Exploring Factors that Lead to Participation in Study Abroad

122 Pages·2012·0.84 MB·English

by  Lisa Loberg

UCLA
UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Title
Exploring Factors that Lead to Participation in Study Abroad
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https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6jg575sg
Author
Loberg, Lisa
Publication Date
2012

Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation
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University of California
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

Los Angeles

Exploring Factors that

Lead to Participation in Study Abroad

A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the
requirements for the degree Doctor of Education

by

Lisa Loberg

2012
© Copyright by

Lisa Loberg

2012
ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION

Exploring Factors that

Lead to Participation in Study Abroad

by

Lisa Loberg

Doctor of Education

University of California, Los Angeles, 2012

Professor Christina A. Christie, Co-Chair

Professor Linda Rose, Co-Chair

Despite the many demonstrated benefits of a study abroad experience, trends in campus
internationalization, and large-scale governmental initiatives to promote international education,
participation of U.S. students in study abroad remains relatively low. The purpose of this study
was to address the disparity between high levels of student interest and low levels of
participation by exploring factors that lead to student participation.

Previous studies have explored how participation may relate to intent, motivation, or other
characteristics and have also identified a number of barriers, both real and perceived, that prevent
more students from studying abroad. Prior research has focused mainly on the student; an
overlooked resource throughout the literature is the study abroad professional.

The current study sought to identify participation factors by gathering the perspectives of
professionals who work in the field of international education and have experience working with
or at institutions with high or increasing rates of student participation in study abroad. Using a
mixed methods triangulation design with a convergence model, results from the 2010 IIE-Forum
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Snapshot survey of study abroad professionals (n=219) were compared with findings from a
focus group and interviews conducted with a total of 17 study abroad professionals from
colleges/universities and from third-party program providers / International Education
Organizations (IEO).

Findings indicate that faculty support and curriculum/academic integration are the key factors
that lead to student participation in study abroad. While these factors are not new to the field of
international education, their prioritization above the perceived role of funding represents a
potential new area of focus. Efforts to address low student participation rates typically involve
increased marketing to students and requests to the institution for more funding and staffing.

The current study suggests that given the role of faculty support in encouraging higher rates of
student participation at successful institutions, outreach efforts aimed directly at faculty may be
more effective than trying to convince students to study abroad or trying to target the many
barriers individually. Furthermore, working towards curriculum/academic integration can more
effectively build an institutional culture that supports study abroad, eliminates barriers, and leads
to greater rates of student participation.

ii
 i
The dissertation of Lisa Loberg is approved.

A. Carlos Quicoli

Gary Rhodes

Val D. Rust

Christina A. Christie, Committee Co-Chair

Linda Rose, Committee Co-Chair

University of California, Los Angeles

2012

iv
DEDICATION

To my study abroad colleagues,

whose dedication to making the world a better place

drives and inspires my daily work.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT............................................................................................................ii
DEDICATION.........................................................................................................v
TABLE OF CONTENTS.......................................................................................vi
LIST OF TABLES................................................................................................vii
LIST OF FIGURES.............................................................................................viii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.....................................................................................ix
VITA........................................................................................................................x
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS....................................................... xi
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION...........................................................................1
Background to the Problem.........................................................................2
Need for the Study.......................................................................................4
Overview of the Study.................................................................................5
Summary......................................................................................................7
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE....................................8
Overview of Study Abroad..........................................................................9
Outcomes of Study Abroad........................................................................14
Understanding Participation in Study Abroad...........................................23
Summary....................................................................................................31
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY........................................................................34
Research Design.........................................................................................35
Data Collection Methods...........................................................................38
Data Analysis.............................................................................................42
Ethical Considerations...............................................................................43
Reliability and Validity of the Findings.....................................................44
Summary....................................................................................................46
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS....................................................................................48
Overview of the Findings...........................................................................49
Research Question 1..................................................................................50
Research Question 2..................................................................................60
Additional Observations............................................................................70
CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION................................................................................72
Differences in Perspectives Among Study Abroad Professionals.............73
Key Factors that Lead to Participation in Study Abroad...........................75
Less Influential Factors..............................................................................80
Limitations of the Study.............................................................................81
Dissemination of the Findings...................................................................82
Recommendations and Areas for Future Research....................................83
APPENDIX............................................................................................................85
REFERENCES....................................................................................................101

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LIST OF TABLES

Table Title Page
3.1 IIE-Forum Snapshot Survey Respondents by Institution Type 39
3.2 Interview and Focus Group Participants by Institution Type 40
3.3 IIE-Forum Snapshot survey 2010: Variables examined in 43
statistical analysis
4.1 IIE-Forum Snapshot Survey Respondents by Institution Type 51
and Control
4.2 Change in Participation for Total Sample (n=219) and Question 52
8 respondents
4.3 Categories of Reasons Given for Changes in Participation 52
4.4 Interview and Focus Group Participants by Institution Type and 54
Control
4.5 Responses to Change in Participation Between 2008/09 to 61
2009/10 and Represented as a Proportion of the Total
4.6 Change in Participation from 2008/09 to 2009/10 by Institution 62
Type as a Proportion of the Total
4.7 Change in Budget for Institutions and Change in Participation 63
from 2008/09 to 2009/10 as a Proportion of the Total
4.8 Change in Budget for Institutions with Increases in 63
Participation from 2008/09 to 2009/10 by Institution Type as a
Proportion of the Total
4.9 Change in Budget for Institutions with Declines in Participation 64
from 2008/09 to 2009/10 by Institution type as a Proportion of
the Total

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Title Page
5.1 Prioritization of Factors that Lead to Participation in Study 79
Abroad and to Progressive Development of Institutional Culture

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