Factors influencing the decision to study abroad for students of color

219 Pages·2009·0.8 MB·English

Factors Influencing the Decision to Study Abroad for Students of Color:
Moving Beyond the Barriers

A DISSERTATION
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
BY
Jinous Kasravi

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Gerald W. Fry

August, 2009
© Jinous Kasravi, August/2009
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank several people that have supported me and served as my
cheerleaders throughout this process. First, I would like to thank my adviser Dr. Gerald
Fry, I would not have been able to complete this dissertation without your support and
encouragement. Thank you for your patience in advising me from a distance when I
relocated to southern California, thank goodness for technology! Second, I would like to
thank the rest of my committee: Dr. Paige, Dr. Yeh, and Dr. Barajas for all of their
guiding words and input into this study.
Third, I would like to thank the UCSD staff. Lynn Anderson, Kim Burton, Marisa
Alioto, and the rest of the PAO staff for allowing me to focus my study at your institution
and your program. Lynn and Kim you allowed me the access to your site and showed
enthusiasm for my study, and I am honored to have worked with the two of you. I would
also like to thank Gayle Woodruff and Jodi Malmgren of the Learning Abroad Center for
giving me the opportunity to work there, teaching and guiding me in this field of
international education, and remaining flexible with my schedule when my academics
conflicted with my work schedule. I would also like to thank the Council on International
Education and Dr. Mick VandeBerg for awarding me with the Ping Fellowship; I am
humbled by your selection to have me as a fellowship recipient.
I would like to thank my “CIDE family” for keeping my head above water during
this whole process and ensuring that I did not freeze in the cold Minnesota weather. We
had our ups and downs together through this process, but I am so happy that I went
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through this with you because you always allowed me to vent, understood what I was
going through, and made me laugh (I will miss our end of semester sledding parties).
Lastly, I would like to thank my family for supporting me throughout my studies
and my time in Minnesota. I know it was difficult to have me far away and you
graciously put up with my international travels and short visits back home, I will repay
you for all of the rides to and from Los Angeles airport. When I received the fellowship
and moved home to complete the dissertation writing, you were patient with my stress
and all of the days I locked myself up in my room. I love you for this and am forever
grateful for your support.

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Abstract

U.S. higher education institutions, professionals in the field of international
education exchange, and the federal government recognize the importance of a study
abroad experience for American undergraduate students. While the total number of U.S.
undergraduate students studying abroad has continually increased since the 1980s, the
number of participating students of color remains low. The purpose of this study is to
move beyond the barriers and outcomes of study abroad, and focus on those students of
color who have made the decision to participate and the factors that influenced their
decision. The barriers between applicants and non-applicants are also explored in order to
recognize similar or different factors between the two groups.
Using Fishbein and Ajzen’s (1970) theory of reasoned action, this study seeks to
address the personal, social, and institutional factors positively influencing students of
color to decide to study abroad; how the factors differ by demographics; and the barriers
applicants and non-applicants encounter in their decision.
Using a mixed methods approach this study focuses on two groups of students.
The first group consisted of undergraduate students of color who had recently been
accepted to a study abroad program through the University of California, San Diego in
2008. The second group included all sophomores and above, regardless of race, who had
decided not to apply for a study abroad program.
The personal and social factors were found to be the primary factors influencing
the student’s decision to apply. Finances and academics were the main barriers students
in both groups faced in their decision. Despite these barriers and family or cultural
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resistance, the students in the first group overcame the obstacles through information
seeking, use of external messengers, personal determination, and internal drive in
deciding to participate in study abroad.

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Table of Contents

LIST OF TABLES………..…………………………………………………………….viii
LIST OF FIGURES….…………………………………………………………………...ix
CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................1
Statement of the problem………………………………………………………………….3
Statement of study purpose………………………………………………………………..6
Research questions………………………………………………………………………...7
Significance of the study…………………………………………………………………..7
CHAPTER 2 - LITERATURE REVIEW………………………………………………..10
Historical overview of study abroad……………………………………………………..10
Outcomes of study abroad……………………………………………………………….15
Outcomes for all students………………………………………………………...16
Outcomes for students of color…………………………………………………..19
Barriers encountered by students of color……………………………………………….22
Empirical literature on barriers…………………………………………………..23
Anecdotal literature on barriers………………………………………………….29
Summary of barriers……………………………………………………………..33
Conceptual framework…………………………………………………………………...33
Theory of reasoned action………………………………………………………..34
Decision to study abroad model………………………………………………….35
Summary…………………………………………………………………………………44
CHAPTER 3 – METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………...45
Research questions……………………………………………………………………….45
Overview of study………………………………………………………………………..46
Context of study………………………………………………………………………….47
Participants……………………………………………………………………………….51
Group 1…………………………………………………………………………..51
Group 2…………………………………………………………………………..54
Instrumentation…………………………………………………………………………..55
Procedures………………………………………………………………………………..59
Quantitative phase………………………………………………………………..60
Qualitative phase…………………………………………………………………62
Data analysis……………………………………………………………………………..65
Quantitative phase………………………………………………………………..65
Qualitative phase…………………………………………………………………67
Final phase- triangulation………………………………………………………………..69
CHAPTER 4 – RESULTS……………………………………………………………….70
Demographics……………………………………………………………………………70
Group 1…………………………………………………………………………..70
Group 2…………………………………………………………………………..76
Research question 1……………………………………………………………………...79
Personal factors…………………………………………………………………..79
Perceived outcomes to study abroad……………………………………..79
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Personal characteristics…………………………………………………..86
Internal drive……………………………………………………………..87
Social Factors…………………………………………………………………….88
Primary sources of information………………………………………….88
Experiences and recommendations of others…………………………….89
Perceived social pressures………………………………………………..91
Institutional Factors……………………………………………………………...93
Advising resources……………………………………………………….95
Funding resources………………………………………………………..96
Summary of research question 1…………………………………………………98
Research question 2…..……………………………………………………………….....98
Race……………………………………………....................................................99
Gender……………………………………………..............................................104
Generational status in college…………………………………………………..106
Generational status in U.S.……………………………………………………...108
Socioeconomic status…………………………………………………….…......109
Financial aid received…………………………………………………………..110
Summary of research question 2………………………………………………..110
Research question 3…..………………………………………………………………...111
Main barriers……………………………………………………………………111
Risks…………………………………………………………………………….117
Anxiety………………………………………………………………………….119
Family resistance……………………………………………………………….121
Culture norms…………………………………………………………………...125
Institutional barriers…………………………………………………………….128
Overcoming barriers……………………………………………………………128
Summary of research question 3………………………………………………..129
Research question 4…..………………………………………………………………...130
Main barriers for Group 2………………………………………………………130
Difference in barriers between Group 1 and Group 2…………………………..135
Summary of research question 4………………………………………………..139
Individual case studies………………………………………………………………….140
Summary………………………………………………………………………………..150
CHAPTER 5 – DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS……………………….153
Summary and discussion of key findings………………………………………………154
Factors influencing the student’s decision……………………………………...154
Barriers encountered by both groups……………………………………...........160
Culture norms and expectations……………………………………...................164
Student personal characteristics and student identity…………………………..167
Implications and recommendations…………………………………….........................171
Limitations and recommendations for further research………………………………...177
Conclusion……………………………………...............................................................179
REFERENCES………………………………................................................................182
APPENDIX A…………………………………..............................................................190
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APPENDIX B…………………………………..............................................................198
APPENDIX C…………………………………..............................................................203
APPENDIX D…………………………………..............................................................205
APPENDIX E…………………………………..............................................................206
APPENDIX F…………………………………..............................................................207

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List of Tables

Table 1.1: Profile of U.S. study abroad students by percent and total number………..….3
Table 1.2: Enrollment of students in higher education and study abroad by percent……..5
Table 3.1: Ethnic representation in Programs Abroad by percent (2007/08)………........49
Table 3.2: Complete population by frequency and percent (Group 1)…………………..53
Table 4.1: Demographics by frequency and percent response (Group 1)………………..71
Table 4.2: Breakdown of biracial and multiracial identification (Group 1)……...……...73
Table 4.3: Academic majors by response count (Group 1)…………...…………………74
Table 4.4: Demographics by frequency and percent response (Group 2)………………..76
Table 4.5: Academic majors by response count (Group 2)…………...…………………78
Table 4.6: Student’s perceived outcomes of how participating in study abroad will help
them by percent (Group 1)……………………………………………………………….80
Table 4.7: Value of study abroad themes and response count (Group 1)………………..82
Table 4.8: Involvement in extracurricular activities inside and outside of school by
percent (Group 1)………………………………………………………………………...86
Table 4.9: Other’s influence on student’s decision to study abroad by percent
(Group 1) …………………………………………………………...................................90
Table 4.10: Importance of program characteristics by percent (Group
1)……………………………………………………………………………….………...93
Table 4.11: Crosstabulation of race by response to friends/significant others influence on
decision to study abroad (Group 1)……………………………………………………..101
Table 4.12: Crosstabulation of race by response if any friends have previously studied
abroad (Group 1) ……………………………………………………………………….102
Table 4.13: Obstacles in decision to study abroad by percent (Group 1)………………114
Table 4.14: Risks taken by respondent based on themes and response count
(Group 1)………………………………………………………………………………..117
Table 4.15: Anxiety related to home and response count by sub-theme (Group 1)……120
Table 4.16: Anxiety once abroad and response count by sub-theme (Group 1)………..121
Table 4.17: Themes of family resistance about participation in study abroad by response
count (Group 1)…………………………………………………………………………122
Table 4.18: Themes for why study abroad is not the culture norm by response count
(Group 1) ……………………………………………………………………………….125
Table 4.19: Obstacles in decision to study abroad by percent (Group 2)………………131
Table 4.20: Three primary factors that affected student’s decision to not study abroad
(Group 2) ……………………………………………………………………………….132
Table 4.21: Synthesis of main results by research question……………………………151

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