TRAVEL ABROAD: A STUDY OF THE PERCEIVED INFLUENCE OF THE
EXPERIENCES OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ON A SHORT TERM TRAVEL OR
STUDY ABROAD PRIOR TO COLLEGE.
by
David M. Angwenyi
MARY RICE-CRENSHAW, PhD, Faculty Mentor and Chair
WILLIAM BROWN, PhD, Committee Member
SHELDON PRIDE, PhD, Committee Member
Feranda Williamson, EdD, Dean, School of Education
A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Capella University
January 2014
UMI Number: 3617506
All Rights reserved
UMI 3617506
Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author.
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© David Angwenyi, 2014
Abstract
Students who participate in a short term travel experience program develop a sense of
global citizenship. High school students who spend at least some part of their time
traveling abroad would seek to address global issues as they understand the realities that
may confront the world not only from a local perspective but rather from a global
perspective. The Troika Study provided significant guidance in the creation of this study.
Using qualitative phenomenology the Troika study explored the experience of college
students studying abroad. Thus this study examined the perceived influence of
experiences of high school students from a public high school in New Jersey who
traveled abroad on a short term program prior to college, with specific attention paid to
how they develop global perspectives, attitudes toward cultural diversity, and their
preparation for college responsibilities. The guiding research question of the study was,
“how do high school students describe the influence of experiences obtained after a short
term travel or study abroad program? This qualitative study surveyed high school
students who have traveled abroad for a period of four weeks or less during their high
school studies. In order to assess the influence of short term travel abroad on student
college preparation, global awareness and cultural sensitivity, the participants’ responses
were coded and then categorized into broad themes, which were analyzed to evaluate the
perceived influence of short term travel. The results showed several significant meanings
attached to the experience by the participants and the importance of such experiences to
the participants’ general outlook on life. For the research question of the study, there is
evidence to suggest that the perceived influence of the meaning of short term travel
examined in this study does appear to impact the student’s understanding of their college
preparedness, global issues awareness and cultural sensitivity toward those from other
cultures. It is recommended that a future study examine the extent to which students who
participate in short term travel abroad during high school pursue careers that are
international or global in nature compared to students that do not participate in such
experiences.
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Dedication
This study is dedicated to my wife Judith and our four children, Juliana,
Benjamin, Joshua and Jonathan, who have stood by me throughout my journey and
believed in me every step of the way. Your continuous support, encouragement, and
understanding gave me the strength to make it through this process. I love all of you and
thank you.
It is also dedicated to my late father Paul Angwenyi Mageka and especially my
mother Rebecca Nyabeta, who instilled the value of education in her children,
demonstrated the power of hard work, and always displayed great wisdom in solving
problems so that her twelve children would value diversity and embrace others. She
talked of education as a power that takes you beyond the ordinary so that you can see that
which others fail to see. Most important, my mother taught us the value of simplicity and
living life in a manner that inspires others. She never wavered in loving us, and indeed
taught us to love others because, as she often would say, the best life is lived when you
know and understand the hearts of others, not the physical traits, which like a flower, fade
over time.
To my brother Nelson, an intelligent man, who understood the meaning of success
and friendship and put aside his own educational pursuits so that his siblings would have
an opportunity to get an education. Nelson knew that he had to step in and find a job so
that his brothers and sisters could go to school. Nelson put off his pursuit of university
studies, which he had qualified for with a distinction, so that he could help our parents
who had used their meager resources to get him through high school and a teacher’s
college.
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My academic success is a direct result of Nelson’s unselfish attitude towards his
family and country. It is indeed impossible to find adequate words to express my
gratitude to a man of such dignity, and I can only hope that my accomplishment and
willingness to broaden other people’s perspectives provides some optimism of what
education can do in making the world a place of oneness where we all strive to make it
better for others. In doing so, we can say we have fought a good fight. There is light at
the end of the tunnel for those brave enough to walk beside others that have passed along
this way to become enlightened so they can become better human beings.
My colleagues at Hopewell Valley Central High School especially Lindsey and
Dr. Lillian Rankel, who became a source of encouragement through conversations and
implementation of educational activities at the high school where my interest in global
education was without a doubt strengthened greatly. Our conversations on how to bring
the world together and make it better enabled us to think of ways to offer students
opportunities to connect their learning to real world issues.
My friends Gene Squeo and Chris Isinta, men of God, who were placed in my
path ever since I arrived in the United States, and have guided me through friendship so
that I have been able to succeed and become the person I am today. They have silently
and lovingly been beside each of my undertakings from college, getting married, children
baptisms, and family re-unions that make life memorable.
This dedication would not be complete if I did not thank my numerous
friends who have supported and encouraged me along the way in a variety of ways.
xv
Acknowledgments
I would like to acknowledge my mentor and chair, Dr. Mary Rice-Crenshaw, for
providing the support that I needed to complete my studies. The help I received from Dr.
Michael Worthington with regard to the methodology that would work best for my study
was invaluable and his dedication to see me improve my work is commendable. I would
also like to acknowledge and thank Dr. William Brown and Dr. Sheldon Pride, for
providing me continuous support, suggestions on how to go about collecting data and
encouragement to make it through the difficult times. I appreciate my team’s
commitment to ensuring my success.
xv
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments x
List of Tables xiv
List of Figures xv
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 1
Introduction to the Problem 1
Background, Context, and Theoretical Framework 2
Statement of the Problem 5
Purpose of the Study 5
Research Questions 6
Rationale, Relevance, and Significance of the Study 6
Nature of the Study 7
Definition of Terms 8
Assumptions, Limitations, and Delimitations 10
Organization of the Remainder of the Study 10
CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction to the Literature Review 12
Theoretical Framework 12
Review of Research Literature and Methodological Literature 15
Review of the Research Regarding Influence of the experience 16
Synthesis of the Research Findings 22
Critique of Previous Research 23
Chapter 2 Summary 23
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CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY
Introduction to Chapter 3 26
Purpose of the proposed study 26
Research Questions 27
Research Design 27
Target Population, Sampling Method, and Related Procedures 29
Instrumentation 30
Data Collection 32
Data Analysis Procedures 35
Limitations of the Research Design, Methodology 37
Reliability and Validity 38
Ethical Issues 38
Ethical Issues related to the study 39
Chapter 3 Summary 40
CHAPTER 4. DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
Introduction 41
Description of the Sample 42
Demographic Profile 42
Results and Detailed Analysis 43
Chapter 4 Summary 68
CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION
Introduction 82
Summary of the Results 83
xv
Discussion of the Results 84
Discussion of the Results in Relation to the Literature 94
Limitations 94
Implication of the Results for Practice 95
Recommendations for Further Research 96
Conclusion 98
REFERENCES 101
APPENDIX A. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 106
APPENDIX B. STUDY QUESTIONS SURVEY 108
APPENDIX C. RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS ARTIFACTS 110
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List of Tables
Table 1. Interview question 12 open coding: How life outlook/global Awareness affected.
Table 2. Interview question 4 Open Coding: Biggest surprise during the travel.
Table 3. Interview question 20 Open Coding: Summary of short term travel experience.
Table 4. Interview question 19 Open Coding: Change of outlook of other cultures.
Table 5. Interview question 8 Open Coding: Development of meaningful friendships.
Table 6. Interview question 13 Open Coding: What was learned about own culture.
Table 7. Interview question 17 Open Coding: Personal qualities possessed after travel.
Table 8. Interview question 18 Open Coding: Perspectives of college preparedness.
Table 9. Interview question 6 Open Coding: What to tell someone planning to travel.
Table 10. Interview question 13 Open Coding: Axial coding comparison.
1
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
Introduction to the Problem
To grasp why studying abroad is such a novel idea to high school students, one
first needs to understand who today’s students are and how they perceive the world. The
profile of a “typical” high school student (if there is such a thing as typical in a diverse
country as the United States) across the country is an 18-year-old, 12th grade student.
High schools across the country must consider alternative ways of delivering enriched
global experiences without making it too expensive or difficult for students to participate.
This study examined the experiences of eleven high school students who
participated in short term travel or study abroad programs at a public high school to gain
an understanding of the impact a program of this nature can have on a typical high school
student. The challenges of implementing a study abroad program place high schools in a
dilemma, given the logistical planning and safety considerations for students who are not
yet fully independent. The need for a broad global perspective is increasingly being
acknowledged as an important component of a student’s education, but there is generally
little time and money available to support a traditional study abroad experience. A
solution or alternative that could provide such an enriched experience is therefore needed.
2
Background, Context, and Theoretical Framework
The framework of this study is based on the American Institute of Foreign Study
report (AIFS, 2009) that showed that the number of American students taking a year off
to travel abroad prior to college is growing to record numbers. The report details the
benefits for students traveling or studying abroad, and claims that students tend to be
better prepared for college after taking these short travel experiences abroad.
Theoretical perspective is the philosophical stance that informs a methodology
(Crotty, 2003). This perspective provides the researcher with a clear context for
processing data and the rationale for how the data will be evaluated. Another way to put
it is to say that, whenever one examines a particular methodology, one discovers a
complex set of assumptions buried within it. It is these assumptions that constitute one’s
theoretical perspective and they largely have to do with the world that the methodology
envisages. Different ways of viewing the world shape different ways of researching the
world (Crotty, 2003, p. 66).
The idea of having students take a gap year prior to college has been gaining
ground among universities and colleges (Meara, 2007), with some offering scholarship
initiatives to students to participate in some kind of service learning programs abroad
prior to joining college. University admissions processes also appear to be favoring
students who have participated in a travel or study abroad program. LeVine (2007)
proposes that a child’s exposure to a foreign environment prior to college could have an
influence on the kind of specialization they pursue. Sange (2000) discusses the notion of
building schools that learn by providing students with an opportunity to undertake lessons
that go beyond their walled classrooms, and this could include short term travel abroad in
3
well-organized educational programs that high schools facilitate or organize for their
students.
The study will use Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) (Kolb, 1984) as a model
for educational interventions in study abroad programs because of its holistic approach to
human adaptation through the transformation of experience into knowledge, and will
focus on the value of such experiences to the schools that participate in short term travel
or study abroad programs. The assertion that traveling or studying abroad improves
intercultural competence is grounded in the Contact Hypothesis. Allport (1954) proposed
that prejudice held by one group toward another group could be reduced if individuals
from both groups participated in sustained interpersonal contact. Subsequent research
testing this hypothesis under a variety of conditions identified several conditions under
which intergroup relations were most likely to reduce prejudice (Hewstone & Brown,
1986; Nesdale & Todd, 2000), which includes equality of status during contact, a social
context that supports equality between groups, and collaborative engagement toward a
shared goal.
The research tradition that will be utilized to guide this study is a basic
interpretive approach. The goal of an interpretive study is to understand how participants
order, classify, structure, and interpret their world and then use their interpretation as they
live (Prasad, 2005). Describing this type of study, Merriam (2002) stated that,
+The researcher is interested in understanding how participants make meaning of
a situation or phenomenon, this meaning is mediated through the researcher as
instrument, the strategy is inductive, and the outcome is descriptive. In conducting
a basic interpretive qualitative study, you seek to discover and understand a
4
phenomenon, a process, the perspectives and worldviews of the people involved,
or a combination of these. (p. 6).
Meanings, however, “are constructed by human beings as they engage with the world
they are interpreting” (Crotty, 2003, p. 43). Thus, this study sought to engage participants
in order to determine how they made meaning of their experience in a short term travel or
study abroad program at a New Jersey public High School.
Opponents of travel or study abroad programs for high school students believe
short term travel or study abroad programs are not significant learning experiences
(Prasad, 2005), and argue that the longer one spends in a different culture or country the
deeper the experience is (Taylor & Bogdan, 1998). It is difficult to measure whether
duration is directly related to meaning, as the impact of these experiences may not
become apparent until years after the conclusion of the program. Nevertheless, it was not
the goal of this study to assess the effect of the duration of a travel or study abroad
program on the experiences of students taking part in them.
This study revealed, using student articulated experiences, whether short term
travel or study abroad programs may indeed provide students with deep and meaningful
cultural experience that could inform their interaction with people from other cultural
backgrounds. Another practical implication of this study is to challenge the notion that
only long term travel or study abroad programs impact the worldview of students, as well
as to reveal through the students’ own words that the experiences gained from the
participation in short term travel or study abroad program can never be duplicated in the
classroom. Ultimately, the study showed that high school students recognize the value of
short term travel or study abroad programs prior to attending college.
5
Statement of the Problem
Students’ perceptions of the influence of short term travel or study abroad
experiences on developing global perspectives, attitudes toward cultural diversity, and
preparation for college responsibilities are not fully known. The research problem
explored in this study is how high school students articulate the meaning of their
experiences following a short term travel or study abroad and the extent to which the
experiences help them to develop global perspectives, attitudes toward cultural diversity,
and college preparation responsibilities.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of 11 students who
participated in a short term travel or study abroad program at a public high school in New
Jersey. The short term study participants were encouraged to share the meanings they
derived from their trip experiences and how they believe that meaning shaped their lives
socially, academically, and in preparation for college responsibilities. For the purposes of
this study, short term travel or study abroad programs are defined as those lasting less
than weeks. The participants in this research study spent 14 days in a foreign country.
The meanings shared by the participants provided insights into the influence this
program had on students and what they gained from their experiences. These newly
acquired insights will provide future researchers with information and an understanding
of the significance of short term travel or study abroad programs.
6
Research Questions
Students’ perceptions of the influence of short term travel or study abroad
experiences on the development of global perspectives, attitudes toward cultural
diversity, and preparation for college responsibilities are not fully known therefore the
main research question explored by this study was how do high school students describe
the influence of experiences obtained after a short term travel or study abroad program?
The research sub-questions are: a) how does a short term travel or study abroad
experience influence a student’s preparation for college responsibilities? b) In what
way(s) does a short term travel or study abroad program influence the thinking of a high
school student with regard to global awareness issues? c) In what way(s) does a short
term travel or study abroad program influence the thinking of a high school student with
regard to global awareness and cultural diversity issues?
Rationale, Relevance, and Significance
The rationale for this study is based on the fact that global education has become
an important and necessary topic in today’s classroom, and the increase in the use of
social media such as Facebook has allowed students to mentally travel beyond the four
walls of their classrooms and interact with students of different cultures, and they hence
now understand the world differently. The idea of flat classrooms that is classrooms
where student scan easily communicate with other beyond their classroom walls has
created unprecedented opportunities for schools in the United States to collaborate with
students in various other parts of the world. This study seeks to broaden our
understanding of the role of short term travel or study abroad programs and their
7
effectiveness in preparing students for college as well as the extent to which they can
help students appreciate foreign cultures and the impediments they can place on bilateral
relations among countries.
As the United States and the rest of the world grapples with the problem of global
terrorism, it is important and necessary that high school students be exposed to foreign
cultures so as to enhance their understanding of them. This study sought to ascertain the
extent to which such travel experiences are perceived to influence the student’s
understanding of the world as they prepare to study in college. High school students are
at a prime age of exploring global issues and a study that seeks to understand how they
respond to such experiences is of value to policy makers and educators interested in the
way high school education shapes young people.
Nature of the Study
The methodological approach chosen for this study is qualitative. This
methodology allowed me to achieve the purpose of the study by soliciting the
participants’ stories of their lived experiences. These stories provided rich descriptions of
the participants’ experience about a particular phenomenon within a specific theme, such
as cultural diversity awareness. The majority of Qualitative research rest on the idea that
meaning is socially constructed by individuals as they interact with their environment
(Merriam, 2002).
Taylor and Bogdan (1998) stated that qualitative methodology “refers in the
broadest sense to research that produces descriptive data—people’s own written or
spoken words and observable behavior” (p. 7). Merriam (2002) goes on to state that the
8
world, or reality, is not the fixed, single agreed upon or measurable phenomenon that it is
assumed to be in positivist, quantitative research. Instead, there are multiple constructions
and interpretations of reality that are in flux and that change over time.
Qualitative researchers are interested in understanding what those interpretations
are at a particular point in time and in a particular context (Merriam, 2002, pp. 3-4).
Because of the fluid nature of qualitative research there is no uniform set of techniques or
procedures for collecting and analyzing data (Prasad, 2005). However, there are
commonly accepted procedures to ensure quality in qualitative research.
This study utilizes Merriam’s (2002, p. 23) guide for assessing the quality of a
research project. In this section the components of the methods for this research project
are presented. Each qualitative research project has four basic elements: epistemology,
theoretical perspective, methodology, and methods (Crotty, 2003). These elements are
unique to each study and are used to guide the researcher through the process leading
from the development of the research question to the writing of the conclusions.
Definition of Terms
Throughout this study the terms below will be used as defined.
High school: Schools educating students in the 9th to 12th grade.
Short term travel: Travel abroad for a period not less than 10 days but not more
than 28 days.
Internationalization: Centered on “the development of understanding,
consideration and respect for others, their beliefs, values and cultures” (Cambridge &
Thompson, 2004), internationalization is a process that produces a well-rounded citizen
9
with a global perspective. Cambridge and Thompson (2004) also claimed
internationalization to be a “progressive view of education … concerned with the moral
development in the individual … [and] the formation of positive attitudes towards peace,
international understanding and responsible world citizenship” (p. 164).
International education: Any type of experience that is conducted outside the
home country and sponsored by an educational institution (Kitsantas, 2004).
Study abroad: Defined as all education programs that take place outside the
geographical boundaries of the country of origin (Kitsantas, 2004), these programs vary
among institutions. For this study a distinction between long-, mid-, and short term
programs is made. This dissertation focuses on the short term travel or study abroad
programs in high school.
Long term study abroad program: Programs of an “academic or calendar year”
(Institute of International Education, 2008b, p. 2).
Short term travel or study abroad program: Programs of “summer that last
between 10 days to 30 days during the school academic year” (Institute of International
Education, 2008b, p. 2).
Troika study abroad model: The dictionary defines the noun troika as “any group
of three persons, nations, etc., acting equally in unison to exert influence, control, or the
like” (Ask.com, 2009). The program model is nicknamed "Troika" because a minimum
of three CCID colleges collaborate on each international program. The primary objective
of this model is to provide community college students with greater access to study
abroad opportunities.
10
Assumptions, Limitations, and Delimitations
This research study proceeds on the basis of the following research assumptions:
The perceived influence and meaning of short term travel by the students in
this study can be generalized.
The responses of the study participants were honest and objective.
The students’ responses to the survey questionnaires were complete and
thorough.
The memorable photos shared by the students were taken as part of their
travel abroad experiences.
The students participated in the program at their school.
This research study was subject to the following limitations:
This study was limited to the perceptions of the students in regards to the
travel abroad experience.
The survey questionnaires measured only the perceptions of the students.
The sample of the study is limited to students from Hopewell Valley School
district in Mercer County, New Jersey.
Students’ perceptions of the influence of the experience may have been
impacted by variables other than short term travel as claimed.
Organization of the Remainder of the Study
This study is divided up into five chapters. Chapter one provides background information
11
about the study, including the problem statement, background and significance of the
study, purpose, rational, conceptual/theoretical framework, research questions, study
variables, definition of terms, assumptions, limitations, and the nature of the study.
Chapter two presents the literature review. This chapter is divided into the following
major sections: an overview of the U.S. High School system, the history of
internationalism in higher education, how the community college mission and education
abroad intertwine, the current state of study abroad programs, study abroad typologies,
the community college student and barriers they face when trying to study abroad,
institutional barriers facing study abroad programs, and outcomes of international
programs. Exploring international programs, including study abroad programs, and how
they relate to community colleges provides the foundation of knowledge for the topic
under study.
Chapter three discusses the research methodology, wherein the research
instruments will be described as well as methodology/design of the study, population,
instrumentation, data collection, data analysis, and ethical considerations. This chapter
reviews the epistemology framing the study, the methodology utilized, the methods,
goodness and trustworthiness in qualitative research, and the researcher’s position. The
methods and procedures described in this chapter are the guidelines for how data were
collected for the study. Chapter four presents the survey data and provides an analysis of
the general emerging themes that are then used to create or develop categories that are
used for analysis. Chapter five provides the conclusions of the study and provides
recommendations for further research.
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