“I have a better sense of how interconnected the world is”: Student perceptions of learning and global engagement during study abroad

The study purpose was to examine U.S. college students’ perceptions of their engagement and learning after studying abroad for a semester in Denmark. All students participated in a course focusing on children and adolescents in Scandinavian contexts, a semester-long practicum experience in a Danish educational institution, and two course-embedded travel experiences within and outside of Denmark. Although there were no significant differences in students’ preand posttest scores on the Global Engagement Survey (Hartman et al., 2015), responses to open-ended prompts provided evidence that students developed knowledge and understanding of themselves and others in multiple cultural and educational contexts. They worked to make meaning of their observations throughout the semester, and established strong relationships with the host community. The practicum and study tour experiences provided ample opportunities for global learning; many students reported that they gained knowledge about diversity and considered issues from the perspectives of local and global communities. “Through my field study tours, I had the opportunity to meet with several students who were Middle Eastern refugees. Our discussion allowed me to gain a better understanding of how they were affected by anti-Islamic rhetoric both in Denmark, and from the States. Most importantly, though, I was able to see the students as individuals who were dedicated to performing well in school and were interested in speaking to me.” “I have learned to be silent. Language by speech is not always the correct form of communication. I worked with young children and language can work in a variety of ways. Through pictures, music, art, your hands, body language, etc. It is not easy, but everyone should try to step away from their mother tongue.” Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad Volume XXX, Issue 2, Spring 2018 ©2018 Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, Jennifer Duncan-Bendix, Maja Sbahi Biehl. 118 In these quotes, U.S. college students offered reflections on their experiences and learning at the conclusion of their semester abroad program in Denmark. Their experiences interacting with people of all ages in diverse contexts provided them with tools to evaluate multiple dimensions of the human experience. Like so many who travel and study abroad, they not only gained insight into the human condition with regard to others’ lives, but also reflected critically on their own lives and experiences. Empirical evidence supports the anecdotes so often relayed in sojourners’ stories of the powerful impact studying abroad had on their lives; for instance, a large retrospective study of over 6,000 college and university alumni found that study abroad is one of the most important experiences students can have as undergraduates (Paige, Fry, Stallman, Josić & Jon, 2009). Study abroad has been recognized as a high-impact educational practice that affords significant educational benefits to students (Kuh, 2008; NSSE, 2007). Increased participation in global educational experiences such as study abroad is an objective of many colleges and universities in the U.S., with the goal of producing graduates prepared to enter the workforce with greater awareness, knowledge, and competencies related to economic, social, and civic global diversity (Dolby, 2007; Engberg, 2013; Hovland, 2014; Norris & Gillespie, 2009; Tarrant, 2010). According to the Institute of International Education Open Doors Report (2015), one in ten undergraduates in the U.S. studies abroad, with a total of 304,467 participating students in 20132014. This represents an increase of 5% from the previous report, and aligns with a steady increase in participation rates since the mid-1990’s. Although the majority of these students participate in short-term programs with durations of less than eight weeks, 35% participate in a semester abroad program. Reported benefits of studying abroad range from increased cultural awareness, intercultural sensitivity, and intercultural communication skills; second language gains; a reduction in ethnocentrism in favor of developing ethnorelativity; and interest in further contact with diverse cultures and peoples (Bennett, 1993; Engle & Engle, 2004; Norris & Gillespie, 2009; Paige, JacobsCassuto, Yershova & DeJaeghere, 2003). Recognizing the importance of integrating global learning into liberal education curricula, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) partnered with numerous organizations, institutions, and individuals to define global learning, articulate the related values, and suggest student learning outcomes (Hovland, 2014). The definition encompasses the following tenets: “Through global learning, students should (1) become informed, open-minded, and responsible people who are attentive to diversity across the spectrum of differences, (2) seek to understand how their actions affect both local and global communities, and (3) address the world’s most pressing and enduring issues collaboratively and equitably” (Hovland, 2014, p. 1). Although this definition was meant to be adapted within specific institutional contexts, the emphasis on gaining knowledge about diversity, considering issues within local and global communities, and collaborating to solve problems is at the core of many curricular designs for global learning (Hovland, 2014). Based on an extensive review of the literature, Hartman, Lough, Toms and Reynolds (2015) identified six program-related factors that have the potential to influence highimpact global learning programming, including accommodations (e.g., homestay); extent of language immersion; extent of community engagement; the nature of the course or program; and the extent Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, Jennifer Duncan Bendix & Maja Sbahi Biehl ©2018 Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, Jennifer Duncan-Bendix, Maja Sbahi Biehl. 119 of similarity or difference between visiting students and host communities. Positive outcomes related to the development of intercultural knowledge and competencies are most likely to occur when students are actively engaged with diverse communities (Engberg, 2013; Hovland, 2014). Hovland (2014) suggested that stakeholders should consider how innovative global learning programs use “complexity and cross-discipline backgrounds to the best advantage” (p. 9). However, despite significant national attention to the importance of learning in global contexts, research on specific study abroad pedagogies and practices is relatively limited (Dolby, 2007). The purpose of the present study was to examine U.S. students’ perceptions of their engagement and learning in key facets of the curricular design of one innovative study abroad program in Scandinavia focused on Child Development and Diversity (CDD). Three unique aspects of the program were designed to foster cultural and global engagement, including a required course on child development and diversity in Scandinavian contexts; course-embedded travel within and outside of Denmark to examine course-relevant themes in local and global contexts (known as “study tours” within this program); and a practicum experience in a Danish educational institution. Educational Experiences Supporting Community Engagement in Global Contexts Combining a practicum experience with a study abroad program is one potentially powerful source of learning about international educational contexts. International student teaching opportunities can be transformative and result in significant personal growth, a broader worldview, a deeper understanding of globalization, and increased professional competencies (Moseley, Reeder & Armstrong, 2008; Pence & Macgillivray, 2008). In the U.S. and in higher education abroad, teacher preparation programs are increasingly committed to incorporating educational experiences designed to enhance teacher candidates’ understanding of and preparation to work with culturally diverse students (Regalla, 2016). Practicum experiences can influence preservice teachers’ behaviors, attitudes and knowledge not only about educational processes, but also about working with children from diverse populations (Brodin, 2010; Cohen, Allan, Peters & Willis, 1976). Short-term international experiences have been shown to have a positive impact on preservice teachers’ personal and professional growth. In one study, students from the U. S. who were preparing to teach in early childhood or elementary education programs participated in a monthlong internship in England, and wrote daily reflections in journals and a final cumulative narrative (Brindley, Quinn & Morton, 2009). Analyses of the journals, observational notes, and teacher evaluations confirmed that encountering international educational contexts encouraged the preservice teachers to consider multiple perspectives. They reflected on their own professional development in the context of the wider community, and reported learning professional competencies such as managing a classroom. Pence and Macgillivray (2008) also found that a fourweek international practicum in Rome, Italy had a positive influence on preservice teachers from the U.S. Students reported increases in appreciation for diversity, confidence in themselves and their teaching, and a developing respect for language learners in classroom contexts. Students attributed these changes not only to the field experience in the Italian schools, but also to the process of daily reflection and the feedback from faculty (Pence & Macgillivray, 2008). Extant research supports the conclusion that an international experience can be a critically important “catalyst for accelerated Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad Volume XXX, Issue 2, Spring 2018 ©2018 Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, Jennifer Duncan-Bendix, Maja Sbahi Biehl. 120 professional development” (Brindley et al., 2009, p. 532). However, relatively few such opportunities exist in the field of education, and particularl