ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Intercultural Learning Assessment: The Link between Program Duration and the Development of Intercultural Sensitivity
Author: Medina-Lopez-Portillo, Adriana
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cultural Awareness,Foreign Countries,Study Abroad,Intercultural Programs,Sensitivity Training,Program Length,Interviews,Questionnaires,Social Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Attitude Change,Cross Cultural Training,Schematic Studies,Interpersonal Competence,Program Descriptions,Attitude Measures

Given the growing emphasis on internationalizing higher education and the rapidly increasing number of students embarking on study abroad programs each year, research on student learning outcomes, especially those related to cultural learning, is assuming greater value and relevance. The author conducted a study that aims to enhance one's understanding of intercultural learning by focusing on the link between the development of intercultural sensitivity and the first of Engle and Engle's (2003) key study abroad components, program duration. The study was designed to measure and describe changes in the intercultural sensitivity of University of Maryland students who would be studying abroad in two different language-based programs of differing lengths: a seven-week summer program in Taxco, Mexico, and a 16-week semester program in Mexico City. The study relied on case study methodology and used both qualitative and quantitative measures. Data gathering techniques included face-to-face interviews with individual students, the administration of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), a questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire designed to collect information about students' previous intercultural experience. The research findings suggest that duration of the programs does indeed significantly impact the development of student intercultural sensitivity. Both quantitative and qualitative data show more development of intercultural sensitivity in the students in the Mexico City program than those in the shorter Taxco program. (Contains 3 tables and 7 notes.)
Does Study Abroad Grading Motivate Students?
Author: Trooboff, Stevan
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Academic Records,Grade Point Average,Colleges,International Educational Exchange,Exchange Programs,Academic Achievement,Credits,Study Abroad,Student Motivation,Grading,Grades (Scholastic),School Policy,College Students

Academic officers at U.S. colleges and universities face a number of important decisions regarding how credits and grades earned overseas as part of a study abroad program should be incorporated into students' home academic records. The purpose of this article is to take a closer look at the way grades are handled at home institutions and the way these practices relate to student motivation. It presents the results of a research study conducted at Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) Study Centers during the Fall 2003 semester. The authors explore a widely-held belief that how grades are counted at home directly affects student performance abroad: that students whose institutions record grades earned abroad on the students' transcripts, and factor those grades into the cumulative grade point average (GPA), more diligently apply themselves to their coursework abroad. The study was conducted through an analysis of grades earned by students enrolled at CIEE study centers in Fall semester of 2003. The authors' research leads U.S. to conclude that grade recording policies can affect the overall motivation of some students. Specifically, recording students' grades on home transcripts can lead to higher motivation. However, including grades in a student's GPA does not seem to produce the desired result, and may even be counter-productive. Suggestions as to what the findings imply for institutional policies are presented. (Contains 11 tables and 3 notes.)
Assessing Language Acquisition and Intercultural Sensitivity Development in Relation to Study Abroad Program Design
Author: Engle, Lilli
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cultural Awareness,International Education,Testing,Language Tests,Program Effectiveness,Study Abroad,Second Language Learning,Outcomes of Education,Correlation,Mentors,Housing,Work Experience,Program Design,Foreign Countries,Second Language Instruction

Study abroad professionals have attempted in recent years to bring a statistical objectivity to the evaluation of the American study abroad experience. The complexity of international education is such that it is far from easy to move towards significant, objectively measurable, and comparable outcomes. This article presents a preliminary examination of one attempt to generate and interpret meaningful statistical assessment of the study abroad experience, within the context of specifically defined study abroad program types. The authors examine the data thus far generated, suggest its limitations, and appeal for a continued gathering of information. The authors suggest a structured, coordinated, profession-wide assessment effort that will gradually reveal a useful correlation between study abroad learning and the input of program variables such as duration, housing, experiential work and on-site mentoring. They argue that there is a strong relationship between a program's curricular design and the performance of students enrolled in it. The American University Center of Provence (AUCP), a small, independent, semester or full-year study abroad program, offers an example of a program that was designed by moving from desired learning outcomes to program design. The authors assess the extent to which students enrolling in this program are meeting the two primary goals of language and intercultural learning and explore as well the relationship between the two, relying on the Intercultural Development Inventory and on a language testing instrument developed by the &quot;Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Paris,&quot; the &quot;Test d'Evaluation de Francais.&quot; Each testing instrument, its use at AUCP, and a brief presentation and preliminary analysis of results are presented. (Contains 4 figures and 1 note.)
Multi-Level Assessment of Program Outcomes: Assessing a Nontraditional Study Abroad Program in the Engineering Disciplines
Author: DiBiasio, David
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Global Approach,Program Effectiveness,Study Abroad,Engineering Education,Course Descriptions,College Outcomes Assessment,Nontraditional Education,Delivery Systems,Program Evaluation,Educational Philosophy,Educational Quality,Evaluation Methods,Curriculum Evaluation

At Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) a Global Perspective Program (GPP) has evolved that provides an international experience for most graduates. Currently more than half of WPI students travel internationally to do academic work. WPI sends more engineering students abroad than any other U.S. university, and it is ranked second in the nation for doctoral universities for the percent of its total student body that studies abroad. A unique program aspect is that students simultaneously satisfy WPI's general education and engineering academic requirements while abroad. The GPP grew from the basic project-based educational structure implemented over 30 years ago. In this paper, the authors describe the structure and operation, but will emphasize the multilevel assessment process used to understand student learning and improve the program. They outline the assessment process that continuously challenges their institution to demonstrate that its curriculum, in its design and delivery, is in fact meeting the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) standards, and in doing so, preparing WPI graduates for a career in engineering that is now global. (Contains 1 figure and 5 tables.)
Assessing the Impact of a Strategies-Based Curriculum on Language and Culture Learning Abroad
Author: Paige, R. Michael
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Feedback (Response),Intervention,Second Language Learning,Learning Strategies,Cultural Awareness,Program Effectiveness,Study Abroad,Curriculum,College Students,Guides,Outcomes of Education,Student Attitudes,Measures (Individuals),Speech Acts,Language Skills

In this study, the authors explore the impact of the study abroad experience, in general, and the impact of a curriculum intervention, in particular, on students' intercultural development, second language acquisition, and culture and language learning strategies of 86 study abroad participants from seven Minnesota colleges and universities. They describe the curriculum intervention which consists of a newly published guidebook that students are trained to use while abroad. This guidebook, &quot;Maximizing Study Abroad: A Students' Guide to Language and Culture Strategies and Use,&quot; whose senior authors are Paige and Cohen, aims to prepare students to take advantage of the second language and intercultural learning opportunities they will find abroad. By utilizing a scientifically rigorous set of research procedures, the authors sought to ascertain the impact and efficacy of the &quot;Students' Guide&quot;--one of the volumes in a three-volume set of guidebooks, the &quot;Maximizing Study Abroad Guides&quot;--as well as to test a set of hypotheses about the learning outcomes associated with study abroad. Results show that the qualitative feedback from students about the &quot;Students' Guide&quot; has been highly positive, suggesting that from the student perspective, an intervention in the form of a self-access guidebook with language and culture strategy instruction can be a valuable tool for getting the most out of the study abroad experience. (Contains 3 figures and 5 tables.)
The Impact of Short-Term Study Abroad on the Identity Development of College Students with Learning Disabilities and/or AD/HD
Author: Shames, Wendy
Date: 2005-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,Inclusive Schools,Learning Disabilities,Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,Study Abroad,Identification (Psychology),Program Effectiveness,Barriers,Special Needs Students,Cultural Awareness,Knowledge Level,Physical Environment,Skill Development,Time,Normalization (Disabilities),Self Esteem

This article explores the identity changes that college students with learning disability (LD) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) report after participating in a short-term study abroad program. The reflections of thirteen short-term study abroad participants, all of whom have been diagnosed with LD and/or AD/HD are presented. Particular attention is focused on the ways in which these identity changes impacted the students as learners and the factors unique to short-term study abroad that facilitated those identity changes. It concludes by proposing a model of identity development for students with LD and/or AD/HD and recommends methods for greater inclusion of students with LD and/or AD/HD in short-term study abroad programs. The authors hope that their findings will help to reframe notions about the ability and adaptability of students with LD and/or AD/HD, lower current barriers to participation in study abroad for students with LD and/or AD/HD, and contribute to the dynamic discussion currently underway about study abroad and student outcomes. (Contains 1 figure.)
North American Students in Israel: An Evaluation of a Study Abroad Experience
Author: Donitsa-Schmidt, Smadar
Date: 2005-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Semitic Languages,Second Language Learning,Jews,Foreign Countries,Language Skills,North Americans,Language Proficiency,Study Abroad,Ethnicity,Cultural Awareness,Student Attitudes,College Students

Every year, thousands of students worldwide leave home for the purpose of participating in an educational experience in a different country. Israel is one of the many destinations offering study abroad programs. Yet, being a Jewish country and a homeland for the Jewish Diaspora (Jewish communities outside Israel), Israel constitutes a unique study abroad case since it is typically Jewish students from all over the world who choose to take part in these programs. While, internationally, the popular incentives which drive students to study abroad include the desire to improve foreign language skills, to be introduced to new cultures, to receive international work experience and to develop independent skills, these are not the primary reasons why Jewish students choose to study in Israel. Rather, their main purpose for spending time in Israel is to strengthen their Jewish identity and become familiar with their own Jewish heritage. Studying Hebrew, one of Israel's official languages, is most often considered a secondary aim. Nonetheless, study abroad programs in Israel do include a language component, since it is assumed that learning Hebrew will help enhance students' Jewish awareness and identity. This research investigates changes in self-ascribed identity among study abroad students in Israel as a result of the time spent in the country, and examines the gains in their Hebrew language proficiency. Attitudes towards the host country and local culture are also explored for the purpose of better understanding the relationship between students' identity, Hebrew language proficiency and dispositions about Israel. Since North America has the largest Jewish community outside Israel, North American students (from the United States and Canada) make up the majority foreign population studying in Israel. The study concentrates specifically on North American students taking part in a study abroad program in Israel, seeking to understand how the study abroad experience in Israel influenced students' identities, attitudes and Hebrew language proficiency. (Contains 4 tables.)
Why Are They Better Students when They Come Back? Determinants of Academic Focusing Gains in the Study Abroad Experience
Author: Hadis, Benjamin F.
Date: 2005-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,Outcomes of Education,Educational Benefits,Statistical Significance,Study Abroad,Second Language Learning,Student Attitudes,Academic Achievement,Achievement Gains,International Education,Teacher Attitudes,Cultural Awareness,Global Approach,Intellectual Development,Path Analysis,Multiple Regression Analysis

International educators in general, and study abroad advisors in particular, have recognized for many years that United States college students returning from studying abroad show positive changes. According to their impressionistic perceptions, international educators often identify improvements in terms of concern about international affairs, appreciation of different cultures, maturation, self-awareness and independence. Much of the research literature on the impact of study abroad on US college students coincides with those impressionistic perceptions and finds that participants in study abroad programs acquire global-mindedness, grow intellectually, and develop personally. When researchers find no evidence of gains on the part of study abroad students, they acknowledge that their samples are too small to detect statistical significance. Research has also identified various kinds of second language acquisition gains--especially in listening and comprehension abilities--for students who study abroad in non-English speaking countries. With few exceptions, academic impacts other than linguistic ones have not been dealt with extensively in the research literature on gains from studying abroad. Many faculty and study abroad advisors who chat with their students returning from study abroad experiences will recognize that one of the most noticeable changes in these students is a higher than average curiosity and interest in academic matters. As they become more interested in academic issues, participants are less often distracted by non-academic, age-related stimuli. Some educators refer to this process as a sign of maturation, and rightly so. The issue, though, is to find out whether (and how) studying abroad contributes to this process of academically-oriented maturation. This article explores the cluster of experiences that participants in study abroad go through--both during their sojourn abroad and immediately upon return--and how these experiences enhance shifts in their individual priorities. The author discusses to what extent, and why, some study abroad participants bring their academic endeavors to the forefront of their interests when they return to their home colleges. Since the experiences of study abroad program participants are many, eye opening, and quite complex, this article also explores the intricate and multiple determinations of the changes in the participants. With the help of multiple regression and path analyses the author lays out a model that charts those changes, their consequences, and mutual determinations. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)
The Power of Being There: Study Abroad in Cuba and the Promotion of a &quot;Culture of Peace&quot;
Author: Bond, Lynne
Date: 2005-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Latin American Culture,Peace,Foreign Countries,Study Abroad,Latin Americans,Exchange Programs,Conflict,Foreign Policy,Cultural Awareness,Program Descriptions,Individual Development,Student Attitudes,Questionnaires,Participant Characteristics

If one of the main purposes of study abroad is to promote a greater understanding between members of the host and home nation via face-to-face relations and in-country living experiences, there is no place in the world where United States students studying abroad takes on more significance than it does in Cuba. Given a situation in which home and host nation, at least at a governmental level, view each other as the enemy and restrict and regulate travel between them, this is particularly important. In the case of the US and Cuba, &quot;being there&quot; takes on a heightened power and may contribute significantly to bringing forth a &quot;culture of peace.&quot; Each of this article's authors led short-term study abroad programs to Cuba during 2004. The institution that had hosted their sending institutions' programs on site, &quot;La Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales&quot; (FLACSO)/Cuba, is their common link. FLACSO/Cuba's director, Dr. Beatriz Diaz Gonzalez, fervently believes that educational exchanges between the US and Cuba have played a significant role in promoting greater understanding between the peoples of the two countries. She is convinced that US-Cuban exchanges have actively promoted a &quot;culture of peace&quot; in the otherwise tense and conflict-ridden relationship between Cuba and the US, and had elaborated on this point in a presentation to the Latin American Studies Association (2003). In this article, the authors discuss the results of their study which explores the power of US study abroad in Cuba for promoting a culture of peace. (Contains 4 tables and 5 notes.)
Testing Assumptions: The Impact of Two Study Abroad Program Models
Author: Norris, Emily Mohajeri
Date: 2005-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Students,Student Attitudes,Models,Language of Instruction,Program Effectiveness,College Housing,Study Abroad,Immersion Programs,Longitudinal Studies,Comparative Analysis,Career Development,Second Language Learning,Language Proficiency,Cultural Awareness,Correlation

There are many untested, long-held assumptions within the field of study abroad concerning the impact of program elements such as study duration, language of instruction, program models, and student housing choices. One assumption embraced within the field is that direct enrollment (or full immersion) programs are more effective at achieving a full range of outcomes than other program models. However, the field lacks rigorous, longitudinal outcomes assessment research to support this conclusion. This study offers evidence that refutes this assumption. There are considerable variables in study abroad program designs; however, this article focuses on the learning context. Most definitions of program models as defined by learning context may be plotted along a continuum. At one end of the continuum is the "island" program which replicates most aspects of the American college/university learning context in a self-contained context, a bubble, within the host country. Frequently, "island" programs transport US faculty to the host-country to provide all instruction. In the middle of the continuum are "hybrid" programs for which the home institutions offer support and services and which encourage students to take coursework offered by the program as well as courses taught by host-country faculty at the local university. At the end of the continuum are the "direct enrollment/full immersion" programs in which American students directly apply for admission to and participate in the courses and extra-curricular offerings of the host institution. The direct enrollment experience often provides American students with minimal orientation, and support services are offered through the host university's office for visiting foreign students. In this study, the authors define and compare the impacts of two types of programs on the program model continuum: (1) the facilitated direct enrollment model; and (2) the hybrid model. (Contains 7 tables.)