Date post: | 03-Jan-2016 |
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What we wanted to know?What we wanted to know?Who we asked?Who we asked?What they said?What they said?What we recommend?What we recommend?
95% cultural awareness & understanding 86% awareness of own identity 95% knowing of history and traditions of
host country 75% knowledge of world events 65% respect for others 60% awareness of home country
accomplishments 60% intellectual growth 40% academic achievement in field
We are told in class about how different circumstances and cultures form different perspectives …being the “other” really shows you something and makes you analyze what you have been taught and how you perceive everything.
I consider this experience one of my biggest accomplishments in life. It was not easy to make this decision or to go through with it. It was difficult to be away from home, worrisome financially and I am still paying off the debt. However, it was worth all of the trouble as I am not the same person that I was when I left Canada and I am all the better for it.
Unexpected findings: Canadian Public
The Canadian public strongly supports access to study abroad for all post-secondary students based on the perceived contribution study abroad makes to society as a whole and to the competitiveness of the Canadian labour force.
Who does not participate?
Men Students in some disciplines/programs Aboriginal students Those who must work to study Those with dependents Students (and their parents) who do
not understand what contribution SA can make
Students already in debt
are you aware of study abroad? how did you hear about study abroad? who encourages you to study abroad? is your college/university committed to
study abroad? are you interested in participating? is it possible you will study abroad? is it likely you will study abroad? and have you already participated?
Individual/Group Experiences Vary
Enablers ◦Previous SA Experience◦Parental Support◦Funding Assistance◦Academic or Staff Champion
Barriers◦Readiness◦Institutional ◦Financial
“I bet if you took a poll of our students the majority would have no interest or no need for a passport and would be somewhat intimidated by the prospect of having to get one” (College Faculty).
“If our students do not show an interest, then we have to provide those incremental experiences that push or challenges students norms so that down the road they might consider studying abroad.” (College Faculty)
Students expect to come to class to be taught the same things in the same ways. They express their frustration and dissatisfaction with this new course content and pedagogy. As a course designer I was taken aback when students dropped the course or tried to get us to return to the way it was always done. (Univ.Faculty )
How do I get students to entertain going abroad when they have difficulty integrating new cultural concepts and contexts at home? (Univ. Faculty)
Institutional policies and structures were deliberately designed to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of moving large numbers of students through a complex system of on campus study.
What works well for its original purpose is now undermining innovative teaching/learning practices with multiple venues and pedagogies.
Even the most motivated of students (faculty members) find themselves up against institutional norms, expressed in policies & program structures, and underlying attitudes. Left to their own devices to negotiate individually with the power structures of their home institution,
most give up!
This maintains the status quo
Communication occurs in silos and is ad hoc making it virtually impossible for the institution to:
(1) have widespread debate and
discussion of the benefits of study abroad, and
(2) develop a clear and consistent
set of goals and strategies that promote learning.
What we recommend
A targeted program of funding to support student participation in study abroad
Eliminate the penalties in the current financial aid program
Create a institutional policy and coordinated plan for the internationalization of learning, including study abroad
Expect students to participate in immersion-based learning programs at home and abroad; use students to reach students.
Protect core principles while modifying the organizational structure to enable flexibility
Findings to Consider
Significant increase in attention paid to internationalizing ed.
Different theories-in-use The apples and oranges of word Fundamental change in ways of thinking requires significant changes in how we build and choose
Findings to Consider
Education that prepares graduates to live and work globally is not conceived as cultural reproduction rather it embraces pedagogical and curricular practices that introduce multi-varied modes of knowledge
A note of caution
The language we are using to convey the purpose & meaning in international discourse is grounded in the Western worldview. Concepts such as market, produce students etc. are linguistic signifiers for a way of life that valorizes competitive business models with metaphors as apt analogies for learning