Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2010 A case study of Troika short-term study abroad program model in community colleges Jeremy Lee Pickard Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the Educational Administration and Supervision Commons Recommended Citation Pickard, Jeremy Lee, "A case study of Troika short-term study abroad program model in community colleges" (2010). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 11748. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/11748 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A case study of Troika short-term study abroad program model in community colleges by Jeremy L. Pickard A dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major: Education (Educational Leadership) Program of Study Committee: Larry Ebbers, Major Professor David Acker Sharon Drake Latrice Eggleston Margaret Torrie Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2010 Copyright © Jeremy L. Pickard, 2010. All rights reserved. ii DEDICATION This dedication is to my wife Renea Pickard For the many days, evenings, and weekends you had to be a single mom while I was in graduate school. You deserve half of this degree. To my children Abby, Dominick, and Camron For whom I want to be an example. If you put your heart and mind to something, with God’s blessing, you can accomplish it. To Dr. Jeff Armstrong Who allowed me to contribute to the international programs at Eastern Iowa Community College District and saw my potential long before I realized any of it. To Dr. Larry Ebbers Who encouraged me to earn my Master’s and ultimately my Ph.D. Without each of your contribution in my life this dissertation would not have been possible. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................. vi LIST OF TABLES ..............................................................................................................vii ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 1 Background ..................................................................................................................... 1 Background of the Problem ............................................................................................. 4 The Research Problem ..................................................................................................... 5 Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................................ 6 Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 8 Theoretical Framework .................................................................................................... 8 Significance of the Study ................................................................................................. 9 Impact on the Culture of the College .......................................................................... 9 Initiatives of Community Colleges ........................................................................... 10 Federal Scholarships and Awards............................................................................. 11 Context of the Study ...................................................................................................... 11 Definitions ..................................................................................................................... 12 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 13 CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................. 16 Overview of the U.S. Community College System ......................................................... 16 History of Internationalism in Institutions of Higher Education ..................................... 19 Education Abroad and the Community College Mission ................................................ 24 Current State of Study Abroad Programs ....................................................................... 26 Defining Study Abroad .................................................................................................. 28 Study Abroad Typologies .............................................................................................. 29 Long-Term Study Abroad Programs ........................................................................ 29 Mid-Term Study Abroad Programs .......................................................................... 29 Short-Term Study Abroad Programs ........................................................................ 30 The Troika Model .................................................................................................... 30 The Community College Student and the Barriers to Study Abroad ............................... 34 The Community College Student ............................................................................. 34 Financial Barrier ...................................................................................................... 35 Work Responsibilities .............................................................................................. 35 Family Responsibilities ............................................................................................ 35 Proximity to Home .................................................................................................. 36 Institutional Barriers Facing Study Abroad Programs .................................................... 36 Course Enrollment ................................................................................................... 36 Administration Support ............................................................................................ 36 Faculty Involvement ................................................................................................ 37 Outcomes of International Programs .............................................................................. 37 Student Outcomes .................................................................................................... 37 iv Institutional Outcomes ............................................................................................. 38 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 41 CHAPTER 3. METHODS ................................................................................................... 43 Methodological Approach ............................................................................................. 43 Philosophical Assumption ............................................................................................. 44 Research Approach ........................................................................................................ 46 Positionality Statement .................................................................................................. 48 Research Design ............................................................................................................ 50 Components of Research Design ................................................................................... 50 Research Questions .................................................................................................. 51 Study Proposition .................................................................................................... 51 The Unit of Analysis ................................................................................................ 51 Participants .................................................................................................................... 54 Data Collecting Procedures ............................................................................................ 57 Data Mining ............................................................................................................. 57 Interviews ................................................................................................................ 58 Five Most Memorable Photos .................................................................................. 58 Data Collection Timeline ............................................................................................... 59 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................ 60 Criteria for Interpreting the Findings ........................................................................ 62 Trustworthiness, Validity, and Triangulation ................................................................. 62 Triangulation ..........................................................................................................