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Effects of International Living and Learning on College Students' Life Purpose

This preliminary study examines the impact of an international living and learning experience on college students' faith, sense of life purpose, calling, and identity. The study explores the value of study abroad in terms of foreign language proficiency, enhanced cultural understanding, personal growth, and intellectual and emotional development.

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Effects of International Living and Learning on College Students' Life Purpose

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  1. The Development of Life Purpose in College Students: A Preliminary Study on the Effects of an International Living and Learning Experience Cindy Miller-Perrin Don Thompson Pepperdine University Conference of the Association for the Study of Higher Education November 7, 2009

  2. The Value of Study Abroad • Foreign Language Proficiency • Enhanced Cultural Understanding • Personal Growth • Intellectual • Emotional • External vs. Internal Educational Goals

  3. Research Hypothesis Students who participate in an International Program have more significant growth in faith, sense of life purpose and calling, and identity than those who do not.

  4. Sampling Method • Participants drawn from stratified random sample of 300 students from 2002 entering class • Current sample included 74 students ranging in age from 18-22 years

  5. Sample Demographics • Participants primarily Caucasian (70%) • Primarily Protestant (65%) • Parental income over $100,000 (47%)

  6. Dependent Measures • Faith Surveys • Faith Attitudes and Experiences • Identity Status • Diffusion, Foreclosure, Moratorium, Achievement • Life Purpose • Sense of Life Purpose, Calling, Discernment • Service Toward Others

  7. Faith Attitude Survey

  8. Faith Experience Survey

  9. Ego Identity Status Measure • Classifies subjects into one of four identity groups: • Achievement: exploration and commitment • “It took me a while to figure it out, but now I really know what I want for a career.” • Moratorium: exploration without commitment • “Religion is confusing to me right now. I keep changing my views on what is right and wrong for me.” • Foreclosure: no exploration, but commitment • “My parents decided a long time ago what I should go into for employment and I’m following through with their plans.” • Diffusion: no exploration or commitment • “I haven’t really considered politics. It just doesn’t excite me much.”

  10. Vocational Calling Survey

  11. International Programs at Pepperdine University • Provide students a life changing international experience designed for intellectual, social, personal and spiritual transformation. • Buenos Aires, Costa Rica, Florence, Heidelberg, Honduras, Hong Kong, Lausanne, London, Madrid, Thailand • 55% of sophomores participate • Student Experiences

  12. Living & Learning Community

  13. Academic Community Library, computer lab, offices, classrooms, dorm rooms, & student center

  14. Spiritual Community Weekly Bible Studies and House Church

  15. Mentoring Community The mentor-protégé relationship is critical.

  16. Travel • Students travel each weekend • Program-wide field trip each term

  17. Research Procedure • Web-based survey, administered every spring semester of students’ college career • Response rate ranged from 64-83% • Analyzed subsample matched on age and sex • IP Group = 37 students who attended an international program during their sophomore year • No IP Group = 37 students who did not attend an international program

  18. Results • Preliminary analyses using chi-square analyses indicated no significant IP group differences on measures of SES, religion, or ethnicity • Compared IP vs. No IP groups during first and senior years on measures of faith, vocational calling, and identity using repeated measures ANOVA

  19. Faith Application Scores for First-Year and Senior Time Periods

  20. Sense of Calling Scores for First-Year and Senior Time Periods

  21. Service Scores for First-Year and Senior Time Periods

  22. Achievement Scores for First-Year and Senior Time Periods

  23. International Living and Learning Experiences Enhance Faith Application Vocational Discernment Vocational Service Identity Achievement Summary of Findings

  24. Implications Shake students loose. Introduce them to an experience, preferably in another culture, that demands that they question life assumptions. Facilitate a sense of community, requiring mutual dependency and trust. Practice mentoring. Train faculty and staff. Provide opportunities for the mentor-protégé connection. Transformation will occur – watch for and nurture it.

  25. Conclusions • International living and learning experiences facilitate greater growth in faith, sense of life purpose, and identity • Significant opportunities for personal growth occur when students leave their cultural comfort zone and rely on communities with mentoring support.

  26. cperrin@pepperdine.eduthompson@pepperdine.edu

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