Study Abroad Experience

Study Abroad Experience

Abstract

There has been an increase in the emphasis on the internalization of higher education learning to make them more sustainable.  Most countries that has been at the forefront in attempts to enhance study abroad experience for international students.  The number of study abroad students in higher learning institutions has been on the rise and made efforts to broaden perspectives and expectations. This has been noted to have a positive effect on the thinking and the way the students live. Education has continued to experience diversity and complexity because of the tremendous growth that is taking place. Most of the study abroad programs evaluate the experience of students who are studying abroad through the lens of new professional organizations and strategic initiatives that enhances the internalization of universities and colleges and enhance demanding research for the entire arena. However, even though any study abroad in higher institutions of learning have placed greater emphasis on internalization of education there are inconsistencies and strains that exist between these aims and mainly when it comes to the emissions that are involved in international activities such as studying abroad.

Keywords: Study Abroad, Program, Students, Research

 Overall Study and Research Problem

Study abroad programs help students to have personal growth and, at the same time, develop professionally (Dvorak et al., 2011).  Exposure to foreign environments is capable of making the study abroad for students to land employment that is more attractive in multinational corporations (Dvorak et al., 2011). The study abroad program also enables the students to grow in all areas of life because it exposes them to emerging perspectives in various disciplines. A significant number of study abroad programs evaluate the experience through personal endorsements that are given by international students and even though the reply of the students to post-program evaluations (Dvorak et al., 2011).  International students who have participated in study abroad programs around the world grow in all areas of life (Dvorak et al., 2011). They attain intercultural awareness, personal development, professional development, and an increase in intelligence (Dvorak et al., 2011).

Nonetheless, study abroad programs in general have not been able to internalize their institutions and making them more sustainable fully (McLeod et al., 2015). This is because there are many tensions and contradictions between the goals that are set to enhance sustainability internalization (McLeod et al., 2015). The strains between the set goals create challenges in an attempt to examine the prospects that exist in the internalization of education ideas (McLeod et al., 2015). Working towards enhancing global interconnections of colleges and universities around the world played a vital role in preparing the students based on the changes that are beginning to take shape in the global boundaries (McLeod et al., 2015). Most of  study abroad programs are in a multicultural society, and therefore, students who have engaged in a study abroad program may also have a problem appreciating other cultures. In addition, a great number of higher education institutions worldwide are still having problems inculcating global ecological education and cultural awareness that may have an impact on study abroad programs (McLeod et al., 2015). The higher education institutions have not been able to accept the role that they have in contributing to climate change and how it influences regions negatively where students and faculty visit (McLeod et al., 2015).

The Basic Design of the Study

The basic design of the study is descriptive whereby case study, naturalistic observation, and survey was used (Dvorak et al., 2011). The research will assess case studies of the study abroad programs that are involved in serious inconsistencies and prospects in sustainable global education opportunities (Dvorak et al., 2011).  This study will determine the environment politics and the environment in Canada and also compare its sustainable development with that of the USA.  Naturalistic observation will also be used in the research whereby students who have engaged in study overseas programs in Canada will be observed (Dvorak et al., 2011).   The study will also entail the use of a survey as part of the research design to collect information about how international students feel about the study abroad program in Canada (Dvorak et al., 2011).

Major Findings and Results of the Study

The findings of the article indicate that a significant number of adverse issues which has resulted from the increase in the change in the climate, and some entail complicated moral issues that revolve around the consumption of fossil fuel and the relative worth of human activities (Dvorak et al., 2011). Study abroad programs faces a significant challenge in the internalization of education to suit the changes in the climate (Dvorak et al., 2011). International students are supposed to encourage students to establish an understanding of other cultures and, at the same time, respect them (Bandyopadhyay & Bandyopadhyay, 2015). Cities with a multicultural society, and international students might have a problem dealing with a foreign environment. The results of the research indicated that higher institutions of learning in a host country must be able to accept the role they have in climate change (Bandyopadhyay & Bandyopadhyay, 2015).  Study abroad students face a lot of challenges such as expensive travels since they are longer. Also, the longer distances that an international student’s travel results in higher carbon emissions or the form of travel (Bandyopadhyay & Bandyopadhyay, 2015). The results of the research also indicate that students who engage in study abroad programs can experience both personal growth and professional development (Bandyopadhyay & Bandyopadhyay, 2015).

A Summary of the Interpretations and Conclusions

Several issues influence the participation of college students to study overseas programs. The expectations are essential to enable the student to make the first decision whether they will engage in study overseas programs. The intent to participate mostly influenced by factors such as personal growth, professional growth, and intellectual growth (McLeod et al., 2015). Also, factors such as race and gender play a vital part in assessing the intention of a student to partake in study overseas programs. Therefore, research concludes that its higher institutions of learning must internalize higher education to meet the changes in climate, diversity and also increase the ability to increase confidence in their ability to enhance the environment positively (McLeod et al., 2015).  Students who had a study abroad successful experiences were said to have increased self-esteem and self-worth (McLeod et al., 2015).

Social and Environmental Impacts

Social impacts that may exist in the study abroad program is an increase in self-esteem and cultural awareness of the students who successfully engage in study abroad programs (McLeod et al., 2015). Study abroad, students have higher self-esteem six months later, after the engagement in a study (McLeod et al., 2015). It is, therefore, possible that the students might take more time to increase their image about themselves. Also, study abroad, students can gain cultural awareness (McLeod et al., 2015). These students have an opportunity to engage with other students from different cultures enabling them to appreciate them and gain a more in-depth understanding of the same (Bandyopadhyay & Bandyopadhyay, 2015).

Study abroad programs entail a lot of travel for students. This consequently results in higher emissions of carbon, which hurts the environment (Dvorak et al., 2011).  Higher education should engage in activities that encourage students to support a sustainable environment at the local, regional, and international levels (Dvorak et al., 2011). The higher education institutions should engage the students that enable them to participate in environmental conservation, and this can go a long way to creating opportunities for international students to participate in sustainable business activities at the community and local level (Dvorak et al., 2011).

References

Bandyopadhyay, S., & Bandyopadhyay, K. (2015). Factors influencing student participation in college study abroad programs. Journal of International Education Research (JIER), 11(2), 87-94.

Dvorak, A. M., Christiansen, L. D., Fischer, N. L., & Underhill, J. B. (2011). A Necessary Partnership: Study Abroad and Sustainability in Higher Education. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 21, 143-166.

McLeod, M., Carter, V., Nowicki, S., Tottenham, D., Wainwright, P., & Wyner, D. (2015). Evaluating the Study Abroad Experience Using the Framework of Rotter’s Social Learning Theory. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 26, 30-38.