Duelling identities in refugees learning through open, online higher education
This paper reports on a qualitative study of the transition experiences of refugees studying through open and online higher education. Online, open education programmes have considerable potential to provide flexible access to education for refugees, who are not well represented within higher educa...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)
2019-12-01
|
| Series: | Open Praxis |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://account.openpraxis.org/index.php/up-j-op/article/view/65 |
| _version_ | 1797612715051581440 |
|---|---|
| author | James Brunton Orna Farrell Eamon Costello Lorraine Delaney Colum Foley Mark Brown |
| author_facet | James Brunton Orna Farrell Eamon Costello Lorraine Delaney Colum Foley Mark Brown |
| author_sort | James Brunton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
This paper reports on a qualitative study of the transition experiences of refugees studying through open and online higher education. Online, open education programmes have considerable potential to provide flexible access to education for refugees, who are not well represented within higher education. As part of a wider University of Sanctuary initiative, interview data from six Ireland-based refugees was analysed using a data-led, qualitative methodological framework grounded in discursive psychology. Findings indicate that participants’ transition narratives are typical in many ways as they form student identities while managing their existing identities and begin to feel, or not, that they belong. Participants constructed a stark divide between two duelling identities, between their identity as a refugee and their new identity as an online learner. Identification with the university was emphasised in contrast to disidentification with the ‘asylum world’. These findings indicate that a strategically connected approach to supporting refugees transition into higher education can impact positively on these students.
|
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:45:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9969ee4fb95047bcaab7c1c9807b64a0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1369-9997 2304-070X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:45:52Z |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Open Praxis |
| spelling | doaj.art-9969ee4fb95047bcaab7c1c9807b64a02023-11-17T10:20:17ZengInternational Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)Open Praxis1369-99972304-070X2019-12-01114Duelling identities in refugees learning through open, online higher educationJames Brunton0Orna Farrell1Eamon Costello2Lorraine Delaney3Colum Foley4Mark Brown5Dublin City UniversityDublin City UniversityDublin City UniversityDublin City UniversityDublin City UniversityDublin City University This paper reports on a qualitative study of the transition experiences of refugees studying through open and online higher education. Online, open education programmes have considerable potential to provide flexible access to education for refugees, who are not well represented within higher education. As part of a wider University of Sanctuary initiative, interview data from six Ireland-based refugees was analysed using a data-led, qualitative methodological framework grounded in discursive psychology. Findings indicate that participants’ transition narratives are typical in many ways as they form student identities while managing their existing identities and begin to feel, or not, that they belong. Participants constructed a stark divide between two duelling identities, between their identity as a refugee and their new identity as an online learner. Identification with the university was emphasised in contrast to disidentification with the ‘asylum world’. These findings indicate that a strategically connected approach to supporting refugees transition into higher education can impact positively on these students. https://account.openpraxis.org/index.php/up-j-op/article/view/65higher educationonline learningrefugeeasylum seekeridentityaccess initiative |
| spellingShingle | James Brunton Orna Farrell Eamon Costello Lorraine Delaney Colum Foley Mark Brown Duelling identities in refugees learning through open, online higher education Open Praxis higher education online learning refugee asylum seeker identity access initiative |
| title | Duelling identities in refugees learning through open, online higher education |
| title_full | Duelling identities in refugees learning through open, online higher education |
| title_fullStr | Duelling identities in refugees learning through open, online higher education |
| title_full_unstemmed | Duelling identities in refugees learning through open, online higher education |
| title_short | Duelling identities in refugees learning through open, online higher education |
| title_sort | duelling identities in refugees learning through open online higher education |
| topic | higher education online learning refugee asylum seeker identity access initiative |
| url | https://account.openpraxis.org/index.php/up-j-op/article/view/65 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jamesbrunton duellingidentitiesinrefugeeslearningthroughopenonlinehighereducation AT ornafarrell duellingidentitiesinrefugeeslearningthroughopenonlinehighereducation AT eamoncostello duellingidentitiesinrefugeeslearningthroughopenonlinehighereducation AT lorrainedelaney duellingidentitiesinrefugeeslearningthroughopenonlinehighereducation AT columfoley duellingidentitiesinrefugeeslearningthroughopenonlinehighereducation AT markbrown duellingidentitiesinrefugeeslearningthroughopenonlinehighereducation |