The multitude of existing research conducted within the field of study abroad programs generally reinforces the popular understanding that the practice not only broadens the mind, provides valuable experiences and enhances stagnating perspectives, but also contributes to a skillset that is becoming increasingly necessary for success in the globally focused world of today. Despite the evidence supporting their effectiveness, relatively few undergraduate students in the United States choose to participate in some form of study abroad program. The following analysis will examine the potential reasoning of why this is so. Through the administration of questionnaires and interviews along with a comprehensive review of existing research, the following pages examine the attitudes and inhibitions of undergraduate university students as they relate to studying abroad and to what extent these perceptions fall in line with the escalating importance of multicultural competence. Used as an exemplifying case of American undergraduate students, Michigan State University’s Eli Broad College of Business furnished the sample of participants used in this study. Largely supported through the data obtained from the conducted interviews, undergraduate students are seen to place a high value on the personal and cultural benefits acquired through study abroad participation while relegating academic focus to a somewhat tangential position. Factors such as a student’s previous international travel experience and awareness of available programs are seen to influence these perceptions to some degree. Despite the significant value placed on such programs, a large percentage of students express concern over a variety of barriers prohibiting them from pursuing enrollment. The financial commitments associated with the participation in a study abroad program were almost unanimously considered to be a serious burden on individuals. These concerns were supplemented and at times exacerbated by other factors such as a student’s availability of time, willingness to suspend important personal relationships and needed class credit. Covered in detail below, these findings are seen to support and corroborate much of the existing research that has been previously conducted within this field while providing additional insight by way of student testimony.

The main purpose of this study is to observe the L2 acquisition effect of studying abroad during approximately four months in Swedish non-native speakers (NNSs) of Spanish with respect to their use of multi-word structures (MWSs) as compared to native speakers (NSs). In addition, this evolutionary study has a secondary aim which is to see the effect of the activity type on the amount and distribution of the MWSs encountered.    This study shows positive effects of a study abroad period in L2 use and, particularly, regarding MWSs. It has been shown that the amount and variety of the NNSs’ MWSs have increased during their stay in Spain, and that the differences with the NSs in the use of MWSs have diminished or even, in some cases, disappeared. It is notable the improvement in the NNSs’ discourse competence. The study also shows that the type of task affects the results. Thus, the negotiations that contain specialised vocabulary which participants are familiar with, yield a higher token frequency of MWSs among NSs and NNSs than the focus group discussions, more free and spontaneous. The negotiations also yield a higher token frequency of conceptual MWSs, especially noun phrases, because of the specialised vocabulary, more complex and subject to greater nominalisation.The focus group discussions have a higher token frequency of own-management MWSs than the negotiations, which is attributed to a higher communicative pressure. On the other hand, the token frequency of interaction management MWSs is higher among the NSs in the mixed group discussions compared to those with only NSs, as a result of collaborative interaction between the NSs and the NNSs. Individual differences among NNSs have also been observed and five profiles have been distinguished. These differences decrease in general at the end of the stay, which also indicates a positive development. There is a positive development in all profiles, which is reflected in significant changes in the amount and variety of the MWSs, their distribution in categories or in the emergence of more complex types. A direct link has also been observed between communication orientedness, participation in conversation and a positive development.

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