From Cultural Immersion to Professional Growth

Author(s):  
Carrie E. Hong ◽  
Samantha Kopp ◽  
Shanthia Williams

This chapter presents a case study that explores impacts of the cultural immersion afforded from a study abroad program on teachers' professional growth over time. First, the study examined two teachers' cultural immersion process from their reflections and survey answers collected before, during, after the study abroad. Second, impacts of the study abroad experiences on classroom instruction were explored, using descriptive case study and phenomenology methods. Data from semi-structured interviews and teacher lesson observations were analyzed to explore to what extent the teachers infused diversity and multiculturalism in their instruction. The results of the study describe lived experiences of the two teachers who participated in a summer study abroad program that allowed unique experiences of cultural immersion and professional growth as a classroom teacher. The chapter also includes suggestions for future research that explores impacts of study abroad programs on teachers and their students.

Author(s):  
Carola Smith

This chapter is a descriptive case study on one community college in California to show how the institution was able to successfully institutionalize study abroad through advocacy, strategic planning, and the cultivation of local, statewide, and international collaborations. Because of the longevity and vitality of the program examined in this particular case study, there is useful insight for other education abroad professionals who are at varying stages of implementing, developing, or institutionalizing study abroad programs at their respective institutions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-120
Author(s):  
Erik Jon Byker ◽  
Tingting Xu

For students to become global citizens they need globally competent teachers. The purpose of this article is to describe and compare the development of global competencies in teacher candidates who participated in international teaching-focused study abroad programs. The article is framed by Critical Cosmopolitan Theory (Byker, 2013), which offers a lens for the development of global competencies through the fusion of critical consciousness (Freire, 1970) and cosmopolitanism (Appiah, 2010). In the field of teacher education, study abroad experiences can help enhance teacher candidates’ commitment to culturally responsive teaching practices (Gay, 2002) and intercultural awareness (Hammer, Bennett, & Wiseman, 2003). The article reports on two case studies of study abroad programs for U.S. teacher candidates. One case study focuses on a study abroad program in China (n=13) and the other case study focuses on a study abroad program in South Africa (n=22). The article compares the teacher candidates’ perceptions of their study abroad experiences in relationship to the development of global competencies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-290
Author(s):  
Yong Wang ◽  
Ke Li ◽  
Yuan Zhang

Purpose: Studying abroad is an important way for universities to cultivate talent with international vision and global competitiveness. Based on its analysis of a U.S. university’s study in China program, this study provides policy recommendations to promote the overseas study and exchange of U.S. students in China. Design/Approach/Methods: This study examines the Beijing Overseas Learning Program of L University to examine the actual operations of a study abroad program in China. More specifically, this study examines the cooperative institution where the U.S. study program is located in China to analyze the operation mechanism and underlying logical framework of the program. Findings: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the logical factors as well as internal and external reasons behind U.S. students’ decisions to study in China. This study demonstrates that the “peer factor” has a decisive influence on students’ decisions to study in China. Originality/Value: Study abroad programs constitute an integral part of China’s initiatives to enhance people-to-people exchanges with other countries. This study improves our understanding of the practical dynamics of study abroad programs in China, thereby enhancing abilities to attract U.S. students to study in China.


Author(s):  
Angela Vatalaro ◽  
Judit Szente ◽  
Judith Levin

Only a small percentage of pre-service teachers are exposed to meaningful, comprehensive curricula that enhance global competence (Lucas & Villegas, 2002; Tucker, 1982; Wells, 2008). In response to pre-service teachers’ limited exposure to diverse curricula, many universities offer international study abroad programs that provide students with experiences designed to increase multicultural and global awareness that they may not receive in their regular coursework. This paper shares how a Study Abroad Program to Reggio Emilia, Italy transformed pre-service teachers’ learning experiences. Conclusions, discussions, and recommendations for future research are also included.


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-37
Author(s):  
Shelbee Nguyen ◽  
Joellen E. Coryell

This study explores primary perceptions of and motivations to study abroad for adult and higher education learners. A large Hispanic-serving Southwestern university serves as the context of this study where undergraduate students and one graduate student were enrolled in an Italian urbanism study abroad program. The age of the participants ranged from 20 to 47, with six males and 11 females (N = 17) for an average age of 25. Participants self-identified as Caucasian (35%), Asian (6%), Latino/a (24%), Middle-Eastern (6%), and Mexican-American (52) %. Semi-structured interviews assessed formative and influential messages impacting perceptions of and motivations to study abroad. Findings lend special importance to popular culture, peer networks within and outside the institution and socially constructed meaning made about study abroad. Limitations of this study are highlighted, along with implications and directions for future research.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 99-125
Author(s):  
Morgan McCleeary ◽  
Niki Sol

Examining how students develop abroad within a given study abroad program model can provide insight into their experiences and how to best support them. This study explores the experiences of students who studied abroad through one of Midwest College’s five hybrid study abroad programs during the 2016-2017 academic year. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine students to determine the participants’ perceptions of their personal development, using Chickering and Reisser’s (1993) third vector of student development, moving through autonomy toward interdependence, as a theoretical framework. The findings revealed that participants perceived they had grown in all three areas of Chickering and Reisser’s third vector: instrumental independence, emotional independence and interdependence, providing new insight and perspective into the growing body of research regarding student development in study abroad program models.


2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Rebecca Kato ◽  
Kenneth Reeder

An interview-based case study was used to identify the shift in expectations for 5 Japanese undergraduate students studying abroad at a Canadian university. Using a modified expectancy violation framework, this study examined the initial stage of an 8-month study abroad program, using semi-structured interviews supported by observational data gained in classroom observation. An inductive, qualitative analysis of the interviews revealed that expectation of interaction was the most commonly violated expectation for the participants. Most participants struggled with assuming the identity of a less competent language user but nonetheless sought out opportunities to become competent in their study abroad context, in some cases creating and shaping their own contexts for language use and growth. Further, participants faced the challenge of addressing the native speaker/nonnative speaker dichotomy in a multicultural study abroad environment, particularly outside the classroom. The paper concludes with curricular, policy, and research implications. 本研究は、カナダの大学に留学中の日本人学生5人を対象に、留学先の学校や現地の人々、自身への期待の変化をケース・スタディの手法を用いて調べたものである。8か月間の留学期間の初期段階に授業観察及び半構造的面接を行い、データを修正版期待違反理論の枠組みで分析した。質的帰納的な分析の結果、現地人との交流に対する期待が最も満たされなかったことが判明した。本研究が対象とした留学生は、英語力が劣る話者というアイデンティティーの葛藤を抱えながらも、英語上達の機会を積極的に見出し、英語を使う機会も創出した。さらに、現地の多民族社会の中で、特に教室外で英語のネイティブ・非ネイティブという従来の二項対立の意味を再検討するという課題に直面した。本稿はカリキュラム、政策、本研究の意義についても言及する。


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard B. Apgar

As destination of choice for many short-term study abroad programs, Berlin offers students of German language, culture and history a number of sites richly layered with significance. The complexities of these sites and the competing narratives that surround them are difficult for students to grasp in a condensed period of time. Using approaches from the spatial humanities, this article offers a case study for enhancing student learning through the creation of digital maps and itineraries in a campus-based course for subsequent use during a three-week program in Berlin. In particular, the concept of deep mapping is discussed as a means of augmenting understanding of the city and its history from a narrative across time to a narrative across the physical space of the city. As itineraries, these course-based projects were replicated on site. In moving from the digital environment to the urban landscape, this article concludes by noting meanings uncovered and narratives formed as we moved through the physical space of the city.


2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingjie Liu ◽  
Thomas Shirley

While all higher education was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, study abroad programs were uniquely challenged by the associated restrictions and limitations. This case study integrates a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) pedagogy approach and virtual reality (VR) technologies into the curriculum redesign process to transform a business study abroad course into an online format. Using VR technology, U.S. students and their international partners in Germany, Brazil, and India created and shared cultural exchange virtual tours. The redesigned online study abroad course engaged students in active learning activities and cultivated students’ intercultural competence development.


2021 ◽  
pp. 096100062110651
Author(s):  
Jiamin Dai ◽  
Joan C. Bartlett ◽  
Karyn Moffatt

Growing dementia-friendly library services are contributing to community-based dementia care. Emerging community programs in libraries and museums provide notable opportunities for promoting engagement and inclusivity, but these programs have yet to receive in-depth assessments and analyses to guide future research and practice. This paper presents a case study examining a social and storytelling program for people with dementia run by a Canadian public library. It investigates two research questions: How can public library programs contribute to community-based dementia care? And what are public libraries’ strengths and challenges in running programs for people with dementia? The study involves participant observations of the program and semi-structured interviews with people with dementia, caregivers, and program facilitators (librarians and Alzheimer Society coordinators). Through thematic analysis of fieldnotes and transcripts, the study reveals how this inclusive platform supports engagement, fosters relationships, helps caregivers, and reaches broader communities. This research further uncovers the librarians’ diversified roles as demonstrated through their collaboration with professionals, preparation and research, and facilitation of the sessions. This paper advances librarianship research on enriching community-based dementia care, including furthering inclusivity and engagement and extending accessible library services. By analyzing library programming for the dementia community and assessing its strengths and challenges, the paper highlights librarians’ awareness of the community’s evolving needs and their collaboration with other professionals. It offers practical insights on useful resources and emerging best practices that will hopefully inspire other initiatives in which information professionals can help improve the well-being of vulnerable populations.


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