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International education has been a growing trend globally over the past thirty years. Since the late 1980s, the popularity of study abroad programme amongst Japanese students has also seen a significant increase following the international education trend. A more recent trend in international education has been the development of shorter term study abroad programmes and the value of these programmes has been widely recognised in Japan. In response to Japanese government initiatives, Japanese secondary schools have developed short-term programmes in order to develop students’ international awareness. As a result, a large number of Japanese high school students have participated in a short-term study abroad programme in the last 20 years. Japan and New Zealand have a long history of sister school relationships. By 2012, 191 Japanese high schools had established sister school relationships, and these school links have provided the impetus for exchange programmes; which means that many Japanese high school students visit New Zealand schools to study in short-term programmes (for less than 3 months) or longer. Several scholars have investigated the learners’ outcomes of the short-term study abroad of university students. From their studies, it has been established that the main learning objectives of study abroad programmes, are second language acquisition, intercultural competence and personal development. However, little is yet known about the outcomes of younger students who have participated in short-term programmes; only a few attempts have so far been made to analyse the case of Japanese secondary school students’ short-term programmes, and few still refer specifically to programmes in New Zealand. One of my main objectives was to determine a) what were the objectives of Japanese secondary students to participation in a short-term study abroad programme in New Zealand, b) whether they feel satisfied that their objectives have been. Also, as other researchers mentioned, could benefits such as second language acquisition, intercultural competence and personal development be claimed by secondary schools participating in these programmes – specifically the Darfield High School short-term programme that is my case study. In order to do this, I conducted two surveys with four different groups of Japanese secondary school students who visited Darfield High School from 2009 to 2012 as a case study. The findings suggest that many Japanese secondary school students expected to improve their English conversation skills, but they did not feel much improvement in this area after the programme, however, upon reflection, after the programme, students recognised that they had gained far more than they had expected in a general sense. For example, many participants expected to learn about some of the aspects of New Zealand culture as a result of the programme and indeed many students felt that they accomplished this objective, in addition to learning more about their own culture. It is anticipated that the results of my research will assist those who organise study abroad programmes, assist students to maximise their learning, and benefit organisations who host students from overseas.

While there has been an increase in the numbers of students studying abroad each year, the participation of students with disabilities remains low. As internationalization of higher education takes news steps, bringing along with it the myriad benefits of intercultural exchange, study abroad becomes an important and often required component of educational experience. This study explored the current practices and experiences of the inclusion of students with disabilities in study abroad programs. The interviews with 10 study abroad professionals, 5 students with disabilities, and 1 faculty reveal discrepancies in the perceptions of the current practices. In light of the findings of this research, I argue that the study abroad experience promotes higher levels of identity development for students with disabilities. I also propose recommendations to ensure the positive experience for both study abroad professionals and students with disabilities.

The focus of the study was the University of Dallas’ Rome Program, a mid-length study abroad program on the university’s campus in Rome, Italy. The program is designed to provide participants with the opportunity to encounter firsthand Western tradition by integrating the core curriculum through classroom teachings and class excursions, thus solidifying the foundation of the participants’ undergraduate education. Beyond this purpose, the Rome Program does not operate from established goals and objectives for student experience. I consulted relevant research literature to construct a schema of domains of development appropriate to this qualitative study. These domains were intellectual development, global perspective, career development, and spiritual development. I interviewed 20 University of Dallas seniors who participated in the mid-length study abroad program between fall 2009 and spring 2011, using an extended, semi-structured interview protocol. The participants included 11 females and 9 males; 19 White and 1 Hispanic. The findings were supported by subsequent review by 4 of the interviewed students. I found generally strong but inconsistent support for student development in each of the domains. A number of sub-themes are reported. Through the interviews, an additional theme of personal development emerged and is reported. Although the findings generally support the conclusion that the Rome Program is successful, good education practice leads to a recommendation of more explicit setting of goals by higher education program planners and administrators. Such goal setting provides rationale for program construction, provides students with their own goal framework, and establishes a tangible framework for ongoing program evaluation.

The present and increasingly globalized environment of commerce and information has created the need for a workforce adept at global citizenship (Reimers, 2009). As a demand for global citizens has increased, higher education has responded by developing 21st century workforce competencies among its students (NAFSA International Strategic Plans and Mission Statements, 2012). Study abroad is one of the means employed by higher education to increase students' global competency (Carlson, Bum, Useem and Yachimowicz, 1990). This study explored the relationship between demographic characteristic, and personal, social, and academic experiences of students with respect to predicting propensity to study abroad. Prior research has focused on each of these factors individually while this study explored the influence of these factors collectively on the likelihood to study abroad. Factors were defined by variables measured by the 2014 National Survey on Student Engagement (NSSE) (NSSE, 2014). The data analyses included a combination of independent sample t tests, one-way ANOVAs, and linear regression. The results revealed that gender, race, major, and SES are good predictors of participation in study abroad. Additionally, academic collegiate experiences germane to diversity and societal awareness increased propensity to participate in study abroad. / Ph. D.

In October, 2007, two hundred American educators traveled to Japan for three weeks as guests of the Japanese government under the Japanese Fulbright Memorial Fund (JFMF) Teacher Abroad program. The purpose of the trip was to increase understanding between the people of Japan and the United States; to enrich American and Japanese curricula with international perspectives; to encourage appreciation for the people, culture, and educational system of Japan; and to expand professional development opportunities for educators. Broadly speaking, these are the goals of global education. The question this qualitative case study examined is whether teachers who participate in isolated, short-term international professional development programs (such as JFMF) become more competent global educators or if the experience remains an isolated incident, referred to during a single, obligatory lesson presented to students each year. Questions pursued were how teachers incorporate such experiences into their curricula; how an isolated, short-term experience can contribute to the development of a global educator; and how teachers' perceptions of themselves and their responsibilities change as a result of cross-cultural experience. This study examined eight K-12 teachers as they experienced Japan and then returned to implement self-designed follow-on plans in their classrooms. Data was gathered through application materials, observations, interviews, and follow-on plans and revealed three categories: Anticipation details why the teachers applied for the JFMF program and what they expected to gain from the experience; Direct Impact examines the effect the experience had on teachers' curricula, students, and selves; and Deep Impact portrays the multiple realities experienced by the teachers through an anti-colonialist lens. In sum, a short international sojourn can positively effect teachers' perceptions of themselves and their responsibilities as educators. Beyond the obvious effects on these teachers, their curricula, and students, the experience underscored the need for more Americans to engage in international experiences. While being privy to the voices and perspectives of other nations and cultures can help us in our global social, political, and economic dealings, the greatest benefit from a program such as this is that it helps us gain a more accurate picture of ourselves, as individuals and as a nation.

This thesis is an exploration of information and theory relative to the development and management of performances within university level theatre and dance study abroad programs. Only U.S. theatre and dance study abroad programs in foreign countries are examined. This research is focused on programs that not only include performance, but also the entire creative and production process within the duration of their time abroad. Even with these constraints, the information provided is applicable to programs of non-U.S. institutions and programs that tour a performance abroad. The core of this thesis is an examination of the 2011 cycle of the University of Texas Theatre in Italy study abroad program. Through online research and e-mail I will also research similar study abroad programs, presenting information on curricula, program host city, program duration abroad and program website. Supporting literature is found in several fields; study abroad program creation, theatre management, production and administration. A synthesis of this knowledge is essential to the success of producing and managing in an abroad academic setting. This research will be a resource for current or potential study abroad program directors interested in integrating a performance in their own program. An introduction of common study abroad models and theatre curricula will be presented to provide context and vocabulary for the remainder of the research. I will define my own role as production manager and describe the responsibilities thereof. The following chapters will cover the management and logistics involved in selecting a performance piece and students, budgeting, travel, and production. For myself, this thesis is only the beginning of my own exploration in producing performances in an international setting. This experience and study was an opportunity for me to encounter some of the challenges common to producing abroad and touring internationally. In addition to this, I believe producing internationally is a positive way to share our own rich culture as well as an opportunity for Americans to discover and appreciate the cultures of others. I hope this to be my first step on a long career path of international collaboration. / text

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The literature available on study abroad addresses reasons students chose to study abroad, outcomes of participation in study abroad, and study abroad program characteristics. However, there is a lack of research linking outcomes of study abroad to program characteristics. The present study will add to the literature by providing information about study abroad program characteristics and their relationship to one possible outcome of study abroad, cross-cultural adaptability. In this study, four factors were used to measure cross-cultural adaptability: (a) emotional resilience, (b) flexibility/openness, (c) perceptual acuity, and (d) personal autonomy. Data were collected using the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI) (Kelley & Meyers, 1995). The target sample for this study was undergraduate college students that have participated in study abroad programs of varying lengths. The findings showed significant differences in all five areas: emotional resilience, flexibility/openness, perceptual acuity, personal autonomy, and total CCAI score. These findings suggest that researchers need to take a further look at study abroad program characteristics and their relationship to beneficial outcomes. / Master of Arts