Bringing it Home:
Follow-Up Courses for Study
Abroad Returnees
Presenters
► Elaine
Meyer-Lee, Saint Mary’s College
► Margit Johnson, Carleton College
► Greg Downey, University of Notre Dame
► All
of you!
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
► Recent awareness of the additional need for
academic contexts to consolidate and
integrate learning
Why this session?
► While
the overarching goals of such courses
may be similar, faculty are 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
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
Saint Mary’s College
ICS 490: Analysis of Study
Abroad Learning
Elaine Meyer-Lee
Main Objectives
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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
Articulating the impact
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Much reflective writing (moving to 2
credits this fall)
Mini-poetry workshop
Partner interviews
Preliminary theorizing
Final reflection on additional impact
of course
Qualitative Analyses/Interpretation
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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
Quantitative Assessment/Theory
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Identity Development (Erikson, Marcia,
Phinney: Phinney’s Multi-Ethic Identity
Measure, as US + retrospective)
Experiential Learning (J. Bennett, Kolb:
Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory)
Intellectual/Intercultural Development
(Perry, M. Bennett: Bennett’s
Intercultural Development Inventory)
Dialogue with the literature
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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
Connections with domestic
intercultural experience
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Individual forays into cultural contexts
where they’d 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
Connections to broader education
at SMC, career plans
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Experiential vs. traditional
More independent pedagogy
Pace and quantity more intense
Tendency to passively revert
Final thoughts
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Excellent opportunity for data
gathering as part of larger effort to
document study abroad learning
outcomes
Need to pool resources:
www.saintmarys.edu/~iil/reentryresources/syllabilist.html