FollowUp Courses for Study Abroad Returnees:

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Follow-Up Courses for Study Abroad Returnees

• Problems and Possibilities
• CIEE 2004

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Presenters

• Elaine Meyer-Lee, Saint Marys College
• Margit Johnson, Carleton College
• Greg Downey, University of Notre Dame
• All of you!

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Why such courses?

• Much effort has gone into study abroad programs,
  often with impressive results
• Historically support for re-entry was
  extracurricular programming aimed at alleviating
  reverse culture shock
• Growing awareness of the additional need for
  academic contexts to consolidate and integrate
  learning
• Also, an additional venue for assessment

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Why this session?

• While the overarching goals of such courses may
  be similar, faculty are now approaching this
  relatively uncharted terrain from various
  disciplines and pedagogical strategies
• Many institutions are interested in implementing
  such courses and much is to be gained from
  pooling experiences of problems possibilities
• A key part of Closing the circle Creating an
  enduring international experience

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Your turn

• Additional ideas for such courses (other
  theoretical frameworks or assessments, other
  exercises, readings, etc.)
• Open Questions and answers
• Small groups on how some ideas might be applied
  in your context
• Last thoughts or questions

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Saint Marys College

• ICS 490 Analysis of Study Abroad Learning
• Elaine Meyer-Lee

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Main Objectives

• Articulating impact of sojourn through
  reflection, exercises, writing
• Qualitative analysis of this writing
• Quantitative self-assessment
• Review of existing theory research
• Bringing our data into dialogue
• Making connections with intercultural relating
  here, broader education, career plans

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Articulating the impact

• Much reflective writing (moved to 3 credits this
  fall)
• Mini-poetry workshop
• Partner interviews
• Preliminary theorizing
• Sharing as part of pre-departure
• Final reflection on additional impact of course

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Qualitative Analyses/Interpretation

• for content on effects
• overall themes and differences
• program-specific sources of variation such as
  length, country, language, model
• person-specific sources such as previous
  experience, college, affective reaction
• Specific to US students, or to abroad

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Quantitative Assessment/Theory

• Identity Development (Erikson, Marcia, Phinney
  Phinneys Multi-Ethic Identity Measure, as US
  retrospective)
• Experiential Learning (J. Bennett, Kolb Kolbs
  Learning Style Inventory)
• Intellectual/Intercultural Development (Perry, M.
  Bennett Bennetts Intercultural Development
  Inventory)

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Dialogue with the literature

• Reading Kauffmann review
• Locating and reading recent articles
• Comparing our data with theirs (for example, more
  focus on personal)
• Bringing our data into conversation with existing
  theories both using theory to illuminate, but
  also using data to challenge or build

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Connections with domestic intercultural relating

• Individual forays into cultural contexts where
  theyd be in minority (Latino church, Mosque,
  community meeting in predominantly
  African-American neighborhood)
• Reflecting on experience how was it like and
  unlike study abroad? How was it like and unlike
  similar experiences before studying abroad?
• Huge challenge

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Connections to broader education at SMC, career
plans

• Experiential vs. traditional
• More independent pedagogy
• Pace and quantity more intense
• Tendency to passively revert

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More Pedagogical Problems

• Logistical/Institution Specific? timing and
  credit issues, limited research background
• Some overall resistance to tainting memories
  with academic analysis
• You cant articulate what you havent learned
  (more pre and during)
• Resistance to IDI/limitations of quantitative
  measures

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Research Possibilities

• Excellent opportunity for extensive qualitative
  data gathering to help interpret quantitative
  program evaluation and documentation of study
  abroad learning outcomes
• Downside a self-selected focus group, may still
  want random, too

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Pooling Resources

• www.saintmarys.edu/cwil/php/intercultural.learnin
  g/reentry.course.resources.php