2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
① OBJECTIVES
② METHODOLOGY
③ STUDENT MINDSETS
④ FINDINGS
⑤ RECOMMENDATIONS
3.
4. OBJECTIVES
OUR OVERALL RESEARCH OBJECTIVE WAS TO UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVATIONS OF, BARRIERS TO,
AND EXPERIENCES WITH KENT STATE-AFFILIATED STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS
FROM FOUR POPULATIONS:
Those who have completed a study abroad program
Those who plan to study abroad via Kent State-affiliated programs
Those who want to study abroad, but won’t
Those not interested in studying abroad
5. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
MORE SPECIFICALLY, WE SOUGHT TO UNDERSTAND AND FURTHER EXPLORE:
What are the perceived benefits of studying abroad?
What motivations exist to explore study abroad opportunities? To move
through the purchase funnel?
What barriers exist that might deter students from studying abroad?
What perceptions exist about the study abroad experience, including
lifestyle, travel, cost, and academic and social experiences?
How can study abroad programs be ideally communicated to potential
students in increase participation?
For those who have completed programs, how did these perceptions
compare with the experience?
6.
7. METHODOLOGY
{Interviews :: N=16}
8 Students who plan
to study abroad 8 Students who want to
study abroad, but won’t
Recruited from lists Recruited from a list
provided by Deborah provided by Deborah Davis
Davis and Dr. Students had attended
Whitmore meetings but have not yet
followed through
{Ethnographies:: N=8}
8 Students who have
completed study abroad
Recruited from a list
provided by Deborah Davis
STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS COMPLETED BY ETHNOGRAPHY
PARTICIPANTS:
2 Students Leicester 1 Student Florence/China
3 Students Florence 2 Students China
8. METHODOLOGY
{Focus Groups:: N=16}
4 Groups of students
who were interviewed
Recruited from Principles of
Advertising
POPULATIONS REPRESENTED IN THESE GROUPS:
Students not interested in studying abroad
Students who want to study abroad, but won’t
6 PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUES WERE EMPLOYED
Card Sorting – students created categories of favored destination
Word Association – “travel” vs. “study abroad”
Budget – students estimated costs of semester and two-week programs
Expressive – students described countries in terms of house parties
Personification – students described the “typical study abroad student”
Construction – students made collages about “the study abroad experience”
11. AXIS 1: DEGREE OF AUTONOMY
{DEPENDENT} {INDEPENDENT}
Consults others when making decisions Comfortable making own decisions
Easily deterred when faced with obstacles Embraces responsibility
Desires structure, but is not very proactive Adept at problem solving
in obtaining information
12. AXIS 2: SOCIAL INTERACTION
{EXTROVERT}
Outgoing and comfortable in most social
situations
Has a wide array of acquaintances from
various backgrounds
Inclined to engage with community/peers
Social goal of participation
{INTROVERT}
Social goal is observation
Tends to interact with a limited
community of close-knit
individuals
13. STUDENT MINDSETS
EXTROVERT
THE THE
YES-MAN TRAILBLAZER
DEPENDENT INDEPENDENT
THE THE
HOMEBODY EXPLORER
INTROVERT
14. THE TRAILBLAZER
Takes advantage of professional,
social or academic opportunities
A natural leader who likes
adventure and new experiences
Enthusiastic about studying
abroad to meet new people and to
broaden their horizons
15. THE EXPLORER
Quiet and tends to doodle in
class
Creative, critical, deep thinker
who is seeking personal growth and
self-actualization
Well-organized, goal-oriented
and serious about education
Would be inclined to study
abroad, especially if relevant to
his/her goals
16. THE YES-MAN
Content with mediocrity and tends
to only do the minimal amount
necessary
A people-pleaser who has difficulty
saying no and seeks approval from
peers
Unsure of him/herself, often
second-guessing decisions
Shows interest in studying abroad,
but needs regular encouragement
17. THE HOMEBODY
Set in his/her ways and feels
unsettled when out of comfort zone
Quiet, doesn’t go out very much
Tends to let others make
decisions for him/her
Not interested in studying
abroad because of their discomfort
with the unknown
18.
19. Students’ general perceptions of study abroad:
THE TYPICAL STUDY ABROAD
STUDENT
COMMUNICATION, FASHION, BUSINESS, OR ART
MAJOR
ATTENDS KSU SPORTING EVENTS
CARES ABOUT GRADES; MOTIVATED AND WELL-
EDUCATED
STUDIES CULTURE AND LANGUAGE
HANGS OUT IN COFFEE SHOPS OR LIBRARY
FRIENDLY, OUTGOING, AND LIKES TO MEET NEW
PEOPLE
HAS A CAMERA AND IPOD
WOULD STUDY IN ITALY
20. Students’ general perceptions of study abroad:
COST
View differently, depending on extent of
students’ knowledge of programs
Informed consider cost reasonable
Uninformed immediately associate studying
abroad with “expensive”
Measure cost in terms of the value of the
program
How long is the program?
What will I gain personally/professionally
from this experience?
“
It was worth every single penny…It would have been worth paying that money off
for the rest of my life to have that experience. Hands down, no doubt about it.
— Florence participant
21. Students’ general perceptions of study abroad:
LIFESTYLE & SOCIAL
SEE THE STUDY ABROAD LIFESTYLE AS EXCITING AND FULL OF EXPERIENCES
ASSOCIATE EXPERIENCE WITH SENSE OF FREEDOM
“
CONCERNED ABOUT USING IMPROPER ETIQUETTE
SEE OPPORTUNITY FOR BUILDING NEW RELATIONSHIPS
Serve as ambassadors of Kent State
Interact with locals and KSU peers Overseas we are representing Kent
State University. We're carrying a
brand that stands for ourselves.
We want to change people’s lives
when we go overseas. You could
teach a child who loves music how
“
I am worried that I will do something inappropriate that people over there don’t like.
I wish we had a couple of classes about cultural manners.”
to read and then they would say,
'wow I'm glad they came.’
— Focus group participant
— Potential Study abroad student
22. Students’ general perceptions of study abroad:
TRAVEL
Anticipate experiencing “newness”
Many sight seeing opportunities
New and unusual cuisine
View personal spending as expensive
Travel frequently on weekends;
apartment/dorm becomes “home”
Apprehensive of the unknown
Planning for the trip/time away is daunting
Unforeseen complications
Missing travel connections
Getting lost
“
I was terrified by the professors before I went to China. They told us that we should
avoid asking questions about the government… [but] Nobody put me in jail.”
— Florence participant
23. Students’ general perceptions of study abroad:
ACADEMIC
CURRENT COURSES OFFERED THROUGH STUDY ABROAD
“
PROGRAM ARE NOT RELEVANT TO CCI MAJORS
STUDYING ABROAD WILL INTERFERE WITH PROJECTED
GRADUATION DATE
TWO DIFFERENT VIEWS ON WORK LOAD
Light load, fairly easy requirements I want to be able to experience a
different type of educational type of
Intense coursework, exacerbated by language barrier process. I think that it's so different
from what we know in America.
— Potential study abroad student
“I think a lot of people are worried they will fall behind in
school.
’’
’’
— Focus group participant
24. THE PURCHASE FUNNEL
PERCEPTION
INFORMATION SEARCH
ASSESSING VALUE
PURCHASE DECISION
25. Perception:
INITIAL INTEREST
MOTIVATIONS Barriers
FRIENDS REFLECT Negative peer/friend
FAVORABLY ON experiences
EXPERIENCES Exceeded budget
Share pictures Social isolation
Peers talk about traveling Travel complications
together
Absence of sufficient
PROMOTION IS SEEN promotion
Poster/email Poorly placed/designed
Not utilizing relevant
ANNOUNCEMENT MADE IN communication
platforms (social media,
CLASS
etc.)
“
Dismiss as unattainable
A couple of my friends who had been abroad told me how much they “fairy tale”
learned, and I thought ‘there is something I am missing, and I should
see it too.’
— Florence participant
26. Information search:
GATHERING RESEARCH
Motivations Barriers
Access to information Complications with
Make appts. with advisor information
Confusion as to where it is
Advisors’ thorough
Don’t know who to talk to
knowledge
Peer/parental disapproval
Seeking approval Concerns about:
Parents Distance
Friends Reduced
Significant others communication
Safety
Cost
Photos, stories, and news
from destinations of interest Overwhelmed by
information
Lack of organization
Insufficient time to process
27. WEIGHING OPTIONS:
ASSESSING VALUE
MOTIVATIONS Barriers
ORGANIZATION OF KSU Taking the solo route
STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM Travel for personal reasons
More structured than going Perceived as less expensive
alone Less structured
Group setting
Class-oriented Current programs not
relevant for student’s major
ADVISORS FACILITATE
PROCESS Undesirable program
Frequent communication location
with students
Help with planning &
paperwork
“
We didn’t have to do it on our own. [The advisors] kept track of
our paperwork. They really made it easy for us to do.
— Leicester participant
28. PURCHASE DECISION
APPLICATION PROCESS
MOTIVATIONS Barriers
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Pre-buyer’s remorse / cold
Scholarship approval feet
Family help
Loans Family emergency
PERCEIVED BENEFITS Decline in academic
OUTWEIGH OBSTACLES
performance/motivation
PIQUED EXCITEMENT
29. Study abroad:
BENEFITS
Consider experience to be life
changing, “once in a lifetime”
Gain a strong sense of independence
Explore and grow as an individual
Travel frequently to surrounding areas
Mature as a future professional
Build resume
Gain perspective, become more well-rounded
“
If you’re not on an adventure then
what’s the point in going?
— Focus group Participant
30. Study abroad: “
My biggest fear is about language. I am afraid that
they will speak so fast I will not be able to
BARRIERS
understand.”
— Florence participant
CONVINCED THE PROGRAM IS TOO
EXPENSIVE
’’
UNABLE TO ACCESS IMPORTANT
INFORMATION
FEARFUL OF FEELING ISOLATED IN
UNKNOWN ENVIRONMENT
APPREHENSIVE ABOUT SAFETY
CONCERNED ABOUT TIMELY GRADUATION
WORRIED ABOUT BEING HOMESICK
“
I WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT MY
SAFETY BECAUSE I'VE NEVER BEEN THERE. I DON'T
KNOW THE CULTURE, OR LANGUAGE, I DON'T KNOW
HOW TO GET AROUND.
- INTERVIEWEE
31. Existing program:
COMMUNICATION
Confusing and hard to find
Inconsistent or outdated information
Nearly inaccessible website
Not enough information available
Program “fine print”
Cost
Where to find information
Limited communication:
Email blasts
Occasional class visits
Flyers
“
I don’t know how [the website]
works…how to access information.
— Focus group participant
’’
32. PROGRAMS
OFFER COURSEWORK MORE RELEVANT TO A VARIETY OF CCI
MAJORS
INVESTIGATE NEW PROGRAMS LOCATIONS
Australia
“
Everyone in
Australia is laid
back and friendly.
Ireland I’d feel right at
Greece home.
OFFER MORE 2-WEEK PROGRAMS, SIMILAR TO THE CHINA — Focus group
’’
TRIP participant
33. COMMUNICATION
ESTABLISH PROMINENT LOCATION FOR STUDY
ABROAD KIOSK
Franklin Hall lobby, Taylor Hall
Student Center
GIVE A FACE TO THE STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM
Deborah Davis
COMMUNICATE REGULARLY IN CLASSROOMS
Students share experiences
Initial introduction in FYE classes
Instructors & faculty encourage study abroad
34. INFORMATION
COMMUNICATE INFORMATION REGARDING COST
Create price comparison between on-campus and study abroad tuitions
Provide estimated budgets for several tiers of spending, taking into
consideration:
Weekend travel
Food consumed
Additional expenditures
REVAMP THE WEBSITE
More accessible
Easily navigated
Include all programs, sample budgets (above), and additional fine print
ADVERTISE FACULTY SUPPORT
Communicate the assistance available in planning/preparing
Presence during actual travel
35. PROGRAMS + COMMUNICATION + INFORMATION:
CREATE A CULTURE OF STUDY
ABROAD
Integrate study abroad component into CCI curriculum
Model after other KSU programs
Architecture & Interior Design
Fashion
Early Communication
College promotional materials
College tours, FYE classes
Direct information & collateral materials to both students and parents
Generate a “buzz” about international semester
When meeting with advisors, urge students to plan for semester abroad
Offer seminars/meetings on planning & preparation for programs
Have students who’ve completed program mentor “first-timers”
Establish a Facebook presence for students to share stories, pictures, excitement
Have a segment on Black Squirrel Radio where people talk about travel experiences
