Florence and Geneva

o Undergraduate, semester-long study abroad o Programs in existence since 1970s o Most popular KSU Study Abroad destinations o 300 to Florence, 40 to Geneva each academic year o Considered to be similar to regional campuses

Audience
Florence
Architecture, Interior Design, Business, Communications, Journalism, Visual Design, Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising, and Education

Analysis
Geneva
International Relations, Political Science, History, French Language, Business Management, International Business, and Economics

Factors to Consider: Age, race/ ethnicity, nationality, SES, Class standing, GPA, Motivation (internship/ field experience); fear; anxiety; excitement; previous travel; travel while abroad

Managing Cultural Transition

(Berardo & Deardorff, 2012)

1.

What are the causes of cultural transition stress? 2. Why is the transition likely to cause stress? 3. What might this stress look like for YOU as an individual? 4. What specific steps can you take to manage the stress of cultural transition?

Recognize the WHAT

Apply the RIGHT NOW

Understand the WHY

Personalize the HOW

Topics Covered
Brief Encounters Simulation (Peace Corps Coverdell Worldwise Schools, 2013). Culture Shock & Factors Influencing it (TingToomey & Chung, 2012, p.299). Cultural Transition: Anticipate & Adjust (Berardo & Deardorff, 2012). Cultural Adjustment (Cushner & Karim, 2004). Culture specific learning (Florence or Geneva factsheet)

You are a Pandya. Pandya Cultural Norms:

Pandyas prefer to interact with members of their own culture. Pandyas do not initiate conversation. They speak only when spoken to. Pandyas have very formal speech patterns. For example, they always use sir and maam. Among Pandyas, women have more status than men. Men are chaperoned by Pandya women. Pandya men avoid eye contact with women from other cultures. Pandya men do not talk directly with women from other cultures. They respong through their chaperones. Pandya men can talk to men from other cultures. They can maintain eye contact with men from other cultures.

You are a Chispa. Chispa Cultural Norms:

Chispas are informal and friendly. Among Chispas, there are no gender roles. Men and women behave the same way. Chispas are outgoing. They love to make contact with people from other cultures. Chispa contacts are brief and casual. Chispas are democratic and call everyone by his or her first name.

Chispas value cross-gender contacts more than same-gender contacts.

You are an Observer.

Watch closely as two different cultural groupsthe Pandyas and the Chispasinteract. You may move among the participants, but you may not touch or speak to them. Make notes of cultural behaviors and values that you notice from each group. Your observations will help the class view the lesson with a wider perspective during debriefing.

Culture Specific Learning

Topics Include: Climate, Geography, Diet & Food, Currency, Local Customs, Greetings, Language, Transportation, Safety

Learning Objectives
Identify the various stressors that may result from cultural transition. Increase awareness of why these stressors may occur. Understand culture shock, as well as the various causes of culture shock while studying abroad. Understand the concept of cultural adjustment and how students will be moving through multiple phases of cultural adjustment during the study abroad experience. Gain basic knowledge of the local culture for the study abroad destination. Reflect upon which areas of culture shock and cultural transition stressors may apply personally while studying abroad. Apply the concepts of culture shock, cultural transition, and cultural adjustment to the experiences shared by students who have previously or are currently studying abroad.

Reflect upon potential coping strategies that may be useful for cultural transition stress.

Topics within the Theoretical Framework

WHAT: Simulation game & group reports to identify the stress WHY: Debriefing, Culture Shock, Transition Stress, Cultural Adjustment HOW: Personalize which stressors may be most likely to affect the individual; Small Group Discussion, Student Panel RIGHT NOW: Coping strategies for anticipated transition; Small Group Discussion, Student Panel

Preparations
Education Abroad Ambassadors
Students who have/are studying abroad Both international and domestic students 3 Education Abroad Ambassadors attend each training session

Assist with Orientation & Preparations, Student Panel, Q&A Session

One-time training

Survey
Immediately before the training begins

Class Plan
8:45 9:05 am Welcome & Survey 9:05 9:20am Explanation of Simulation 9:20 9:40am Simulation 9:40 9:50am Create Reports of Observations 9:50 10:00am Presentations of Reports 10:00am 10:30am Debriefing
10:30am 11:10am Presentation & Discussion (Culture shock, Cultural transition, Cultural adjustment) ; Culture Specific Factsheet 11:10 11:30am Small Group discussion: Coping strategies 11:30am 12:00pm Student Panel

12:00-12:30pm Q & A Session

12:30 1:30pm Lunch and Closing 1:20 1:30pm Assessment

Assessment
Survey 1
Immediately before training 7 10 questions to assess general preparedness for the transition Prior international travel experience Areas of anxiety Areas of excitement Perceptions of the host country Measure how prepared students feel about living in new culture.

Survey 2
After 1 month in Study Abroad Location (Incentive - Gift card) 5- 7 short-answer questions to gauge learning and behavior : What would you regard as the biggest difference between U.S. and Swiss/ Italian culture? In what ways are these cultures similar? In which phase of the cultural adjustment process are you? Describe a cultural transition stressor you encountered in your host country. How did/are you coping with this stressor? How well do you feel that the pre-departure training session prepared you for your study abroad experience? Please explain. Which part of the training was most useful for your transition?

References
About Kent State University. Student Body Profile. (n.d.). Retrieved April 3, 2013 from http://www.kent.edu/about/facts/StudentBody.cfm Berardo, K. & Deardorff, D. (2012). Building Cultural Competence. Managing cultural transitions (pp. 183 -188). Sterling, VA: Stylus Pub. Cusher, K. & Karim, A. U. (2004) Handbook of Intercultural Training. Study abroad at the university level (pp. 289-308). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. NAFSA: Association of International Education. Trends in U.S. study abroad. (n.d.). Retrieved April 3, 2013 from http://www.nafsa.org/Explore_International_Education/Advocacy And_Public_Policy/Study_Abroad/Trends_in_U_S__Study_Abroad/ Office of Global Education at Kent State University. Education abroad at Kent State University. (n.d.). Retrieved April 3, 2013 from http://www.kent.edu/educationabroad/index.cfm Paige, R. M. & Goode, M. L. (2009). SAGE Handbook of Intercultural Competence. Intercultural competence in international education administration (pp. 333-349). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Peace Corps: Coverdell Worldwise Schools. Brief encounters: Building bridges. (n.d.). Retreived April 3, 2013 from http://wws.peacecorps.gov/wws/educators/lessonplans lesson.cfm?lpid=369 Ting-Toomey, S., & Chung, L. C. (2012). Understanding intercultural communication. (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc. Ward, C. (2001). Psychology of Culture Shock. Sojourners: International students (pp. 142-167). Hove, England: Routeledge.