A Study to Investigate the Effectiveness of “Study Abroad” in Private College Students’ Personal Growth

Wang+Xiaoyu

1. Introduction & Purpose

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of study abroad in the private college students personal growth. It will take the students from Gengdan Institute of Beijing University of Technology （BGD） as a case study. The purpose tries to answer the research question， “What are the effects on private college students personal growth from studying abroad？”. This research will provide the firsthand information to understand how studying abroad experiences meant to the students personal growth， and give insights to the managers of BGD to discuss how to utilize the study abroad program to facilitate the more students personal growth during their university.

2. Participants

Six students were invited from six different majors of BGD， which is a private and undergraduate college in mainland China. The international office provides more than 15 study abroad programs to student， including short-term and long-term program， diverse theme program for the students. It has more than 800 hundred students who participated the study abroad from 2011 to 2016.

The six students studied overseas at least 3 weeks through different programs at different countries and regions. Two students participated the study abroad program in 2014， two were in 2015， and two were in 2016. Half male and half female， aged from 18 to 24. The sample was set in this way for minimizing the bias that chosen participants from same major and same study abroad program from same year， and the students name was replaced in alphabet for preserving anonymity.

3. Data Collection Procedure

The participants who were told the interview was anonymous， which purpose just for research. Their answers were confidential and verbal consent was given before they completed the interview. The data was collected through semi-structured personal open-ended interviews， which provided the flexibility to probe responses， adapt questions to students unique experiences， and detect themes which had not seen， as yet， extensive or systematic empirical evidence （Spradley， 1979）. Each interview was conducted in Chinese and had an average duration of approximately 30 minutes. The interview questions were concluded as following three major themes：the reasons they participated the study abroad program， the findings they experienced in the process of studying abroad， and the impact to their personal growth from studying abroad. All interviews were audio recorded， transcribed， and translated into English as necessary. Written transcripts were analyzed through a process of identifying critical comments （Miles and Huberman， 1994）.endprint

4. Data Analysis

This study adopted primarily the thematic analyse （Boyatzis， 1998）. The data was first categorized and coded concretely， then fixed the themes. Through getting meaning from data based on interpretation， the relationship between study abroad and students personal growth was found. Quotations from the data will be presented in support of each theme. The results reported and discussed in the following representations.

5. Results and Findings

Results of the interviews showed that the six students were benefit from studying abroad， which were subsequently categorized into three basic categories：Language Proficiency， Maturity and Future Planning.

5.1 Language Proficiency

The motivation for the students choose to participate overseas program are focus on improving their language level， no matter what level their English were good or poor. Some of them expected to make their English competences were not limit in the texts and classrooms， but using freely with the native speakers in the English countries.

An example was shown by Student F， participated summer course in University of Central Lancashire， UK for 4 weeks， stated one of her reasons for choosing overseas program was that more expectances on improving her English level and competences as an English major student.

Because of studying English in China lack of language environment， I rarely immerse myself in an all-English environment to practice my English. However， during the period of my studying in UK， my English listening and speaking have grown by leaps and bounds.

Student B， who went to USA through Work & Travel program in her third summer vocation. She stated this experience developed greatly her English actual combat ability.

I interned in an Early Learning Centre named Little Sprouts at USA. As I am the only Chinese there， I must speak English every day. I was not adapted at first. However， I almost transferred this situation and adapted in my work after two weeks. I felt this process is very precious， which can teach me the authentic English words， expressions and communication style.

5.2 Maturity

When most students participated overseas program in BGD， they did not never travel and study out of China before. Majority of them felt lack of self-confidence to encounter an unfamiliar environment. Their parents were also thought they couldnt deal with the difficulties very well when they studied overseas. However， All the participated expressed their change and growth when they confronted culture， teaching style and others different from the past. From below， we can recognize the specific change in thought and behaviour about their maturity in the process of studying abroad.endprint

Student A who participated the Study Tour program in The University of Western Australia， said the following words， I felt the homestay experience was the most growth for me. Three peers who were Australia， Korean and Chinese must live and eat together. We came from different countries， used different languages and had different customs. We learnt from each other， influenced each other and accepted each other. This experience made me especially understand how to conduct myself， learnt tolerance and understanding， learnt forbearance and self-restraint.

Another example from Student C， who studied one semester in Tainan Technology University of Taiwan said：

This experience made me more independent. Before I came to study at Taiwan， my all affairs were dealt by my parents. And most often， I am the centre in my home. However， When I came to Taiwan， I must to manage all things by myself， including how to use money， how to get along with the new friends， and how to plan my travel route around Taiwan， etc.

5.3 Future Planning

Future Planning was also highlighted from the six interviews. Most Chinese students did not have a clear personal planning before studying at university. All interviewees said the experiences expanded their horizon and opened a window to see the world. They all expected they can get a better future and begin to make a personal planning.

Student E who participated 3+1 program in University of Illinois， USA for one year. After one year study， now he studied in University of Edinburgh for his master degree. He said as following，

I have experienced personally the teaching difference between China and USA. Each class the teacher encouraged me and the other students involved discussion actively. And I must do my presentation in class， which give me a big challenge and progress. This firmed my decision that pursuing my master degree for further study.

Student D has a mature thought about his future planning after he participated Internship in Germany program.

I was fond of the European civilization， and I kept thinking how I should plan my future during the program period. I must admit I was attracted by the overseas life， but I plan I would work two or three years to practice myself in the social first， and then go to study abroad for my further study. I thought it was the best way for me and worth for me.

6. Discussion

As the internationalization development of private university in mainland china just has a short history， the previous research was rarely concerned in analyzing the influences through studying abroad to the students in private universities of China （Zhou， 2006）. However， the findings from this research were consistent with some international research results， which found personality changes with regards to student studying abroad by observing their pre- and post-personalities. （Doyle et al.， 2009） Their findings illustrated the students change their view of the universe and have stronger networking skills， increased global awareness， self-confidence， self-esteem and independence， with the foreign language ability； have more competitive in their employment.endprint

Therefore， the results from this research provide the firsthand information to understand how studying abroad experiences meant to the students personal growth. We can use the results as the evidence to the students and their parents who were suspicious of the effectiveness of studying abroad. Furthermore， the results can give insights to the managers of BGD to discuss how to utilize the study abroad program to facilitate the more students personal growth during their four-year university.

7. Conclusion

This research found the major effects on the students personal growth from studying abroad， which concentrated on language proficiency， maturity and life planning. Due to limited of time and sample size， the effects from studying abroad to the students personal growth just were good connection. The disadvantage has not been given by the all participants， although we asked this questions in the interview. Maybe the interviews were pay more attention to the benefits for them， and ignored the little fault. Further study should focus on this point， which can provide the evidence for optimizing the study abroad program， and more promote the students personal growth.

References：

[1]Boyatzis，R.（1998）.Transforming qualitative information： Thematic analysis and code development.Thousand Oaks，CA： Sage.

[2]Doyle，S.Gendal，P.Meyer，L.Hoek，J.Tait，C.Mckenzie，L.& Loorparg，A.（2009）An investigation of factors associated with student participation in study abroad，Journal of studies on International Education，5：6，May，89-106.

[3]Miles，M.B.，and M.Huberman.1994.Qualitative data analysis： An expanded sourcebook.2nd ed.Thousand Oaks，CA：Sage.

[4]Spradley，J.P.（1979）.The ethnographic interview.New York，NY：Holt，Rinehart and Winston.

[5]Zhou，J.（2006）Higher Education School-Running System，Higher Education in China.59-60.endprint