Education Abroad


Book Description

Education abroad is an essential part of the university student experience. Initiatives such as IIE’s Generation Study Abroad encourage more U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study abroad. According to the Open Doors 2019 Report by the Institute for International Education (IIE), 341,751 students participated in post-secondary education abroad programs during the 2017/2018 academic year. This figure represents an increase of 2.7% of U.S. students studying abroad from the previous year. Research shows that education abroad provides students with opportunities not only to see the world but also to develop intercultural competence, which is increasingly crucial in the 21st century workplace. There are also numerous studies that show gains in autonomy, confidence, and tolerance for ambiguity in students who complete some type of study abroad experience. In sum, the education abroad experience in itself represents a powerful learning environment that continues to support personal and professional development long after returning home. Nonetheless, these learning environments must be cultivated along with faculty who develop and lead programs, as well as university partners and providers. Furthermore, education abroad programming and assessment is complex and must take into consideration many factors including academic goals, purposeful curricular development, and a balance between academics and leisure activities on site. This book explores the many aspects of education abroad as a learning environment, such as student learning outcomes, faculty development, and program assessment and evaluation. In addition, several chapters present education abroad experiences as a model for community engagement and activism. The authors represent a diverse range of institutions and perspectives and discuss programs around the globe. The book represents the voices of faculty that lead education abroad programs, students who participate in them, and also those of international students on a U.S. campus reflecting on their personal experiences abroad. Furthermore, this book contributes to the discussion of best practices to assist faculty and program directors in creating robust education abroad programs that meet the needs of their students and institutions.




The Handbook of Practice and Research in Study Abroad


Book Description

Co-published with the Association for American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) If we are all becoming global citizens, what then are our civic responsibilities? Colleges and universities across the United States have responded to this question by making the development of global citizens part of their core mission. A key strategy for realizing this goal is study abroad. After all, there may be no better way for students to acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to become effective change-agents in international contexts. The Handbook of Practice and Research in Study Abroad is a comprehensive survey of the field. Each chapter eloquently conveys an enthusiasm for study abroad alongside a critical assessment of the most up-to-date research, theory and practice. This contributed volume brings together expert academics, senior administrators, practitioners of study abroad, and policy makers from across the United States, Canada and other part of the world, who meticulously address the following questions: What do we mean by global citizenship and global competence? What are the philosophical, pedagogical and practical challenges facing institutions as they endeavor to create global citizens? How is study abroad and global citizenship compatible with the role of the academy? What are the institutional challenges to study abroad, including those related to ethics, infrastructure, finances, accessibility, and quality control? Which study abroad programs can be called successful? The Handbook of Practice and Research in Study Abroad is an indispensable reference volume for scholars, higher education faculty, study abroad professionals, policy makers, and the academic libraries that serve these audiences. It is also appropriate for a wide range of courses in Higher Education Master’s and Ph.D. Programs.




A Case Study of Troika Short-term Study Abroad Program Model in Community Colleges


Book Description

This case study examined the phenomenon, through a basic interpretive approach, of 13 students who participated in a short- term study abroad program at a community college. Participants shared experiences from their programs that provided meaning to their lives and how that meaning has shaped their life socially, academically, professionally, and personally. The goal of the study was to describe their experiences of community college students who participate in a short-term study abroad program, describe how a short-term study abroad program at a community college impacts a student's life, understand how short-term study abroad programs in community colleges are moving toward the outcomes of long-term programs, and determine the impact this study will have on senior level administrators from Community Colleges for International Development and other government agencies affiliated with study abroad programs. Data were collected from 13 participants via interviews, travel journals, trip reports, and photographs taken while the students were studying abroad. The themes identified in the data were: International experiences encourage participants to study abroad; student perception of faculty leading the study abroad program is key to study abroad participation; expanded worldview through human interaction; studying abroad produces a desire to travel internationally; participants earn intellectual, social, professional, and personal capital as a result of studying abroad. These themes suggest that short-term study abroad programs that use the Troika model produced a significant impact on students who participate in them.




Code of Ethics for Education Abroad


Book Description

This document, published by The Forum on Education Abroad, is designed to guide ethical decision-making and assist organizations as they seek to provide education abroad experiences and services in accord with the highest ethical standards. The Shared Values and Principles of Professional Practice outlined below are essential to the fair and just administration of education abroad programs and the welfare of the learners that we serve.




Learning to Lead


Book Description




The Routledge Handbook of Study Abroad Research and Practice


Book Description

The Routledge Handbook of Study Abroad Research and Practice is an authoritative overview of study abroad and immersive context research specifically situated within applied linguistics and Second Language Acquisition (SLA) for graduate students and researchers in these fields. Featuring contributions from established scholars from around the world, this volume provides in-depth coverage of the theoretical approaches and methodologies used in study abroad and applied linguistics research, and examines their practical implications on program implementation. The Handbook is organized around core areas of research and practice: language development and personal growth; study abroad settings; individual differences of learners; and applications concerning the preparation of students, teachers, and administrators for study abroad, the role of study abroad in foreign language curricula, and future directions. This handbook is the ideal resource for graduate students, researchers, and administrators interested in learning more about linguistic and personal development during study abroad.




Intercultural Engagement Through Short-Term Faculty-Led Study Abroad


Book Description

The main objective of this edited volume is to offer pedagogically sound and creative ways of integrating elements of intercultural competence into class activities, tasks, and assignments in short-term faculty-led study abroad programs. The intercultural competencies, categorized in the areas of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, include characteristics such as awareness about self and other cultures, creative thinking, problem-solving, empathy, tolerance towards ambiguity, and withholding judgment, to name a few. By purposefully embedding these characteristics in their course activities, faculty leaders can better assist their students in deepening intercultural and global competencies. These competencies prepare the students for a changing global work environment and help them manage a more diverse workforce at home. This book is arranged into three sections. Section I provides the basic framework to understand short-term faculty-led study abroad programs from a theoretical as well as administrative perspectives. Section II showcases 11 contributions from faculty leaders who share program details demonstrating how intercultural competencies were strategically incorporated into the activities, tasks, and assignments of their study abroad curricula. Section III presents the conclusions with recommendations for faculty and administrators to plan and design short-term faculty-led study abroad programs. This book will contribute uniquely to the field by providing theoretically driven model courses from a broad spectrum of disciplines. The major goal of this book is to encourage the creation of new short-term faculty-led study abroad programs at the university level as well as empower current faculty leaders to strengthen or adapt their programs. The book will interest a broad readership of multidisciplinary study abroad educators, including faculty leaders, faculty leaders-in-training, faculty scholars, and administrators.




From Study Abroad to Education Abroad


Book Description

Comprehensive and evidence-based, this book presents the best practices for designing and sustaining study abroad programs to maximize the outcomes and benefits of education abroad for all students. Distilling the history, research, and variations of study abroad programs, Goertler and Schenker provide a clear-eyed analysis of the lessons learned and the common obstacles associated with education abroad. Organized in three parts – the state of education abroad in the US; research on education abroad outcomes; and best practices – Goertler and Schenker demonstrate the benefits of long-term study abroad for the development of advanced language skills and intercultural competence, and the need for diversity in participation. Chapters offer theory-based, practice-proven recommendations to invigorate, innovate, and implement successful study abroad programs that are sustainable and ethically engage with the local community. The authors discuss design features to maximize language proficiency and intercultural competence. Grounded in up-to-date research and theory, the book responds to the challenges associated with long-term education abroad programs and provides recommendations on (re)invigorating long-term programs and diversifying participation in education abroad. From Study Abroad to Education Abroad is vital reading for academics, researchers, and students in the fields of language education and education policy, as well as practitioners, such as language program coordinators and education abroad administrators.