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Black, Zachary R. "Student Perceptions of Short-Term Study Abroad Experiences." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1377268605.
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Lostetter, Elizabeth Nora 1983. "Gender Differences in Students' Experiences of Study Abroad." Thesis, University of Oregon, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1794/10678.
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vii, 84 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number.<br>In the age of globalization, it is more important than ever that students gain skills
that enable them to communicate with people from other cultures. This research explored
the experiences of study abroad participants and the special challenges that men and
women faced during a study abroad program in Italy. While women's and men's
experiences are similar in many ways, women's heightened concern for their own
physical safety could lead to greater gains in intercultural competency. In addition,
women may have had increased interactions with people from other cultures. Men are
capable of gaining intercultural competency if they prioritize intercultural interaction and
take steps to seek it out.<br>Committee in Charge:
Dr. Kathie Carpenter, Chair;
Dr. Robert Davis;
Kathy Poole
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Fagan, Catherine A. "The long-term effects of study abroad experiences on career, educational, and travel choices." Scholarly Commons, 2002. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/561.
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Peacock, Jessica Ivy. "Corporate Recruiters' Perceived Value of Study Abroad and International Travel Experiences." NCSU, 2005. http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/theses/available/etd-04282005-132601/.
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The purpose of this study was to develop a comprehensive listing of the character traits and personal gains students who participate in study abroad have claimed to acquire from international trips abroad (from secondary data sources) and to determine whether these are congruent with the desires of corporate recruiters and hiring managers. This study was also used to determine if and how corporate criteria is used to evaluate study abroad/international travel experiences during the resume portion of interviews. Conclusions were made from the results of personal interviews regarding the themes which emerge about travel/study abroad and employability. This study contributed to a general understanding of company interviewing procedures and the role study abroad and international travel experiences associated with studying abroad during interviews. Recommendations were made based on interaction between human resource directors, hiring managers and campus recruiters during the interview process of this study.
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Lee, Won Jin. "Exploring Korean Early Study Abroad Students' Perceptions on Their Experiences During Their Adaptation Period in the United States." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77436.
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Korea's intense quest for globalization, combined with rapid growth in economic
development, has caused the number of young students (secondary school age and
younger) leaving Korea for overseas study to rise steadily in recent years. This
phenomenon of young Korean students studying overseas is termed jogi yuhak, which
can be directly translated as Early Study Abroad (ESA). The phenomenon of ESA has
stirred both interests and concerns to Korean society for more than a decade. At the same
time, American schools are beginning to see more of these ESA students in their
classrooms, as a result of the United States being the preferred destination country for
more than one-third of the ESA students in Korea. Although the growing presence of
ESA students in school classrooms has begun to attract increasing attention from
educators and researchers in the United States, there are no clear statistics investigating
the numbers of ESA students in the United States, and that most school officials are even
unaware of the trend. The qualitative phenomenological study was used to explore the
lived experiences of Korean ESA students in the United States in relation to their
adaption to their new environment, as well as the factors that they perceive to help or
challenge them in attaining successful adaption. Ten Korean Early Study Abroad
(KESA) students attending schools in the Washington Metropolitan region were recruited
for this study, and face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather
information regarding experiences and perceptions of KESA students in the United States.
Findings show that most KESA students feel that having friends, participating in
extracurricular activities and maintaining contacts with their families and friends in
Korea using social media and instant messaging helped them as they made the transition
into American culture. Students also indicated that the language barrier, being away
from family, not owning a car, difficulty keeping in touch with old friends, cultural
differences and racism are the most serious challenges for them during their adaptation
period. This research documents the unique challenges faced by KESA students and
provide a helpful guideline for counselors and educators working with ESA students from
Korea, as well as indicate the directions that should be pursued by further research.<br>Ph. D.
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Barone, Nicole. "Jumping on the Opportunity: The Study Abroad Experiences of Community College Students of Color." Thesis, Boston College, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/2345/bc-ir:109081.
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Thesis advisor: Heather Rowan-Kenyon<br>Community college students comprise over 40 percent of undergraduates in the U.S. but account for less than two percent of undergraduates who study abroad (Community College Research Center, 2020; Open Doors, 2020). Additionally, students of color are overrepresented in the two-year sector (Ma & Baum, 2016). While study abroad participation has been examined in terms of which students study abroad (Barclay Hamir & Gozik, 2018; Salisbury et al., 2011) and students’ decision-making process (Luo & Jamieson-Drake, 2014; Stroud, 2010), much of this literature centers on four-year colleges and universities. Several studies have investigated the factors that influence study abroad participation at the community college level from both the student and institutional perspective (Amani, 2011; Amani & Kim, 2017; Raby, 2012, 2019, 2020; Whatley, 2018a). However, of the studies that examined study abroad participation factors from the student perspective, few interrogated how racial or ethnic identity shaped the students’ experiences throughout the study abroad decision-making process. With the exception of a handful of studies (e.g., Willis, 2012), little is known about the experiences of community college students of color who have studied abroad. This Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) (Smith et al., 2009) study sought to address this gap in the literature by examining how community college students of color navigate the study abroad decision-making process. Guided by Yosso’s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth framework, this study examined the experiences of eight community college students of color at a single community college in the Southwest. Two semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with each participant, and data were analyzed using the IPA data analysis process (Smith et al., 2009). The findings indicate that the students in this study activated familial, linguistic, aspirational, and social capital when navigating both the study abroad decision-making process and their time abroad. The participants’ racial and ethnic identities, as well as systemic factors, influenced their decision to study abroad in particular destinations and shaped their study abroad experiences. This study offers a nuanced understanding of the experiences of community college students of color who have studied abroad and how they employ cultural wealth to overcome systemic barriers to studying abroad. Implications for higher education practice, research, and theory are offered<br>Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021<br>Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education<br>Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education
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Walker, Natasha Nicole. "Managing the Study-Abroad Experience: An Investigation of the Role Pressures Experienced by Japanese Educational Programme Coordinators in a Non-Profit Organisation in Japan, in Response to non-Japanese students." Thesis, Griffith University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367935.
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The aim of this study is to investigate the role pressures experienced by two Japanese Educational Programme Coordinators, JEPCA and JEPCB, who work in a Non-Profit Organisation in a small Host City in Japan. The Non-Profit Organisation sponsors a Study-Abroad Japanese Language Programme for non-Japanese students enrolled in universities in the United States. The broad research question was “How do Japanese Educational Programme Coordinators of a Study-Abroad Japanese Language Programme conceptualise their role pressures in a Non-Profit Organisation in Japan, in response to non-Japanese Students?”
Role theory was applied to four education-related industries that were similar to the organisational functions of the Non-Profit Organisation. This was done to elucidate the potential sources of role pressures for JEPCA and JEPCB. Subsequently, non-Japanese students’ demands were analysed with Content Analyses of 60 Postal Applications and negative e-mails from a sample of 10 male and 10 female students. The One-on-One Interviews with JEPCA and JEPCB provided data on their perceived role pressures in relation to non-Japanese students.
The results show that JEPCB conceptualised his role pressures in terms of his interpersonal relationships with the non-Japanese students. JEPCA, however, conceptualised her role pressures in terms of her administrative duties, and her ability to manage a successful Study-Abroad Japanese Language Programme. She expressed her anxiety about being able to provide non-Japanese students with adequate housing, one of their most basic needs while living in Japan. Her account led this researcher to conclude that the Study-Abroad Japanese Language Programme is a community project, and so it was necessary to manage the activities of various members of the Host City community in order to care for non-Japanese students.
This dissertation concludes with an evaluation of the study, critical comments on the Homestay Component of the Study-Abroad Japanese Language Programme, and recommendations for future research.<br>Thesis (Professional Doctorate)<br>Doctor of Education (EdD)<br>School of Education and Professional Studies<br>Arts, Education and Law<br>Full Text
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Añorga, Angel Gamaliel. "Students’ Self-Efficacy Perceptions of Second Language Learning: Experiences in a Short-term Study Abroad." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1459438207.
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Guzman, Nicole A. "Perceptions of Short-Term Study Abroad Experiences on Intercultural Competence in School Psychology Graduate Students." University of Dayton / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1532359634274784.
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Shougee, Mahamood. "The experiences, meanings and outcomes of studying abroad, a qualitative multiple-case study." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1999. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp04/nq41043.pdf.
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Anderson, Haley. "Reflecting on international educative experiences: developing cultural competence in pre-service early childhood educators." Kansas State University, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/35041.
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Master of Science<br>School of Family Studies and Human Services<br>Bronwyn S. Fees<br>The purpose of this literature review was to examine existing literature related to international experiences of early childhood pre-service educators. Given the unique opportunity for study abroad as a potential part of the college or university curriculum, the present discussion focuses on the question: what is the relationship between international experiences and pre-service early childhood educators’ cultural competence? More specifically, the following sub-questions were examined: 1) How is cultural competence defined across the literature? 2) What theories are applied to understand the effect of international experiences on the cultural competence of pre-service educators? 3) What pedagogical strategies are most frequently applied to develop cultural competence among pre-service educators? 4) What evidence is provided that pre-service educators changed (if at all) as a consequence of international immersion? A systematic literature search was conducted to locate original published studies that reported on the cultural competence of pre-service early childhood educators after international experiences. Detailed analysis of the articles revealed positive outcomes on pre-service educators who engaged in international educative experiences. Pedagogical strategies such as immersion and critical reflection led to pre-service educators’ self-reports of gains in personal and professional growth, cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, and cultural competence. These findings warrant consideration by higher education, teacher education programs, and practice and research organizations. Further research examining the longevity of impact of international experiences on early childhood educator cultural competence in the classroom is suggested.
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Domville-Roach, Evelyn. "A Comparative Study of International and American Study Abroad Students' Expectations and Experiences with Host Countries." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2007. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2040.
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This was a comparative study of international and American study abroad students' experiences and expectations with the host countries. The rationale for this study was to acquire a deeper understanding of different experiences of students who study abroad and to understand whether their expectations of the host country have an impact on their experiences. An opportunity sample of American study abroad and international students was selected from the United States student population and their expectations and experiences of the host country compared. The study addressed 6 research questions, using a mixed-method approach. The principal instrument for the investigation was the Cross-Cultural Participant Questionnaire conducted online. Associated hypotheses with the research questions were analyzed using Independent sample ttests and Paired samples t-tests at an alpha level of .05 and the results were described using descriptive statistics. The open-ended questions were analyzed according to established qualitative techniques.
The survey was completed by 421 respondents comprised of 155 international students, 252 American study abroad students, and 14 unknown labeled as others. The results of this study identified language fluency, building relationships with the host nationals, learning about a new culture, and personal change as significant expectations of the students. Overall, the students reported being satisfied with the services provided. International students were slightly more satisfied with access to support services than the American study abroad students. American study abroad students had experiences that closer matched their expectations of study abroad than was the case for international students.
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Fagan, Catherine A. "The long-term effects of study abroad experiences on career, educational, and travel choices : a thesis." Scholarly Commons, 2001. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/561.
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Silva, Robson Ribeiro da. "SECOND LANGUAGE IDENTITY AND STUDY ABROAD: BRAZILIAN EXPERIENCES IN THE SCIENCE WITHOUT BORDERS PROGRAM." Instituto de Letras, 2017. http://repositorio.ufba.br/ri/handle/ri/26609.
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Dissertação - Robson.pdf: 1750260 bytes, checksum: bd1ee2f260e028a05e0040b93075ffd3 (MD5)<br>Higher education internationalization policies in Brazil have contributed significantly to boost international student mobility in the last decades. Aside from being considered a unique opportunity to acquire language proficiency, international mobility, along with its potential variables in L2 learning, has become the study focus of a new research field: Study Abroad (FREED, 1995; DUFOND, CHURCHILL, 2006). This area, which followed the trail cleared by SLA studies, started to catch the attention of applied linguists from the mid 1990s onwards. L2 identity, a key construct in this study, shows even more complex dimensions in intercultural contact in Study Abroad contexts. This study aimed to investigate how past participants of the Science Without Borders (SWB), the first Brazilian international mobility program launched by the Ministry of Education (MEC), refashioned their L2 identities. The impact of such experiences during the program in the deconstruction of language ideals held by the students was also studied, considering that linguistic exchanges took place between native and non-native speakers of English in a complex network of interactions. The research data were collected through a questionnaire and an interview, which were carried out with six past participants of the program and were eventually analyzed in the light of qualitative research. This study also approached the binarisms proposed by two SLA theoretical frameworks which have the native speaker as the only reference for the learner. The tenets of the CAT - Communication Accommodation Theory (GILES et al., 1987) and the AM - Acculturation Model (SCHUMANN, 1978), which suggest that L2 speaker linguistic competence is linked to how they adapt their way of speaking to that of the target language and culture, were approached and revisited. The results of this research indicated that, although the figure of the native speaker is still the main representation of English language and culture influencing Brazilians’ mentality, it was not the only one. Moreover, this study demonstrated that the SA experiences helped participants rethink their language learning beliefs and myths by relativizing English native speech patterns as absolute models. The interactions with speakers from different ethnolinguistic backgrounds afforded by the SWB were crucial to the reconstruction of their L2 identities through English.<br>As políticas de internacionalização do ensino superior no Brasil têm colaborado significativamente para a intensificação da mobilidade estudantil internacional nas últimas décadas. Além de ser considerada uma oportunidade ímpar para se adquirir proficiência linguística, a mobilidade internacional, incluindo as possíveis variáveis no aprendizado de L2 nesse contexto, se tornou foco de estudo de um novo campo de pesquisa: Study Abroad (FREED, 1995; DUFOND, CHURCHILL, 2006). Essa área, que seguiu as trilhas deixadas pelos estudos sobre Aquisição de L2, passou a chamar a atenção de linguistas aplicados a partir de meados dos anos 1990. A identidade linguística em L2, construto chave deste estudo, apresenta dimensões ainda mais complexas no contato intercultural especialmente em contextos de mobilidade internacional. O presente estudo teve como principal objetivo investigar de que forma ex-participantes do Ciência Sem Fronteiras (CSF), primeiro programa brasileiro de mobilidade estudantil internacional promovido pelo Ministério da Educação (MEC), tiveram suas identidades linguísticas em inglês reconstruídas. O impacto das experiências durante o programa na desconstrução de ideais em relação ao inglês por parte dos então estudantes também foi estudado, uma vez que a troca linguística ocorreu entre nativos e não-nativos de língua inglesa em uma rede complexa de interações. Os dados da pesquisa foram obtidos por meio de aplicação de questionários e realização de entrevistas com seis egressos do referido programa, analisados sob a ótica da pesquisa qualitativa. O trabalho problematizou ainda os binarismos propostos por dois modelos teóricos sobre aquisição de L2 que têm o falante nativo como única referência para o aprendiz. Os pressupostos da Teoria de Acomodação da Comunicação (GILES et al., 1987) e do Modelo de Aculturação (SCHUMANN, 1978), que advogam que a competência linguística do falante de L2 está diretamente ligada à forma como ele se aproxima da língua alvo e cultura meta, foram examinados e revistos. Os resultados da pesquisa apontaram para o fato de que, apesar de a figura do falante nativo como modelo a ser seguido ainda ser a principal representação de língua e cultura inglesas no imaginário brasileiro, ela não foi a única. Além disso, o trabalho demonstrou que as experiências em contextos de mobilidade internacional possibilitaram aos participantes rever crenças e mitos em relação ao aprendizado de línguas a partir da relativização dos padrões nativos de inglês como modelos absolutos. As interações com falantes de diversas origens etnolinguísticas proporcionadas pelo CSF foram decisivas para a (re)construção de suas identidades linguísticas em inglês.
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Du, Rand Sussara Maria. "Standards to facilitate optimal experiences of short-term study abroad nursing students at a higher education institution." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020659.
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Advances in technology have made globalization and internationalization a reality in the world. National borders are becoming more permeable and migration of goods, services, and health care workers takes place more readily. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have become competitors and vendors in the global knowledge economy and are expected to develop job seekers that are responsible and engaged global citizens and employees. Offering study abroad programmes is one of the ways that HEIs achieve this goal. It is estimated that in 2010, 4.7 million people studied abroad (OECD, 2012:360), and it is anticipated that this number will grow to 15 million by the year 2025 (Altbach & Knight, 2006:9). South Africa is emerging as a regional hub for study and research in sub-Saharan Africa (UNESCO: 2012b). Many organizations that train nurses are internationalizing their curriculum which effectively means that Schools of Nursing are seeking placement for students to study, gain insight into other cultures and practices, and to gain clinical experience in other countries. Students, the customers of the Higher Education Institutions, often pay large sums of money to undertake these study abroad programmes and therefore expect good quality learning experiences in return. The aim of this qualitative, contextual, exploratory, and descriptive study was to explore and describe the expectations and experiences of international nursing students and faculty members at a Higher Educational Institution in South Africa in order to develop standards that will enable HEIs to optimize the experiences of short-term study abroad nursing students. An in-depth contextual investigation was conducted on globalization and internationalization, as well as the higher education and health systems of three countries to understand the context of the study abroad programmes. Qualitative data was gathered from students and faculty members using focus groups and individual interviews to establish their expectations and experiences of the programme. Thematic synthesis was carried out on the contextual data and the qualitative data. Thereafter, thematic synthesis analysis was conducted using both sets of results to develop standards that can be used to optimize the experience of short-term study abroad nursing students at a HEI. A total of 35 standards were developed around the following main themes: the objectives of study abroad programmes should be stated clearly before arrival and include the expectations of the global, national, and local communities, the higher education institution and the staff and students; study abroad programmes should be managed in an ethical manner and in an enabling environment, as part of their strategic goals and plans of a HEI; students should be exposed to a variety of experiences and differences between the sending and hosting countries during their study abroad programmes; Standards to Facilitate Optimal Experiences of Short-term Study Abroad Nursing Students at a HEI; study abroad programmes should be evaluated at different intervals and levels to ensure quality of the programmes and to ensure that the objectives/outcomes are met. A limitation of the study was the sampling of the clinical mentors which did not include representatives from the overseas universities. It is recommended that the standards that were developed in this study be introduced and tested in HEIs and that more research be conducted on different levels and groups with regard to study abroad programmes in future.
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Park, Eun-Soo. "A case study of young Korean children's English learning experiences in the United states." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/28155.
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The present study examined five Korean elementary studentsâ English learning experiences in the United States. By examining Korean studentsâ experiences while they were living in the United States, the study aimed to explore what the students themselves thought about regarding what they had learned while living in an English-speaking community and the studentsâ perceptions of how these experiences influenced their English learning. Specifically, the study investigated the linguistic, cultural, and attitudinal impact of living temporarily in the United States on Korean elementary students. Interviewing was the primary means of collecting data for the study. These data was supplemented by a short survey, classroom observation, and relevant documentation about the childrenâ s learning, such as samples of the childrenâ s schoolwork. The analysis of data for this study began with organizing a description of each case, then, analyses were constructed to construct themes that cut across the data, and these themes have been utilized to generalize about what significant experiences constituted the development of English as a second language. This document reports the findings concerning the nature of the processes of learning and development that five Korean children experienced in learning English in the United States; teacher and student interaction; student and student interaction; meaningful learning experience; and classroom activities.<br>Ph. D.
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Royer, Christine Nicole. ""Low Valleys and High Mountains": The Spiritual Experiences of Christian Students Who Choose to Study Abroad in the Middle East." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu160459937047683.
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Draper, Joshua Benjamin. "Mexico Engineering Study Abroad: Assessing the Effectiveness of International Experiences on Teaching Global Engineering Skills." Diss., CLICK HERE for online access, 2007. http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/ETD/image/etd2184.pdf.
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Renner, Jasmine, and Evelyn D. Roach. "A Comparative Study of International and American Study Abroad Students’ Expectations and Experiences with Host Countries in Selected Institutions of Higher Education." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2011. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/2990.
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This was a comparative study of international and American study abroad students’ experiences and expectations with the host countries. The rationale for this study was to acquire a deeper understanding of different experiences of students who study abroad and to understand whether their expectations of the host country have an impact on their experiences. An opportunity sample of American study abroad and international students was selected from the United States student population and their expectations and experiences of the host country compared. The study addressed 6 research questions, using a mixed-method approach. The principal instrument for the investigation was the Cross-Cultural Participant Questionnaire conducted online. Associated hypotheses with the research questions were analyzed using Independent sample t-tests and Paired samples t-tests at an alpha level of .05 and the results were described using descriptive statistics. The open-ended questions were analyzed according to established qualitative techniques. The survey was completed by 421 respondents comprised of 155 international students, 252 American study abroad students, and 14 unknown labeled as others. The results of this study identified language fluency, building relationships with the host nationals, learning about a new culture, and personal change as significant expectations of the students. Overall, the students reported being satisfied with the services provided. International students were slightly more satisfied with access to support services than the American study abroad students. American study abroad students had experiences that closer matched their expectations of study abroad than was the case for international students.
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Adams, Nathan Thomas. "Domestic vs. Foreign Immersion Experiences: Listening Comprehension of Multiple Dialects in Spanish." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2020. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/8724.
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Study abroad has been shown to improve students' linguistic and cultural competence, but students who gain their fluency abroad may struggle to adapt to the plethora of regional dialects they encounter in their studies and interactions after they've returned from their study abroad. The researchers of this study posited that learning Spanish in a domestic immersion context may improve a student's flexibility or tolerance for dialectal variation in regard to listening comprehension. Using a detailed survey and multi-dialectal listening assessment, the researchers examined the degree to which Spanish language learners, in this case 183 missionaries, were exposed to a variety of dialects, whether this exposure varied depending on region of study, and whether it affected their ability to comprehend a variety of accents. Significantly higher levels of variation were found in Spain, the U.S., and Canada, possibly due to the higher levels of Hispanic immigration to these regions. A comparison of Spain, the region with the highest average test score, and Mexico, the region with the lowest average test score, showed high practical significance (d=.8), suggesting that high levels of linguistic variation in the region of study may improve listening comprehension of multiple dialects. Pearson correlations between exposure to variation and listening test score were also positive. The researchers believe this is grounds for increased support of immersion programs both domestic and abroad, especially to areas such as Spain with high levels of linguistic diversity.
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Davis, Kirsten A. "Pursuing Intentional Design of Global Engineering Programs: Understanding Student Experiences and Learning Outcomes." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/97979.
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As engineering work becomes more globalized, it is important to prepare students to succeed in a global engineering workforce. Prior research has explored different factors important to the design of global programs generally, but less is known about the experiences and learning outcomes of engineering students while abroad. Because this population has historically been underrepresented in global programs, few research-based practices have been identified to support the intentional design of global experiences for engineering students. This dissertation seeks to provide such insights through three studies that address the following components of global engineering program design: 1) the assessment of Global Engineering Competency (GEC) through use of a series of scenarios based in the Chinese context; 2) the relationship between program destination and students’ experiences and reported learning outcomes; and 3) the experiences that engineering students identify as most significant during their time abroad. I used a combination of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research methods to explore students’ learning and experiences in global engineering programs. The results of these studies revealed that engineering students have a wide variety of learning outcomes and experiences as a result of global programs, that great care should be exercised in choosing and interpreting assessment methods for global programs, and that the design of global engineering programs should be informed by characteristics of both the student participants and the program destination. Overall, the results of this dissertation highlight the importance of intentionality when designing global engineering programs to better prepare students for success in a global work environment.<br>Doctor of Philosophy<br>As engineering work becomes more globalized, it is important to prepare students to succeed in a global engineering workforce. Prior research has explored different factors important to the design of global programs generally, but less is known about the experiences and learning outcomes of engineering students while abroad. Because this population has historically been underrepresented in global programs, few research-based practices have been identified to support the intentional design of global experiences for engineering students. This dissertation seeks to provide such insights through three studies that address the following components of global engineering program design: 1) the assessment of Global Engineering Competency (GEC) through use of a series of scenarios based in the Chinese context; 2) the relationship between program destination and students’ experiences and reported learning outcomes; and 3) the experiences that engineering students identify as most significant during their time abroad. I used a combination of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research methods to explore students’ learning and experiences in global engineering programs. The results of these studies revealed that engineering students have a wide variety of learning outcomes and experiences as a result of global programs, that great care should be exercised in choosing and interpreting assessment methods for global programs, and that the design of global engineering programs should be informed by characteristics of both the student participants and the program destination. Overall, the results of this dissertation highlight the importance of intentionality when designing global engineering programs to better prepare students for success in a global work environment.
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Chien, Yu-Yi. "Adjustment of international students in a UK university : reasons for study abroad and subsequent academic and socio-cultural experiences." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10871/15044.
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Research on international students contributes to our understanding of the internationalization of higher education. This study investigates the adjustment of first-year, full-time, postgraduate, international students at a southwestern UK university through a mixed methods research design. The main focus is on reasons for studying abroad, academic experience, and socio-cultural experience. Twenty-six students participated in the qualitative interviews. 250 students responded to a quantitative questionnaire survey. The results indicate that adjustment is a complex set of experiences and many factors may have an impact on it. The data suggest that value of overseas study, personal or family related factors, lack of opportunities at home, and financial or promotional reasons are main motivators driving students to study abroad. Postgraduate international students tend to pay more attention to academic than socio-cultural adjustment because personal agency and cultural identity operate more explicitly in socio-cultural than academic adjustment. Additionally, the data reveal that both acculturation and hybridization account for the processes that inform students’ socio-cultural adjustment. For theories explaining the findings regarding reasons for studying abroad, the push-pull model appears to be more applicable than the Theory of Planned Behavior, whereas Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory is found to be less relevant because international postgraduate students tend to have special characteristics, which differ from those of host country students, and their satisfaction perceptions regarding different needs are guided by various cultural factors. This study also suggests that the U-curve hypothesis is not supported by the research data, as methodological issues, different internal and external factors, cultural expectations, individual responses or attitudes, and technological and world development have the potential to impact on adjustment. This research adds to theoretical knowledge associated with the adjustment of international students and, in practical terms, increases our current knowledge regarding student recruitment and international student support services.
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Chingore, Tatenda Millicent Nichole. "An analysis of study-abroad students: how the 'self' articulates experiences and encounters in different cultural settings." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20703.
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Twenty-first century globalisation has brought with it, distinction among students through the Internationalisation of Higher Education (IHE). The effects of globalization and the IHE has been categorised as "preparing students for the globalizing world, suggesting new pedagogies and institutional settings that nurture 'global consciousness'" (Mansilla & Gardner, 2007: 56.) With the increase in mobility and hyper-connectivity, an education has become more than what is taught within the confines of a classroom or university. Studying abroad has become a significant component within the academic arena that allows students the privilege and opportunity to develop intercultural competence through first-hand experience This study seeks to explore the articulation of experiences and encounters from the perspective of the study abroad student exposed to cultural settings different from their own. This dissertation will place particular emphasis on the articulation of the responses and approaches taken by individuals of their respective encounters and experiences, using the Circuit of Culture as a link drawing together the themes (Re)Construction of Self Identity; 'Fitting In' and Adaptation; Developing Intercultural Competence and Society as we now know it, to give a holistic, interpretive understanding into the meanings and outcomes produced by the relationship between the constructions and perceived ideologies of both the study abroad student and the hosts collective. The study is amalgamation of responses from personal narrations given by eight participants, as well as a discussion with four individuals in a focus group from different countries. They reveal the importance of the self, from both the personal and social viewpoint to be able to comprehend the actions and reactions taken to construct, adapt, assimilate and learn from the experience. Discoveries uncover difference as a component that exists between the self and the other in a number of ways through how they classify and identify each other. As a result, slight but significant changes in perceptions can be noted.
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Sutherland, Mei Ling. "English language study abroad program : an investigation of Hong Kong pre-service teachers’ experiences of a language immersion program." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2011. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/41774/1/Mei_Ling_Sutherland_Thesis.pdf.
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There has been minimal research focused on short-term study abroad language immersion programs, in particular, with home-stay families. The importance of authentic intercultural experience is increasingly clear and was acknowledged as central to the process of language learning (Liddicoat, 2004). In Hong Kong, education programs for pre-service language teachers have significantly emphasised language and intercultural training through short-term study abroad, and these short overseas language immersion courses have become a compulsory component for teacher training (Bodycott & Crew, 2001) in the last decade. This study aims to investigate eight Hong Kong pre-service teachers’ and their home-stay families’ experiences of a short-term (two months) language immersion program in Australia. The focus is on listening to commentaries concerning the development of communicative competence, intercultural competence and professional growth during the out-of-class study abroad experience. The conceptual framework adopted in this study views language and intercultural learning from social constructivist perspectives. Central to this framing is the notion that the internalisation of higher mental functions involves the transfer from the inter-psychological to the intra-psychological plane, that is, a progression process from the socially supported to individually controlled performance. From this perspective, language serves as a way to communicate about, and in relation to, actions and experience. Three research questions were addressed and studied through qualitative methodology. 1. How do the pre-service teachers and their home-stay families perceive the out-of-class component of the program in terms of opportunities for the development of language proficiency and communicative competence? 2. How do the pre-service teachers and their home-stay families perceive the out-of-class component of the program in terms of the development of intercultural competence? 3. How do the pre-service teachers and home-stay families perceive the outof- class component of the program in terms of teachers’ professional growth? Data were generated from multiple data collection methods and analysed through thematic analysis from both a “bottom up” and “top down” approach. The study showed that the pre-service teachers perceived that the immersion program influenced, to varying degrees, their language proficiency, communication and intercultural awareness, as well as their self-awareness and professional growth. These pre-service teachers believed that effective language learning centres on active engagement in the target language community. A mismatch between the views and evaluations of the two groups – the pre-service teachers and the home-stay family members – provides some evidence of misalignments in terms of expectations and perceptions of each other’s roles and responsibilities. The study has highlighted challenges encountered, and provided suggestions for ways of meeting these challenges. The inclusion in the study of the home-stay families’ perceptions and commentaries provided insights, which can inform program development. There is clearly further work to be done in terms of predeparture orientation and preparation, not only for the main participants themselves, the students, but also for the host families.
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Costa, Maria. "Study Abroad in a Developing and a Developed Country: A Comparison of American Undergraduate Students’ Experiences in Ghana and England." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2012. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1462.
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This qualitative study examined the differences among the experiences of 7 American undergraduate students; 4 who studied for a semester in Ghana, a developing country, and 3 who studied for a semester in England, a developed country. Using phenomenology as its guiding framework, transcribed interviews were analyzed and the focal phenomenon of the experience was sought. In addition, examination of the literature suggested that study abroad in less developed countries had the potential to impact the experience of students at a deeper level because of the potential for what Jean Piaget termed constructive disequilibrium (Blake & Pope, 2008, p. 61).
The data indicated that both student groups had significant experiences abroad but that each group's significant experiences were linked to the nature of their host country. In Ghana, 3 students discussed their sometimes shocking experience as a minority while 1 participant, a 1st generation African-American, discussed the confusing experience of identifying with the racial majority there, but only until she was identified as an American when she spoke.
In England, students were appalled to find the English people so openly expressing racism. They encountered people who were considered liberal by American standards and found they were identified in England as conservatives by English standards; a shock of sorts. The phenomenon encompassing all these experiences was of the students discovering they were part of a particular culture and starting to understand why they had certain values and attitudes.
Findings of this research merely scratch the surface of the issue at hand and other researchers are encouraged to replicate the study with a larger number of participants, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, and making sure that the shortcomings of this study in regards to validity are avoided.
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Cigliana, Kassie. "The dynamic nature of individual experiences in study abroad : motivational perspectives, language contact and the development of social relationships." Thesis, University of Southampton, 2016. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/402643/.
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Drawing on a number of theoretical frameworks in second language acquisition, the current study investigates a group of American learners of Spanish (N=73) as they spend a semester in Spain, studying in either Barcelona or Granada. Individual differences such as pre-program L2 proficiency, attitudes and motivational perspectives are examined in order to determine if they have any relationship with the students’ development of social relationships while abroad, with a particular focus on the students’ interactions, or lack thereof, with Spanish speakers. The study also employs a longitudinal approach in order to trace any changes in these affective variables. Data from observations and informal interviews are utilised to support the analysis and uncover any emergent themes which can be seen to impact on the residence abroad. The findings indicate that the students’ experiences are extremely varied, especially when comparing those who study in Barcelona with those who study in Granada. Attitude and motivational orientations also change dramatically throughout the SA program, with most tending to decline over the period of time abroad. The results suggest that such changes are largely dictated by the individual experiences of the learners, with social interaction playing a key role in linguistic development. The results demonstrate that both cultural and linguistic motives prove key in explaining learner behaviours abroad, thus providing support for analysis of second language acquisition abroad from a Dynamic Systems Theory perspective.
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Almarshedy, Abdulrahman Khaled. "The Educational Experiences of Saudi Male Students at a Large Midwestern Public University." Kent State University / OhioLINK, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1595194385103181.
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Barnes, Valerie Rose. "Transformative Learning and Teacher Beliefs: A Comparative Study of International Teacher Experiences." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2017. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc984215/.
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This project aims to explore the beliefs of international teachers regarding the students with whom they work, and the change in those beliefs over time. Participant observation, interviews, and questionnaires were used as tools of collection to address the following research questions: How did teachers' beliefs about students change over time? What variables were significantly associated with the rate of change in teacher beliefs about students? What types of challenges did teaches face while living and working in Thailand? Over the course of four months, I shadowed twenty-two U.S. teachers in thirteen different locations throughout Thailand. Participants were enrolled in an international teaching program in Thailand that provided a cultural orientation and teacher training. Participants were then assigned to teaching jobs throughout the country. Qualitative and quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS and NVivo software. This project contributes to the scholarship of teaching and learning, and anthropological and education research dedicated to exploring teachers' beliefs about students. Results of the study provide vital information about what variables or experiences may influence a critical analysis of beliefs among teachers working with students who they perceive as different from themselves. Due to some of the parallels between this study population and that of teachers in public schools within the United States, findings may also be applicable to preservice teacher training contexts that consider ways to help teachers critically reflect on their beliefs and worldviews in preparation for working with students whom they may perceive as different from themselves.
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Holness, Jason Dean. "A Phenomenological Study on the pre-migration traumatic experiences of international students in their home countries, their decision to study abroad and their coping mechanisms post-migration." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-21510.
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Internationell student migration anses i migrationslitteraturen som en väg som många studenter använder för att vidareutbilda sig utomlands. På samma sätt koncentreras studerandet av internationella studenter erfarenheter ofta på sina erfarenheter utomlands och hur de anpassar eller klarar av de kulturella skillnaderna i värdländerna. Det finns dock internationella studenter som har traumatiska upplevelser i sina hemgrupper som påverkar deras beslut att migrera och hur de klarar sig utomlands. Som sådant är syftet med detta dokument att belysa detta fenomen genom att göra en djupgående analys av internationella studenter med traumatiska erfarenheter före migration och belysa hur dessa erfarenheter påverkat deras beslut att studera utomlands.I det här dokumentet undersöks också de olika hanteringsstrategierna som de använder för att hantera deras samtida vardagsliv efter migrering. Studien visade att internationella studenter har olika traumatiska erfarenheter i sina hemländer; Traumatiska erfarenheter före migration som fysiskt våld, diskriminering, sexuellt våld framhävdes som faktorer som påverkar internationella studenters.Dessutom drabbade premigrationens traumatiska erfarenheter copingprocessen för internationella studenter eftermigration som går igenom en copingprocess både under och efter de traumatiska händelserna. Olika strategier för hantering användes av internationella studenter med traumatiska erfarenheter före migrationen för att klara sina nutida vardagsliv efter migration, såsom socialt stöd, undvikande och attitydförändring.<br>International Student Migration is regarded in the migration literature as a route many students use to further their education abroad. Likewise, the study of international students’ experiences are often concentrated on their experiences abroad and how they adjust or cope with the cultural differences in the host countries. However, there are international students who have premigration traumatic experiences in their home communities which impact upon their decision to migrate and how they cope abroad. As such the aim of this paper is to shed light on this phenomenon by doing an in-depth analysis of international students with pre-migration traumatic experiences and highlighting how having these experiences impacted on their decision to study abroad. This paper also explores the different coping strategies they use to cope with their contemporary daily lives post-migration. The study revealed that International students have various traumatic experiences in their home countries; pre-migration traumatic experiences such as physical violence, discrimination, sexual violence were highlighted as factors that influence the migration decisions of international students. Additionally, premigration traumatic experiences affected the coping process of international students postmigration who go through a coping process both during and after the traumatic events. Different- coping strategies were used by international students with pre-migration traumatic experiences to cope with their contemporary daily lives post-migration such as social support, avoidance and attitude change.
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Doughty, Jeremy R. ""The other side": A narrative study of south African community members' experiences with an international service-learning program." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1459280801.
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Wirza, Yanty. "Identity, Language Ideology, and Transnational Experiences of Indonesian EFL Learners and Users: A Narrative Study." The Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492781225459502.
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Walsh, Heather Raquael. "The Female Experience: Study Abroad Students in Egypt." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2011. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/3193.
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This qualitative study explores the experiences of female students on study abroad programs, with the aim of answering the following questions: do they face unique challenges as female students (including harassment or assault), how do they avoid or cope with any negative experiences, and can we as language departments better prepare our students to have the best experiences possible? The participants for the study were primarily 12 of 50 students involved in the Brigham Young University Study Abroad to Cairo, Egypt during Spring and Summer terms 2010. Data include participant observation, student journals, and ethnographic interviews conducted during the last few weeks of the program. Data analysis reflected gendered experiences in socializing with native speakers as well as experiences with harassment, and even sexual assault. The thesis argues that proper student preparation is the key to their continued investment in culture and language learning. Future research could include a look at second language learners across the Middle East, factors that contribute to harassment and assault, and gender as a predictive factor of language gains.
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Young, Cheryl Denise. "Encountering the Emergence of Curiosity in a Sojourn Experience." Miami University / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1533113163751823.
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Gemignani, Christine Lynne. "Understanding the study abroad experience of university students." [Ames, Iowa : Iowa State University], 2009.
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Lee, Eunsil. "Learning Language and Culture outside the Classroom: Korean Study Abroad Students' Experience." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/29577.
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This qualitative study examined seven Korean students' language and culture learning experiences in a study abroad context. The purpose of this study is to gain insight about the processes of students' social interactions and development of communicative competence outside the classroom. My understanding and learning was guided by the framework of various communicative competence models, interactional practices, sociocultural theory, and cultural learning processes.
The findings of the study show that participation in outside-the-classroom interactions enhances students' language and culture learning in study abroad situations. However, living or working with native speakers did not necessarily mean that there were meaningful interactions. Social interaction with native speakers was challenging for language learners because of the cultural distances, discontinuity, and conflicts between them. Despite the difficulties in social and cultural interactions in the target culture, active participation in social interactions was still an important factor in language and culture learning. Verbalizing cultural issues such as cultural differences, misunderstandings, and observations of the target culture was an indication of the learners' cultural awareness and development.
Students believed that knowledge of grammar was an important factor for successful communication. At the same time, students were anxious about misunderstandings and miscommunication. I found that students easily engaged in interactions with their international peers, and these were less stressful than interactions with native speakers. This peer interaction eventually created opportunities for language learning. Students expected native speakers to correct their errors and to take roles as teachers of the target language even outside the classroom, but they also learned to initiate self-repairs and to ask for help. Engagement is the key to making a good conversation. The underlying condition for engagement is negotiation between two interlocutors to understand meanings.<br>Ph. D.
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Wertz, Kaitlyn Joy. "The Effects of Studying Abroad on College Students' Eating Behaviors and the Impact of Food on Overall Study Abroad Experience." Kent State University Honors College / OhioLINK, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ksuhonors1620332875434809.
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Felts, Mark T. "Perceived Impacts of a Study Abroad Experience on In-Service Teachers' Practices." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2018. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248464/.
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This phenomenological multiple case study provides the details, reasoning, and discussion of the role of study abroad experience and its perceived impact(s) on three in-service teachers. Two research questions were posed: What are the perceived impacts on in-service teachers' practice of a study abroad program experience and how does the in-service teacher's perception of impact change over time within a teacher's career? Results of this study suggest that the teaching practice of in-service teachers who study abroad would benefit, especially in the area of intercultural competence, if this experience is structured in a way where the curriculum of the study abroad program aligns with the content of their future teaching assignment i.e. curricular bridging. Case evidence further suggests that long-term impact of a study abroad experience upon a teacher's practice is related to providing the future teacher an opportunity for to develop and maintain pedagogical relationships with students while abroad. The term ‘submersion' is introduced to help articulate depth of impact during a study abroad program experience.
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Tu, Ching-Hsin. "Student teaching overseas: Outcomes and persistence of the student teaching abroad experience." Ashland University / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ashland1366368890.
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Wysocka, Patrycja. "The study abroad experience : Self-reflecting on the development of intercultural competence and identity after one semester abroad." Thesis, Stockholms universitet, Engelska institutionen, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-144379.
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Study abroad programmes have become popular among students around the world nowadays. Thanks to the participation in the exchange, students are able to improve their intercultural skills, which may be beneficial for them in their future careers. This study investigates students’ development of intercultural competence and identity after spending one semester at the university in Hong Kong. Its main focus is to analyse how study abroad programmes impact students’ abilities in intercultural communication by analysing their self-reflections towards their re-invented identities as well as the overall experience of living and studying in a different country. The whole study is also based on the concept of linguistic repertoire, which is here being updated in the context of globalisation. In order to collect the data, four participants from the Netherlands, Germany and Canada were asked to fill in initial contact forms by providing information about one specific intercultural encounter that they have experienced during the study abroad period. This information then acted as the background knowledge used in the following interviews with each participant, where their opinions have been further developed in more detail. The results show that the participants further developed their skills in intercultural competence as well as enhanced their already interculturally-oriented identities. As for the impact on their linguistic repertoires, the interesting finding shows that the linguistic repertoires of the participants with English as a second language might have been affected slightly more than those of the native speakers. In the end, these results agree with the previous research on the development of intercultural skills after the study abroad period and highlight the importance of participating in study abroad programmes as students become prepared for their future careers in the highly globalised world.
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Stone, Garrett Anderson. "Study Abroad as a Transformative Experience: Measuring Transformative Learning Phases and Outcomes." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2014. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4020.
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The purpose of this study was to verify Mezirow's (1978) Transformative Learning Theory as a model to explain how study abroad participation facilitates efforts to internationalize students in higher education. Specifically this study used block-entry, logistic and linear regression models to explore the relationship between transformative learning processes and study abroad outcomes. Data were collected from business students (N =107) at Brigham Young University using a retrospective pretest method. Findings indicated transformative learning was occurring in short term study abroad settings and transformative learning phases were related to increases in Intercultural Competence. These findings were consistent between year cohorts suggesting the impacts were lasting.
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O'Callaghan, Jamie Allison. "How a one semester study abroad experience affects an undergraduate college student's identity development." Thesis, Montana State University, 2006. http://etd.lib.montana.edu/etd/2006/ocallaghan/OCallaghanJ0506.pdf.
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Lin-Steadman, Patricia V. "Studying Abroad and Intercultural Outcomes: Differences Experienced Between International Exchange Students and U.S. Study Abroad Students." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2020. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3800.
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A major focus of many U.S. higher-education institutions is to increase internationalization of their campus through, in part, the promotion of study abroad experiences among domestic students and to recruit and retain international students to their institution. This study explored the effects of certain factors on various domains of the Global Engagement Measurement Scale (GEMS) – Cultural Engagement, Ambiguity Tolerance, Knowledge of Host Site, and Diversity Openness – among U.S. students who have studied abroad and international exchange students who have studied in the U.S. There was a particular focus, on determining whether U.S. study abroad students, compared to international students, rate differently on GEMS scales, after controlling for other possible confounding variables. Participants were recruited from three Southeastern, public, 4-year universities and were eligible if they were enrolled at any of those universities in the last five years.
A hierarchical regression analysis revealed several factors significantly affected each of the various outcomes on the GEMS. Cultural Engagement and Ambiguity Tolerance were both predicted by the institution of study and the type of student (U.S. study abroad versus international exchange). Knowledge of Host Site was predicted by whether or not the trip was government sponsored, pre-trip familiarity with the host culture, and type of student. The overall regression model for Diversity Openness was not significant. These results provide insights into key factors that affect the overall global engagement of college students and can be used to inform university faculty and staff about features they can add to improve campus internationalization efforts.
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Ookhara, Olga Iongkhionovna. "Understanding the Experience of Successful Study Abroad Students in Russia." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2014. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4116.
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The present study was designed to understand the retrospective account of the learning experience of four successful learners of Russian who made substantial oral gains as measured by the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) during a semester study abroad (SA) program in Moscow, Russia. Each participant made as much as two sublevels' improvement on the ACTFL scale, even those who began with Advanced level proficiency. Specifically, the study examines what students believe, how they exercise their agency, cope with constraints, and take advantage of affordances in out-of-class contexts. The qualitative data includes semi-structured interviews while quantitative data consists of pre- and post-program OPI scores. This research addresses the question of second language learning in a foreign language immersion program through thick description and through cross-case analyses. Findings were interpreted in relation to van Lier's theory of the ecology of language learning (2004) and the notion of affordances which suggests that if learners are proactive and outgoing (or initiate interactions) they will perceive language affordances as valuable and will use them. This theoretical approach provides a means to understand how most students were able to improve in oral performance while lacking meaningful contact with native speakers (NSs) or struggling to make friends with them. Regardless of the difficulties encountered during their time in Russia, students exercised their agency through participating in more self-initiated non-interactive activities without being directed by others. Each of the students perceived the meaning of his or her learning experience in a different way, demonstrating how the SA experience is highly individualized. This study argues that regardless of students' individual differences, they have one key principle in common: autonomous behavior. Further research is needed to investigate what fosters learners' autonomy and contributes to learners' self-efficacy.
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DiFante, Louis. "Americans Abroad in Spain and Australia : A Comparative Study of University Students' Study Abroad Outcomes." Thesis, Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för pedagogik och didaktik, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-131269.
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The study abroad field has progressed into an innovative and exciting stage given the high- rise of interest throughout the last twenty years. Study abroad is not showing signs of losing momentum concerning student interest or academic research. Numerous variables affect the direction the field is heading. This study intends to illuminate some of those variables through classifying study abroad results. This research study is part of the 21st century phenomena regarding increased travel through study abroad programs. It investigates the results of U.S. students’ study abroad experiences in Spain and Australia, through identifying aspects of the knowledge outcomes, changes in perspective, and the social, professional, and personal implications on a U.S. student after returning home from such an endeavor. It is critical to recognize and comprehend student results from the study abroad perspective to provide higher education institutions, study abroad companies, educators, students, and researchers with a contextual, first-hand encounter through the eyes of the student. This student analysis provides a greater framework for various stakeholders to continue the promotion of studying abroad, while enriching study abroad programs, and to continue the provision of breadth of opportunity for upcoming students interested.
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Vaughn, Christopher. "The Self-Perceived Impact Of An International Immersion Experience On The Cultural Competency And Professional Practice Of Recently Graduated Registered Nurses." ScholarWorks @ UVM, 2015. http://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/379.
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Significant health care disparities exist in the United States. Nurses can play an important role eliminating these disparities. International immersion experiences for undergraduate nursing students may provide long-lasting enhancements in cultural competency and improvements in professional practice. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study is to explore how a faculty-led international immersion experience for undergraduate nursing students in public health nursing has influenced cultural competency and how this is perceived to have impacted the individuals' current professional practice. Campinha-Bacote's (2002) Process of Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Health Care Services served as a theoretical framework for the study. Participants were sampled based on their experiences in either Bangladesh or Uganda from 2011 to 2013 as part of an international immersion program for undergraduate nursing students. Participants were asked to provide a written response to three prompts. Analysis was guided by the method developed by Colaizzi (Polit & Beck, 2012). Seven individuals agreed to participate. The data collected was somewhat limited in terms of depth, but it did reveal the themes of positive personal and professional development as well as the self-perceived enhancement of one's cultural competency. These findings are discussed within the context of the literature reviewed. Finally, the methodology of this study is reflected upon and recommendations are made for a follow-up study. This study supports the idea that an international immersion experience for undergraduate nursing students is an overall positive experience and can benefit professional practice as well as enhance one's cultural competency. However, more research is still needed to assess specifically how professional practice is benefited and to what extent these benefits are maintained overtime.
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Borràs, Andrés Judith. "L2 reading and vocabulary development as a result of a Study Abroad experience." Doctoral thesis, Universitat de Lleida, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/671411.
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Conduïts per la creença que viure i estudiar en un país estranger ofereix les millors condicions per a l’aprenentatge d’una segona llengua (L2), estudiar a l’estranger s’ha convertit en una realitat per a molts estudiants (Kinginger, 2009). Tot i així, dins de la recerca de les estades a l’estranger existeixen diferents buits que fan que, a vegades, sigui difícil trobar conclusions definitives. Primer, no totes les àrees de la llengua han estat investigades de la mateixa manera. Per exemple, la recerca sobre el desenvolupament de la lectura i el vocabulari es manté incerta. A més, mentre que algun tipus d’estades han rebut molta atenció per part dels investigadors (p. ex. estades d’un semestre de durada, estades al país on es parla la L2), altres es mantenen poc estudiades (p. ex. estades curtes, o estades en un país on l’anglès s’utilitza com a llengua franca).
Aquesta tesi té l’objectiu d’omplir alguns d’aquests buits en un intent de contribuir al coneixement de les estades a l’estranger. Així, examina l’impacte lingüístic que tres estades a l’estranger han tingut sobre la comprensió i fluïdesa lectora, i el vocabulari receptiu i productiu de tres grups d’estudiants. Les estades incloses en l’estudi són: un grup d’adolescents que va realitzar una estada curta (3 setmanes) a Irlanda (n= 52), i dos grups d’universitaris que van estudiar a l’estranger durant un semestre en un país de parla anglesa (n= 31) o en un país on l’anglès s’utilitzava com a llengua franca (n= 20). Tots els estudiants van participar en un experiment abans i després de la seva experiència a l’estranger, durant el qual van realitzar quatre proves de llengua: lectura d’un text, l’Updated Vocabulary Levels Test, una redacció, i l’Oxford Quick Placement test. A més a més, el grup d’adolescents va ser entrevistat i el grup d’universitaris va completar un qüestionari en línia.
Els resultats de l’estudi indiquen que realitzar una estada a l’estranger pot ser beneficiós, tot i que els resultats varien depenent del tipus d’estada o de l’àrea de la llengua que s’estigui estudiant. Per exemple, la comprensió lectora o el vocabulari receptiu semblen ser més susceptibles al desenvolupament que la fluïdesa lectora o el vocabulari productiu. Dues conclusions més són que estudiar a l’estranger pot ser profitós encara que l’estada sigui curta, i que realitzar una estada en un país de parla anglesa és similar a fer-ho en un país on la llengua s’utilitza com a llengua franca.<br>Conducidos por la convicción de que vivir y estudiar en un país extranjero ofrece las mejores condiciones para el aprendizaje de una segunda lengua (L2), estudiar en el extranjero se ha convertido en una realidad para muchos estudiantes (Kinginger, 2009). Sin embargo, dentro de la investigación sobre las estancias en el extranjero existen diferentes vacíos que hacen que, a veces, sea difícil llegar a una conclusión. Primero, no todas las áreas de la lengua han sido investigadas de la misma manera, por ejemplo, la investigación sobre el desarrollo de la lectura o el vocabulario se mantiene incierta. Además, mientras que determinados tipos de estancias han recibido mucha atención por parte de los investigadores, otras se mantienen poco estudiadas.
Esta tesis tiene como objetivo rellenar algunos de estos vacíos en un intento de contribuir al conocimiento de las estancias en el extranjero. Así, examina el impacto lingüístico que tres estancias en el extranjero han tenido sobre la comprensión y la fluidez lectora, y el vocabulario receptivo y productivo de tres grupos de estudiantes. Las estancias incluidas en este estudio son: un grupo de adolescentes que realizaron una estancia en Irlanda (n= 52), y dos grupos de universitarios que estudiaron en el extranjero durante un semestre en un país de habla inglesa (n= 31) o en un país donde el inglés se utiliza como lengua franca (n= 20). Todos los estudiantes participaron en un experimento antes y después de su experiencia en el extranjero durante la cual realizaron cuatro pruebas: lectura de un texto, el Updated Vocabulary Levels Test, una redacción, y el Oxford Quick Placement test. Además, el grupo de adolescentes fue entrevistado y el grupo de universitarios completó un cuestionario en línea.
Los resultados del estudio indican que realizar una estancia en el extranjero puede ser beneficioso, aunque esto varía dependiendo del tipo de estancia y del área de la lengua que se esté estudiando. Por ejemplo, la comprensión lectora o el vocabulario receptivo parecen ser más susceptibles a desarrollarse que la fluidez lectora o el vocabulario productivo. Dos conclusiones más que se pueden extraer son que estudiar en el extranjero puede ser provechoso aunque la estancia sea corta, y que realizar una estancia en un país de habla inglesa es similar a hacerlo en un país donde la lengua se utiliza como lengua franca.<br>Driven by the belief that living and studying in a foreign country offer the most optimal conditions for second language (L2) development, study abroad (SA) has become a reality for many students (Kinginger, 2009). However, there are still many gaps within SA research, which sometimes lead to inconclusive findings. First, not all L2 areas have been studied to the same extent, for example, research on the impact that SA has on L2 reading or L2 vocabulary remain uncertain. Moreover, while some types of SA experiences have received a fair amount of attention (e.g. semester-long stays in the target country), others remain rather under-researched (e.g. short-term stays or SA in an English as a Lingua Franca setting).
The present dissertation aimed at filling some of the aforementioned gaps in an attempt to provide more knowledge to the impact that a SA has on L2 development. Accordingly, it examined the linguistic impact that three different SA experiences had over the L2 reading comprehension and fluency, and L2 receptive and productive vocabulary development of three different groups of participants. The SA experiences included in the project are: a group of teenagers who performed a short (3-week) SA in Ireland (n= 52), and two groups of undergraduate students who participated in a semester-long traditional SA in an Anglophone country (n= 31), or in a semester-long SA in a non-Anglophone country (n= 20). All the students took part in a pre-post experiment during which they were asked to complete four language tasks: a reading passage, the Updated Vocabulary Levels Test, a written task, and the Oxford Quick Placement test. Moreover, the teenage group engaged in some semi-structured interviews, and the two groups of university students completed an online questionnaire.
Results indicate that performing a SA can be beneficial, although linguistic outcomes will vary depending on the SA experience and the skill under-study. For example, reading comprehension and receptive vocabulary seem to be more susceptible to gains than reading fluency or productive vocabulary, which need extensive practise and more time to develop. Two other interesting findings are that SA can be beneficial even when short and that traditional SA does not seem to differ greatly from performing a stay in an ELF country.
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Shannon, William Vance. "Understanding and Enhanching the Study Abroad Experience: Australian and New Zealand Students in Europe." Phd thesis, Canberra, ACT : The Australian National University, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/144625.
Full textAbstract:
This dissertation is the product of a study that examined the experiences of 21 Australian and New Zealand undergraduate students who spent a semester or more on exchange in Europe. It examines what the students learned from their experience, focussing specifically on the insights that they acquired with regards to their host society. It does so guided by the idea of deep understanding, a concept developed for this study drawing primarily on literature from the discipline of anthropology. It is a concept that describes a level of understanding that students may acquire vis-à-vis their host society. It has three central elements: (1) it is a level of understanding that avoids or transcends stereotypes and sweeping generalisations, (2) it is more than the mere observation of certain practises or peculiarities, but also involves understanding the values, beliefs and assumptions that underpin these, and (3) it is based on wide and meaningful engagement with members of the host society. This thesis also focusses on the difficulties that the students involved experienced while abroad, guided by the stress-adaptation-growth model, which considers the challenges associated with being in an unfamiliar environment to be a key antecedent to intercultural growth (Kim, 2001, 2008, 2015). This focus on the difficulties associated with study abroad and their pedagogical implications allows us to better understand the process by which students learn, mislearn and do not learn through study abroad. Data was collected in three phases. The students completed an online questionnaire before their departure, which collected basic demographic information about them, as well as their reasons for going on an exchange and their choice of country; they were then interviewed during their exchange at their destination and they completed a follow-up questionnaire upon their return home. The analysis of the resulting data focused primarily on the interview transcripts and the responses to certain questions asked in the follow-up questionnaire, although the responses to certain questions asked in the pre-departure questionnaire were also analysed to provide important background. The analysis was an iterative process that involved attaching codes to each unique aspect of the dataset considered relevant to the analytic interests of the study, examining the coded data with a view to adding context where necessary and drawing conclusions, guided by the question: What can be learned from my research? The thesis constitutes an original contribution to knowledge in two main ways. Firstly, there is insufficient research that has examined the insights that study abroad students acquire vis-à-vis their host society. This matters because study abroad holds the potential to cultivate the capacity to live with difference, but do students achieve the level of insight necessary to cultivate this on their own or is some form of intervention necessary? Secondly, there are few studies to have employed conceptual frameworks that account for the processes by which learning occurs, including testing the applicability of the stress-adaptation-model in the study abroad context and examining the difficulties associated with study abroad in terms of their pedagogical implications more generally. This is despite research indicating that students often resort to generalisation and stereotypes to make sense of challenges experienced abroad (Beaven, 2012; De Nooy & Hanna, 2003). This thesis addresses these gaps, casting doubt on the applicability of the stress-adaptation-growth model to the study abroad context (Shannon, 2016). The students either did not experience sufficient difficulties due to unfamiliarity, or they were not compelled to learn new cultural elements due to the short duration of the experience. Nonetheless, they did frequently resort to generalisations and stereotypes to make sense of difficulties experienced, contrary to the idea of deep understanding. This thesis raises questions about the level of insight that study abroad students acquire with regards to their host society, as well as the extent to which they grow in related areas. This requires a level of inquiry, host national contact and reflection that my analysis shows does not occur automatically, corroborating the growing body of literature that emphasises the importance of academic intervention in the study abroad process. This dissertation concludes by presenting a possible model of academic intervention, which centres around an ethnographic research project students must undertake abroad. The aim is to actively shape the study abroad experience, requiring students to step outside the international student bubble that they regularly find themselves confined within and investigate a particular area of observed difference in detail.
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Mas, Alcolea Sònia. "Discourses on study abroad: The experience of Erasmus students from a university in Catalonia." Doctoral thesis, Universitat de Lleida, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/456557.
Full textAbstract:
L'objectiu del present estudi de cas múltiple és el d'investigar l'impacte que l'estada Erasmus té en la identitat de nous estudiants universitaris catalans, els quals van decidir cursar part del seus estudis en tres contextos sociolingüístics diferents (el Regne Unit, Dinamarca i Itàlia).
Les dades van ser recollides longitudinalment, a la universitat d'origen i a les de destí que van escollir els participants. L'anàlisi del discurs, i concretament el mètode etnometodològic de Membership Categorization Analysis (Stokoe, 2012) i la noció de Stance (Du Bois, 2007), van ser utilitzats per tal d'analitzar la manera en què els estudiants descriuen i es posicionen envers la realitat social que estan vivint, posant especial èmfasi en la constant construcció de la seva identitat així com la dels altres.
La present investigació destaca (a) com les diferències individuals afecten les actituds i pràctiques dels estudiants durant l'estada; i (b) la importància de tenir en compte aquestes diferències a l'hora de planificar, implementar i avaluar l'èxit d'un programa de mobilitat.<br>El objetivo del presente estudio de caso múltiple es de investigar el impacto de la experienci Erasmus en la identidad de nueve estudiantes universitarios de la Universitat de Lleida (Cataluña), los cuales decidieron cursar parte de sus estudios en tres contextos sociolingüísticos distintos (el Reino Unido, Dinamarca e Italia).
Los datos fueron recogidos longitudinalmente, en la universidad de origen y en las de destino. El análisis del discurso, y concretamente el método etnometodológico de Membership Categorization Analysis (Stokoe, 2012) y la noción de Stance (Du Bois, 2007), han sido utilizados con el fin de analizar la manera en que los etudiantes describen y se posicionan hacia la realidad que están viviendo, poniendo especial énfasis en el constante proceso de construcción de su identidad y de la de otros.
La tesis destaca (a) el modo en que las diferencias individuales afectan las actitudes y las prácticas de los estudiantes durante su estancia en el extranjero; y (b) la importancia de tener dichas diferencias en consideración para la planificación, implementación y evaluación del éxito de un programa de movilidad.<br>The purpose of the present qualitative multiple case-study is to investigate the aftermath of the Erasmus (SA) experience on the identity of nine Catalan undergraduate students of the University of Lleida (Catalonia), who decided to spend part of ther studies in three different sociolinguistic landscapes (the UK, Denmark and Italy).
The data were collected longitudinally, at he participants' home and also host universities. A discourse analytic approach, and specifically the ethnomethodologically-oriented method of Membership Categorization Analysis (Stokoe, 2012) and the notion of Stance (Du Bois, 2007), were used in order to analyse the way(s) in which the students describe and position themselves towards the social reality they are living in, while placing special emphasis on their ongoing construction of their and others' identities.
The study illuminates (a) how individual differences ultimately affect the students' attitudes and practices while abroad; and (b) the importance of taking those differences into account for the planning, implementation and evaluation of a SA programme's success.
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Varney, Kevin. "A Multidisciplinary Approach to Student International Experience." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2011. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1299.
Full textAbstract:
This project provides research and insight towards expanding the ETSU at Rome Program into a larger multidisciplinary study abroad program. The program's goal is to evolve from its presummer session with a one-course offering curriculum into a multidisciplinary, multicourse study abroad program for both the presummer session and entire summer session. Research and analysis have been conducted to discover best practices for study abroad programs in surrounding institutions. Additionally, in expansion upon existing efforts, this research helps seek out partnerships and collaborations within the institution and outside the institution. Professors from numerous departments throughout ETSU have been interviewed regarding their position and views of study abroad programs for students within their departments. Data have also been gathered to help better understand the potential and existing funding opportunities in a study abroad program. Additionally, other opportunities for growth and expansion and the challenges associated with these have been studied.
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Arrington-Tsao, Betsy Alleen. "Unraveling the Tapestry of the Study Abroad Experience: An Investigation of the Role of Self-Identified Goals and Motivations in University Students." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Educational Studies and Leadership, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/8668.
Full textAbstract:
The purpose of this study was to produce five in-depth case studies of University of Georgia, USA, students who studied abroad for one semester in Spring of 2006. These case studies describe and analyze the students’ self-identified goals and motivations for participating in this study abroad experience. Utilization of Lincoln and Guba’s (1985) naturalistic inquiry method was used to explore the student experiences.
In addition to qualitatively analyzing the goals and motivations of these specific cases, descriptive statistics of the student Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) pre- and post-test questions and answers (Intercultural Communication Institute, 2003), taken in Spring 2006 and two years later in Spring 2008, were compared for the purpose of measuring changes in worldview orientations over time. This provided the establishment of convergence or triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data. Further exploration of preferred student learning styles by use of the Kolb Learning Style Inventory, v. 3.1 (Kolb, 1999) was initiated in order to analyze whether the study abroad program design matched the students’ learning style. A study abroad preparatory model, Adapt, Adopt, Adept: A Preparatory Model for Study Abroad, is proposed that increases student active engagement abroad, thereby increasing the potential for accomplishing the stated goal of the University of Georgia (UGA) study abroad program, namely to develop “global citizens.” Inquiry into these areas and the results obtained are directly relevant to study abroad program specialists, interested faculty, upper administrators in university policy making, and future students who might desire to participate in an international learning experience.
This particular study, in contrast to those discussed in the literature review, indicates a unique approach by focusing on the following:
• one specific, experiential study abroad program;
• using naturalistic inquiry as the method of obtaining such
data;
• using IDI scores to triangulate results of qualitative data;
• incorporating information measured by the KLSI.
Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Qualitative data were obtained via Blackboard, email, chat interviews via the internet, face to face interviews, and by means of journal entries. By using naturalistic inquiry, the specific form of data provided and its content was left largely to the students to choose via the options listed above in order to best represent their voices. Scores on the IDI provide the quantitative data used to assess qualitative findings. The intention was that this study would provide an in-depth investigation of the students’ experiences in order to be used by individuals who find the information to be practical, functional, and helpful in improving the learning and cultural environment of study abroad students.