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International Education at Radford University. Group Contributors: Laura Bonfiglio John Fitzgerald John Hillegass Ashley Pidal Presenters: Brittany Jeglum Lauren Miller. Overview. Dominant themes of focus groups Dominant themes of surveys Recommendations To increase participation
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International Education at Radford University • Group • Contributors: • Laura Bonfiglio • John Fitzgerald • John Hillegass • Ashley Pidal Presenters: Brittany Jeglum Lauren Miller
Overview • Dominant themes of focus groups • Dominant themes of surveys • Recommendations • To increase participation • To assess the program’s effectiveness • To improve the IEC’s service
Dominant Themes (Faculty Focus Groups) • Reevaluate IEC’s structure • More information to students • Build relationships with partner institutions • Increase culture-based courses • Curricular requirement
Dominant Themes (Student Focus Groups) • Commonly understood value • Career oriented promotion • Integration into individual departmental programs • Do not receive assurance that credits will transfer • Financial cost • Instructor exchange program • Awareness is minimal
Faculty Survey Main Points • Study abroad options need to be advertised with students more (89%) • Social media sites • Information should come from students that have studied abroad (91%) or current professors (78%) • 75% believe a student-led organization would increase participation
Faculty Survey Main Points • Must promote professional career benefits of studying abroad (86%) • More culture based courses should be offered (72%) • 1-2 faculty/staff members need to be added to the IEC (70%) • About half feel that an ELI is necessary
Student Survey Main Points • 118 out of 129 respondents chose financial cost as a barrier to studying abroad • Top 3 barriers to studying abroad • Financial cost • Language barrier • Having space in academic schedule
Student Survey Main Points • Studying abroad needs to be more program specific • Students are not well-informed of study abroad programs (51%) • Lack of mention by professors in the classroom (53%)
Recommendations to Increase Participation • You should require faculty members to present, or host, a presentation on a specific study abroad program. You should not just encourage faculty to pass information along. • You should utilize social media sites to disseminate information. You should not send e-mails to students. • You should create recognition for students who have studied abroad. You should not assume the value creates itself. • Graduation cords • Scholarly title
Recommendations to Increase Participation • You should take advantage of the cost benefits of computer-mediated communication to enhance global cultural awareness. • You should not promote expensive programs. • You should implement the program into the Radford University culture. You should not forget to incorporate international education into the mission statement.
Recommendations for Assessment • You should require a capstone interview as a graduation requirement for those who have studied abroad. • You should create a requirement for students to blog during a study abroad program that is available on a centralized website. You should not limit the communication between students.
Recommendations for Assessment • You should designate a student volunteer position for each international student. You should not allow visiting students to continue with biweekly administrative contact. • You should create a survey to gather feedback from international students. You should not ignore the students input to make changes in the program.
Recommendations for IEC Services • You should promote the IEC’s updated website with faculty members. You should not assume faculty members know where to find information. • You should create an individualized program of study for those students planning to study abroad. You should not have a generic program of study for all students. • You should offer financial planning classes for students. You should not offer these classes any later than sophomore year.
Recommendations for IEC Services • You should add more faculty/staff members to the International Education Center. You should not expect one person to coordinate both study abroad programs and international education programs. • Appalachian State 1:142 • Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania: 1:2378 • Cal State University 1:500 • Gonzaga 1:871 • Monmouth 1:1556 • Loyola Marymount 1:1847 • Western Carolina University 1:1125 • Winthrop University 1:1183 • Radford University 1:4685
Recommendations for IEC Services • You should create volunteer positions for Radford students who speak more than one language. You should not neglect internal resources. • Website translations