Slide 1
WORKING STRATEGIES OF COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AIMED TO
REALIZE IMMIGRANTS SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING AS A WAY TO SOLVE THE
PROBLEMS OF SOCIO-CULTURAL INTEGRATION
Aist Bartkeviien1, Vilma ydinait2 1iauliai university
(LITHUANIA)2Vytautas Magnus university (LITHUANIA)
Constantly ongoing migration encourages the development of
discourse on immigrant integration, with the object of such
discourse focused on the problems of immigrant integration and the
search for ways to solve them. Scientific analysis of sources
indicates that immigrants who come to a new country face the
problems of socio-cultural integration: a language barrier problem
(Esser, 2006; Maydell-Stevens et al., 2007), an acculturation
problem (Berry, 1986; Zapf, 1991; Zapf, 1993), a social isolation
problem (Maydell-Stevens et al., 2007), the societys negative
attitude and the problems of discrimination (Espanshade and
Calhoun, 1993; Horenczyk, 1996; Esses et al., 2001; Yakushko, 2009;
Wilkes and Corrigall-Brown, 2011). RELEVANCE OF THE RESEARCH The
scientific discourse suggests solving the problems of
socio-cultural integration of immigrants through their opportunity
to learn the host country's language (Esser, 2006; Adamuti-Trache,
2013), volunteer work (Handy and Greenspan, 2009; Greenspan et al.,
2011), active participation in the activities of ethnic communities
(Sinacore et al., 2009), and providing individual social support
(Hernndez-Plaza et al., 2005). However, the authors of this article
assume that the key to resolution of socio-cultural integration of
immigrants is self-directed learning (hereinafter - SDL), which
incorporates internal and external resources necessary for rational
problem solving.RELEVANCE OF THE RESEARCH Even though SDL of
immigrants is substantiated by empirical research, it is
fragmentary and contextual. In the context of education science, an
important role should be carried out by community-based
organizations seeking to solve the problems of socio-cultural
integration by strategies/learning activities which can encourage
immigrants to realize SDL, using a variety of learning resources.
In this way, immigrants can maintain their ethnic culture, learn
themselves, and teach others; deal with social problems of living
in the host country; and develop their and others
citizenship.RELEVANCE OF THE RESEARCH What strategies initiated by
community-based organizations and based on learning activities
encourage SDL of immigrants?RESEARCH QUESTION Research aim - to
reveal immigrants' SDL opportunities that focus on the solution of
their socio-cultural integration problems in community-based
organizations.RESEARCH AIM Sample. A purposeful sampling strategy
was employed. The research involved immigrants who came to
Lithuania from non-EU countries and are studying in higher
education, are engaged in lawful activities (working in Lithuania),
or came to the country for family reunification. Interviewees had
to meet the following three criteria: 1) immigrants participating
in the activities and workshops for at least three months that are
organized by centers for immigrants and ethnic communities located
in Lithuania; 2) immigrants with temporary or permanent residence
permits in the Republic of Lithuania; 3) immigrants who came to
Lithuania from non-European Union countries. Thirteen participants
took part in the research, with an average age of 32.4. By gender,
participants included 8 men and 5 women.METHODOLOGY OF THE
RESEARCH
Methods. Qualitative research design was applied. Data were
collected and analyzed performing the methodological procedures of
grounded theory. The data were collected through semi-structured
interviews, which sought to understand the informants' views,
opinions, evaluations and experience (Brinkmann and Kvale, 2014).
The obtained data were analyzed by coding procedures. The data
analysis consisted of three stages of coding: open coding, when the
categories are distinguished; axial coding, when the categories are
combined; and selective coding, when the central category is
developed (Strauss and Corbin, 1998).
METHODOLOGY OF THE RESEARCH
In analyzing the research data, three qualitative categories
which show the working strategies/learning activities of
community-based organizations became apparent, including:
ethno-cultural education, social education, and civic education.
FINDINGS The ethno-cultural education strategy of community-based
organizations is linked with the need for events which encourage
cooperation between immigrants and the host society, and the need
for activities aimed at learning the host country's culture; and
with the need for activities which cultivate the ethnic and
cultural identity of immigrants, and which afford SDL realization
possibilities to immigrants. This means that ethno-cultural
education strategy encourages immigrants SDL, which is
characterized by the solution of socio-cultural integration
problems of immigrants, based on the development of multicultural
competence. FINDINGS The part of community-based organizations
operating strategy that is focused on social education incorporates
social problems of immigrants and their solutions, the need for
study courses on the host country's legal system, need for
communication, and the need for knowledge about the community of
residence. In this way, social education strategy encourages SDL of
immigrants through the development of social relationships,
interpersonal communication with support professionals, internet
programs, adaptation to achieve familiarity with the community of
residence, and is not only focused on the solution of
socio-cultural integration problems, but also on the actualization
of learning needs. FINDINGS The part of community-based
organizations operating strategy that is focused on civic education
is related to active immigrant participation in events about the
host state, its society and volunteering. In the context of this
strategy immigrants are seeking to gain knowledge and learn about
the host country and its society, to obtain relevant information
related to their lives in the host country, and to meet the needs
of personal growth and development through voluntary activities.
This means that the latter strategy enables immigrants to implement
SDL, the primary purpose of which becomes actualization of personal
learning needs, and the secondary purpose of which becomes the
solution of socio-cultural integration problems. FINDINGS The
ethno-cultural education, social education and civic education
strategies initiated by community-based organizations, which are
focused on actualization of immigrants cultural, social, civic and
educational needs are relevant in the context of immigrant
integration. These strategies promote the realization of
immigrants' SDL, which is characterized by the incorporation of
internal resources (personal experience of the immigrant) and
external resources (professional advice, mentoring, discussion
groups, group tours, social networks, information technology
programs, films) into the socio-cultural integration
problem-solving process at the individual, collective and societal
levels.
CONCLUSION The working strategies of community-based
organizations that encourage SDL of immigrants, when focused on
solving the problems of socio-cultural integration, are an
effective tool in policy for immigrants' education. CONCLUSION
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