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The Impacts of Study Abroad Opportunities on International Students

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The Impacts of Study Abroad Opportunities on International Students Rochester Institute of Technology RIT Scholar Works Theses Thesis/Dissertation Collections 6-2014 The mpI acts of Study Abroad Opportunities on International Students Seza Zerman Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.rit.edu/theses Recommended Citation Zerman, Seza, "The mpI acts of Study Abroad Opportunities on International Students" (2014). Thesis. Rochester Institute of Technology. Accessed from This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Thesis/Dissertation Collections at RIT Scholar Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses by an authorized administrator of RIT Scholar Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Running head: THE IMPACTS OF STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES Rochester Institute of Technology The Impacts of Study Abroad Opportunities on International Students by Seza Zerman A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management Thesis Advisor: Rick Lagiewski College of Applied Science and Technology School of International Hospitality and Service Innovation Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY June 2014 THE IMPACTS OF STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES ii Abstract The emerging global structure requires interaction between societies and the international flow of knowledge. Exchange of students and study abroad programs are components of this internationalization process. The Erasmus program, the most common study abroad program in Turkey, has a great impact on the exchange of cultures and academic knowledge. This study will reveal different kinds of Erasmus experiences, the cultural and academic impacts of the program, how the program changes the expectation of participants, and how participants experience the return home after their study abroad program. Data were collected via a qualitative method—a semi-structured interview, as the objective of the study is to gather personal feelings and ideas. Nine former Erasmus students from Anadolu University Tourism Department, Turkey, were interviewed via Skype or phone call between April 20 and May 9, 2014. The data from the interviews were grouped and analyzed under the study objectives subgroups based on the literature and themes that the students mentioned during the interviews. The study reveals that tourism major students consider study abroad programs and international experiences as vital for their major. According to participants, after the Erasmus program they became more open-minded and tolerant, and they state these characteristics are important for the tourism field to accommodate people from diverse backgrounds. For that reason students believe that institutions should provide more international opportunities to exchange cultures and experience different education and learning styles. THE IMPACTS OF STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES iii In addition, although academic expectations are not the drivers that make students decide to participate in the program, during the program they recognize some differences between home and host institutions in terms of learning environments and different teaching methods. These differences make students expect more from their home institutions and motivate them to continue their education or career abroad. Additionally, as the program provides an opportunity to experience different cultures and lifestyles, returning from such an experience is seen as challenging by students as Turkey and Europe have different lifestyles in terms of social life, recreational activities, and way of life. Although the students are not naming this problematic process as a reverse culture shock, their desire to go back addresses one of reverse culture shock’s indicators as mentioned in the study of Cohen (2003). Therefore, the adjustment of the returnees should be considered more in depth. The study would be beneficial for students who would like to join study abroad programs or other kinds of internationalization activities such as international field trips or other exchange programs. It also could be used by the professors, institutions, and international offices of the universities to accommodate the students, as their expectations and satisfaction levels change after abroad experiences and their returning process has some difficulties to consider. Key words: internationalization, study abroad, Erasmus, re-entry, academic impacts of study abroad, cultural impacts of study abroad THE IMPACTS OF STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES iv Dedication To my mother Maksude Zerman and my father Mehmet Zerman THE IMPACTS OF STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES v Acknowledgements This study would not have been possible without the valuable contributions of several individuals. First of all, I would like to express my great appreciation to my advisor, Rick Lagiewski, for his valuable and constructive suggestions, patient guidance, and useful critiques during the development of this thesis. His respectful and patient manner under any conditions made this study easier to accomplish. Special thanks are extended to the nine participants of the study for their valuable input and their valuable time. Without their insightful contribution, I would not be able to finish this study. I would also like to convey thanks to Dr. Medet Yolal and Kazım Demirer from Anadolu University for their kind support. I would like to thank Dr. Muhammet Kesgin for his contributions to the study with his valuable comments. I also would like to thank Dr. Erkan Yüksel, who broadened my horizon with his valuable ideas and triggered my desire to study abroad, which began in Portugal in 2008 and continues in the US. His academic honesty and generosity for sharing his wisdom will be an example for me throughout my academic career. Special thanks to Dr. Ferat Şahin and Selhan Garip Şahin for their warm hospitality in Rochester. Thanks to them, Rochester and the US were not abroad anymore; instead, it was my second home. THE IMPACTS OF STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES vi I would like to offer my special thanks to my friends in the US, Abdulaziz F. Eid, Eyüp Çınar, Neşe Yılmaz, and Onur Özçalık. They were with me through all the difficulties and the most insufferable days during these two years. Without their support and valuable time dedicated to motivate me for my degree and thesis, everything would have been more difficult. On the very first day of this journey, Ayten Doğan Baytaroğlu was one of the very first people who believed in me and provided unconditional support. Therefore, this study is also a result of her valuable contribution. The hidden hero of this thesis, as well as many of my other achievements, is my dear brother, Erel Zerman. The sincerest thanks goes to him not only for being the best example in my life but also for encouraging and motivating me throughout the process. Without him in my life, I would definitely not be the same person I am today. Last but not least, the greatest thanks goes to my parents, my mother Maksude Zerman and my father Mehmet Zerman, for standing with me through this tough process and walking with me even from thousands of miles away throughout my studying abroad journey. Their infinite love and unconditional support gave me the power to follow my dreams and make them come true. You are the magic power of my life. I appreciate every single thing that you have sacrificed for me to follow my dreams. THE IMPACTS OF STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES vii Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... ii Dedication ..................................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... v Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................ vii List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. x List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 Academic impacts of study abroad.............................................................................................. 4 1.2 Purpose of the Study ......................................................................................................................... 6 1.3 Significance of the Study .................................................................................................................. 7 1.4 Terms and Definitions ...................................................................................................................... 8 Chapter 2: Literature Review .................................................................................................... 10 2.1 Internationalization ........................................................................................................................ 10 2.2 Internationalization
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