Publications, Research & Reports

Summaries of interesting and useful research. Be better informed on a variety of topics. Use up to date research in your work.
GPT detectors are biased against non-native English writers (2023)
Posted on: May 27, 2023
In this study, the authos evaluate the performance of several widely-used GPT detectors using writing samples from native and non-native English writers. Their findings reveal that these detectors consistently misclassify non-native English writing samples as AI-generated, whereas native writing samples are accurately identified.
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3 diverse women sitting on steps working on laptop together, with text overlaid on image that reads Canadian Diversity: Technology in the Settlement Sector (2023)
Canadian Diversity: Technology in the Settlement Sector (2023)
Posted on: March 15, 2023
The articles in this edition of Canadian Diversity should provide you with some inspiration and ideas. You should want to learn more about the projects and research. Hopefully they will encourage you to share what you’re working on.
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Image of Black woman's hand holding smartphone with TikTok app open, with text overlaid on image that reads Examining TikTok’s Potential for Community-Engaged Digital Knowledge Mobilization With Equity-Seeking Groups (2021)
Examining TikTok’s Potential for Community-Engaged Digital Knowledge Mobilization With Equity-Seeking Groups (2021)
Posted on: March 5, 2023
This paper contributes to the growing literature on the use of social media for digital knowledge mobilization, drawing particular attention to TikTok and its unique potential for collaborative knowledge mobilization with underserved communities who experience barriers to health care and health inequities (eg, equity-seeking groups).
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Analog radio with person's hands, image text overlay reads From radio to artificial intelligence: review of innovative technology in literacy and education for refugees, migrants and internally displaced persons (2022)
From radio to artificial intelligence: review of innovative technology in literacy and education for refugees, migrants and internally displaced persons (2022)
By:
UNESCO  
Posted on: February 26, 2023
This report presents a review of relevant literature and an analysis of 25 programmes selected from across the world that have used innovative information and communication technologies (ICTs) in literacy and education for refugees, migrants and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
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Group of 4 people looking at tablet together
Informing and involving newcomers online: users' perspectives of Settlement.org (2005)
Posted on: February 5, 2023
This research explores newcomers' experiences in using information and communication technologies (ICTs) for settlement purposes. In particular, it focuses on their uses of Settlement.Org, a website that provides information and resources about settling in Ontario.
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3 racialized women looking at smartphone together
Settlement programming through the media (2007)
Posted on: February 3, 2023
This report examines the settlement-related content in different types of mainstream and ethnic media in Ontario to identify gaps in the current delivery of settlement media content.
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Racialized man and woman sitting in front of laptop looking at screen
Online Communications and Service Delivery in Canada’s Settlement Sector: The State of Affairs (2023)
Posted on: February 3, 2023
This study establishes a Canada-wide baseline for online platform usage, effectiveness and inclusiveness during the pandemic, with a particular focus on social media platforms.
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Revisiting Digital Inclusion: A Survey of Theory, Measurement and Recent Research (2022)
Posted on: December 12, 2022
This paper sets out a framework of core components of digital inclusion - including access/use, quality of access/use, affordability, and digital skills - and briefly considers policy implications.
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Mobile Learning Applications for Refugees: A Systematic Literature Review (2022)
Posted on: December 1, 2022
The authors sought to answer two questions about mobile learning for refugees: What are the recently existing mobile learning apps for refugees? What are the characteristics of the recent mobile learning apps for refugees?
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Black woman taking selfie with smartphone.
The Power of Digitalization in the Age of Physical Distancing (2020)
Posted on: November 30, 2022
This report highlights the various initiatives that both IOM and other organizations have taken, to provide resources and guidance for those looking to transition their activities online in the areas of migrant training, integration and social cohesion. It also presents some knowledge products and reports, and online campaigns that are particularly geared towards combatting hate speech towards migrants and misinformation on COVID-19.
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2 East Asian women and one Black woman having coffee and looking at a smartphone together
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Newcomer Access to Programs and Services in Scarborough - Needs Assessment Report (2022)
Posted on: November 28, 2022
The objective of the survey is to assess how has pandemic impacted access to services among newcomer who have limited access to technology and how digital literacy affect service accessibility.
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Newcomers and the digital divide (2022)
Posted on: November 28, 2022
This report explored how the digital divide has impacted Canadian newcomers, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Health-wellness resources on Canadian immigrant service provider organizations’ websites - A content, navigability, usability, and credibility analysis towards service & asset mapping (2022)
Posted on: September 26, 2022
As immigrants continue to seek information online, Immigrant service provider organizations (SPOs’) websites hold value in increasing the health literacy and health-wellness of immigrants. This research assessed the current state of immigrant SPOs’ websites as information infrastructures and reveals areas for improvement.
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Two women working on computer together
Settlement services provided to immigrants to Canada, 2020 (2022)
Posted on: August 11, 2022
The Longitudinal Immigration Database (IMDB) has incorporated data from IRCC's Settlement Program and Resettlement Assistance Program focusing on services accessed by recent immigrants up to April 2021. The current article examines the settlement services accessed by adult immigrants admitted from 2016 to 2020.
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2 students sitting on stairs talking with laptop
Bridging the Digital Divide - Segmenting and Recruiting International Millennial Students (2014)
Posted on: July 8, 2022
The purpose of this research report is to provide a framework for educational institutions to understand the different needs and behaviors of international Millennial student segments as a means of informing international student enrollment strategies.
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A Human Approach to Closing the Digital Divide (2022)
Posted on: June 29, 2022
In this report, the authors surveyed more than 1,500 people who have used programs staffed by Digital Navigators, and interviewed the leaders of more than 40 Digital Navigator programs to understand and evaluate the role impact Digital Navigators have had on addressing the digital divide.
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Young man
Exploring the Settlement Experiences and Information Practices of Afghan Newcomer Youth in Toronto (2021)
By:
Posted on: June 4, 2022
This study examines the settlement experiences and information practices of recently-arrived Afghan immigrant and refugee youth in Toronto. As part of this ethnographic study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven Afghan youth between the ages of 18 and 28 who had lived in Canada for less than 10 years.
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3 diverse people sitting at table together with laptop
SDG Digital Inclusion Framework (2020)
Posted on: April 9, 2022
This report provides commentary and recommendations on how the City of Toronto’s digital inclusion and digital equity initiatives can align to help accelerate progress towards UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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2 young diverse women looking at laptop together
Dimensions of Digital Inclusion: A Review of Research and Practice, Part 2 (2021)
By:
Posted on: April 9, 2022
This report offers insights on programs designed to increase digital inclusion, through a dual focus on digital literacy and on options to make services more affordable.
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Social media and internet usage rates on employment outcomes among newcomers to Canada (2022)
Posted on: April 9, 2022
This paper provides evidence from the 2018 Canadian Internet Use Survey on the effect of social media usage, internet usage for employment search and internet usage for training purposes on the employment of immigrants relative to the Canadian-born.
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Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence in Migration and Mobility: Transnational Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic (2021)
Posted on: November 29, 2021
This paper argues that recent changes brought about by COVID-19 highlight that computational advances need to incorporate human rights throughout design and development stages, extending well beyond technical feasibility. This also extends beyond tech company references to inclusivity and transparency and requires analysis of systemic risks to migration and mobility regimes arising from advances in AI and related technologies.
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Digital Messaging for Settlement and Integration (DMSI) Environmental Scan (2018) - smartphone with messaging app icons
Digital Messaging for Settlement and Integration (DMSI) Environmental Scan (2018)
Posted on: November 25, 2021
This scan provides a snapshot of the use of digital messaging in direct service delivery by Canadian Immigrant and Refugee-serving organizations.
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The Medium Is the Message - WeChat, YouTube, and Facebook Usage and Acculturation Outcomes (2021)
The Medium Is the Message - WeChat, YouTube, and Facebook Usage and Acculturation Outcomes (2021)
Posted on: October 13, 2021
Social media usage has been recognized as an integral part of immigrants’ acculturation experiences, yet research on social media is just emerging, and more detailed understanding is needed. In this report, researchers sought to understand how Chinese immigrants’ social media use influences their acculturation experiences. They looked at which social media platforms Chinese immigrants use and for what purposes, as well as what influence social media use has on their acculturation process in Canada. Their findings echo and reinforce what we have heard and know about newcomer use of social media and information practices, offering additional evidence and practical tips for immigrant and refugee-serving organizations.
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Overcoming Digital Divides (2021)
Overcoming Digital Divides (2021)
Posted on: August 21, 2021
This series highlights digital divides across Canada, in hopes that by recognizing the interrelated issues of internet access, adoption and quality, a clearer path toward meaningful digital inclusion and equity can better shape our technology governance and digital policies.
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Born in Facebook: The Refugee Crisis and Grassroots Connective Action in Hungary (2016)
Born in Facebook: The Refugee Crisis and Grassroots Connective Action in Hungary (2016)
Posted on: August 20, 2021
This article explores the impact of social networking sites on social movements and collective action. Literature on the subject ranges from celebratory claims to critical stances. However, the more sophisticated approach conceptualizing “connective action” broadens the theoretical scope. The case of Migration Aid, a Hungarian Facebook-based grassroots relief group for refugees, is such an example.
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COVID-19 and digital humanitarian action - Trends, risks and the path forward (2021)
COVID-19 and digital humanitarian action - Trends, risks and the path forward (2021)
By:
Posted on: August 20, 2021
The goal of this report is to look at how the Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation (M4H) portfolio shifted or maintained services in humanitarian contexts using mobile technology, and how  MNOs engaged in this process. It also explores current trends in digital humanitarian programming.
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The Role of Information in the Settlement Experiences of Refugee Students (2016)
The Role of Information in the Settlement Experiences of Refugee Students (2016)
Posted on: August 20, 2021
This exploratory pilot study is the beginning of a project to evaluate, designe and reconfigure information sources and how they are delivered to  facilitate essential information practices that aid the settlement process.
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Information and Communication Technology and the Social Inclusion of Refugees (2016)
Information and Communication Technology and the Social Inclusion of Refugees (2016)
Posted on: August 19, 2021
The social inclusion of newly resettled refugees is a significant issue confronting both refugees and their host societies. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are increasingly  viewed as a useful resource in programs that provide settlement services or promote participation in society. This paper moves beyond the conventional discussion on the digital divide to  explore what people are actually able to do and achieve with ICTs.
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Exploration of Newcomers’ Access to Internet Literacy (2012)
Exploration of Newcomers’ Access to Internet Literacy (2012)
Posted on: August 12, 2021
The purpose of this study was to examine how the distribution of resources within and outside an Enhanced Language Training Program (ELT) affected a group of newcomers’ access to Internet literacy development; and to discuss ensuing pedagogical and curricular implications for the ELT Program.
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Mobile communication and refugees: An analytical review of academic literature
Mobile communication and refugees: An analytical review of academic literature (2020)
Posted on: August 12, 2021
This article looks into ways in which existing studies address the possibilities and vulnerabilities of mobile communications, the social conditions, and the agency of refugees in engaging with mobile technologies in the different temporal and spatial dimensions of their migration trajectories.
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Access to Technology for Service Providers and Newcomers (2020)
Access to Technology for Service Providers and Newcomers (2020)
Posted on: August 12, 2021
This report is based on results from two online surveys (one for service providers and one for newcomers) supplemented by phone interviews with newcomers who have been unable to access remote services. The report outlines the extent to which the transition to online service delivery has impacted newcomers, especially those in vulnerable situations in the Toronto area.
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Digital Inclusion of Refugees Resettling to Canada: Opportunities and Barriers (2021)
Digital Inclusion of Refugees Resettling to Canada: Opportunities and Barriers (2021)
Posted on: July 3, 2021
This report looked at the opportunities and limitations of digital tools in the Organization for Migration (IOM) Canadian Orientation Abroad Programme's (COA) Pre-Departure Orientation Training for refugees coming to Canada.
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What are the Settlement Experiences of Newly Settled Newcomers to Western Canada (2014)
Posted on: September 24, 2020
The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the settlement experiences of immigrants, such as their use and satisfaction with settlement services and how these services may influence integration into educational institutions, the labour market and the wider society and to examine common trends within five Canadian data sets.
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Collectively Figuring It Out: Foreign-Trained Health Professionals and Labour Market Integration (2015)
Collectively Figuring It Out: Foreign-Trained Health Professionals and Labour Market Integration (2015)
Posted on: September 24, 2020
The researchers examined the nature of information in foreign-trained health professionals’ lives as they attempt to integrate into the North American labor market and the role that online discussion forums play in channeling the discussions.
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Including Immigrants in Canadian Society: What Role do ICTs Play? (2007)
Posted on: September 24, 2020
This report examines how and why immigrants to Canada make use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) as they move through the stages of immigration.
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Who is Succeeding in the Canadian Labour Market? Predictors of Career Success for Skilled Immigrants (2019)
Posted on: August 25, 2020
This study is intended to inform Canadian policy and practice with respect to skilled immigrants, and to increase awareness among prospective immigrants of the factors that are associated with labour force success.
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Improving Immigrant Inclusion in the Workplace (2019)
Posted on: August 25, 2020
This project aimed to uncover organizational practices and strategies to facilitate immigrant attraction, inclusion and retention.
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Leveraging Technology for Refugee Integration: How Can We Help? (2016)
Posted on: August 12, 2020
The question of how ICT can be deployed for refugees’ integration is difficult one to answer. This panel looked at how the knowledge accumulated by the IS community can be leveraged to design targeted technological solutions to tackle this crisis and avoid the potential risks associated with it.
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Taking Refuge in Technology: Communication Practices in Refugee Camps and Immigration Detention (2011)
By:
Posted on: May 27, 2020
When asylum seekers and refugees are displaced, how do they use communication technologies to maintain links with friends and family during flight and forced migration? When they are detained, what role does technology play in the ways asylum seekers communicate with the "outside"?
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A Systematic Literature Review on Immigrants' Motivation for ICT Adoption and Use (2016)
A Systematic Literature Review on Immigrants' Motivation for ICT Adoption and Use (2016)
Posted on: May 26, 2020
In this study, the researcher sought to answer these questions: What motivates immigrants to use information and communication technology (ICT)? What are the factors that influence immigrants’ ICT behaviors?
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Navigating a new life: Syrian refugees and their smartphones in Vienna (2018)
Navigating a new life: Syrian refugees and their smartphones in Vienna (2018)
Posted on: May 23, 2020
This paper presents findings from a qualitative interview study with Syrian refugees who settled in Vienna, Austria.
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Research and Recommendations for: Leveraging Technology to Support Refugee Youth in the Middle East and East Africa
Research and Recommendations for: Leveraging Technology to Support Refugee Youth in the Middle East and East Africa (2018)
Posted on: February 22, 2020
This paper provides a small contribution to supporting the further development and delivery of programs for refugee youth prior to their arrival in Canada. How to leverage technology securely and safely to provide additional support for refugee youth coming to Canada, taking advantage of the pre-arrival time, and current and future partnerships with government agencies and other involved organizations.
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Integration Barriers and Information as a Solution: Report Based on Literature Covering 2005-2011 Inclusive
Integration Barriers and Information as a Solution: Report Based on Literature Covering 2005-2011 Inclusive
Posted on: February 22, 2020
This report is a synthesis of recent literature on how information can be used to address settlement and integration barriers experienced by newcomers to Canada.
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Syrian Refugee Youth Use Social Media: Building Transcultural Spaces and Connections for Resettlement in Ottawa, Canada
Syrian Refugee Youth Use Social Media: Building Transcultural Spaces and Connections for Resettlement in Ottawa, Canada
Posted on: February 22, 2020
In this paper, the authors examine the role of social media in facilitating and building transcultural communication and connections for forced migrants in today’s contexts of resettlement. The authors' focus is on recently resettled Syrian refugee youth in Ottawa, who arrived in Canada as part of a federal government resettlement initiative in 2015-2016.
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Agency of the Future Report by the Information and Communications Technology Committee
Agency of the Future Report by the Information and Communications Technology Committee
Posted on: February 6, 2020
This report focuses on the work undertaken by the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Committee of the Agency of the Future (AoF) Project. The AoF Project is a national initiative being developed collaboratively by the Pathways to Prosperity research consortium, settlement service providers and settlement umbrella associations.
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Supporting Recent Immigrants In Their Effort To Access Information On Health And Health-Related Services: The Case Of 211 Toronto
Posted on: December 17, 2019
This study examines the importance of access to information about health and health-related services as an enabler of access to health care, in a highly multicultural setting.
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Final Report for the Print Campaign to Promote Newcomer Information Centres, Findhelp Information Services, & Settlement.org
Final Report for the Print Campaign to Promote Newcomer Information Centres, Findhelp Information Services, & Settlement.org
Posted on: December 17, 2019
Jangles Productions was contracted by Citizenship and Immigration Canada Ontario Region in August of 2009 to conduct a print campaign to promote three settlement services.
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The Internet as Effective Medium for Distribution of Integral Information to New Immigrants
Posted on: December 12, 2019
This Scoping Review discusses the effective use of the Internet for the provision of integral information to new immigrants.
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