September 2016 – May 2020

EAOC project was the first extensive study on immigrants at universities in Iceland. The aim of the study was to provide deep insight into immigrant students’ experiences of the education process and learning environments in the three Icelandic universities. Further, it explored which teaching methods the participants considered to be relevant and empowering. The findings made a significant contribution to the discussion about immigrant students’ positions in higher education in Iceland and to the general dialogue on teaching and learning, especially in the light of the emphasis on learner-centred approaches to teaching. 

My doctoral dissertation entitled “It is not only the Teacher who is Talking; It is an Exchange”: Immigrant Students’ Experiences of Learning Environments and Teaching Methods used in Icelandic Universities was a part of the EAOC-project.

This project was funded by the Icelandic Centre for Research RANNÍS.

Participants:

• First-generation immigrants:
  • 23 different countries (Europe, Asia, Americas)
  • Full-time students (i.e. not exchange students)
  • University of Iceland, University of Akureyri, Reykjavík University
  • 29 female and 12 male participants
  • Age 20 to 52 years old
• Staff members in the three universities, including teachers, student counsellors, international officers.

Methodology:

• Qualitative research
• 7 focus group interviews with 41 students
• 35 individual semi-structured interviews
• 3 focus group interviews repeated
• 16 individual semi-structured interviews with teachers, student counsellors and other staff members.

Research Team:

• Hanna Ragnarsdóttir (project leader)
• Artëm Ingmar Benediktsson
• Anna Katarzyna Wozniczka
• Anh-Đào Trần
• Börkur Hansen
• Kriselle Lou Suson Jónsdóttir
• Susan Rafik Hama

Publications:

Benediktsson, A. I. (2021). Establishing a multicultural learning environment based on active knowledge exchange and mutual trust between teachers and students. Nordic Journal of Comparative and International Education (NJCIE), 5(2), 79–85. https://doi.org/10.7577/njcie.4348

Benediktsson, A. I., & Ragnarsdóttir, H. (2020). Immigrant students’ experiences of assessment methods used in Icelandic universities. Multicultural Education Review, 12(2), 98–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/2005615X.2020.1756090  

Benediktsson, A. I., & Ragnarsdóttir, H. (2020). Icelandic as a second language: University students’ experiences. Tímarit um uppeldi og menntun, 29(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.24270/tuuom.2020.29.1

Hama, S. R., Benediktsson, A. I., Hansen, B., Jónsdóttir, K. L. S., & Ragnarsdóttir, H. (2020). Formal and informal support at Icelandic universities: Experiences of staff members and immigrant students. Tímarit um uppeldi og menntun, 29(1), 45–64. https://doi.org/10.24270/tuuom.2020.29.3

Ragnarsdóttir, H., Tran, A.-D., & Jónsdóttir, K. L. S. (2020). From [non] policy to practice: Staff’s perspectives on support and services for students of immigrant background in Icelandic universities. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 19(3), 343–354. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2020.1831904 

Benediktsson, A. I., Wozniczka, A. K., Tran, A.-D., & Ragnarsdóttir, H. (2019). Immigrant students’ experiences of higher education in Iceland: Why does culturally responsive teaching matter? Nordic Journal of Comparative and International Education (NJCIE), 3(2), 37–54. https://doi.org/10.7577/njcie.2850

Benediktsson, A. I., & Ragnarsdóttir, H. (2019). Communication and group work in the multicultural classroom: Immigrant students’ experiences. European Journal of Educational Research, 8(2), 453–465. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.8.2.453

Benediktsson, A. I., Wozniczka, A. K., Jónsdóttir, K. L. S., & Ragnarsdóttir, H. (2018). Kennsla og stuðningur í íslenskum háskólum – Reynsla innflytjenda. Netla – Veftímarit um uppeldi og menntun. https://doi.org/10.24270/netla.2018.5

Wozniczka, A. K., & Ragnarsdóttir, H. (2016). Lög, stefna og úrræði í málefnum háskólanema af erlendum uppruna í þremur háskólum á Íslandi. Ráðstefnurit Netlu – Menntakvika 2016. https://opinvisindi.is/handle/20.500.11815/1967