Why study abroad? : Overview of Ireland Counseling and Diversity Institute Outcome Research

Students seeking to study abroad are increasingly able to select their preferred level of immersion in such areas as program dur ation, similarity of classmates, language of instruction, and housing environment . As researchers endeavor to understand the relative contribution of these decisions to intercultural learning outcomes, information is needed regarding the student characteristics associated with these program choices. Questionnaire data from 252 undergraduates yieldeddemographic, social, personality, and intercultural predictors of preference for level of immersion across seven study abroad dimensions and supported a mult idimensional model of immersion. Implications are discussed for outcome research methodology, study abroad advising, pre departure training, and program design.

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Cultural Awareness of Students in Communication Sciences and Disorders: A Mixed-Methods Study

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/2020_persp-19-00167 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (5) ◽

pp. 1231-1242

Author(s):

Celeste Domsch ◽

Lori Stiritz ◽

Jay Huff

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Study Abroad ◽

Cultural Awareness ◽

Qualitative Data ◽

The United States ◽

Self Report ◽

Global Awareness ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Study ◽

Short Term Study

Purpose This study used a mixed-methods design to assess changes in students' cultural awareness during and following a short-term study abroad. Method Thirty-six undergraduate and graduate students participated in a 2-week study abroad to England during the summers of 2016 and 2017. Quantitative data were collected using standardized self-report measures administered prior to departure and after returning to the United States and were analyzed using paired-samples t tests. Qualitative data were collected in the form of daily journal reflections during the trip and interviews after returning to the United States and analyzed using phenomenological methods. Results No statistically significant changes were evident on any standardized self-report measures once corrections for multiple t tests were applied. In addition, a ceiling effect was found on one measure. On the qualitative measures, themes from student transcripts included increased global awareness and a sense of personal growth. Conclusions Measuring cultural awareness poses many challenges. One is that social desirability bias may influence responses. A second is that current measures of cultural competence may exhibit ceiling or floor effects. Analysis of qualitative data may be more useful in examining effects of participation in a short-term study abroad, which appears to result in decreased ethnocentrism and increased global awareness in communication sciences and disorders students. Future work may wish to consider the long-term effects of participation in a study abroad for emerging professionals in the field.

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