Studies have shown the ways in which non-Western middle- and upper-class families are seeking to educate their children in the West. The rationale for this kind of social reproduction strategy is the acquisition of 'valuable' cultural and symbolic capitals which can be advantageous in the graduate job market of both their home country and…

In this article we wish to clarify not only if, but also how--through which institutional settings--higher education (HE) is accessed by students from vulnerable immigrant groups in France, Switzerland and Canada. We are interested in the possible educational mobility that immigrant youths can experience arising from country-specific educational…

In this paper, we develop an information distortion model (IDM) of social class differences in self-beliefs and values. The IDM combines psychological biases on frame-of-reference effects with sociological foci on ability stratification. This combination is hypothesized to lead to working-class children having more positive math self-beliefs and…

There is an Indigenous resurgence in education occurring globally. For more than a century Euro-western approaches have controlled the provision and quality of education to, and for Indigenous peoples. The World Indigenous Research Alliance (WIRA) established in 2012, is a grass-roots movement of Indigenous scholars passionate about making a…

The academic difficulties experienced by many Aboriginal (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) students in Canada have been well-documented. Indicators such as school persistence and post-secondary enrollment are typically far lower for Aboriginal students as a group compared to non-Aboriginal students. Identifying facilitators of success is key to…

Using a 17-year longitudinal design, this study examined the role of personal and family factors assessed early in life, and also academic and social experiences assessed in the first year of college, in predicting college completion. We followed a sample of 444 French-speaking Canadian children from middle to upper socioeconomic backgrounds (66%…

Using the 2002 Ethnic Diversity Survey, this article examines the roles of parental human capital and social capital in the pursuit of university education among immigrant youth in Canada. We find segmented patterns across the largest minority groups in Canada, with the Chinese and the south Asians, such as Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis,…

With this thesis, I present a case study of the effort to graduate 500 "Maori" doctorates in five years in New Zealand in order to advance our understanding of a successful Indigenous higher education initiative. By paying careful attention to contextual factors, I describe the theoretical and practical significance of this effort and…

Used data from two longitudinal surveys of Canadian youth (in British Columbia and Nova Scotia) to examine the effects of rural versus urban/rural and metropolitan residence on young people's educational expectations and attainments. Findings showed that students in rural areas have lower expectations and attainments compared to other students,…

Examined the commonly expressed ambition of African Canadian male youth to win athletic scholarships to U.S. universities, noting why they believed it was possible to realize these aspirations. Data from conversations with African Canadian male high school basketball players indicated that students used strategies, such as attending the right…

The past decade has witnessed a sea change in ideologies about higher education in North America and in many countries beyond. Canadians and Americans increasingly believe that an emerging "knowledge economy" is demanding skills than can be acquired only with a post secondary education. In the United States, a "college for all"…

Discusses the issue of access to higher education in Canada and suggests that those who do not gain entry share common social and cultural properties. Recommends three strategies for enhancing accessibility: a monitoring system, compensatory education programs, and financial assistance programs. (JAC)

A Canadian university surveyed 300 mature students (33% responded) and interviewed 12. Responses indicated that 62% changed their academic program. Institutional influences on academic decision making were more significant than personal influences, with no differences between full- and part-time students. Students wanted preliminary information…

Postsecondary aspirations (educational and occupational) of high school seniors from five different residential settings (rural farm, rural nonfarm, village, small-town, and large city) in Durham, Ontario, are examined. Two variables account for most of the variance: parental expectations and peer group. (Author/MLW)