ERIC Number: EJ1122653
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1042-0541
EISSN: N/A
Exploring Outcomes Two Years after an International Faculty Abroad Experience
Roberts, T. Grady; Rodriguez, Mary T.; Gouldthorpe, Jessica L.; Stedman, Nicole L. P.; Harder, Amy; Hartmann, Marta
Journal of Agricultural Education, v57 n1 p30-41 2016
The National Research Council (2009) emphasized the importance of enhancing the undergraduate experience to better prepare graduates to work in a global economy. The NRC went further to suggest college faculty might need professional development to make appropriate changes. In 2010, as a part of a USDA Higher Education Challenge Grant, eight faculty in agriculture and natural resources from the University of Florida participated in a 14-day faculty abroad experience to Ecuador to explore their discipline in that country. The purpose of this study was to understand the outcomes evident two years after that experience on the faculty participants. Results revealed changes in attitudes, aspirations, knowledge, and behaviors. Changes in attitudes and aspirations included: the importance of international experiences, the benefits of meeting new colleagues, the value in learning from the other participants, the importance of multidisciplinary interactions, credibility, the importance of authentic interactions, and a desire to learn more. Faculty participants in this experience learned about the Ecuadorian context, learned about their discipline, and learned about pedagogy. Behavior changes included: considering the cultural context, focusing more of their work on Latin America, emphasizing study abroad programs, interacting with new people, and teaching others about what they learned in Ecuador.
Descriptors: College Faculty, Interdisciplinary Approach, Teacher Attitudes, Attitude Change, Foreign Countries, Faculty Development, Higher Education, International Educational Exchange, Credibility, Teaching Methods, Behavior Change, Cultural Context, Study Abroad, Outcomes of Education
American Association for Agricultural Education. P.O. Box 7607, Department of Agricultural and Extension Education, Raleigh, NC 27695. Web site: http://www.aaaeonline.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ecuador; Florida
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A