Fostering intercultural competence: Impacts of a multi-destination study abroad program (original) (raw)
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The impact of studying abroad on students’ intercultural competence
Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 2019
This paper presents qualitative research examining to what extent sojourns abroad engage their participants in intercultural interactions and whether or not such experience translates into students' intercultural growth. The results of the study demonstrated that studying abroad did not provide students with ample opportunities to immerse into the local community and fully discover a new cultural environment. However, students surrounded by local and their fellow international students met foreign cultures, which motivated them to explore and interpret the encountered diversity, and thus equipped them with knowledge about foreign cultures, sensitizing them to cultural diversity. Sometimes such contacts challenged students' preconceived judgments and stereotypes of specific cultural groups, their ways of thinking, valuing and acting, and resulted, to a lesser or greater extent, in rethinking these, leading to changing attitudes and values. International experiences also stimulated students to self-analyze their own cultural identity, and thereby contributed to their growth in self-awareness in this respect. By offering opportunities for experiencing cultural differences and prompting students to develop coping strategies and to make references to the home culture, the sojourn is thus of significant importance for tertiary students, allowing for fostering their intercultural development to a certain degree.
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Today’s interrelated and interconnected world demands that college students develop the intercultural competence to meet the challenges of the 21 century. In response to this challenge, the number of American students participating in study abroad has been increasing. Many studies shave explored the benefits of studying abroad, yet there are few qualitative studies that investigated its impact on college students’ intercultural competence and personal development. This qualitative study explores the impact of a semester-long study abroad on the development of intercultural competence and personal growth of 150 college students who have studied in different countries. Findings of this study shows that study abroad may enhance intercultural competence and personal development, reflected in the participants’ personal essays on their living experience. They gained a better understanding of their own and other countries’ culture and cultural differences, increased their level of self-con...
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This paper presents qualitative research examining to what extent sojourns abroad engage their participants in intercultural interactions and whether or not such experience translates into students’ intercultural growth. The results of the study demonstrated that studying abroad did not provide students with ample opportunities to immerse into the local community and fully discover a new cultural environment. However, students surrounded by local and their fellow international students met foreign cultures, which motivated them to explore and interpret the encountered diversity, and thus equipped them with knowledge about foreign cultures, sensitizing them to cultural diversity. Sometimes such contacts challenged students’ preconceived judgments and stereotypes of specific cultural groups, their ways of thinking, valuing and acting, and resulted, to a lesser or greater extent, in rethinking these, leading to changing attitudes and values. International experiences also stimulated st...
Student Intercultural Proficiency From Study Abroad Programs
Journal of Marketing Education, 2009
In the past decade, study abroad programs (SAPs) have more than doubled, where today, about 223,000 U.S. college students study abroad, immersing themselves in foreign language, culture, and business practices. It is customary to hear students describe these experiences as “life changing,” yet little empirical evidence exists to establish the specific areas of personal development achieved in a SAP. This study investigates several of the potential intercultural influences of a semester abroad for students from the United States. Findings reveal that students who study abroad may have greater intercultural proficiency, increased openness to cultural diversity, and become more globally minded than those students remaining in a traditional campus setting. Students who participate in SAPs perceive themselves as being more proficient, approachable, and open to intercultural communication.
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This study attempts to discover whether the different study abroad activities in which students participate yield different outcomes for the development of students’ global and intercultural competencies. The five travel and study abroad measures analyzed include experiences in a university study abroad program; study abroad program affiliated with another college or university; travel abroad for cross-cultural experiences or informal education; travel abroad for a service-learning, volunteer, or work experience; and travel abroad for recreation. This study explores the research question at a single institution so as to isolate students’ experiences as they may occur within a single institutional context.
Study Abroad and Intercultural Development: A Longitudinal Study
Hammer and Bennett’s (2002) intercultural development inventory (IDI) is used to assess the impact of a semester long study abroad program on the development of cross-cultural sensitivity. The results of this study provide evidence that a student’s integration and adaptation to cultural experiences continue after a student returns home after their study abroad experience. The IDI was administered on three separate occasions: prior to a semester long study abroad experience, at the conclusion of the program and four months later. In general this study supports the conclusion that study abroad programs have a positive impact on the cross-cultural development of students. However, when improvement is viewed from the perspective of long-term change, some of the gains found immediately after a study abroad experience are diminished over time. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for both research and education.
Intercultural Competence in Short-Term Study Abroad
Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 2017
Assessment is growing for short-term study abroad as the majority of students (63.1%) continue to choose this option (Institute of International Education, 2016). This study examines possible gains and factors influencing such gains in students’ overall intercultural competency following participation in a short-term program. Using the Intercultural Effectiveness Scale (IES) survey distributed before, after, and three months following the study abroad experience, data was analyzed for fifty-five students across eight different short-term programs at three distinct institutions within the state of Texas. Document analysis of program syllabi also looked at connections to structured activities and assignments. The results demonstrate the potential for short-term study abroad programs ranging from two to five weeks to have significant impacts on students’ self-perceived intercultural competency that appear most affected by intentional structures. These findings support recom...
Intercultural Competence Gains from Study Abroad in India
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Participation in a study abroad program to Zambia with intentional intercultural activities embedded in the course curriculum has been shown to enhance cultural competence as measured by the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI®) (Krishnan, Masters, Holgate, Wang & Calahan, 2017). The purpose of this study was to assess whether a new program to India, developed using a. similar model, was effective in increasing student intercultural competence and to compare student outcomes with the previous program to evaluate possible differences in outcomes related to the destination country. Participants included 21 students who participated in the SLHS in India study abroad program, and 20 students who have not travelled abroad. Quantitative data included a pre- and post-program administration of the IDI® for both groups. Qualitative data included pre-departure and final reflection papers completed by participants in the intervention group. Results indicated a significant increase in inte...