scholarly journals From 4-H International Youth Exchange to Global Citizen: Common Pathways of Ten Past Program Participants

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-98
Author(s):  
Mary E. Arnold ◽  
Jamie Davis ◽  
Aimee L. Corliss

This qualitative study examined the life course of ten adults who participated as youth in the 4-H International Exchange program. The purpose of this research was to explore the pathways that led each participant to their exchange experience as a youth and how that experience set the stage for further development into an adulthood marked by cultural interest, awareness, competence and global citizenship. Using a grounded theory approach the data were analyzed through selective, open, and axial codings that elucidated a series of key events, opportunities, and qualities that form a common pathway among all participants. The results of this research contribute to the articulation of a theory of change upon which international youth exchange programs can be effectively developed and enhanced. Specific recommendations for international youth exchange programs are presented.

Author(s):  
Susan Oguro ◽  
Angela Giovanangeli

Although student international exchange programs commonly claim to facilitate participants' intercultural competence, questions remain as to how this competence might be adequately and validly assessed. In this article, the notion of Cultural Responsiveness is used to assist in interpreting and categorizing students' experiences and intercultural learning through study abroad programs. Data on the Australian undergraduate student participants' unique backgrounds, experiences and perceptions was collected after they had completed an exchange program in Switzerland or France. Using the Cultural Responsiveness categorization developed through this study, three parameters of students' intercultural experiences emerged: Awareness, Engagement and Bringing Knowledge Home. Using these three parameters, this article proposes that the notion of Cultural Responsiveness provides a useful method for identification of students' responses to the experiences of study abroad programs.


Author(s):  
Chen Xing ◽  
Li Zixin

In the context of globalization and internationalization of higher education, increasing international students’ exchange has become an important strategy for countries to participate in international development competition. The exchanges between international universities are enormously strengthened, among which the student exchange program is one of the most important forms of cooperation. What’s more, students of foreign language universities have always been particularly active in these intercultural exchanges due to their special academic nature. This article takes Chinese students of Spanish major as an example to illustrate the current situation of Chinese students in the exchange programs with Spanish universities. This paper uses various research methods such as surveys, questionnaires and SPSS Statistics, with the aim of reviewing the problems existing in the current exchange programs and analyzing the relations between some certain variables, which helps us put forward corresponding measures and suggestions for further development and look into a broader and richer future of the exchanges and cooperation between universities worldwide in the new situation.


Author(s):  
Jane Jackson

Abstract The number of Chinese students who are joining international exchange programs has increased significantly in recent years, with the majority enrolling in English-medium courses in the host country. To better understand how to prepare and support their learning, the present study investigated the developmental trajectories of 149 students from a Hong Kong university who participated in a semester-long exchange program in an English-speaking country. By way of questionnaire surveys, in-depth interviews, and document analysis (e.g., study plans, responses to email prompts), this mixed methods inquiry tracked their evolving attitudes, motivation, and depth of investment in language and intercultural learning. As well as individual differences, the findings brought to light environmental factors that led to differing outcomes. While some participants developed more self-efficacy in English and meaningful intercultural friendships, others found it difficult to overcome language and cultural barriers, suggesting the need for interventions to bolster language enhancement and intercultural engagement.


Author(s):  
Lê Hữu Tuấn Anh ◽  
Hoàng Thị Mai Khánh ◽  
Nguyễn Hoàng Hải ◽  
Mai Thị Thu Ngân ◽  
Võ Thị Sương ◽  
...  

Ngày nay, học tập tại nước ngoài được xem là một cơ hội lớn đối với sinh viên để nâng cao kiến thức, trải nghiệm của chính bản thân trong tương lai. Đặc biệt, hình thức học tập thông qua các chương trình trao đổi văn hóa, học thuật tại nước ngoài đã và đang trở thành xu hướng phổ biến. Hình thức này tuy có những điểm chung so với việc du học dài hạn của sinh viên, nhưng ngoài ra những ưu điểm riêng của nó, cũng giúp hình thức này nhận được nhiều sự quan tâm của các bạn sinh viên.  Nghiên cứu này được nhóm tác giả thực hiện nhằm xác định các nhân tố ảnh hưởng đến quyết định tham gia chương trình trao đổi quốc tế (TĐQT) của sinh viên Việt Nam. Nghiên cứu được thực hiện theo phương pháp hỗn hợp, bao gồm nghiên cứu định tính (phỏng vấn chuyên gia) và nghiên cứu định lượng (khảo sát thông qua bảng hỏi), tiến hành trên 505 đối tượng trong thời gian từ tháng 11/2019 đến tháng 02/2020. Từ 8 nhân tố được kế thừa từ nghiên cứu trước và thông qua nghiên cứu định tính, kết quả phân tích định lượng chỉ ra 7 nhân tố có tác động trực tiếp lên quyết định tham gia các chương trình TĐQT của sinh viên. Từ đó, nghiên cứu đem lại những giải pháp cho sinh viên, các trường tổ chức liên kết và các phòng ban chuyên môn có thể xây dựng, đặt ra các mục tiêu phù hợp nhằm nâng cao hiệu quả của các chương trình TĐQT tại Việt Nam.   Từ khóa: Giáo dục, Trao đổi quốc tế, ý định tham gia, thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Sinh viên In this day and age, studying abroad acts as an golden opportunity for students to expand their perspectives, and to gain priceless experience, which can facilitate their career path in the future. Moreover, international learning and knowledge propels students towards acceptance and understanding of an array of different cultural and community perspectives. Especially, a type of studying overseas called cultural and academic exchange programs has been becoming a popular trend. Although it shares a multitude of similarities with a long-term studying abroad programs, it has its own distinctive features which have been receiving a great deal of students’ attentions. This can be strong evidence that more and more students all around the world are participating in these programs every year. In terms of technical side, this research aims to identify factors having impacts on Vietnamese students’ decisions in participating in exchange programs. In specific, mixed methods are employed in the research, through qualitative methods (semi-structure interview) and quantitative method (survey), with 505 participants involving from November 2019 to February 2020. Based on literature review and qualitative analysis, a framework of 8 factors is proposed. Through quantitative analysis of survey questionnaire’s results, the research continues indicating a total of 7 factors that directly have influence on students’ decisions in taking part in exchange programs. Furthermore, the research provides several suggestions and objectives for individuals and organizations, which get involved in those exchange programs namely students, universities and educational institutions. Ultimately, the research is up for making a contribution to enhancing the effectiveness of exchange programs in Vietnam with a purpose that more Vietnamese students regardless of their backgrounds, can potentially have enough necessary qualities and satisfying the necessary conditions to carry on their studying abroad.     Keywords: Education, International exchange, Intention to participate, Ho Chi Minh City, Alumnus


Author(s):  
Tebogo Sebeelo ◽  
Linda Belgrave

Alcohol consumption studies in sub-Saharan Africa have largely focused on social control and regulatory mechanisms in specific settings without particular reference to how drinkers negotiate and navigate their drinking selves. Existing studies do not give enough attention to how consumers enact, make sense and experience drinking in light of state regulatory efforts. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach among twenty (20) beer drinkers, this study identifies how beer drinkers in Botswana experienced alcohol. Our findings demonstrate a theoretical category of Negotiating the Drinking Self where beer drinkers constructed and enacted a drinking self throughout the life-course, from the point of exposure at home through adolescence and up to maturity. The drinking self-constitutes an important part of the drinker’s identity and adapts to each stage of the life-course. Among the working poor in Botswana, beer drinking is complex, situated and embedded in webs of patterned social interactions.


Author(s):  
Susan Oguro ◽  
Angela Giovanangeli

Although student international exchange programs commonly claim to facilitate participants' intercultural competence, questions remain as to how this competence might be adequately and validly assessed. In this article, the notion of Cultural Responsiveness is used to assist in interpreting and categorizing students' experiences and intercultural learning through study abroad programs. Data on the Australian undergraduate student participants' unique backgrounds, experiences and perceptions was collected after they had completed an exchange program in Switzerland or France. Using the Cultural Responsiveness categorization developed through this study, three parameters of students' intercultural experiences emerged: Awareness, Engagement and Bringing Knowledge Home. Using these three parameters, this article proposes that the notion of Cultural Responsiveness provides a useful method for identification of students' responses to the experiences of study abroad programs.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Anderson

This policy paper discusses the importance of critical reflection in short-term international teacher exchange programs. It draws from the findings of a larger research project investigating teachers' use of comparison as a framework for pedagogical transfer. The paper defines intercultural pedagogical transfer as an educators' engagement with culture through an exchange experience, which forms the context for policy and pedagogical sense making. Here, culture refers to the norms, values, and expectations that inform teaching practice and policy discourses. Participating in an international exchange program involves teachers' reflections on history, culture and policy as the contexts that inform classroom practices. The discussion presented in this paper highlights the importance of critical reflection on teachers' ability to make and sustain changes to practice following an international professional development experience of a Teacher Exchange Program, supported by the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 396-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Murphy ◽  
Jolien Huybrechts ◽  
Frank Lambrechts

Adopting an interpretive grounded theory approach, we find that key events in the early lives of next-generation family members fuel a sense of belonging and identity, which lies at the heart of their socioemotional wealth. As next-generation family members interact more with the family business, they interpret nonfinancial aspects of the firm as an answer to a larger variety of affective needs, which broadens and strengthens their interactive socioemotional wealth frame of mind. In line with our life course theory lens, we observe how key events that build up socioemotional wealth greatly influence the life paths of next-generation family members.


2020 ◽  
pp. 209653112095967
Author(s):  
George Zhou ◽  
Peiyu Wang ◽  
Tian Liu ◽  
Junyi Zhang ◽  
Yuanrong Li ◽  
...  

Purpose: The Canadian university where this study took place has established an international exchange program in teacher education with a large Chinese university. This study was designed to examine how the international exchange program influenced Chinese science teacher candidates’ understanding of science education and how such learning impacted their teaching in China. Design/Approach/Methods: The study adopted a qualitative research design with interview and reflective journal as the main approaches for data collection. Findings: Participants greatly appreciated the opportunity of exchange. They reported an improved understanding of Canadian school education and its science curriculum and pedagogy, which changed many aspects of their original values about the relationship between the teacher and students, classroom environment, and so on. Although they faced many constraints to implement what they learned from the exchange in Chinese science classrooms, what they learned had never be forgotten. Participants tried to apply them here and there at the level they could control. Originality/Value: There are many reported studies in the literature about Chinese international students on Western campuses. However, research on Chinese students who participate in international exchange programs is very rare. The findings of this study can inform policymakers and education practitioners about student international exchange programs and benefit future exchange participants.


Scientifica ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Jose Siles Gonzalez ◽  
Carmen Solano Ruiz ◽  
Angela Gaban Gutierrez

Introduction. Globalization of knowledge has emphasized the need to promote the adoption of international exchange programs in nursing. Nevertheless, the differences in cultural, educational, and structural schemes have challenged the mutual appraisal and understanding of the nursing curricula between countries. Research on nursing curricula should allow performing an analysis of different cultural idiosyncrasies in which educational and health institutions are found. These studies would contribute valuable information to the educative and organizational systems and their cultural variability.Objective. To examine the experiences of nursing students on international exchange programs.Methods. Comparative Education was taken as theoretical background. The clinical practice diaries of seven Spanish Nursing Erasmus students (a European international exchange program) were used as field journals. These students undertook their placements in the United Kingdom. A content analysis was carried out to find major themes.Results. Data extracted from the students clinical practice diaries indicated cultural, educational, and structural differences between countries. Most students reflected the hidden curriculum in their diaries, writing about affective, ideological, personal, and social elements and beliefs.Conclusions. The students’ experiences on international exchange programs were found to be sources of interest to clarify the ideological and cultural connections that underlie educational and health systems.


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