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The Journal of Worldwide Education
A Publication of the JALT Study Abroad SIG

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A Chance and a Challenge: Students’ Reflections on Online Study Abroad Experiences

7/9/2023

Antonia Cavcic
The University of Shiga Prefecture
Volume 15, Number 1, December 2022
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Abstract
COVID-19’s severe impact on the travel industry has had a ripple effect on both international travel and study abroad (SA) programs. This has complicated long and short-term planning, and as a result, study abroad programs have either been disrupted or cancelled. With the advent and widespread uptake of ICT, “online study abroad” (OSA) courses were offered as alternatives to location-based study abroad programs. In this paper, I reveal the findings of a discourse analysis of OSA testimonials given by 75 tertiary level students in both private and public institutions. The overall findings reveal that although OSA programs are not exactly ideal due to time differences and the lack of cultural immersion, the smaller class sizes provided students with more opportunities to speak up and interact with others. As well as highlighting the perceived advantages and disadvantages of OSA programs, I argue that retaining such programs in a post-pandemic era will not only promote inclusivity by providing options for students with financial difficulties or disabilities, but it will offer senior students occupied with job-hunting obligations a last chance to study abroad before entering the workforce.

Keywords: Online study abroad, ICT, Covid-19, Japanese students

オンラインによる海外留学の可能性―コロナ禍におけるブルネイでのオンライン短期海外研修の実践から―

7/30/2021

瀬尾匡輝 / Masaki Seo
茨城大学 / Ibaraki University
Volume 14, Number 1, July 2021
https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.SA.JOWE14.1-1
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要旨
Abstract

要旨
新型コロナウィルスの感染拡大で人々の国や地域を超えた移動に制限がかかり、海外協定校などに学生を派遣する大学主催の海外留学及び海外研修の実施は現時点では難しくなっている。このような状況において、オンラインを駆使した海外研修プログラムの開発が進められている。本稿では、2020年8月に実施したブルネイでのオンライン短期海外研修に参加した学生の経験と学びを考察し、オンラインによる海外留学の可能性を検討する。

本研究のリサーチクエスチョン（RQ）は、（1）オンライン短期海外研修を通して参加者はどのような経験をしていたのか、（2）オンライン短期海外研修を通して参加者は英語の能力を伸ばすことができたのか、である。RQ1に答えるために研修の事前事後にアンケート調査を、RQ2に答えるために研修の事前事後に英語の試験を行い、それらを分析した。

調査の結果、オンライン短期海外研修の参加者の満足度は高く、講義型及び体験型の授業を通してブルネイの言語や文化、ビジネスと産業、自然科学などのコンテンツを学んだり、現地の学生と交流をしたりすることで、参加者は「自宅にいながら、ブルネイにいるような体験ができ」ていた。また、本研修が実際に海外に渡航することを躊躇している学生の参加を促していることも伺えた。そして、研修の事前事後に行った英語の試験を分析した結果、総合得点及びリスニングでの大意把握の得点は向上し、参加者の英語の能力の伸びに対する自己評価でも、リスニングの能力の向上が最も認識されていた。

キーワード：　オンライン短期海外研修、ブルネイ、参加者の経験、英語能力の伸び

Abstract
[English title: Possibilities of Online Study Abroad Program: Practices of Online Short-Term Study Abroad Program in Brunei]
Due to the spread of COVID-19, as the movement of people across countries and regions has been restricted, it is difficult to send students to partner universities overseas to study aboard. Under these circumstances, the development of online study abroad programs is being promoted. This paper examines the experiences and learning of students who participated in an online short-term study abroad program in Brunei held in August 2020 and discusses the possibilities of studying abroad online.

The research questions (RQs) in this study were (1) what kind of experiences participants gained through the online short-term study abroad program, and (2) whether participants were able to develop their English ability through the online short-term study abroad program. In order to answer RQ1, questionnaires were conducted and to answer RQ2, English tests were conducted before and after the program. The questionnaire found that participants in this program were highly satisfied. By learning language, culture, business, and natural sciences of Brunei through lectures and hands-on classes and interacting with students in Brunei, participants could “have the experience of being in Brunei while they were at home.” In addition, this program encouraged the participation of students who were hesitant to go abroad. By analyzing English tests, the data showed that the total score and the listening scores improved.

Keywords: online short-term study abroad program, Brunei, participants’ experiences, improvement of English ability

Step by Step Guide to Content Analysis for Study Abroad Research

3/16/2021

Nobue Inoue
Niigata University of Management
Volume 13, Number 2, December 2020
https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.SA.JOWE13.2-4
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Abstract
This paper intends to show four practical steps for content analysis; one of the most common data reduction approaches in qualitative analysis for applied linguistics. Although content analysis can help to draw conclusions from textual data by interpreting them effectively, the available literature lacks detail on how to conduct content analyses, especially in the context of study abroad research. In this paper, each of the four steps of content analysis (segmenting data, formulating codes, developing categories, and identifying main themes) is explained by utilizing actual sample data related to studying abroad; the sample study investigated a single participant’s perceptions of a general English language course in the United Kingdom.

Keywords: content analysis, study abroad, qualitative analysis, applied linguistics

Japanese English Majors’ Experiences and Attitudes to Study Abroad: A Case Study of Students at a Private University in Tokyo

3/10/2021

Anthony Tobin
Toyo University, Faculty of Letters; Gakushuin University
Volume 13, Number 2, December 2020
https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.SA.JOWE13.2-3
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Abstract
This study investigates both the benefits of and recent trends in studying abroad for Japanese students and examines the results of a survey on study abroad taken by students majoring in English at a private university in Tokyo. Statistics from JASSO showed that the trend in study abroad before 2020 was for an increasing number of Japanese university students to spend a period of time studying abroad, though most of the increase was in short-term study. The English language questionnaire sought to discover what proportion of a group of seventy-two students had already studied abroad, or planned to do so, and to establish whether those who had gained experience had benefitted from it, as well as detailing student anxieties which may have deterred students from studying abroad. The survey on study abroad, taken in January 2018, had a 100% response rate. Twenty-three (32%) of the students answered that they had already studied abroad, mostly for short durations in English-speaking countries. Most of the students who studied abroad had a positive experience, reputedly improved their English skills and recommended that other students study abroad. Twenty-six (53%) of the students without study abroad experience were planning to study abroad, even though they had some issues which concerned them, such as their ability to communicate in English, personal safety, and financial matters. The main reason for not electing to study abroad for this particular sample was found to be related to the overall costs of overseas travel, accommodation, and tuition.

Keywords: Japanese study abroad, overseas study motivations, university-level study abroad trends in Japan

Using Instagram as a Preparation Tool for Study Abroad

3/10/2021

Simon Park
Zushi Kaisei Junior and Senior High School
Volume 13, Number 2, December 2020
https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.SA.JOWE13.2-2
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Abstract
This paper describes the usage of Instagram (the social networking platform) in sophomore English classes at a private Japanese university. Instagram was used to help students prepare for their study abroad semester. Students created private Instagram accounts and used this platform for group exercises with a mixed group of students and staff at potential study abroad sites in the United States of America. The participants posted images and video of their daily lives and routines at their schools, and created posts based on tasks set by the instructor. Group members were then encouraged to ask each other questions and communicate through Instagram. The study found that Instagram usage has the potential to help students prepare linguistically and culturally for study abroad semesters. The paper recommends follow-up studies that use Instagram and other social networking sites to help students prepare culturally and linguistically for study abroad semesters. This has implications for language teachers who are teaching prospective study abroad students or are interested in incorporating technology into their classes, as well as coordinators of study abroad programs interested in modernizing their study abroad orientation programs.

Keywords: CALL, Instagram, social media, social networking sites, study abroad

Japanese University Student Experiences with Internships in Southeast Asia

3/9/2021

Andrew Nowlan
Kwansei Gakuin University
Volume 13, Number 2, December 2020
https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.SA.JOWE13.2-1
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Abstract
The purpose of this article is to examine the personal, academic, and professional experiences of five Japanese university students who did short-term academic internships in three southeast Asian nations. Since students in Japan often associate international opportunities with inner-circle English-speaking countries (e.g. the United States of America or the United Kingdom), this article highlights the perceived benefits of choosing Southeast Asia as an educational destination. In limited published studies, researchers have revealed that Japanese students may gravitate towards Southeast Asia for multilingual language learning opportunities, lower perceived discrimination, and reduced financial costs. This article provides additional insight into the discerned advantages and disadvantages. Data for this qualitative exploratory study include weekly written reflections from students who were in southeast Asian countries from late 2018 to early 2019, followed by a focus group and individual questionnaires in the months following the participants’ return to Japan. Based on thematic analysis of self-reporting, results suggest that the participants found value in their experiences due to the (a) proximity and costs involved, (b) comfort with using a non-native variety of English, and (c) development of intercultural competences and soft skills. More specifically, participants felt that their experiences were less financially burdensome on parents, compared to similar experiences in inner-circle destinations. Also, participants reported feeling comfortable using English as a lingua franca, despite communicating in lower-context environments. This, in turn, contributed to the development of their adaptation, negotiation, and communicative skills. If higher education stakeholders and recruiters can better promote the educational experiences of Japanese university students in Southeast Asia, such as those featured in this article, then it is possible that access and participation may increase in the future.

Keywords: study abroad, overseas academic internships, English acquisition, intercultural competences

Analysis of Short-Term Study Abroad in Japanese Secondary Education

9/1/2020

Jarwin K. Martin
Seigakuin University, Department of Fundamental Education
Volume 13, Number 1, September 2020
https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.SA.JOWE13.1-1
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Abstract
Research by Segalowitz and Freed (2004) focuses on study abroad outcomes such as proficiency gains and improvement in pragmatic skills, however, this has been conducted in higher education and there are only a few studies available directed towards study abroad outcomes in secondary education (Leis, 2015). This quantitative study aims to examine the effects of a short-term study abroad program (SA) on a group of Japanese high school students. It will use three motivation variables: attitudes to learning English, international posture, and second language (L2) anxiety. Additionally, this study employs adapted pre and post surveys conducted with a sample of fourteen high school students who participated in a seven-day study abroad program to Taiwan, these were compared with a control group of nineteen peers enrolled in a similar course. The paired sample t-tests showed no statistically significance differences for the international posture’s experimental condition and control condition and no significant changes were observed in the anxiety experimental condition and control condition.

Keywords: short-term, study abroad, high school, Japan