Equity, diversity, and inclusion are becoming commonplace in higher education across Canada, and included in this policy are LGBTQ considerations. Little is known about the experiences of lesbian and gay faculty and students in Continuing Education (CE). In order to address this gap, this presentation introduces and discusses a CAUCE funded research project conducted to understand the struggles and accomplishments of both lesbian and gay male faculty and students in University Continuing Education. Six CE Instructors and six CE students were recruited to participate in in-depth interviews from universities across western Canada. Using grounded theory for data analysis, two broad themes emerged:
- CE in Western Canada excludes LGBTQ content in their student and instructor orientation processes despite being placed in “progressive” institutions; and
- safety concerns appear commonplace in such environments due to the heteronormative organizational culture of CE.
Despite these drawbacks, study participants demonstrated strategies to minimize risk and find safety and support. Study findings suggest that CE review its work and learning structures to include queer-inclusive pedagogies and content.
Moderator: Alison Brophey, Program Coordinator, University of Victoria
Presenter: Robert Mizzi, Associate Professor, University of Manitoba
Date: April 21, 2020, 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm EST
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Established in 1962, the Research Fund is made up of contributions from member institutions. Contributions are calculated at 12% of the institutional membership fee and are added to the annual invoice for the membership fee. Submissions are accepted twice per year with deadlines of November 15th and February 15th.