scholarly journals Faith Development While Abroad Amongst African American Students

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-19
Author(s):  
Thandiwe Dinani
Keyword(s):  
Identity Development ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Spiritual Development ◽  
Faith Development ◽  
Faith Communities ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Studying Abroad ◽  
American Students ◽  
Stages Of Faith ◽  
The U.S

Spiritual development is an epistemological journey of seeking to make meaning of life’s activities, order, and the relationship between events (Love, 2002). This process occurs when students experience a degree of dissonance that pushes them to question what they know, how they know it, and expand their understanding based on new experiences and information learned (Bakari, 2000; Chaudhari & Pizzolato, 2008). Studying abroad provides opportunities for students to encounter disequilibrium as they interact with other cultures that cause them to consider alternative viewpoints, and enable other’s practices and beliefs to influence the formation of their own views, beliefs and practices (Chaudhari & Pizzolato, 2008). This article utilizes Fowler’s (1981) stages of faith development to understand the meaning-making and spiritual development of study abroad participants. Multiple semi-structured interviews (pre-, during, and post-study abroad) were conducted with 25 African-American students who participated in long-term, immersive, study-abroad programs in 13 different countries on 5 different continents. During pre-study abroad interviews, three participants disclosed a faith-background and expressed intention to connect with a community of believers during their time abroad. These participants were in what Fowler would consider a synthetic-conventional stage of faith development, characterized by conventional practices influenced from home and parental influences. While abroad, five students shared that they had independently researched local churches in their host countries, and regularly attended services alone or with another study abroad participant, because they needed the support of a community of believers to empower them during their time abroad. Additionally, numerous participants addressed differences in how faith is discussed and practiced in their host country and America. One-third of participants discussed studying abroad having an impact on their faith and religious beliefs. In addition, participants discussed specific lessons and practices learned from their community of believers in their host countries, which they intended to incorporate in their faith practices and beliefs upon return to the U.S. Particularly interesting was a distinction noted between the role faith plays in the U.S. and abroad: participants described their faith communities in the U.S. placing a strong emphasis on what God can do for people, whereas in faith communities abroad, the emphasis was placed on believer’s responsibility to worship God rather than on what God does or does not provide. Another key finding was the connection between student development stages of identity development and stages of faith development. Participants in later stages of identity development demonstrated a transition from Fowler’s synthetic-conventional stage of faith development to the individuative-reflective stage of faith development. In the individuative-reflective stage, students break free from parental and community influenced practices to explore their own thoughts and experiences of God and determine for themselves how they will practice their faith. A similar process occurs in practices and behaviors when a student explores and forms a solidified identity – they shift from parental and communal influences on identity formation to forming beliefs and actions based on personal experiences and thoughts.

Sustainable Study Abroad

2022 ◽  
pp. 110-125
Author(s):  
Daria Panina ◽  
Katy Lane
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
International Experience ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Study Abroad Programs ◽  
Studying Abroad ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
The U.S

The number of business students in higher education pursuing an international experience continues to increase due to a range of opportunities offered by universities. International experiences lead to positive outcomes for students, but there is a misalignment between the countries sending students to the U.S. and the destinations chosen by U.S. students. Host countries selected by students for their international experience are the recipients of economic benefits, but they also are facing environmental and social consequences of over-tourism. As such, a more sustainable approach to the planning and selection of study abroad programs must be taken. This chapter reviews the data and trends for U.S. students studying abroad and international students studying in the U.S. and also looks more closely at the data for one large public university. Stakeholders are identified and the pros and cons of non-traditional study abroad destinations discussed. The chapter concludes by offering suggestions for designing programs in non-traditional study abroad destinations.

scholarly journals Unique Opportunities: Influence of study abroad on Black students

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasmine A. Lee ◽  
Qiana Green
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Black Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Studying Abroad

Higher education scholars argue studying abroad results in multiple positive outcomes for undergraduate students; however, Black students continue to be underrepresented as study abroad participants. Utilizing analytic Afrocentricity as the theoretical framework, case study methodology, and semi-structured interviews, this paper furthers higher education research by exploring the influences of study abroad experiences in South Africa on Black undergraduate students. Findings indicate not only positive outcomes on racial identity development, but also academic and career aspirations, and conducting undergraduate research.

International Cooperation: The Study Abroad Experience

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
NICOLE TYNER
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Undergraduate Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
Barriers To Entry ◽  
Foreign Study ◽  
Studying Abroad ◽  
United States Today ◽  
American Students ◽  
Pertinent Information

ABSTRACT In this paper I will explore the Case Studies of three American students who spent time studying abroad during their undergraduate education. Through personal, one-on-one, interviews, I explore each individual's specific program, educational experience, and lasting personal impressions. I have compiled these findings and presented them in conjunction with pertinent information on Study Abroad in the United States today. This review includes present day models used in the Study Abroad industry, barriers to entry facing students, as well as the benefits and concerns related to foreign study. By placing these experiences in the context and perspective of domestic curriculums, I will emphasize the need to integrate globally- focused education further into undergraduate learning. In conclusion, I touch on possible solutions to obstacles preventing students from spending time studying internationally.

scholarly journals Universal Design and Study Abroad: (Re-)Designing Programs for Access

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 269-288
Author(s):  
Heidi Soneson ◽  
Roberta J. Cordano
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Academic Experience ◽  
Study Abroad Programs ◽  
Studying Abroad ◽  
Functional Differences ◽  
Design Changes ◽  
Assessment Survey ◽  
The U.S

This article provides study abroad programs with a new and innovative way to create a more responsive overseas context for the growing range of students studying abroad. By utilizing the Access Assessment Survey to consider ways to meet the needs of students with various functional differences, U.S. institutions and overseas providers can identify the program modifications and design changes required to benefit a variety of student learning and living needs. In order for study abroad to be an integral part of the U.S. student’s academic experience and, in this process, help to create informed citizens, it must be accessible to many different learners. Identifying and addressing the needs of students with functional differences is an important step in this direction.

Study abroad, language usage, and the development of multilingual identities: The case of 1.5 generation Korean–American students

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hakyoon Lee ◽  
YouJin Kim ◽  
Bumyong Choi
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Korean American ◽  
Longitudinal Case Study ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
1.5 Generation ◽  
Linguistic Resources ◽  
American Students ◽  
The U.S

AbstractThis one-year longitudinal case study investigates two 1.5 generation Korean–American students’ Korean language learning and usage before, during, and after their study abroad (SA) trip to Korea. Each came to the U.S. at eight years old for primary education and currently attends a university in the U.S. Their linguistic and cultural backgrounds brought intragroup diversities into their educational communities, including the study abroad program. With detailed documentation of interview data and ethnographic field notes, this study examines how learning Korean influences the construction of the learner’s self. This study also seeks to identify the ways that concepts of language learning, multilingual identities, and cultural belonging can be elucidated using narrative analysis. The participants’ post-sojourn experiences reveal SA creates an opportunity to develop cultural membership and to build multilingual identities with increased accessibility to the Korean communities. This study offers a nuanced understanding of the diversifying study abroad students in higher education in the U.S., and the mobilization of linguistic resources and the construction of identities in the context of study abroad.

scholarly journals Promoting intercultural competence in study abroad students

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Tarchi ◽  
Alessio Surian
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Active Control ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Conceptual Knowledge ◽  
Studying Abroad ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Short Intervention ◽  
Study Abroad Students

AbstractUniversities have been promoting study abroad programmes for a long time to improve intercultural competence. However, the mere exposure to cultural differences while studying abroad does not ensure intercultural competence, unless study abroad students’ reflective processes are explicitly targeted. The article presents the results of a short intervention grounded in the problem-based approach aimed at improving intercultural competence in study abroad students. Students were assigned to three conditions: a video-log condition (in which they have to narrate a critical incident occurred to them), a reflection-induced video-logs (in which they were prompted to reflect on the video-logs produced), and an active control condition. The reflection-induced video-log intervention improved students’ perceived proficiency in Italian and perceived opportunities for cultural reflection, but it did not contribute to improve students’ applicable and conceptual knowledge of intercultural competence.

Deciphering the rising attractiveness of Asian countries as destinations for Vietnamese students seeking international education: The effect of desire for studying abroad on Vietnamese students' career planning and decision-making processes in Taiwan

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuo Chen
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
International Education ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Career Planning ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Studying Abroad ◽  
Planning Factor ◽  
The Impact

Nowadays, Vietnamese students choose to study abroad in Asian countries, with Taiwan being one of the most appealing locations so far. The purpose of this research is to explain the planning process used by Vietnamese students to study abroad (the host country is Taiwan), as well as to suggest an appropriate model for students' decision-making once the desire to study abroad is established, in which the impact of career path on school selection is clarified and the importance of motivation to study abroad is emphasized.This research used a mixed-methods approach. In-depth interviews with 30 Vietnamese students studying in Taiwan are conducted using a qualitative methodology. The data gathered during those interviews is utilized to build questionnaires that will be sent to over 300 samples for quantitative study.The research findings demonstrate the primary elements influencing students' desire to study abroad, career planning, and decision-making in Taiwan, as well as the model of students' decision-making process. It is obvious that students' desire to study abroad has a direct effect on their career-planning factor, while this factor acts as a mediator between the aforementioned motivation and the students' decision-making factor.

Japanese English Majors’ Experiences and Attitudes to Study Abroad: A Case Study of Students at a Private University in Tokyo

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 38-52
Author(s):  
Anthony Tobin
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
English Language ◽  
Private University ◽  
Studying Abroad ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
Overseas Travel ◽  
Recent Trends ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Japanese English

This study investigates both the benefits of and recent trends in studying abroad for Japanese students and examines the results of a survey on study abroad taken by students majoring in English at a private university in Tokyo. Statistics from JASSO showed that the trend in study abroad before 2020 was for an increasing number of Japanese university students to spend a period of time studying abroad, though most of the increase was in short-term study. The English language questionnaire sought to discover what proportion of a group of seventy-two students had already studied abroad, or planned to do so, and to establish whether those who had gained experience had benefited from it, as well as detailing student anxieties which may have deterred students from studying abroad. The survey on study abroad, taken in January 2018, had a 100% response rate. Twenty-three (32%) of the students answered that they had already studied abroad, mostly for short durations in English-speaking countries. Most of the students who studied abroad had a positive experience, reputedly improved their English skills and recommended that other students study abroad. Twenty-six (53%) of the students without study abroad experience were planning to study abroad, even though they had some issues which concerned them, such as their ability to communicate in English, personal safety, and financial matters. The main reason for not electing to study abroad for this particular sample was found to be related to the overall costs of overseas travel, accommodation, and tuition. この研究では日本人学生に対する留学の利点および最近の留学の傾向を調べ、さら に東京の私立大学で英語を専攻している学生に対して実施した留学についての調査 の結果を検討している。JASSO の統計によると、２０２０年までは留学する日本人 大学生の数は増加傾向であったが、そのほとんどは短期留学であった。英語で行わ れたアンケート調査の目的は、著者の三つのクラスの７２名の学生のうちの何割が 留学経験がある、もしくは留学の予定があるか、またすでに留学した学生はその経 験から恩恵を受けたと感じているか、学生は留学をするにあたってどのような不安 を持つか、さらに留学しないと答えた学生の場合は留学しない理由を明らかにする ことである。２０１８年１月に行われた調査の回答率は１００パーセントであっ た。２３人（３２パーセント）の学生は留学経験があり、ほとんどの場合が英語圏 の国への短期留学である。留学経験のある学生の大半数が有益な経験ができ、英語 力が上達したと感じており、他の学生に留学を勧めると答えている。留学経験のな い学生の２６人（５３パーセント）が留学する予定だが、英語のコミュニケーショ ン、安全、金銭などについて不安を感じていた。留学しない理由については、旅 費、宿泊代、授業料など経済的な理由が大半であった。

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