Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of Study Abroad and Their Level of Achievement of Global ...

186 Pages·2016·0.59 MB·English

Florida International University
FIU Digital Commons
FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations University Graduate School
3-18-2015
Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of Study
Abroad and Their Level of Achievement of Global
Learning Outcomes
Claudia Grigorescu
Florida International University, [email protected]
DOI:10.25148/etd.FI15050201
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Recommended Citation
Grigorescu, Claudia, "Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of Study Abroad and Their Level of Achievement of Global Learning
Outcomes" (2015).FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1842.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/1842
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FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Miami, Florida

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF STUDY ABROAD AND
THEIR LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT OF GLOBAL LEARNING OUTCOMES

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
in
CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
by
Claudia Grigorescu

2015
To: Dean Delia C. Garcia
College of Education

This dissertation, written by Claudia Grigorescu, and entitled Undergraduate Students’
Perceptions of Study Abroad and Their Level of Achievement of Global Learning
Outcomes, having been approved in respect to style and intellectual content, is referred to
you for judgment.

We have read this dissertation and recommend that it be approved.

_______________________________________
Eric Dwyer

_______________________________________
Susan P. Himburg

_______________________________________
Teresa Lucas

_______________________________________
Hilary Landorf, Major Professor

Date of Defense: March 18, 2015

The dissertation of Claudia Grigorescu is approved.

_______________________________________
Dean Delia C. Garcia
College of Education

_______________________________________
Dean Lakshmi N. Reddi
University Graduate School

Florida International University, 2015
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© Copyright 2015 by Claudia Grigorescu
All rights reserved.

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DEDICATION
I lovingly dedicate this dissertation to Heidi, Rosie, Susan, Kathy and Maritza.
You all believed in me and you all taught me about unconditional love.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
FIU taught me a valuable lesson: that ubuntu is very much alive. The journey to
get to this point was anything but easy. On quite a number of occasions I genuinely
wanted to give up. I have been countless times in the hospital, undergone six surgeries,
nearly died a few times, and have more debt than I care for at this point. In essence, it
was not by my doing that I made it thus far. For one, the grace and mercy of a loving God
can take anybody anywhere. He made sure I finished, by providing, comforting, and
placing wonderful people in my path who not only cared, but took it upon themselves to
help me along the way. I have many people to acknowledge and thank.
I came back to Miami to take care of the family who so lovingly adopted me
many moons ago and brought me into their home despite the odds. Unfortunately, they
both passed away while I was doing my masters and doctorate in FIU. I sure wish they
were here to have witnessed miracle after miracle. You both taught me to have faith,
excellent work ethic, to be honest, persevere, and be humble. Thank you for giving a kid
like me a chance in life, for the stories, and for the love. I will always pay it forward.
A dissertation can only happen with a committee that backs it up and takes you to
higher places with it. Dr. Landorf, you are not just my chair, but a good friend and
mentor. My sincerest thank you for all the support and love you have given me over the
years. Dr. Dwyer, you are my partner in crime as they say. Your passion, dedication and
support for your students will always remind me to be humble in academia and to
continue the legacy you so very richly taught me. I will always be indebted to you for the
night my mom passed away and I didn’t have a soul in the world to lean on. You knocked
on my door and when I opened it, there you were, with food in one hand and a big hug to
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give. It meant the world! Dr. Lucas, you have been so patient, supportive and loving
through it all. It has been a genuine pleasure having you on my committee! Dr. Himburg,
you inspire me in countless ways. When I say I have never met anyone like you, it is an
understatement. God placed you in my life for such a season. There are not enough
words, paragraphs or pages to tell you how much I appreciate and love you for all you
have done in my life. You are by far an incredible person with a heart for students,
faculty and administrators alike. It is my sincerest desire to continue the legacy you leave
me with, that I may soon enough pay it forward as well. I will forever remember: “All is
well”…and “Because I am happy!” Furthermore, I would like to thank FIU’s Office of
Study Abroad for their invaluable help, patience, cooperation, and support.
One of the most difficult things to do is to cram the innumerable friends who
made the journey so much easier to undertake. No gesture is too small. Heidi, you have
taught me courage and endurance. My sweet friend, you are a beautiful, loving and
incredible person. I could not have asked for a better friend. Here is for a lifetime
friendship! Thank you for all the help you gave me during this journey! Rosie, you came
into my life for a reason and I have found more than a friend with you. You are my sister
in Christ. Thank you for everything you have done and the mentorship in a time when I
needed it the most! I love and cherish you. Maritza, you have been my surrogate mom.
You have known me my whole life and you have never given up on me. You have taught
me that the love of God will take you all the way, no matter what. You have provided,
listened, comforted, prayed, loved and given me massages. I just want to thank you for so
many years.
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Joan, Fernanda, Kathy, Tamika, Irene, Esther, Kerry, Quelo, Jackie, Olivia,
Simone, Masha, Yalda, Maryam, Ronit, Shirin Posner, and Hélène Bullen: How do I
thank you all profusely?! You not only prayed for me, but have also provided, taken me
to the hospital on so many occasions, helped me with my dissertation, and stayed with me
through thick and thin. I love each and every one of you for the laughs, the memories,
and the self-less love! Noni, you were there when they said I would not live. It was a
decisive moment in my life…but so was the day I was taken away to live with a new
family. You have always made me feel special and you have reminded me that my past
does not define who I am, and yet to still remember my roots. Well, you are a part of my
roots and I will always be grateful for not giving up on me when 10 doctors did! I love
you. Cathy Wadley, you made my dream come true. Thank you for giving me peace of
mind and for the amazing gesture of love. Noemi, siempre estuvo pendiente de mi, aún
cuando yo no podía dar. Gracias por haberme cuidado y a mi mamá como lo hizo, y por
tantos años de cariños!
Last but not least, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the College of
Education, Office of Academic Planning and Accountability, University Graduate
School, Central Bible, and Granada Presbyterian Church. You always believed in me and
supported me in ways that boggle the mind. A special thanks to Dr. Delia Garcia, Drs.
Leonard and Linda Bliss, Dr. Reio, Dr. Ryan, Caprila, Mercedes, Mariabelen, Bridgette,
Carolina, Betty, and my pastors. May you be blessed abundantly for everything you have
done for me! God bless everybody on this list and any and all who I was unable to
include here.

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ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF STUDY ABROAD AND
THEIR LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT OF GLOBAL LEARNING OUTCOMES
by
Claudia Grigorescu
Florida International University, 2015
Miami, Florida
Professor Hilary Landorf, Major Professor
This study expanded on current research on study abroad and global learning,
using the Global Perspective Inventory (GPI), and conducted at Florida International
University (FIU) in Miami, FL. The GPI assesses the holistic development of a global
perspective in higher education within three domains and their respective FIU-determined
equivalents: cognitive (global awareness), intrapersonal (global perspective), and
interpersonal (global engagement). The main purpose of this study was to assess FIU’s
undergraduate students’ perceptions of study abroad on their level of achievement of
global awareness, global perspective, and global engagement. The secondary purpose
was to determine how the students described their study abroad experience and
achievement of global learning.
The research design for this study consisted of parallel mixed methods. The
quantitative component was an ex post facto with hypothesis design, using a
pretest/posttest nonequivalent group methodology. FIU undergraduates (N=147) who
studied abroad for one semester or more completed the GPI pre- and post-tests.
Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were conducted to compare the means. The
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interviews included 10 students, and were analyzed through Structural coding, Saldaña’s
In Vivo coding, and Value coding.
Quantitative analyses indicated positive changes in the students’ global awareness
and global perspective. These analyses also showed that the FIU students achieved higher
post-test means on all the domains of the GPI compared to other studies. Qualitative
analyses showed that the students’ experiences incorporated all three global learning
outcomes, most notably global awareness and perspective.

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