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Exploring the intercultural and holistic transformative learning experiences of professional Colombian immigrants in Canada

Abstract
Colombians who acquire a university degree in Colombia may still face challenges finding employment. They may choose to immigrate to Canada because the opportunities that this country offers. However, these immigrants may have to apply various strategies to overcome obstacles in their path to success. So, when they immigrate permanently to their host country (Canada as their country of settlement), they may have to overcome barriers, such as discrimination (Quillian et al., 2019) while finding a place in their professional field and integrating into their host communities (community of settlement). As a result, immigrants may find that having a career and speaking the target language is not enough to communicate effectively and build meaningful connections in their host communities. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative study with narrative inquiry methodology was to explore the journeys of eight professional Colombian immigrants who felt successful in Calgary, AB, Canada and had two or more years of adaptation and integration to answer the following question: To what extent did professional Colombian immigrants experience holistic Transformative Learning (TL) and enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) after living in Canada for two or more years, in their path to professional success? The study findings have the potential to inform the professional field of adult learning.
Authors: Lyliam Janeth Jardine Publication Date: 6/13/2023

Publication Type: Thesis

URL:https://prism.ucalgary.ca/items/9e499619-3dc3-47eb-8d29-8170cf3dd79d
Notes

Integration timeline: more than 2 years in Canada

Key populations: Colombian immigrant professionals who now live in Calgary

Key recommendations:

Create adult learning opportunities to increase ICC and holistic TL through interpersonal connections and learning through relationships.

Open access: Yes

Community organizations: n/a

Future research / gaps identified:

1) Explore the experiences of Colombian immigrants who entered the country as refugees or with other visas (this study only included participants with either a work visa or a study visa).

2) Examine experiences’ of those with less than 2 years in Canada.

Key findings:

1) Intercultural communicative competence (ICC) consists of intercultural competence (knowledge of self and others; skills of discovery and/or interaction; critical cultural awareness; skills interpreting/relating; and attitudes of curiosity/openness) as well as linguistic, sociolinguistic and discourse competence.

2) Through formal and informal programs, as well as finding links with their personal activities, participants enhanced their ICC and created stronger interpersonal connections.

3) These connections allowed them to become more confident with their target language(s), as well as feeling stronger, more humble, more flexible, and open-minded.

4) The participants’ positive attributes and interpersonal connections helped them reflect on changes in their identities throughout immigration and integration, and frames of reference experiencing holistic TL during their immigration journey.

Location: Calgary, AB


Collections education-students-teachers , employment

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