Student Cultural Interaction in a Short-Term Study Abroad Program |
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Authors: | Bruce Niendorf Heike Alberts |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Finance and Business Law, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA;2. Department of Geography and Urban Planning, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA |
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Abstract: | Empirical studies of the effects of short-term study abroad programs have found mixed results. This study uses a pre-post test design to assess the effect on student cross-cultural adaptability of a 2-week study abroad program to Germany that includes substantial student interaction with Germans. Pretrip to post-trip, students showed a significant increase in personal autonomy. Comparison of pretrip student scores against scale score means identified personal autonomy as the only dimension students were not already significantly above average pretrip. Although Business students demonstrated a significant increase in personal autonomy following the trip, Letters and Sciences students showed no significant change in any of the four cultural dimensions measured. |
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Keywords: | Short-term study abroad Cultural learning |
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