Arts and culture in education abroad: A three-sided view.

Akosua Obuo AddoSchool of Music, University of Minnesota

addox002@umn.edu(612) 624-8516

Quality and Equivalence: Issues in Education Abroad Seminar , Commonwealth Universities Study Abroad Consortium, Kingston

Jamaica. June 19-21, 2008

Definitions Access, what learning abroad students

receive,

Equity, what are fair and just expectations of a learning abroad program, and

Quality, the degree of excellence or standards

Purpose

The purpose is To analyze the design and implementation

of two programs and a discussion of the issues that emerge for specific institutions in providing equitable, accessible and quality art and culture educational experiences abroad.

Question

The central question is How can education abroad experiences

provides equitable, accessible and quality educational experiences for students to recognize, and incorporate bi and multi-lateral arts and culture perspectives into their academic programs?

Road map

identify varied conceptualizations of arts curricula in education abroad programs,

describe the content of an arts and culture curriculum model I have implemented in Ghana and Jamaica, and

discuss the challenges and successes of the model

Some figures…. 600,000 international students from over 200 countries study in the

US each year.

88% of American college students believe international education will give them a competitive edge in the workplace.

International Students contribute more than 12 billion dollars each year to the US economy.

More than 70% Americans believe that US colleges and universities should require students to take a foreign language and study aboard.

Ninety percent of American college students believe that having international students on campus enriches their own learning

experience.

What exists for the arts in education abroad?

Group experiences Professional development Cultural immersion

Individual experiences Action Research Teaching for cultural exchange

Ghana and Jamaica Programs

Designing Goals of the program Who were the partners

Implementing Pre-departure In Host Country De-briefing and re-entry

Challenges and successes

Access Personal and cultural empowerment Democracy of choice Diversity of engagement Accountability in fulfillment

Equity Finances Demographic figures

Quality

Short Term Programs What: One- eight week programs, usually faculty led, sponsored by a

consortium. Possibilities

Create opportunities for a greater range of students to study abroad- access

Grading usually established by sending institutions-equivalence and quality

Adapting the subject matter and pedagogy to the demands and opportunities of the site-equity

Balancing theory with practice! Fees and budgeting- sending and host institution positions

Constraints Increasing interest to non-traditional destinations. Faculty voice in the selection of students.

Equity: Global SeminarYear of Global Seminar Exchange 2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 5-year Average

Total Participants 136 150 192 211 192 176

Breakdown of Returning Global Seminar Participants

GS experience was first experience abroad 130 / 95% 139 / 92% 171 / 89% 195 / 92% 173 / 90% 162 / 92%

GS experience was first of two or more experiences abroad 24 / 18% 24 / 16% 33 / 17% 38 / 18% 11 / 6% 26 / 15%

participated in another learning abroad program 31 / 23% 36 / 24% 56 / 29% 54 / 25% 30 / 16% 41 / 23%

participated in another global seminar 10 / 7% 15 / 10% 21 / 11% 17 / 8% 10 / 5 % 15 / 8%

participated in a short-term program 5 / 4% 13 / 9% 17 / 9% 18 / 8% 9 / 5% 12 / 7%

participated in a semester program 14 / 10% 13 / 9% 29 / 15% 24 / 11% 13 / 7 % 19 / 10%

participated in a year program 3 / 2% 2 / 1% 4 / 2% 2 0 2 / 1%

participated in 3 or more learning abroad programs 1 8 / 5% 15 / 8% 10 / 5% 2 / 1% 7 / 4%

studied in the same country as the global seminar 7 / 5% 0 10 / 5% 4 / 2% 2 / 1% 5 / 3%

Demographics of Global Seminar Participants

Freshmen 16 / 12% 10 / 7% 13 / 7% 15 / 7% 17 / 9% 14 / 8%

Sophomores 29 / 23% 39 / 26% 31 / 16% 42 / 20% 26 / 14% 33 / 20%

Juniors 49 / 36% 48 / 33% 74 / 39% 74 / 35% 69 / 36% 62 / 36%

Seniors 36 / 27% 51 / 34% 65 / 34% 74 / 35% 70 / 36% 59 / 33%

Graduate/Professional 2 / 2% 0 8 / 4% 2 2 / 1% 3 / 1%

Males 36 / 26% 34 / 23% 52 / 27% 51 / 24% 43 / 22% 43 / 24%

Females 100 / 74% 116 / 77% 140 / 73% 160 / 76% 135 / 70% 130 / 74%

Top 3 Majors Psychology Psychology Finance English Journalism/Sociology PsychologyEnglish Human Resources Marketing Political Science English English

French/Journalism Political Science Psychology Finance/History Marketing Finance

Equity: The Issues Financial aid for students Campus or university fee structure Central administrative perceptions Registrar’s office or Credit evaluator Program or degree design requirements Student’s attitude ad perceptions of study

abroad Faculty attitude/perceptions of study aboard.

Quality Led by academic faculty Depth of presentation Balance between academic and experiences

practices Expectations- communications with host and

sending country Pre-departure and re-entry experiences Deans and department heads

So what? Support for students. Making complete program costs transparent. Encourage upper level administrative support

for programs, faculty and student Faculty recognition.- salary /merit and

promotion and tenure.   Encourage curricular integration into on

campus programs for study abroad.

Thank You! I also wanted to say Thank You again for such an amazing time and L actually came over

to my house today and we exchanged pictures and talked about how much we really miss Jamaica. I'm not so sure what you are going to be doing next week or if you'll even be back but on June 25th (Wednesday) I'm having my concert at Northrop, it's on the Northrop website if you need more info, but L is actually helping me open my concert and she'll be dancing to one of my songs. Isn't that great! But hopefully your stay in Jamaica without us is going well for you and take care!

Thanks again for the trip of a lifetime!

Thank you So Much! I had so much fun in Jamaica! It is certainly the most memorable class I have ever taken at the U! I learned so much from you and Our trip! I really encourage you to keep leading learning abroad after your break. They are most definitely one of your strengths! I will not be around after next year because I will be graduating, but if i end up around here sometime afterwards when you are here I will try to stop in and say hello. good luck in Ghana next year! keep exposing people to other cultures. Thank You!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!