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Institute of
International Education
809 United Nations Plaza
7th Floor
New York, NY 10017
USA
Tel: +1 (212) 984 5367
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Identifying the Outcomes of Short Term Study Abroad |
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By Paige Sindt and Ara Pachmayer
Strides are being undertaken to democratize study abroad for all students in higher education. A newer trend in the field of international education that is helping to open access to study abroad has been the development of shorter term programs, typically lasting five to seven weeks, often held in the summer or winter intersession. This program model offers more flexibility to students and expands opportunities by eliminating or reducing barriers, particularly those related to financial and time constraints, which are commonly cited as key inhibitors of participation (Vande Berg, 2003).
Currently, limited research exists that details outcomes of participation in short term study abroad programs for individuals. It is assumed that programs are valuable, yet additional research is needed to demonstrate actual outcomes. Thorough understanding of individual experiences will allow administrators to develop specialized recruitment techniques and increase enrollments, helping in the national movement to democratize study abroad programming. Ultimately, an increased understanding of study abroad will help international educators better articulate and demonstrate needs at the departmental level and impact institutional policy related to international education.
Understanding outcomes of study abroad is useful in providing better services to students participating in university sponsored programs. The understanding will also allow faculty and third party providers to appropriately plan curricula to bolster learning. However, a lack of research related to the field is potentially inhibiting the creation of specific programs and policies that would help better integrate internationalization efforts within higher education.
Arizona State University is striving to increase interest and participation in global endeavors. Specifically, ASU President Michael Crow has developed a university initiative, referred to as a “Design Imperative” (8), related to global engagement efforts. The imperative addresses the importance of creating an internationalized community on and off campus for members of the institution.
One way ASU strives to promote global awareness is through study abroad programs. Such programs seek to provide opportunities for students to develop effective skills in relation to other societies and cultures and expand the global perspective of students. ASU study abroad programs are designed to offer students a chance to develop a unique perspective on their individual and collective role in a global society and have opportunities for experiential learning to enhance academic, personal, and career development.
In order to assess the actual outcomes of short term study abroad programs at Arizona State University, a research study was designed to begin to answer the following questions: 1) Are short term study abroad programs fulfilling the mission and goals of the office and university by providing engaging educational and cultural learning experiences? 2) What are student expectations of the study abroad experience prior to participation? 3) What are the actual experiences and individual learning outcomes of student participants in short term study abroad programs?
These questions were designed to help administrators better understand the outcomes of participation in study abroad. The data was used to begin to identify specific learning outcomes and to enhance program offerings to offer best practices for interactive learning.
The study was designed using a mixed methodology approach. A survey was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data, with close-ended questions using a Likert scale for quantitative data and open-ended essay questions for qualitative data. Participation was voluntary and confidential. Prior to participation in the study abroad experience, a four page pre-test survey was mailed to all participants in 2005 summer short term ASU sponsored study abroad programs. Following study abroad participation, a four page post-test survey was mailed to all pre-test respondents. All surveys were coded for pre- and post-test response matching.
The survey pre-test was sent to 745 enrolled summer study abroad participants. The response rate for the pre-test was 35.6%, or 265 responses. The post-test survey was administered to only the students who had responded to the initial pre-test (265), and 164 responses, for a 61.9% response rate. This provided a total response rate of 22.0% (164/745). Sixty-six percent of respondents were female, 56.8% of respondents were age 20 -25, 19.4 % ages 26-35, 16.1% under age 19, and 7.7% over 35 years. This data is representative of national data trends in study abroad (Open Doors, 2005).
On the pre-test, respondents were asked to indicate the importance or influence of a series of statements rated on a Likert scale regarding their decision to enroll in the program, expectations (academic, personal, career), and ideas and opinions related to short term study abroad. The qualitative portion of the survey asked students to respond to a series of questions regarding their expectations of the upcoming experience. The post-test replicated the pre-test with slightly altered verbiage to allow for a comparison between expectations and actual experiences.
Literature related to learning outcomes of study abroad participation was utilized to group emergent themes from the study. Research has focused upon areas of academic, career, and personal development, and specific skill sets students gain related to problem-solving, cross cultural effectiveness, reflective thought, leadership, and worldviews. (Kuh & Kaufmann, 1984; Kitsantas, 2004; Kitsantas & Meyers, 2002).
Four main themes emerged in coding the data. These themes were categorized as follows: Theme I. Global Competence, Theme II. Academic Development, Theme III. Attitudes, and Theme IV. Personal Development. Examining each of the themes offers greater understanding into the depth of student’s expectations of learning as a result of participation in the study abroad programs. The four categories are broad and the categories are often fluid, with responses fitting into more than one category. The quantitative data examines the impact and importance of these categories on student expectations and outcomes, while the qualitative data offers student perspective and voice that lend to better understanding of the emergent themes.
In Theme I, Global Competence, students are expecting to utilize their study abroad experience to gain an understanding of the world in a larger context. Participants hope to better understand concepts of globalization and internationalization. Students reported their hope to use the experience to broaden their own global awareness and worldviews, learn to break down cultural stereotypes and becoming more open minded about other cultures.
One respondent addressed the idea of having a global experience, “I want to see another culture and broaden my perspectives of the world” (2005). Some of the key words that students used that would apply to this theme were ideas of, “global consciousness” and becoming “a global citizen” (2005). Global competencies can be thought of in terms of a process of internalization of the international experience. Students hope to become immersed in a new environment and then have the opportunity to reflect upon the experience and relate it to their own worldview. This is best described as a bi-directional process, where students first place themselves as an individual in a global context and begin to think critically about the world in a larger perspective. Next, students examine of the importance and role of their own identities, as related to ethnicity, gender, citizenship, or other identities that become salient while interacting in the host country. One student reported, “I want to be able to understand global consciousness better than American consciousness, and see what everyone else in the world actually thinks of the U.S.” (2005).
Theme II, Academic Development, demonstrates the academic expectations of students. This is a major determinant of participation and students hold high expectations regarding the potential impact upon their academic experience. Students seek short term study abroad programs as an opportunity to learn more about their field of study in a new context, and as a first-hand opportunity for practical application of their classroom knowledge. Foreign language acquisition is also a large part of this category. For some, short term programs offer an opportunity to fulfill requirements, complete electives, and gain a new experience that will add to their academic experience in college. One student reported, “[study abroad] is a great way to fulfill 6 credits in a foreign country instead of in Arizona. It is an opportunity to see a country as a student, become a temporary part of the community there, and take the necessary classes at the same time” (2005).
Theme III, Attitudes, describes study abroad programs as a chance for students to better understand new places and cultures. This theme relates to an external demonstration of knowledge, using a new experience and translating learning into practice. One student described the opportunity as a chance to have a practical experience, “I love to travel, I’ll be learning about another culture, and I can apply my knowledge from my major here to real life situations” (2005). Students feel that they will have an experience that few of their peers have, as well as have a chance to better appreciate foreign countries and policies. In addition, students hope to better understand the role of the U.S. in a larger context while gaining a unique experience that is practical and applicable beyond academe.
The last theme, Theme IV, Personal Development, serves as an opportunity for students to meet people from another country, gain a greater sense of their own self in a larger context, gaining independence and having an opportunity to mature, while learning skills necessary for future leadership roles and gaining intercultural communication skills. Many participants cite the value of an international experience as generally being able to better relate to others and having a memorable experience to carry with them through future years. A statement by one student after participation (2005), “This experience taught me to be understanding of other countries, and it taught me how important it is to be accepting of diversity and different lifestyles.”
These four themes capture the majority of the ideas and value statements made by student participants in the study. Quantitative data supports the qualitative findings, and is available upon request. One student summarized the experience by saying, “The program further set my interest in foreign cultures, encouraged my interest in global affairs, and reassured me of the benefits of open-mindedness” (2005). The findings of this study allow for future research and development of recommendations and policies that support international education efforts. This is a longitudinal study and additional data and recommendations are available upon request.
Paige Sindt and Ara Pachmayer work in the Office of Study Abroad at Arizona State University.
Resources:
Kitsantas, A. (2004). Studying abroad: The role of college student’s development of cross-cultural skills and global understanding. College Student Journal (Sept.)
Kitsantas, A. & Meyers, J. (2002). Studying abroad: Does it enhance college students cross-cultural awareness? Educational Resources Information Center, ED 456 648.
Kuh, G.K., & Kauffman, N.F. (1984). The impact of study abroad on personal development of college students. Bloomington, IN,: Indiana University School of Education. (ED 245 591).
Open Doors (2005). Institute of international education: Report of international education. Retrieved from the web 18 February 2006 at http://opendoors.iienetwork.org.
Vande Berg, M. (2003). Rapporteur Report: Study Abroad and International Competence. Paper presented at the ‘Global Challenges and U.S. Higher Education’ conference, Duke University. Retrieved from the web 16 February at http://www.duke.edu/web/cis/globalchallenges/pdf/vandeberg-rapp.pdf.
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