Study abroad and Self-efficacy
J. Cubillos
University of Delaware
TABLE 1: Changes in the number of study
abroad programs and participants
1994/5
2004/5
2007/8
Number of
Participants
84,403
205,983
262,416
Number of
Programs
2,005
6,514
9,015
Source: IIE’s-Open Doors Report, 2009
TABLE 2: Length of Study Abroad Experience
among 2007/8 Participants
Short-term
Semester
Year
56%
40%
4%
TABLE 3: Research Articles on Study Abroad
Published Between 2000 and 2010
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
TOTALS
Foreign
Language
Annals
(FLA)
1
0
3
2
2
2
1
3
3
0
13
30
Modern
Language
Journal
(MLJ)
0
1
1
0
1
1
1
7
3
2
1
18
Linguistic Benefits of Study Abroad
Significant
Great variability
Negligible
Martinsen, 2010
Segalowitz, 2004
DeKeyser, 1991
Vicente, 2011
Rees & Klapper, 2007
Cubillos, Chieffo &
Fan, 2008
Davidson, 2010
Taguchi, 2011
Motivation
• A need or desire to learn
• Traditional perspectives:
• Gardner & Lambert (1972): Choice motivation
(Instrumental/integrative)
• Study abroad (Kouritzin et al, 2009; Koul et al,
2009): Integrative motivation-higher
proficiency
Motivation Research (Cont.)
• Sustained Deep Learning (SDL), Schumann
(1997)
• Complex learning tasks require a drive that
can sustain effort until proficiency is achieved
• Dörnyei (1994): Process Model of Foreign
Language Motivation
• Beyond intention, to execution, to evaluation
FIGURE 4: Dörnyei ‘s Process Model of
Foreign Language Motivation
Dornyei’s Motivational Model
• Post-actional phase is paramount in SDL
• The determining factor in further learning is
self-efficacy beliefs
• “If the learner is convinced that his/her
performance was adequate or amenable to
improvement through further learning he/she
will be more likely to engage and persist in
additional learning tasks”
Research Questions
1. Does the study abroad experience have any
impact on self-efficacy perceptions among FL
learners?
2. Is the impact of study abroad on self-efficacy
perceptions uniform across all language skills
(reading, writing, reading, speaking)?
3. Do changes in self-efficacy perceptions vary
depending on destination or length of program?
4. What is the role of cultural engagement
(amount and type of interaction with the local
community) on self-efficacy perceptions?
Research Design
• Instrument development for the
measurement of FL self-efficacy (National Capital
Language Resource Center)
• Repeated measures design to explore the
impact of treatment (study abroad experience)
• Regression analysis to determine the role of
cultural engagement on self-efficacy gains
TABLE 4: Demographics
Experimental
Groups
Total number of participants
39
Number of Participants / Short Term Program
13
Number of Participants / Semester Program
26
Participants in French
14
Participants in Spanish
25
Males
7
Females
32
Average age
19
Prior language experience in college (average) / Short-term
program
Prior language experience in college (average) / Semester program
1-2 semesters
3-4 semesters
TABLE 5: Key Measures in the Development of the Pre- and
Post- Self-Efficacy Scales for Reading, Writing, Listening, and
Speaking Skills
Scale
Scale
Chronbach’s alpha
Eigen Value
% of Variance
Mean
Std Dev
Min
Max
Pre Reading
.792
2.80
55.95%
16.846
3.057
9
25
Post Reading
.850
3.20
64.08%
20.154
2.987
13
25
Pre Writing
.848
3.15
63.03%
16.846
3.438
8
25
Post Writing
.933
4.00
80.06%
19.410
4.089
9
25
Pre Listening
.898
3.59
71.88%
15.154
3.870
6
23
Post Listening
.932
3.95
78.97%
19.590
3.844
11
25
Pre Speaking
.917
3.76
75.25%
15.795
4.169
6
25
Post Speaking
.909
3.68
73.66%
19.513
3.597
13
25
Research Questions
1. Does the study abroad experience have any
impact on self-efficacy perceptions among FL
learners?
TABLE 6: Matched Paired Tests of Gain for the SelfEfficacy Skills
Percent
Self-Efficacy Scale
Post Mean
Pre Mean
Difference
t-ratio
Increase
Reading
20.154
16.846
3.308
9.431***
19.6
Writing
19.410
16.846
2.564
5.191***
15.2
Listening
19.590
15.154
4.436
7.749***
29.3
Speaking
19.513
15.795
3.718
6.104***
23.5
* p < .05
** p < .01
*** p < .0001
Research Questions
2. Is the impact of study abroad on self-efficacy
perceptions uniform across all language skills
(reading, writing, reading, speaking)?
TABLE 7: Q2 Measures of Self-Efficacy Gain by
Language Sub-Skill
Self-Efficacy Scale
Percent due to
Percent due to
Variance
Mean
Q2
Reading
15.615
29.9
70.1
Writing
15.846
58.5
41.5
Listening
32.128
38.8
61.2
Speaking
27.923
50.5
49.5
Research Questions
3. Do changes in self-efficacy perceptions vary
depending on destination or length of
program?
TABLE 8: Regression Models of the Gain in Self-Efficacy
Scales
Reading Gain
Intercept
Pre-Measure
Speaking Gain
4.917
12.139***
13.888***
-0.413***
-0.181
-0.531***
-0.653***
0.294
Length
1.153**
* p < .05
** p < .01
*** p < .0001
Listening Gain
9.971***
Language
R2
Writing Gain
.382
-0.824
1.387**
.307
0.452
0.513
1.432**
0.865
.367
.403
Research Questions
4. What is the role of cultural engagement
(amount and type of interaction with the
local community) on self-efficacy
perceptions?
TABLE 9: Cultural Engagement Questions Administered to
Students After Completing the Study Abroad
Percent Frequently
1. Shopping/visiting local markets
35.9
2. Movies/entertainment catering to locals
15.4
3. Restaurants/pubs/cafes catering to locals
61.5
4. Visiting local families/friends in their homes
26.3
5. Participating in worship services
15.1
6. On-campus informal conversations
30.8
7. Events sponsored by the study abroad program
25.6
8. Extra-curricular activities (student clubs, intramurals, etc.)
13.2
9. Volunteering/service-learning/internships/shadowing
5.4
TABLE 10: Regression Models of the Gain in Self-Efficacy Scales as
a Function of Cultural Engagement
Reading Gain
Writing Gain
Listening Gain
Speaking Gain
Engage 1
0.871
1.481
0.847
3.342**
Engage 2
-1.178
-2.786
-1.195
-1.591
Engage 3
-0.803
-0.979
-1.752
-1.996
Engage 4
-0.197
1.813
0.644
-0.572
Engage 6
0.743
1.694
1.796
2.014
Engage 7
0.073
-3.396
-0.555
-3.927
Engage 8
2.651*
1.822
3.941*
6.938***
R2
.536
.507
.554
.666
.358
.307
.369
.538
Adjusted R2
Conclusions and Recommendations
• Study abroad experiences enhance selfefficacy beliefs among FL learners
• Self-efficacy changes occur across all language
sub-skills
• Highest benefits are associated with longer
stays
• Students participating in shorter programs
also benefit significantly from the study
abroad experience
Conclusions/Recommendations (Cont)
• Study abroad has a great potential as a
recruitment and retention tool
• Interaction with the local community is
associated with self-efficacy gains
APPENDIX C: Sample Student Responses to Survey
• This program has strengthened my confidence because I was
able to try out my Spanish and was able to realize how much I
really could do.
• This experience has greatly enhanced my confidence in
speaking Spanish. Everybody speaks it so well, obviously
because it's their 1st language. But the embarrassment
doesn't stop me from trying. I'm encouraged by it to get
better and to match their fluency.
• It has enhanced my ability to overcome any amount of fear or
embarrassment I had to speak the language. There were so
many times that I had to ask for directions or ask people
questions that I’m not embarrassed or shy to ask people
anymore.
APPENDIX C: Sample Student Responses to Survey
• It has enhanced my confidence. At the beginning, mastering
Spanish seemed like an impossible task but it has evolved into a
challenge that I feel will be very beneficial. The number of bilingual
people in Europe is astounding and I would love to one day be able
to communicate fluently in a different language. I have decided to
pick up a Spanish minor as a result of this trip and I would like to
study abroad to another Spanish-speaking country to continue to
practice.
• I'm definitely more confident in my ability to master the French
language, but I think the program is slightly lacking in opportunities
to build that skill in a native-speaking environment. I would like to
known at the start how to find channels of interaction with French
students and people my age.