Exploring the Intercultural and Holistic Transformative Learning Experiences of Professional Colombian Immigrants in Canada

Jardine, Lyliam Janeth

Exploring the Intercultural and Holistic Transformative Learning Experiences of Professional Colombian Immigrants in Canada

dc.contributor.advisor	Groen, Janet Elizabeth
dc.contributor.author	Jardine, Lyliam Janeth
dc.contributor.committeemember	Dressler, Roswita Aleida Helene
dc.contributor.committeemember	Sewell, H. Douglas
dc.date	2023-11
dc.date.accessioned	2023-06-16T17:00:11Z
dc.date.available	2023-06-16T17:00:11Z
dc.date.issued	2023-06-13
dc.description.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 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? In this study, I explored how the eight participants were able to enhance their ICC through various strategies that fostered interpersonal connections. These connections allowed them to become more confident with their target language(s); they also became stronger, humbler, and more flexible, and open-minded. In turn, they enhanced their communication skills and their ICC in their host communities. Their positive attributes and interpersonal connections helped them reflect on changes in their identities and frames of reference experiencing holistic TL. The study findings have the potential to inform the professional field of adult learning on how to incorporate learning spaces that promote interpersonal connections and learning through relationships to foster ICC and holistic TL.
dc.identifier.citation	Jardine, L. J. (2023). Exploring the intercultural and holistic Transformative Learning experiences of professional Colombian immigrants in Canada (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/1880/116628
dc.identifier.uri	https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/41471
dc.language.iso	en
dc.publisher.faculty	Werklund School of Education
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary
dc.rights	University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject	Immigration
dc.subject	Transformative Learning
dc.subject	Intercultural Communicative Competence
dc.subject	Colombian
dc.subject.classification	Education--Adult and Continuing
dc.subject.classification	Education--Bilingual and Multicultural
dc.subject.classification	Anthropology--Cultural
dc.subject.classification	Education--Higher
dc.title	Exploring the Intercultural and Holistic Transformative Learning Experiences of Professional Colombian Immigrants in Canada
dc.type	doctoral thesis
thesis.degree.discipline	Education Graduate Program – Educational Research
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Calgary
thesis.degree.name	Doctor of Education (EdD)
ucalgary.thesis.accesssetbystudent	I do not require a thesis withhold – my thesis will have open access and can be viewed and downloaded publicly as soon as possible.