Cultural Awareness of Students in Communication Sciences and Disorders: A Mixed-Methods Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 1231-1242
Author(s):  
Celeste Domsch ◽  
Lori Stiritz ◽  
Jay Huff
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
The United States ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Global Awareness ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Short Term Study

Purpose This study used a mixed-methods design to assess changes in students' cultural awareness during and following a short-term study abroad. Method Thirty-six undergraduate and graduate students participated in a 2-week study abroad to England during the summers of 2016 and 2017. Quantitative data were collected using standardized self-report measures administered prior to departure and after returning to the United States and were analyzed using paired-samples t tests. Qualitative data were collected in the form of daily journal reflections during the trip and interviews after returning to the United States and analyzed using phenomenological methods. Results No statistically significant changes were evident on any standardized self-report measures once corrections for multiple t tests were applied. In addition, a ceiling effect was found on one measure. On the qualitative measures, themes from student transcripts included increased global awareness and a sense of personal growth. Conclusions Measuring cultural awareness poses many challenges. One is that social desirability bias may influence responses. A second is that current measures of cultural competence may exhibit ceiling or floor effects. Analysis of qualitative data may be more useful in examining effects of participation in a short-term study abroad, which appears to result in decreased ethnocentrism and increased global awareness in communication sciences and disorders students. Future work may wish to consider the long-term effects of participation in a study abroad for emerging professionals in the field.

scholarly journals An Interprofessional, Intercultural, Immersive Short-Term Study Abroad Program: Public Health and Service Systems in Rome

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-168
Author(s):  
Sara A. McComb ◽  
Lorenzo Fedele ◽  
Patrick A. Brunese ◽  
Vicki L. Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
The United States ◽  
Technical Program ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
Study Abroad Program

The purpose of this paper is to describe a short term study abroad program that exposes engineering and nursing undergraduate students from the United States and Italy to an intercultural and interprofessional immersion experience . Faculty fr om Purdue University and Sapienza Università di Roma collaborated to design a technical program that demonstrates the complementary nature of engineering and public health in the service sector, with Rome as an integral component of the program. S pecifically, the intersection of topics including systems, reliability, process flow, maintenance management, and public health are covered through online lectures, in class activities and case study discussions, field experiences, and assessments. Here in, administrat ive issues such as student recruitment, selection, and preparation are elucidated. Additionally, the pedagogical approach used to ensure constructive alignment among the program goals, the intended learning outcomes, and the teaching and learning activitie s is described. Finally, examples of learning outcomes resulting from this alignment are provided.

Short-Term Study Abroad in Psychology: Effects of a Cultural Scavenger Hunt on the Development of Intercultural Competence

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-40
Author(s):  
Ryan M. Zayac ◽  
Sydney Miller ◽  
Wolfgang Lenhard ◽  
Amber Paulk ◽  
Kirby Chrysler
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Short Form ◽  
The United States ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Initial Development ◽  
Emotional Resilience ◽  
Intercultural Competencies ◽  
Short Term Study

Steadily increasing ethnic and cultural diversity in the United States has led employers to see intercultural competence as a valuable and necessary trait for those entering the workforce, including students studying psychology. One high-impact practice that may increase students’ multicultural awareness is study abroad. The current research examined the effectiveness of a cultural scavenger hunt offered during two short-term study abroad programs to increase participants’ intercultural competencies. Cultural competence was assessed in Study 1 ( N = 10) using the Miville-Guzman Universality-Diversity Scale–Short Form. Results indicated a statistically significant increase across all subscales. In Study 2 ( N = 16), the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory was utilized. Results from Study 2 demonstrated statistically significant improvements in the Emotional Resilience subscale. These findings suggest that a cultural scavenger hunt may assist participants in actively engaging in the local culture and facilitate the initial development of intercultural competencies.

scholarly journals Short-Term Study Abroad: The Students' Perspective on London 2019

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 269-274
Author(s):  
Ellen K. Payne ◽  
Heather Chapman ◽  
April Daly ◽  
Samantha Darby ◽  
Margaret Heft
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
International Travel ◽  
Athletic Training Students ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Study Abroad Programs ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
Study Abroad Program

Context Many study abroad experiences are difficult for athletic training students to attend because of the prescriptive nature of the athletic training curriculum. Short-term study abroad programs allow students to participate in an international educational experience without the time commitment of semester-long or yearlong programs. Objective To report the students' perspective of a short-term study abroad experience. Background In January 2019 a short-term study abroad program was offered for athletic training students. The program included attendance at a sports medicine conference, networking opportunities, and cultural activities. Synthesis Through a group debriefing session and guided reflection questions, four athletic training students who attended the short-term study abroad program in London reflected on their preparations for the international travel and their experiences while abroad. Recommendation(s) Continued research should be conducted to objectively assess how short-term study abroad programs influence students' cultural awareness and cultural competency upon return. Conclusion(s) Short-term study abroad programs are one way for students to increase cultural awareness while staying on track with their athletic training curriculum. From the students' perspective, once they overcame the perceived barriers to international travel, the experience was positive, and they would recommend it to other athletic training students.

The Effect of a Short-Term Study Abroad Class on Students' Cross-Cultural Awareness

2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan C. Mapp ◽  
Peggy McFarland ◽  
Elizabeth A. Newell
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Long Term Study ◽  
Short Term Study

The purpose of this study was to discover if short-term study abroad trips produce the same changes in students that have been documented in long-term study abroad trips. The study was conducted with current and past participants of a short-term study abroad trip to Ireland from a small liberal arts school. Quantitative and qualitative assessment tools were used to address the question. Results found that change was supported by the qualitative, but not the quantitative, assessment. Students reported the trip increased their cross-cultural awareness and their interest in a long-term study abroad experience. As these results support the hypothesis that short-term study abroad experiences have a positive effect on students' growth, it is important that programs develop and facilitate such opportunities for their students. Not only will this improve the global awareness and cultural competence of participants, but it will increase participation in long-term study abroad programs.

scholarly journals Globalization and Study Abroad: An Illusion of Paradox

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 155-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Falk ◽  
Nancy A. Kanach
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Brain Drain ◽  
Foreign Students ◽  
The United States ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Scarce Resources ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
American Students ◽  
Developed World

As we reflect upon the benefits of study abroad we should also bear in mind the special nature of such programs in settings outside the developed world. In the United States and other comparably-situated countries, the opportunity to study abroad enhances an already sound educational program. This is different from the conception of study abroad that leads developing countries to allocate scarce resources to fund foreign scholarships for their young people. Such journeys overseas are conceived to be investments in the future, but they are not without their risks. Among the uncertainties associated with this very different orientation to “study abroad” are such issues as “brain drain” and political back-lash, which are beyond the scope of our inquiry. But we should not ignore the very different motivations that foreign students may have in choosing to study here, while we consider the benefits (and risks) of having American students participate in programs of comparatively short-term study abroad.

scholarly journals Assessing Global Awareness over Short-Term Study Abroad Sequence: A Factor Analysis

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Kurt ◽  
Neal Olitsky ◽  
Paul Geis
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Student Outcomes ◽  
Global Awareness ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Study ◽  
The Past ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
Preparatory Course ◽  
The Impact

Over the past 10 years, U.S. undergraduate participation in study abroad has increased dramatically.  The majority of these study abroad experiences have durations of less than eight weeks.  Due to the rapid growth in both of these areas, there has been increased interest in assessing student outcomes associated with short-term study abroad (STSA) programs.  This paper investigates the impact of an STSA experience on undergraduate students' levels of global awareness over the entire STSA sequence: pre-preparatory course, post-preparatory course, and post-STSA program.  We adopt and extend the measures constructed in Chieffo and Griffiths (2004),by implementing a longitudinal study across 23 separate STSA courses. Findings indicate that students’ global awareness does not change significantly after the preparatory course, but that students' levels of global awareness experience statistically significant increases along several dimensions  after completing the STSA program.  We also find that students who have completed a previous study abroad experience still benefit from an additional STSA course.

scholarly journals Intercultural Wonderment: Short Term Study Abroad

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Kayla DeMuth ◽  
Laura Landry Meyer ◽  
Justin Newcomb ◽  
Susan Peet
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Global Learning ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Intercultural Competency ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
Development Outcomes

The proliferation of study abroad opportunities on college campuses has necessitated a deeper investigation of the impacts derived from participation. The concept of intercultural wonderment focuses on how individuals perceive themselves in an international culture. This concept guided embedded assignments and analysis of assignment responses for a short-term study abroad experience for human development and family studies students to Italy. Intercultural wonderment is a relatively new concept that has potential to guide future research and practice. Results from this exploration using the lens of intercultural wonderment are presented based on a thematic analysis. Conclusions indicate that the intercultural wonderment lens can strengthen cultural awareness and enhance intercultural competency. By noting students’ perceptions of their experiences outside their comfort zones, study-abroad experiences can target and foster global learning and development outcomes.

scholarly journals The Impact of a Short-Term Study Abroad Program that Offers a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience and Conservation Activities

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 100-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline McLaughlin ◽  
Mit Patel ◽  
D. Kent Johnson ◽  
Carlos L. De la Rosa
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Conservation Biology ◽  
Field Research ◽  
The United States ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
The Impact

Short-term study abroad experiences are the most common type of undergraduate study abroad programs in the United States. However, and to the best of our knowledge, little empirical research exists on students’ learning outcomes following their participation in a short-term program using an integrated research praxis. To address this, we structured an international embedded program in Costa Rica and Panama which allowed students to engage in authentic research experiences topically centered in ecology and service-learning activities in conservation biology. Mixed methods analyses on data generated from the assessment of students (n=54) in three cohorts, revealed students’ gains (both positive and negative) in specific scientific skills and knowledge domains in both the fields of ecology and conservation biology, as well as interest in doing further field research, perceptions of authentic international field research, appreciation of the value of biodiversity, advocacy, and future actions as conservationists and informed citizens (global citizenship).

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