This five-year study of graduating seniors at Elon University (n = 1,858) compared student outcomes measured by the National Survey of Student Engagement across five study abroad groups: no study abroad, semester, short-term (three-week), two short-terms, and semester plus short-term. Both short-term and semester programs were positively…

Transformative Learning Theory is a framework proposed by Mezirow (1991). It asserts that through reflection, active learning, and placing ourselves in uncomfortable situations students are able to develop their understanding of the world and of themselves, allowing a potential change to their perspectives and frames of reference. On the other…

This study investigates the impact that study in Australia has on the lexical knowledge of Saudi Arabian students. It focuses on: 1) the effects that the length of study in Australia has on the acquisition of lexical collocations, as reflected by lexical knowledge tests, and 2) whether there is a significant gender difference in the acquisition of…

In recent years, there has been a rapid rise in the number of universities offering students opportunities to study abroad. Traditional semester-long programs have been shortened with many new programs ranging anywhere from 1 to 8 weeks in length. The increased number of short-term programs has enabled professional degree programs, such as…

Parental involvement in higher education has received much attention since the 1990s, though mostly through mainstream media sources. The term "helicopter parents" is now used to describe over-involved parents who "hover" over their children, intent on ensuring that their children's needs are addressed. The perception within…

There is no evidence in the literature for direct comparison of the sociocultural adaptation brought by the participation of U.S. students in education abroad programs of different lengths. This study attempts to address this gap by comparing the sociocultural adaptation of education abroad students that results from their participation in both…