, University of Toronto

"How was I supposed to know all of this?” Science undergraduate students’ experiences of academic probation and suspension

This multiple case study investigates the experiences of three undergraduate science students who received academic probation and then academic suspension at a large Canadian university because their cumulative grade point average fell below the university’s requirements. The students attributed their academic difficulties principally to insufficient knowledge of the expectations of the university system. Two students were the first in their families to attend university and their knowledge of academic requirements was based mostly on their experiences from high school. The third student, from a highly educated family, was aware of the academic probation policy but not of the negative consequences of academic probation and suspension. All three students participated in an academic retention program that taught them study strategies. The case study narratives revealed gaps in the students’ understanding of the university’s policies when they were placed on academic probation and later on suspension. This suggests that the university was not effective in its communications with students about the academic probation policy, the grading system, and consequences of low marks. Students also need a clear understanding of their likelihood of success in critical foundational courses that have a reputation for weeding students out of programs. While staff may have cautioned the students about taking courses in the compressed summer session while on academic probation, the students did not understand the reasons for the warning. This study suggests that ongoing academic advising was especially helpful for first-generation students. Staff who are responsible for student success programs might wish to consider differences in cultural knowledge between first-generation and non-first-generation students. Requiring all first-year students to participate in a foundational program could also ensure that all students, not only those who voluntarily seek out guidance, gain the cultural and foundational knowledge needed to navigate through university.

Norin Taj, University of Toronto

Co-Creating educational pathways for skilled immigrant women in Canada

This paper panel delves into the complexities of educational policy within adult and higher education, employing critical sociological approaches. With a special focus on the integration of skilled immigrant women into the Canadian labour market, it sheds light on a crucial aspect of Canada's celebrated inclusivity. Canada's approach to immigrant integration, ethnic diversity, and multiculturalism serves as a model for global immigration policies (Kazemipur, 2014). However, despite the government's recent initiative to increase immigration quotas to about 447,000 in 2023 to bolster post-pandemic economic recovery (Banerjee, 2022), research underscores significant barriers faced by immigrants, such as non-recognition of foreign qualifications, lack of local job market experience, difficulty in accessing social networks, and experiences of prejudice and discrimination (Gauthier, 2016; Reitz, 2007; Syed, 2008). Particularly, immigrant women encounter compounded challenges due to limited social capital and gendered expectations within households, often leading to precarious employment (Maitra, 2013; Chai et al., 2018). Racialized immigrant women face systemic discrimination, gender stereotypes, and glass ceilings, further exacerbating their economic exclusion (Choo & Ferree, 2010; Li, 2019), representing not only a loss to their potential contribution but also to the broader economy, especially in times of labour shortages (George et al., 2011). This research employs a participatory method, directly engaging with skilled immigrant women to understand what they consider important in educational programs offered by settlement agencies. These programs aim at skill development and cultural integration into Canadian society. By adopting Bourdieu's concept of capitals, this study moves beyond the notion of human capital to investigate how these women perceive the value of these programs in aiding their successful integration into the labour market.  This participatory approach ensures evidence-based program development, empowering participants and aligning with their real-world challenges and aspirations. The research project is a collaboration between the University of Toronto and a community partner in Toronto. The current findings are in the preliminary stage and align with the study conducted by Noah et al. (2014). By presenting them at the conference roundtable, we can facilitate a discussion on potential ideas that could help in developing an inclusion framework for this demographic. This critical examination of adult and higher education policies through Bourdieu's capitals and participatory lens contributes to the discourse on educational policy, offering insights into creating more equitable opportunities for skilled immigrant women in Canada.  Furthermore, this will enable the formulation of policy recommendations and contribute to the dissemination of knowledge through an academic paper.