The Benefits of Studying Abroad - Research Paper Example

Studying abroad Introduction Globalization creates many new perspectives and now many consider studying abroad. However, they are not sure if it is worth trying. If to ask those who studied abroad, they for certain will answer that this study changed their life, provided an extensive experience and excellent opportunities. Certainly, the students may not know what benefits can be taken from the long stay in the foreign state getting education. The issue is worth-discussing, thus the given work will consider the opinions of different scholars to reveal if the education abroad is really worth-considering. First of all, studying abroad is the best way of studying the foreign language. The most effective way to study the language is to plunge into the culture, which speaks the language you learn. Students are surrounded with the language on a daily basis, seeing and hearing it in an appropriate cultural context. In such conditions language can be learned fast. Moreover, studying abroad provides the chance to travel. Days off and academic breaks allow to go outside and investigate the environment. As studying abroad often makes the students move to other continents, they are much closer to places, which they would never visit otherwise. Some more structured programs of studying abroad even include excursions in the program. Studying abroad allows to get acquainted with other culture first-hand. Cultural distinctions mean more, than simply distinctions in language, food, personal habits. The culture of a personality reflects very deeply perceptions, belief and values, which influence the way of life and how a person looks at the world. “Study abroad generated a statistically significant positive effect on intercultural competence; an effect that appears to be general rather than conditional. Moreover, both covariate adjustment and propensity score matching methods generated similar results” (Hungerford Salisbury 2). Now not only the foreign students come to the United States to study but also vice versa. Table 2 shows the statistics of American students studying abroad (see Table 1) Studying abroad can provide students with good life experience. Plunged in absolutely new cultural environment, they become afraid at first sight, but it is interesting as well. It gives the chance to reveal new forces and abilities, to win new horizons and to solve new problems. Students face situations, which are completely unfamiliar for them and they will learn to adapt and react in the most effective ways. Studying abroad provides the chance to make friends worldwide (Limburg-Weber). Studying abroad, students meet not only the representatives of the culture in which they study, but also other foreign students, who are also far from home. Studying abroad help students learn more about their own personality. Students who studied abroad, come back home with new ideas and prospects concerning themselves and their own culture. Experience abroad often makes them reconsider their beliefs and values. Meeting other cultures allows students to look at their own culture differently. Studying abroad expands the students’ outlook. Many people, especially those from the developing counters, are, as a rule, not informed about the world outside their country. Students who study abroad come back home more informed and with much less prejudiced attitude towards other cultures and the people. “Students can develop new perspectives on academic subjects and real-world issues, achieve proficiency in a foreign language, experience personal growth, and develop valuable career skills” (Spiering and Erickson 315). Studying abroad gives the students the chance to escape from the students’ routine. Studying abroad is much distinctive from what that they got used to do in their homeland. They can get acquainted with absolutely new academic system, and have an opportunity to learn the material, which is not offered by the program in their country. It is also a fine opportunity to escape from monotony and routine that they go through every semester. And, certainly, studying abroad raises the possibilities of employment. According to employers, students who studied abroad are more purposeful, independent, is ready to face challenges, able to cope with various problems and situations. The experience of life and study in others country and knowledge of foreign language makes such students distinguished among other applicants. Moreover, for those who already have a degree, studying abroad can increase its value and give good language skills. Table 2 shows the results of the study conducted by Kerri Spiering and Sheri Erickson: “only four out of 28 (14%) respondents indicated the cost of study abroad as too high. While many often assume that the high cost of study abroad is deterring students from pursuing such opportunities, perhaps this statistic shows otherwise. In fact, the majority of student respondents (49% of those studying abroad and 46% of those choosing not to study abroad) indicated that although the cost was high, study abroad opportunities were worth pursuing. Similarly, outside influences such as SARS and terrorism, were not a concern for either group, with 48 per cent of the study abroad group and 71 per cent of the group not choosing study abroad as an option, indicating such outside influences were not a concern”( Spiering and Erickson 320). Studying abroad also has its disadvantages. In the most cases students have to return home or go through many unpleasant situations, because the reality may differ much from their friends’ stories. Study is usually a long process, not the ten days we spend in foreign country on vacation (Calvin). And if the cultural and language gap is too serious and results in many unpleasant moments, this may affect the study results. Very often those students who study well at home, show lower results abroad, because they spend much time to adapt to new conditions. The problem of discrimination is also relevant. Christina Lane argues that the attitude to foreign is different and worse, because the usual question asked in the University “So, where are you from?” (Lane). Thus, before going to foreign country it is necessary to learn much about it and consider your readiness for the difficulties. Conclusion Studying abroad recently became quite fashionable. Many young people who finished school dream to go to study abroad. However, before blindly following the fashion, it is essential to think, if foreign education can really bring more perspectives than the education in your own country. Before thinking about training prospects of studying abroad, it is necessary to answer the question, why you need that and what goal you pursue. In many cases it is possible to study the same specialties in the native country and in many states the professors are not worse. Therefore, in this case studying abroad is senseless. The situation is different if a student wants to receive an international level profession. It is clear, that in this case the answer to the question whether he should study abroad is positive. The majority of students who want to study abroad sets the purpose beforehand and already has a certain prospect on the future. Thus, many parents who are engaged in business try to persuade children to receive specialty in this sphere to get the qualified assistant. Some people think that if they graduate from foreign higher education institution, they will instantly become respected. Actually, in each country there is the international rating of education. From the perspective of further employment, the best prospects are possessed by the students who graduated from educational institutions in the USA and England. However, if a student gets an education in a prestigious university of his own country, he can also become a quite valuable expert of the international level. Thus, it is necessary to consider if the education in your country can be more prestigious. Anyway, before applying to higher education institution, it is necessary to learn about its level, and what prospects will be opened when the diploma is received. If the goal is not to get higher education, but just to learn foreign language, it is not necessary to go abroad, but to consider cheaper options with the same level of training. Works Cited Calvin, Monroe,. "Study abroad can be expensive but enlightening." the student newspaper of consumnes river college sacramento 10 May : 1. Print. http://www.cba.uni.edu/buscomm/internationalBusComm/cultureshock.htm#Culture Shock. Web. In the article the author explains the difficulties the students meet when they come abroad to study connected with the cost of the study and new environment. The work is very informative and very valuable for the given research as it can shed the light on the disadvantages and difficulties students can meet going to study abroad. Hungerford Salisbury, Mark The effect of study abroad on intercultural competence among undergraduate college students. University of Iowa, 2011 In the given work the author researches how the study abroad influences the intellectual competences. The results of the US students who study and do not study abroad are researched thoroughly by the authors. The work explains the benefits of studying abroad, thus it is very valuable for the given research. Lane, Kristina . So, where are you from? Community College Week . 6 Oct. 2002. Vol. 14. Web March 23, 2015. In the work Kristina Lane talks about the difficulties Arab students meet in the United States because of discrimination. The information that can be got from the paper is relevant as the problem of discrimination is the most serious. This paper is useful for this research as it helps learn about the difficulties student met when they go abroad. Limburg-Weber, L. (1999/2000). Send them packing: Study abroad as an option for gifted students. Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 11(2) In the article the author discusses the advantages of studying abroad. All the opportunities it gives are discussed in the work. The authors pay attention to the fact that gifted people have more opportunities to get education abroad as this is more valuable for them. The work is very helpful as helps reveal the reasons of difficulties of studying abroad Spiering K, Erickson S. (2006). Study abroad as innovation: Applying the diffusion model to international education. International Education Journal, 2006 The authors research studying abroad as an innovation. They provide demographic data on the study in other countries. The study as very valuable for the research as it demonstrates how many students choose to study abroad. "Open Doors Data : U.S Study Abroad Duration of Study Abroad". Institute of International Education. Web March 23, 2015 The document provides the data about the US students’ study in other countries during the last several years. The information provided informs on the quantity of students form the United States who choose to receive the education abroad. The given information is very useful for the given study as it testifies that many Americans choose the education abroad to keep intercultural competence. Appendix 1 Term Abroad 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 Summer Term 33.7 34.4 32.7 37.0 37.2 37.2 38.7 38.1 35.8 One Semester 38.5 39.0 40.3 38.1 37.5 36.9 36.3 35.5 37.38 Weeks or Less During Academic Year 7.4 7.3 9.4 8.9 8.0 9.5 9.8 11.0 11.7 January Term 7.0 6.0 5.6 5.7 6.0 5.4 6.8 7.2 7.0 Academic Year 7.3 7.8 6.7 6.0 6.0 5.3 4.3 4.1 4.1 One Quarter 4.1 3.9 3.8 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.3 Two Quarters 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.5 1.3 0.9 0.5 0.6 0.5 Total 154,168 160,920 174,629 191,321 205,983 223,534 241,791 262,416 260,327 ("Open Doors Data : U.S Study Abroad Duration of Study Abroad"). Institute of International Education. Retrieved 19 December 2010. Appendix 2 Table 2 Study abroad demographics Characteristic Study Abroad Group Not Study Abroad Group n % n % Travelled abroad before? Yes 39 53.4 17 58.6 No 34 46.6 12 41.4 High School Class Size Under 50 18 24.0 4 13.8 50-199 22 29.3 11 37.9 200-499 28 37.3 10 34.5 Over 500 7 9.4 4 13.8 Sex Female 44 58.7 22 72.9 Male 31 41.3 7 24.1 Family/friends support decision? Yes 51 68.0 18 64.3 Mixed 24 32.0 6 21.4 No 0 0.0 3 10.7 Not Sure 0 0.0 1 3.6 Academic Adviser Supportive? Yes 37 49.3 10 35.7 Not Sure 19 25.3 14 50.0 No 18 24.0 4 14.3 Costs High, worth it 37 49.3 13 46.4 Too High N/a N/a 4 14.3 Reasonable 31 41.3 9 32.1 Not part of my decision 6 8.0 2 7.2 Low 1 1.3 N/a N/a Outside influences Not a concern 36 48.0 20.0 71.4 Low 27 36.0 N/a N/a Medium 12 16.0 7.0 25.0 High, but not a factor 0 0.0 1.0 3.6 High, big factor N/a N/a 0.0 0.0 Note. Percentages adding up to less than 100 per cent were due to omitted questions. Read More