Bridging Study Abroad and International Students Creating Collaborative and Innovative Programming

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Bridging Study Abroad and International Students
Creating Collaborative and Innovative Programming

• Sarah Park
• Jessica Wells
• The University of Georgia

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Overview for Presentation

• Bridging international and study abroad students?
• Creating programs to bridge students
• Program planning
• Study Abroad Program typology
• Cultural theory connections
• Student development and learning
• What have you done on your campus?
• Example programs
• China study abroad program at UGA
• Things to consider
• Resources and references

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Bridging International Study Abroad Students?

• Information and cultural gap with staff
• Various theories and development
• Working with various learning styles
• New ways for students to learn from each other
• Create a holistic learning experience for
  students
• Collaborative learning. Another of Chickering
  and Gamsons (1987, 1991) principles of good
  practice in undergraduate education is that
  student learning is enhanced when it occurs in a
  context in which students work with and teach
  each other. (Pascarella Terenzini, p. 102,
  1991).
• Pascarella, E.T. Terenzini, P.T. (1991). How
  college affects students. San Francisco
  Jossey-Bass.

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Things to consider when creating programs for
international and study abroad students
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Program Planning

• Is there a need for the program?
• Are there students who are interested?
• Time?
• Faculty and staff support
• Financial resources
• Stakeholders in program
• International and Study Abroad Professionals
• Career Center
• Counseling/ Health Center
• Writing/Tutoring Resources
• Local Community
• Type of Institution
• Assessment

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Program Planning

• Students are not passive recipients of
  institutional efforts to educate or change
  them but rather bear major responsibility for any
  gains they derive from their postsecondary
  experience. (Pascarella Terenzini, P. 602,
  1991).
• knowledge is more a socially held or socially
  based phenomenon than it is a body of information
  and concepts transmitted from expert to novice.
  Consequently, it is most effectively acquired
  through social or group interactions and
  activities in which peers actively engage in
  knowledge construction (Palinscar et al., 1989,
  Pascarella Terenzini, P. 103, 1991).
• Pascarella, E.T. Terenzini, P.T. (1991). How
  college affects students. San Francisco
  Jossey-Bass.

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Study Abroad Program Typology
See NAFSA s Guide to Education Abroad Part III,
Chapter 1 Program Designs and Strategies
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Cultural Connections Theory

• Contact Theory/Contact Hypothesis
• To diminish prejudice need equal status, common
  goals, cooperation, and authority sanction for
  the contact (Allport, 1956) (Pettigrew and
  Tropp, 2006).
• Cultural Adaptation/Culture Shock
• Individuals go through a process of identify
  loss, strain and confusion when interacting with
  a new culture. (Oberg, 1960.)
• Group Membership
• Ethnocentrism - in group and out group views
  and stereotypes (Huang, 1994).
• Intercultural Competence
• 4 Dimensions (Fantini, 2001)
• Knowledge, skill, attitudes, and awareness
• American Council on Education, Innovative campus
  strategies Using international students and
  scholars to enhance the curriculum. Retrieved
  from website on July 16, 2008. http//www.acenet.e
  du

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Student Development and Learning

• Kolbs theory (cycle of learning)
• Learning is a 4 stage cycle
• Defines learning as the process whereby
  knowledge is created through the transformation
  of experience
• EXAMPLE
• Kolbs cycle of learning involves students
  first having an experience, like meeting an
  international student. Which should then be
  followed up by abstract conceptualization, like
  studying about an international topic or where
  the student is from. Following from there is
  active experimentation where the U.S. student
  engages more with international students or
  studies abroad. Finally the U.S. student needs
  reflective observation where they reflect on
  their experience through a journal, re-entry
  program, sharing their experience with others,
  etc.
• Kolb, D.A. (1984). Experiential learning
  Experience as the source of learning and
  development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice Hall.

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Student Development and Learning

• Schlossberg Mattering and Marginality
• Student success is dependent upon the degree to
  which students feel they matter
• Engage both U.S. and international Students
• Students need to have a sense of belonging if
  they are going to succeed, grow and develop
• Minority students in all white campuses are more
  susceptible to their marginality feelings
• When students feel marginalized they are less
  responsive to learning, they are preoccupied with
  belonging..
• Schlossberg, N.K., Lynch, A.Q., Chickering,
  A.W., (1989). Improving higher education
  environments for adults Responsive programs and
  services from entry to departure. San Francisco
  Jossey-Bass.

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Student Development and Learning

• Astins Postulates (college student involvement)
• Students learn by becoming involved
• The amount of learning or development is directly
  proportional to the quality and quantity of
  involvement
• Educational effectiveness of any policy or
  practice is related to its capacity to introduce
  student involvement
• Astin, A. (1993). What matters in college Four
  critical years revisited. San Francisco
  Jossey-Bass.

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• What have you done on your campus?

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Example Programs

• Mentoring Program/ Global Friends
• Language partners
• Coffee Hour/House
• Language Houses living/ learning communities
• Pre-departure program guest speakers
• Legal Advice (law students)
• Writing Volunteers/Tutoring Assistance

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Example Programs

• International Etiquette Lunch
• Language tables coordinated by student orgs.
• Orientation Leaders
• Tax Volunteers
• Global Leadership Program
• Language Living/Learning Community
• International Student/U.S. Student Organization

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Example Programs

• China Study Abroad Program at UGA, where
  international students are with assisting with
  study abroad programs by providing handouts,
  helping teach a Chinese Etiquette luncheon,etc.
• International Cafe, an informal meeting place for
  international students and U.S. students.
  Students practice their English, learn the local
  dialect, and learn American pop culture from
  U.S. students. (From Kapiolani Community
  College).
• International Poetry Reading, sponsored by the
  modern languages and literatures departments.
  Featured poets from several countries.
  International students were asked to read poems
  in their native languages. (From Beloit College).

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Example Programs

• Visiting Professorship, brings distinguished
  scholars, political figures, artists, etc. who
  contribute to international understanding and are
  able to interpret American life when they return
  to their home countries to share their
  experience. (From Grinnell College)
• Program created to bring international students
  into K-12 classrooms to impact internationalizatio
  n of the K-12 curriculum. Organized through the
  College of Education at Michigan State
  University.

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Example Program China Study Abroad at UGA

• Collaborated with administrators and students on
  campus
• Looked at ways to interconnect international
  students and U.S. students
• New pre-departure program that encourages
  interactions and sharing of information between
  participants
• Made the program mutually beneficial for BOTH the
  international and U.S. students
• Looked at the program holistically. Included
  career development and social activities to
  encourage international learning and career
  development after the program is completed.

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Example ProgramChina Study Abroad.Timeline

• Formed a committee
• Selected a student population to create a pilot
  program
• Contacted Academic Programs/Faculty
• Researched financial resources
• Applied for grant money
• Worked with faculty and committee to create a
  program that would interconnect UGA international
  students and U.S. students studying abroad

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Example ProgramChina Study Abroad.Timeline

• Contacted Chinese students at UGA
• Had the program included as part of the
  syllabus for the study abroad students
• Organized programs/activities that would benefit
  both student groups
• Chinese students created materials to give to the
  U.S. students including
• Etiquette in China
• Communication tips
• Helpful hints involving travel, food, safety,
  etc.
• Helpful phrases
• Contacted University media to cover story about
  the pilot program

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Example ProgramChina Study Abroad.Timeline

• Organized a luncheon on Chinese Dining Etiquette
  at Peking Restaurant
• Both students in the study abroad program and
  international students attended
• The Chinese students shared information related
  to communication, travel, dining, etc.
• Students took a collective picture outside the
  restaurant (3 days before U.S. students departed
  on trip)
• Chinese students received certificates in
  recognition of their volunteer work and
  assistance
• Created a program for the Chinese students to
  participate in a traditional American event
  while the U.S. students study abroad
• Line dancing and BBQ!
• Send out announcements to have the U.S. students
  and Chinese students meet for a welcome back
  reception in the Fall
• Conduct assessment to find out effectiveness of
  program. Both groups of students will be included
  in the assessment

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Chinese Etiquette Luncheon at Peking Restaurant
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International Etiquette
62 Percentage of executives in the U.S. Canada
who feel that they would benefit from an
international etiquette course (that is when and
whether one should shake hands, give a kiss on
the cheek or bow when greeting an overseas
colleague)
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China Study AbroadProgram Highlights

• Etiquette Luncheon
• Pre-Departure Information Session
• Handouts from Students from China
• American experience program
• Career preparation help
• Welcome Back Reception/Photo Contest
• Publicity in University Publications
• Assessment

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Challenges Can this Work at My Institution?

• Collaboration with other departments/areas
• Issues programming for both international and
  study abroad students
• Resources
• Time
• Interest from students
• Support from co-workers, supervisors, and other
  administrators for the program

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ChallengesChina Study Abroad Program

• Institutional support (faculty letter, press,
  etc)
• Money and resources
• Lack of international students from popular study
  abroad locations

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Things to Consider.

• Inexpensive Programming
• Language tables, guest speakers,
  social-partners, volunteer programs
• Utilizing Institutional Support
• University grants
• Assessment/University mission
• Develop a Coalition
• University administrators, faculty, local
  community

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Final Thoughts

• Consider New Pre-departure Study Abroad Ideas
• Including international students
• Adapt to learning styles
• Ex) Lecture, handouts, activities, etc.
• Create programs that are decentralized
• Utilize experts on campus
• International students
• Faculty/Staff
• Local Community Members
• Create programs the benefit both international
  and study abroad participants
• Engage local to go global
• Incorporate ways for students to continue
  learning. Ex) Career preparation, etc.

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Resources and References

• American Council on Education, Innovative campus
  strategies Using international students and
  scholars to enhance the curriculum. Retrieved
  from website on July 16, 2008. http//www.acenet.e
  du
• Astin, A. (1993). What matters in college Four
  critical years revisited. San Francisco
  Jossey-Bass.
• Kolb, D.A. (1984). Experiential learning
  Experience as the source of learning and
  development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice Hall.
• Komives, S.R., Woodward, D.B. (2003). Student
  services A handbook for the profession. San
  Francisco Jossey-Bass.

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Resources and References

• NAFSA s Guide to Education Abroad Part III,
  Chapter 1 Program Designs and Strategies
• Pascarella, E.T. Terenzini, P.T. (1991). How
  college affects students. San Francisco
  Jossey-Bass.
• Schlossberg, N.K., Lynch, A.Q., Chickering,
  A.W., (1989). Improving higher education
  environments for adults Responsive programs and
  services from entry to departure. San Francisco
  Jossey-Bass.
• Theory Connections created by KCISSS and TLS for
  NAFSA (2008).

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Contact Information

• Sarah Park
• Intl Student Scholar Advisor
• The University of Georgia
• [phone]
• slpark_at_uga.edu

• Jessica Wells
• Assistant Director of
• International Student Life
• The University of Georgia
• [phone]
• Jeswells_at_uga.edu