Research into university study abroad programs suggests that while students may have some experience of local culture(s) and practices, they may be achieving no more than a superficial understanding of the host society. Alternatives to the standard study abroad models are thus essential to encourage students to engage more deeply with the host…

Higher education institutions position education abroad as an effective way to engage students internationally and develop critical intercultural competency skills. Education abroad also represents a major portion of campus internationalization at higher education institutions, globally. An ever-increasing understanding of how students engage in…

Constructing the learning outcomes and designing the optimal learning environment are valuable practices in teaching and learning endeavors. Doing so for intercultural learning requires a deft balance of learner inputs and instructional acumen. Assessment of intercultural competence is an essential component since it offers learners and…

This paper is about four Japanese university students majoring in international studies, who participated in a two-year study examining changes in their motivation. Using monthly interviews and a 29-item questionnaire on Dörnyei's (2005) L2 motivational self system that was administered alongside each interview, the trajectories of learner…

In recent years a number of western universities have established professional development courses in international contexts. These have often involved tutors travelling to countries with which they may have previously had little contact, in order to deliver courses that have been long established in their own universities. This article discusses…

One of the goals of international education is to help students learn about different regions of the world. Such education is inherently multidisciplinary, including geographical and historical perspectives to put the places and regions in spatial, ecological, and temporal context. A wide variety of systematic disciplines also can be involved in…

Based on a year-long implementation of an international studies program in a rural middle school using videoconferencing technology, this paper focuses the international presenters' interpretation of and reaction to the program through their interaction with the students. Attention here is paid to the ways that the presenters' assumptions and…

A home stay is typically defined as a period of time in which a person resides with a family in a home located outside his or her country of residence. Living with a host family is frequently connected to learning a language and immersion in a foreign culture. Study abroad students often participate in home stays, but there is little academic…

In the context of 2009 European Year of Creativity and Innovation, this paper proposes an integrated reflection on creativity and its relation to plurilingualism. Relevant literature is reviewed and includes the following domains: economics (OECD, 2000); culture studies (Bhabah, 1994); globalisation studies (Monge, 1998); creativity studies and…

The major elements of the industry-based planning process can be successfully applied to the development and implementation of international projects in educational institutions. International education programs share the following fundamental structural elements with business and industry: they compete in the market place, and exist by managing…

Too often, U.S. students are at a disadvantage when language fluency and cultural understanding are needed. To address that deficit, the Shawnee Mission (Kansas) Board of Education voted to establish a Center for International Studies to offer intensive instruction in foreign languages (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian), culture, economics,…

As we begin the twenty-first century, technological, economic, political, and social forces have created a new era. Technological advancements and lower trade barriers have paved the way for the globalization of markets, bringing intense competition to the U.S. economy. Political systems and movements around the world are having a profound impact…

Describes and gives a statement of purpose for the Joint National Committee for Languages (JNCL) and its sister organization, the Council for Languages and Other International Studies (CLOIS). Lists the member organizations of both JNCL and CLOIS. (EKN)

The amount of resources being poured by Western universities, companies, and governments into creating educational content to be exported (via the Internet) to other cultures is astounding. Those assigned to accomplish this task are left with the great challenge of meeting the needs of learners who come from cultures that are foreign to them, and…

Asserting that schools should promote a more international attitude, the author discusses some curriculum development projects in this area and the importance of the teacher's attitude in developing tolerance and international understanding. Condensed from "The International Schools Journal," Spring 1981, pp7-14. (Editor/SJL)