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The participation rate of Black higher education students in education abroad programs has been significantly compared to their White peers. The purpose of this concurrent mixed methods research study was to examine the participation rate of Black higher education students in education abroad programs by exploring student perceptions relative to barriers and motivations, utilizing the Cultural Approach as the conceptual framework, specifically the economic, social, and intellectual cultural spheres of influence. A web-based questionnaire with quantitative and qualitative items was completed by 248 Black participants and 206 White participants. The quantitative data were analyzed using two logistic regressions, and the qualitative data were analyzed using memoing, segmenting, coding, enumeration, and theme generation. Institutional Factors was the only predicting variable that was statistically significant. The qualitative results suggested that higher education students consider location of program, pacing relative to graduation, program costs, family and employment obligations, length of program, topic of study, and desired learning targets, when deciding whether or not to participate in education abroad programs. Furthermore, participants perceived that higher education students often do not have access to information relative to education abroad programs. Implications include utilizing needs-based financial assistance and specific institutional data in order to design appropriate initiatives to improve equity and provide the benefits associated with education abroad programs to disadvantaged students. In addition, higher education institutions could develop policies and procedures to meet student needs relative to barriers and motivation to improve participation rates for Black higher education students.
This dissertation explores the lived experiences of African American college students and recent graduates who studied abroad. These students’ experiences were examined to determine reasons for the gap between the numbers of African American and Caucasian students who study abroad. The researcher conducted a mixed-methods study using a survey that included yes/no, Likert scale, and open-ended questions. Twenty-six students completed the survey. The following themes emerged from some of the responses: students felt inadequately prepared financially and culturally, some of them experienced isolation and homesickness, racism and academic challenges. There were positive themes as well, including a sense of confidence as a result of studying abroad, strengthened foreign language skills, and global connections. While the majority of the participants experienced challenges, most of them said they would study abroad again and all but one of them completed their program. Study findings suggest that removing the barriers listed would result in more positive study abroad experiences for African American students.
The study abroad experience is an important fixture of American higher education, with politicians, institutions, and mainstream media calling for increased participation. Participation in study abroad can potentially benefit students' personal, academic, and career development. However, historical educational data have shown that some groups, such as Students of Color, have been underrepresented in study abroad participation at American colleges and universities. To better understand the racial gap in study abroad participation, this study combined the Theory of Planned Behavior and critical race theory to explore the intersections of race and racism with factors (i.e., attitude, subject norm, perceived behavioral control) that predict students' intention to study abroad, and the role of social and non-social environmental influences on these factors (e.g., advertisements, advisers). The results indicated that for Students of Color and White students, racial identity and expected effects of racism were related in different ways to attitude (i.e., students' evaluation of study abroad), subjective norm (i.e., their sense of social support), and perceived behavioral control (i.e., their sense of the ease of studying abroad). For attitude, Students of Color thought both their race and racism would affect their personal experience and viewed racism as a built-in aspect of the study abroad experience, where White students generally thought neither would affect them. For subjective norm, White students generally did not believe racism affected the kinds of support they received. In contrast, there was evidence of exclusion for Students of Color, such as being ignored by campus recruiters promoting study abroad and being ignored by academic advisers. Students of Color also evaluated the usefulness of information from supportive figures based to the racial identity of the source as a proxy for the ability to understand the nuance of race while studying abroad. For perceived behavioral control, White students thought their racial identity would make it easier to study abroad and did not think racism would affect their ease of studying abroad. Overall, the Theory of Planned Behavior accurately predicted White students' intentions to study abroad, where their positive perceptions of study abroad, support to study abroad, and fewer barriers were generally correlated with their intentions to study abroad. In contrast, Students of Color demonstrated greater behavioral intention to study abroad even though they had negative expectations about their experience, especially with racism, a lack of support from advisers and greater expectations of racism as a potential barrier. In drawing on the lived experiences of Students of Color, these findings suggest that racism may not be well modeled by the traditional patterns described by decision-making theories like the Theory of Planned Behavior. Similarly, the framework does not address the potential moderating role of racial identity. For example, for subjective norm supportive figures like advisers engaged in supportive behaviors as theorized by the framework, but for Students of Color, they were served more as barriers. This study also found that students' beliefs were found to be influenced by both social and nonsocial factors, such as social media and advertisements, the discovery of how race and racism may be intertwined with students' decisions about study abroad creates potential opportunities to improve recruitment strategies that address the beliefs of diverse students. More research is needed to better understand how students make decisions despite potential barriers, as well as the ways in which sources influential to students' beliefs about study abroad may be used to increase the accessibility of study abroad and increase the participation of underrepresented groups. The study abroad experience is an important fixture of American higher education, with politicians, institutions, and mainstream media calling for increased participation. Participation in study abroad can potentially benefit students' personal, academic, and career development. However, historical educational data have shown that some groups, such as Students of Color, have been underrepresented in study abroad participation at American colleges and universities. To better understand the racial gap in study abroad participation, this study combined the Theory of Planned Behavior and critical race theory to explore the intersections of race and racism with factors (i.e., attitude, subject norm, perceived behavioral control) that predict students' intention to study abroad, and the role of social and non-social environmental influences on these factors (e.g., advertisements, advisers).
Study abroad is an opportunity students in higher education increasingly participate in (Institute of International Education, 2022). However college Students of Color, particularly Black students, participate in study abroad at disproportionately lower rates when compared to their white peers. This case study seeks to understand the multiple influences that inform lower levels of Black student participation in study abroad. Using Gusa’s (2010) white institutional presence framework, I examine multiple data points within a singular site including institutional messaging, procedures, and students interviews. Findings showed that multiple reasons impact Black students' decisions to study abroad. Understanding the findings can lead to practices that can improve Black students' likelihood to study abroad but also at an institutional level address white institutional presence (Gusa, 2010). Implications for practice and research are discussed.
Studying abroad has become a key educational means for preparing graduates with the intercultural competencies needed to succeed in our global economy. The federal government, business community, and higher education sector are united in their belief that study abroad is critical to such success. This monograph seeks to address two fundamental questions: Who studies abroad (or who does not) and why? What are the outcomes of study abroad? Increasing and broadening study abroad participation have proven particularly challenging, and the authors look to the research for how it might be improved. Although research suggests positive outcomes of study abroad, existing studies leave educators with some challenging questions. Based on their review, the authors pose recommendations for ways in which study abroad in the twenty-first century can renew its purposes and fulfill its promise.
Not all those who wander are lost. J.R.R. Tolkien (1954) Black (African American) students experience college uniquely compared to other racial and ethnic groups (Allen, 1992). The study abroad experience offers a different lens to explore Black student development and how Black students make meaning of this opportunity. The primary objective of this study was to gain an understanding of how participants reflected on their multi-country study abroad experiences and how they made sense of these experiences. I examined the study abroad experience through interpretive phenomenological analysis, utilizing Jack Mezirow's Transformative Learning Theory (1992) to investigate how Black college students reflected on their experiences. I attempted to address the following research questions; What key experiences facilitate transformative learning in multi-country study abroad contexts for Black college students? In what ways do Black college students make meaning of their international experiences? How, if at all, can student experiences be interpreted through the lens of transformative learning theory? In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of seven Black college graduates who participated in multi-country study abroad experiences as undergraduates. Study rationale included the need to better support the college student development of Black students. Findings shed light on the unique Black college student experience, offering tools to support development. This dissertation identifies experiences that may contribute to providing educators, researchers, and policymakers insight on the study abroad experience for Black college students. For example, this dissertation identified Black students who participated in multi-country study abroad programs and applied a comparative lens to their study abroad experiences. Recommendations include expanding study abroad opportunities for Black students. The opportunity to experience differing countries provides a unique personal growth experience for Black students and these experiences may positively contribute to Black student development on US campuses. For example, Black students described and interpreted a strong sense of racial identity, interglobal competence, and commitment to activism after participating in a multi-country study abroad program. As race is the most salient identity named in their experiences abroad, Black students shared these experiences based on travel to different countries. These participants appeared to have a grounded and mature reflection on their racial identity and how race is viewed in other parts of the world.
Co-published with While education abroad – including studying, volunteering, researching, and interning abroad – is increasingly emphasized as a critical factor in preparing undergraduates for a globally interconnected world, diversifying the pool of participants in such activities has proven challenging. Framed within the concept of “inclusive excellence” with the objective of promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity in higher education as foundational to educational excellence, the contributors present research and practices that have been proven successful in improving participation among groups of students traditionally underrepresented in education abroad.Broader participation in education abroad programming has been a perennial concern at numerous higher education institutions in the U.S., having prompted countless discussions in professional organizations and across campuses among faculty, staff, and students. Many have come to recognize that overseas opportunities are no longer a luxury and instead are a necessity for job seekers entering a more diverse, globally interconnected workplace.The volume offers a combination of research-based chapters and case studies from leading experts on the barriers that disproportionately impact specific groups of students, including: students with disabilities; first-generation college students; undocumented students; racial and ethnic minorities; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors; and males. The authors illuminate the issues which may inhibit education abroad participation, from individual to institutional, and present strategies reflecting a broad range of institutional contexts, resources, and needs.While there has been significant discussion and action to promote broader inclusion in education abroad, this is the first volume focusing on research and practice to achieve these ends, and is intended as a critical resource for practitioners and scholars alike.
One of the major roles of colleges and universities is the preparation of the workforce for the global economy (Metzger, 2006). Regardless of efforts to diversify the study abroad population and increase the participation rate of minority students, Caucasians remain the largest group represented at 83% for the past 10 years (Current Trends in US Study Abroad and the Impact of Strategic Diversity Initiatives, 2007). In 2009/10, only 4.7% of all study abroad college students were African American, 6.4% were Hispanic American, and 0.5% were Native American (Institute for International Education, 2012). Reasons for these low percentages of study abroad participation among minority students have not been adequately investigated, nor are there a number of significant studies on the decision making process of minority college students who choose to participate in study abroad programs. Using Peterson's (2003) Model of the Decision to Study Abroad, 20 African American undergraduate college students from a university in north east Maryland who already engaged in study abroad programs were interviewed to identify motivations and experiences for participation in study abroad programs. Based on Moustakas' (1994) modification of van Kaam's phenomenological methodology data were analyzed using NVivo 9 software. Twelve themes of significant importance for decision making emerged. Students also provided a wealth of information and creative suggestions for improving African American participation in Study Abroad. Increasing opportunities to study aboard is important in educating global citizens able to adapt quickly to their changing environments.
This book examines how the unique perspectives of BIPOC faculty and students must be integrated into the undergraduate curriculum to expose students of color to education abroad experiences, enhance cultural awareness and sensitivity, and lend to a broader diversity and inclusion perspective. This edited volume, written by authors of color, argues that education abroad programs not only provide essential academic and cultural enrichment but can also be an important nexus of innovation. When approached within a creative, interdisciplinary, and holistic framework, these programs are ripe with opportunities to engage various constituencies and a potent source of strategies for bolstering diversity, recruitment, retention, and graduation. Despite a tendency to view study abroad as a luxurious option for persons with wealth and means, the editors and their authors argue that global education should be thought of as a fundamental and integral part of higher education, for all students, in a global era.