Intervening in Student Learning Abroad: Three Concrete Examples

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Intervening in Student Learning AbroadThree
Concrete Examples

• Forum on Education Abroad
• Annual Conference
• Portland, Oregon
• February 20, 2009
• Gabriele Bosley, Bellarmine University
• Truett Cates, Austin College
• Meg Quinn, CIEE
• Mick Vande Berg, CIEE

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InterventionThe What, the Why the How
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Intervention What is it?

• Acting before, during or after study abroad, in
  an intentional and focused way, in order to
  improve student learning in an intentional,
  focused way to improve Intervening
  interculturally pedagogically
• Current study abroad debate do students learn
  effectively when left to their own devices, or
  when educators intervene in their learning?

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Why Intervene? The Facts are In. . .

• Shared Experience observation and conversation
• the Deep End of the Pool
• Research results Intercultural
• V. Savicki. (2008). Developing Intercultural
  Competence and Transformation. Sterling, VA
  Stylus.
• Georgetown Consortium study. (2009, forthcoming).
  Frontiers, Vol. XVIII. ( 2 points on the IDI
  scale)
• Research results Pedagogical
• D. Kolb. (1984). Experiential Learning.
  Englewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice-Hall.
• Zull, J. (2002). The Art of Changing the Brain.
  Sterling, VA Stylus. (Re. the human brains
  learning path and Kolbs cycle)
• Weimer, M. (2002). Learner-Centered Teaching. San
  Francisco Josey-Bass.

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Intervention the Concrete How of It

• Bellarmine U. course
• AUCP program
• CIEE course
• Small table discussions Intervening in your own
  students learning

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INTERVENING IN STUDENT LEARNING ABROAD 

• Forum on Education Abroad
• 2009 Conference
• Portland, OR
• February 20, 2009
• 945 1200
• Gabriele Bosley
• Director, International Programs
• Associate Professor, Foreign Languages/Bellarmine
  University

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INTERVENING IN STUDENT LEARNING ABROAD

• Education is a social process education is
  growth education is not a preparation for life
  but IT IS LIFE ITSELF.
• - John Dewey

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INTERVENING IN STUDENT LEARNING ABROAD  

• Cultural knowledge does not equal cultural
  competence
• Language learning may not be sufficient for
  culture learning
• Cultural contact does not necessarily lead to
  competence
• Cultural contact does not always lead to
  significant reduction of stereotypes.
• Disequilibrium need not lead to dissatisfaction
  (Janet Bennett)
• Intervention MUST be part of the cultural
  immersion experience .

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Ireland
Finland
ENGLAND
SWEDEN
Canada
Netherlands FRANCE SPAIN
Ukraine
OREGON
KENTUCKY
Korea
CZECH REPUBLIC
Morocco
JAPAN
Italy
OMAN
HONK KONG
Mexico
Belize
GHANA
Thailand
ECUADOR
South Africa
Australia
Chile
NEW Zealand
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INTERVENING IN STUDENT LEARNING ABROAD

• Use of Assessment for Transformational Learning
  (IDIGPI)
• On-line Intercultural Course as on ONE Example of
  High-Impact Learning (NSSE) engaging U.S.
  Students Abroad and Internationals on U.S. Campus
• Course Outline
• Intervention Strategies
• Student Feedback
• Next Steps Challenges

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INTERVENING IN STUDENT LEARNING ABROAD

• Pre-Departure Workshop(10 of overall grade)  
• IDI and GPI Administration
• Pre-departure Self Awareness Focus
• Month 1 SELF (Assignments 1-4) (60)
• Assignment 1 - Splash
• Assignment 2 - Culture Shock
• Assignment 3 - Experiential Learning Cycle
• Assignment 4 - Cultural Bump

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INTERVENING IN STUDENT LEARNING ABROAD

• Month 2 OTHER (Assignments 1-5)
• Assignment 1 - Time
• Assignment 2 - Play
• Assignment 3 - Systems
• Assignment 4 - Outsider
• Assignment 5 - Institutions
• Month 3 SYNTHESIS (Assignments 1-4)
• Assignment 1 - Proverbs
• Assignment 2 - Values
• Assignment 3 - Application
• Assignment 4 - Saying Goodbye

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INTERVENING IN STUDENT LEARNING ABROAD

• FINAL RESEARCH PAPER (20 of overall grade)  
• Student are required to complete a research
  project. This project must be an original,
  critical analysis of a concept, theme, or topic
  that emerges from the cultural immersion
  experience. The length of the paper will depend
  on the research topic but should not be under
  12-14 pages, excluding the bibliography and
  outline. While the focus of the project will
  emerge during the student's time abroad, students
  are strongly encouraged to establish some
  possible directions for their project prior to
  leaving Bellarmine. The written paper may be
  followed by a multi-media presentation upon
  return, as well as a presentation at the
  undergraduate research week.
• Home-Country Re-Entry Questionnaire Course
  Survey
• Post-Immersion/Re-Entry Sessions (10 of the
  overall grade)
• Each student is required to participate in
  individual and group re-entry sessions.

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BELLARMINE UNIVERSITY
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Student Video Interview Feed Back on the
Intercultural Course

• Ginny Roby
• Bellarmine University
• at bilateral exchange partner, the University of
  Salamanca, Spain

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Student Video Interview Feed Back on the
Intercultural Course

• Angelica Sanchez
• Bellarmine University
• at bilateral exchange partner
• Sorbonne, Paris/France

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Student Video Interview Feed Back on the
Intercultural Course

• Maria Tatman
• Bellarmine University
• at bilateral exchange partner, the Catholic
  University of Milan/Italy

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Student Video Interview Feed Back on the
Intercultural Course

• Ryan Stedwell
• Bellarmine University
• at bilateral exchange partner
• Curtin University, Perth/Australia

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Next Steps/Challenges

• Create control group by administering the IDI to
  all BU FF and SR in 08-09. Re-administer in 4
  years !!!
• Do follow up IDI profiles at various stages (upon
  return, after seminar, upon graduation)?
• Train more faculty to teach multiple sections
• Require an intercultural study course of all LONG
  term study abroad students
• Use additional or alternative assessment tools
• Expand on campus use with internationals

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Intercultural Study within Cultural Immersion

• Developing Intercultural Competence and
  Transformation
• (Theory, Research and Application in
  Intercultural Education)
• ISBN 978-1-57922-266-6
• Editor Victor Savicki
• Stylus Publications, 2008

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Intervening in Student Learning Abroad Forum on
Education Abroad, Portland 2009
Facilitating Experiential LearningA holistic
approach associating on-site mentoring and
strategic program design

• Lilli Engle, Co-Founder/Director
• The American University Center of Provence, France

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AUCP Program DesignFacilitating Experiential
Learning

• Background
• Aix-en-Provence since 1994 Marseille /
  Morocco since 2004
• Independent Program
• Semester / Full-Year / Summer
• Student group size 15-45
• 11-27 universities represented per semester
• Mission Statement Realize the full potential of
  study abroad

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AUCP Program DesignFacilitating Experiential
Learning
Underlying Considerations Defined Learning
objectives Integration strategies
Identified Obstacles to effective student
learning abroad.
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AUCP Program DesignFacilitating Experiential
Learning

• OBSTACLES
• Behavioural tendencies in American students
  abroad
• English speaking
• Adhering to the American-student group
• Excessive travelling
• Taking academics lightly
• Reproducing familiar patterns with the backdrop
  of an exotic setting
• Viewing (and judging) the host culture from a
  safe distance

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AUCP Program DesignFacilitating Experiential
Learning

• OBJECTIVES
• Academic Program
• Mediate between American student skills and
  local faculty teaching style
• Enhance course subject matter with resources
  from local setting
• Target Language Acquisition
• Break the threshold of fluency
• Develop precision and nuance in expression
• Encourage lasting competence
• Intercultural sensitivity development

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AUCP Program DesignFacilitating Experiential
Learning

• OBJECTIVES continued
• Intercultural sensitivity development
• Engage the host culture
• Respect other ways of being, doing, perceiving,
  and interacting
• Suspend judgement
• Determine the meaning of events in their
  cultural context
• Become aware of cultural conditioning and
  personal preference
• Learn to observe, imitate, and understand
• Expand the frontiers of what is possible and
  acceptable in human behaviour and belief

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AUCP Program DesignFacilitating Experiential
Learning
An On-going Experiment How to get students most
effectively from Point A to Point B? Point B
the learning objectives constant Point A
the students incoming level of preparedness
variable
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AUCP Program DesignFacilitating Experiential
Learning

• Observable aspects of student preparedness
• Students demonstrate skills and traits that
  either sustain or impede their ability to
  maximize learning abroad
• Pluses (Aid in working toward learning
  objectives)
• Motivated to succeed
• Intermediate/High Intermediate target language
  entry-level
• Academically solid 3.0 GPA
• Romantic and inspirable

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AUCP Program DesignFacilitating Experiential
Learning

• Observable aspects of student preparedness
  continued
• Minuses (Hinder the accomplishment of learning
  objectives)
• False notions of themselves (academic strengths,
  foreign language competence, level of
  independence)
• False notions of culture and cultural difference
• Generalization-phobia
• Internet addiction
• Diminished interpersonal skills
• Timidity / Fear
• Strongly established sense of The Way Things
  Should Be
• Defensiveness

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AUCP Program DesignFacilitating Experiential
Learning

• Program intervention strategies must constantly
  adapt
• to maximize the positive
• and attenuate the negative

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AUCP Implementation Kolbs Experiential Learning
Cycle
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AUCP Program Design Practicum Element
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AUCP Program DesignFacilitating Experiential
Learning

• Cultural Patterns Practicum Classroom Component
• Course goals
• Provide a context for the student experience
• Define vocabulary for discussing culture and
  cultural theory
• Emphasize the pleasure value in the ability to
  decipher cultural tendencies
• Create an environment of openness and sharing
  and intellectual curiosity
• Reveal the existence and legitimacy of other
  realities
• Replace the security of resemblance with the
  fascination for difference
• Emphasize methodologies instead of explanations
• Emphasize process instead of answers

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AUCP Program DesignFacilitating Experiential
Learning
Cultural Patterns Practicum Classroom
Component Course structure Weekly written
assignment in two parts Part One Recount the
content of lived experience What happened this
week? Part Two Recount in neutral terms an
incident or event and/or a personal reaction to
an incident or event Identify a cultural
tendency Interpret meaning based on growing
understanding of cultural context. Full
syllabus on-line www.aucp.org
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AUCP Program DesignFacilitating Experiential
Learning
Outcomes Assessment Graded Course Work Cultural
Patterns class is a 3-credit, semester-long
course which meets three hours a week course
grade based on a mid-term exam, term paper, final
exam and participation in class
discussion. In-house Evaluation Weekly
feedback Mid-term and End of Program Qualitative
Questionnaires/ Evaluation Forms Independent
Assessment Instruments Test dévaluation du
français (TEF) Intercultural Development
Inventory (IDI)
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IDI Group Profile
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OutcomesIDI Overall Developmental Intercultural
Sensitivity - Progress
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OutcomesIDI Overall Developmental Intercultural
Sensitivity Acceptance Achieved
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AUCP Program DesignFacilitating Experiential
Learning
Conclusion Program intervention does bring
results!
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CIEE Seminar on Living and Learning Abroad
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Why a Seminar on Living and Learning Abroad?

• The changing face of study abroad
• Demographics
• Destinations
• Research
• Georgetown Consortium Study
• Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity
  (DMIS)
• Kolbs Learning Cycle
• Holistic intervention
• Cognitive concept development
• Behavioral skill development (intercultural
  skills)
• Affective challenge and support

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Curriculum

• Online Pre-Departure Orientation (goal-setting
  and intensity factors)
• Culture-general concepts
• Culture-specific knowledge
• Intercultural competence-building skills
• Goal setting (and maintaining)
• Reentry preparation reflecting on and
  articulating the experience

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Assessment

• Needs assessment of group through IDI, LSI, and
  ICSI
• Ongoing feedback from instructors and peers
• Weekly reflections, either through letters,
  reader-response papers, or critical incident
  analyses
• Final Exam

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Results of the Intercultural Development
Inventory Seminar and Living and Learning- Fall
Pilot, 2008 in Dakar, Senegal (21 Students)
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the seminar on living and learning abroad
changes for 2009

• foundational, three-day orientation stream
• new teaching notes facilitation notes
• around the cycle design
• multi-point needs assessments (IDI, LSI, ICSI)
• curricular goal areas
• who am I and where do I come from?
• why are things the way they are here?
• how can I learn to adapt?

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Kolbs Learning Cycle
Transformation Line
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Three Goal Areas

• Self-Awareness
• Where do I come from? What is my own cultural
  background?
• Cultural Knowledge
• Why are things the way they are here? How can I
  learn about the culture(s) here?
• Bridging Skills
• How can I change the way I think and
• behave in order to best live and
• learn in another culture?

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Three Goal Areas
1) Self Awareness Knowledge about yourself and
your home culture(s)
2) Cultural Knowledge Knowledge about the host
culture(s)
3) Bridging Knowledge and skills that help you
become more interculturally competent
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Why Are We Here?

• 1)To ask, How is each of us both similar to and
  different from other people?
• Thoughtful study builds self-knowledge
  (Subjective Culture).
• 2) To ask, Why are things (people, objects,
  institutions, situations) the way they are here?
  
• Thoughtful reflection builds Cultural Literacy
• 3) To ask, How can I learn to interact
  effectively and appropriately with people who are
  different from me?
• Thoughtful attention builds the Cultural Bridge.

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CIEE student learning project pilot (AY 08-09)
Taught in target language
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Up next

• Expansion
• Team teaching
• Staff training workshops on site and at SIIC
• Integration of Study Center learning goals with
  Seminar
• Reentry segment

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2008 January 2009 Upcoming August 2009