scholarly journals Attitudes and Perceptions of Participants in a Horticulture Study Abroad Course at Iowa State University

2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-132
Author(s):  
Ann Marie VanDerZanden ◽  
Cynthia Haynes ◽  
Gail R. Nonnecke ◽  
Robert Martin

Globalization affects many aspects of American society, including higher education. Many institutions of higher education realize the need to help students become global citizens and thus require an international perspectives course as part of their undergraduate curriculum. The goal of this research was to evaluate the Horticulture Travel Course (Hort 496), which includes an international travel component, to determine whether it meets the university and College of Agriculture's expected learning outcomes and competencies in international and multicultural awareness. A 23-question survey instrument consisting of open- and close-ended questions was mailed to 116 former Hort 496 participants. Forty-three percent of the questionnaires were returned and were usable. Survey questions were designed to gather information on student demographics, previous international travel experience, learning outcomes achieved through participation in the pretrip preparatory class and the study abroad experience, and how these experiences influenced career development. Responses indicate that both the pretrip preparatory class and study abroad experience helped participants achieve the course learning outcomes. Furthermore, student presentations and guest speakers, and interacting with locals and planned tours immersed students the most in the pretrip preparatory class and study abroad experience, respectively. A majority of participants observed recognizable differences in agricultural management or production practices between the United States and the country visited. Participants also noted that Hort 496 had a positive affect on their communication skills, interpersonal skills, and personal growth.

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-168
Author(s):  
Sara A. McComb ◽  
Lorenzo Fedele ◽  
Patrick A. Brunese ◽  
Vicki L. Simpson

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.


Author(s):  
David Starr-Glass

Globalization profoundly impacts our economics, societies, and educational systems yet doubt exists in higher education as to an appropriate response. Some colleges have embarked on a process of comprehensive internationalization; others are considering how to graduates global citizens, even although global citizenship remains a deeply contested issue. Considering teaching and learning perspectives, particularly perspectives informed by acquisition and participation metaphors, the chapter critiques higher education efforts to develop global citizenship. It examines inbound international student programs, outbound study abroad initiatives, and changes in learner identification and self-categorization. It argues that while student mobility initiatives have great potential, that potential goes unrealized unless learners have been comprehensibly prepared to engage actively with their new environments and experiences, and to consciously reconsider their identities and self-categorizations.


Author(s):  
Min Young Doo ◽  
Curtis Bonk ◽  
Heeok Heo

The significance of scaffolding in education has received considerable attention. Many studies have examined the effects of scaffolding with diverse groups of participants, purposes, learning outcomes, and learning environments. The purpose of this research was to conduct a meta-analysis of the effects of scaffolding on learning outcomes in an online learning environment in higher education. This meta-analysis included studies with 64 effect sizes from 18 journal articles published in English, in eight countries, from 2010 to 2019. The meta-analysis revealed that scaffolding in an online learning environment has a large and statistically significant effect on learning outcomes. The meta-cognitive domain yielded a larger effect size than did the affective and cognitive domains. In terms of types of scaffolding activities, meta-cognitive scaffolding outnumbered other types of scaffolding. Computers as a scaffolding source in an online learning environment were also more prevalent than were human instructors. In addition, scholars in the United States have produced a large portion of the scaffolding research. Finally, the academic area of language and literature has adopted scaffolding most widely. Given that effective scaffolding can improve the quality of learning in an online environment, the current research is expected to contribute to online learning outcomes and learning experiences.


2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitin Mukesh ◽  
Katrina A. Bramstedt

Introduction: Pediatric hand transplantation (PHT), an investigational therapy, was recently performed in the United States. Research Questions: Perspectives of hand therapists about PHT patient selection (inclusion and exclusion criteria), team configuration, patient assent, and patient compliance were explored. Design: Quantitative survey. We used a research ethics committee–approved 18-question e-link anonymous questionnaire to survey members of the American Society of Hand Therapists and the Australian (AU) Hand Therapy Association for their perspectives on PHT. Results: All surveyed hand therapists work with children (n = 18 Australia [AU], n = 85 United States) and some had been involved in adult hand transplant rehabilitation (28% AU, 21% United States; P = .543, not significant (NS)). The US and AU therapists differ regarding their opinions on multidisciplinary team membership, smoking as an exclusion criterion, and risk of posttransplant rehabilitation noncompliance. Discussion: This research opens a dialogue on the clinical and ethical complexity of PHT, including team configuration, inclusion/exclusion criteria, the assent process, and rehabilitation access/compliance. Furthermore, international perspectives are informative as they highlight funding and access issues and can potentially guide global professional society policy.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 235
Author(s):  
Randall S. Davies ◽  
David Williams

<p>Tuning is a faculty-driven initiative designed to improve the quality of higher education by establishing transparent and fully assessable learning outcomes and proficiencies for degrees, discipline by discipline. Unlike many other initiatives in the United States which function within an individual institution, the Utah Tuning Project involved all institutes of higher education within the state of Utah. The purpose of this paper is to document the findings from an evaluation of a multiyear project targeting four undergraduate degree programs involved in a tuning initiative. A summary of recommendations and best practices is provided, along with the challenges and benefits to individuals and programs engaged in this process.</p>


Author(s):  
James G Ward ◽  
Yaprak Dalat Ward ◽  
Scott Jones

Objective - This research explored the cultural and educational insights in Thailand to develop a study abroad course for Business Communication students including a pre-departure segment followed by a trip to Thailand. The context was a small mid-western teaching university in the United States of America. Methodology/Technique – The primary researcher collected textual data by means of keeping a daily journal in Thailand including visits and stays in both urban and rural areas for over a period of two months. The journaling included reflections on the primary researcher’s observations and comments about learning sites, opportunities and cultural activities. The data collection also included videotaped interviews, photos of sites, local people, and cultural artifacts to be utilized in the course. Finding & Novelty - Content analysis of the journal yielded three sets of themes which resulted in the development of the course: a) Identification of opportunities to develop and practice intercultural sensitivity, intercultural development, and intercultural competencies; b) recognition of cultural artifacts to bring awareness to the culture of the country visited; and c) identification of a set of practical issues related to international travel. Type of Paper: Empirical. Keywords: Curation, experiential learning, journaling, study abroad, social enterprise, reflection. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Ward; J.G; Ward Y.D; Jones; S. 2020. Journaling to Develop a Study Abroad Course for Business Majors, Global J. Bus. Soc. Sci. Review, 8(1): 30 – 40. https://doi.org/10.35609/gjbssr.2020.8.1(4) JEL Classification: A30, A39.


Author(s):  
Fernanda Orsati ◽  
Lauren Shallish

Colleges and universities have increasingly worked to provide an international curriculum acknowledging that students must be prepared to deal with international issues in a globalized world. Study abroad programs provide students with opportunities to learn about cultural and linguistic systems outside the United States (US). While scholarship on learning outcomes associated with study abroad programs is emerging, inquiry into offerings that employ critical disability studies perspectives acknowledge power and intersectionality is absent. The inclusion of these frameworks provide opportunities to disrupt traditional, hegemonic, and ethnocentric understandings of knowledge and work to reflect the increasingly diverse demographics of college students. By examining the experiences of students on a short-term program to Brazil, the authors illustrate how disability studies, inclusive education, culturally relevant pedagogy and intersectionality address access, participation and learning outcomes to and about historically underrepresented groups.


Author(s):  
Katie E. Yeaton ◽  
Hugo A. Garcia ◽  
Jessica Soria ◽  
Margarita Huerta

Being cognizant of international matters and understanding of cultures other than one's own are standards that indicate global citizen readiness. Cultural competency and international mindfulness inherently fosters opportunities for dialogue and developing relations between countries. Higher education students in the United States are instructed in an English-dominant environment, a hindrance to their global citizenship preparedness. A facet of global citizenship bids competency in a language other than English and limiting students to one language will isolate them from the rest of the world. The question therefore unfolds around the benefits of bi/multilingualism and the accessibility of language particularly in self-proclaimed worldly universities. Ultimately, cultural and developmental language learning in United States is neglected, birthing a second language illiteracy crisis in higher education.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Brad Mitchell

This study proposes a participatory pedagogical framework founded on critical thinking as a method for analysis, reflection, and creative production of media through an understanding of the ways in which media literacy is being taught in higher education institutions in the United States. A qualitative design was utilized that included techniques of content and ethnographic analysis to focus on shared patterns across a sample of higher education courses in the U.S. containing elements of media literacy instruction. This study has found inconsistencies in the pedagogical approaches being utilized, a misunderstanding of the critical thinking and inquiry-based learning methods required for a critical field such as media literacy, and the lack of administrative oversight or policy support as key factors contributing to the discrepancies in media literacy's instruction and learning outcomes. Implications include recommendations for the field to consolidate theoretical frameworks, modifications to teaching, and policy and administrative advocacy efforts.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-101
Author(s):  
Marie Goretti Nakitende

This study examined executive women leaders in higher education administration in the United States of America. It examined factors influencing women to attain leadership positions. It also looked at the challenges facing female leaders and established strategies women use to overcome these challenges. A sample of 11 women leaders in higher education was selected purposively based on experience, seniority and roles. Multiple sources of data collection were utilised including interviewing, observation and document analysis, which served as a way of triangulation. The nature of the study was exploratory. The qualitative phenomenological method was utilised to organise and analyse the data. The researched data was collected from both primary and secondary sources such as journals, interviews and observations. Findings reveal that senior women leaders in higher education positions are intrinsically moved by a great desire to make a positive difference and a need to help others. External forces influencing women to leadership include mentoring, self-efficacy, networks, prior experience, leadership training, and career planning. The results indicated that the women desire is to achieve personal growth and development. The results are consistent with both leadership and motivation theories (Maslow, 1970; Burns, 1978; Bandura, 1997). The findings are limited to women leaders in the education sector; they cannot be generalised to other business sectors.


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