Mobile Technology for Social Inclusion of Migrants in the Age of Globalization: A Case Study of Newly Arrived Healthcare Professionals in Sweden

• In 2015–2016, an increased number of migrants entered the European Union. Supporting them in entering host societies and enhancing their social inclusion is a challenge. An essential inclusionary step is providing language and host culture training for the newcomers as well as supporting them in making contacts with locals. Mobile technology, due to its accessibility, can be a bridging tool between migrants and host societies. This study investigates the needs of a specific group of migrants—namely, newly arrived health care professionals (HCPs)—in terms of employability and integration into the labour market. Further, it reports on a user test conducted to explore how a specific mobile application “Welcome!” meets these needs and promotes HCPs’ integration into Swedish society. A qualitative methodology based on semi-structured focus group interviews and questionnaires with HCPs was used. The results show that the respondents express strong needs in language for specific purposes and intercultural communication training in relation to the healthcare context as well as in making contacts with professionals, which can be beneficial to obtaining employment. As the app provides opportunities for more general language training and contacts with locals, the participants showed little interest in using it. The study gives suggestions for developing mobile tools for supporting social inclusion of highly educated migrants, emphasizing the need to consider specific subpopulations in the design of mobile applications for migrant integration.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Internationell migration och etniska relationer (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- International Migration and Ethnic Relations (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap -- Kommunikationsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Media and Communications -- Communication Studies (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Övrig annan samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Lärande (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Learning (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Social Inclusion

Migrants

Health Care Professionals (HCPs)

Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL)

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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