Developing Study Abroad Developing Study Abroad Program OrientationsProgram Orientations

Office of Education AbroadOffice of Education Abroad

Ohio UniversityOhio University

Why Orientation MattersWhy Orientation Matters Sets expectations and guidelines.Sets expectations and guidelines. Builds community.Builds community. Encourages better student behavior.Encourages better student behavior. Informs students of risks & realities on-site.Informs students of risks & realities on-site. Minimizes risk of litigation due to inaccurate Minimizes risk of litigation due to inaccurate

or misleading information.or misleading information. Leads to more successful student Leads to more successful student

experiences.experiences.

OEA Orientation: Bobcats AbroadOEA Orientation: Bobcats Abroad Student Code of Conduct/Conditions of Participation.Student Code of Conduct/Conditions of Participation. Avoiding political rallies and confrontational situations.Avoiding political rallies and confrontational situations. General safety guidelines.General safety guidelines. Appropriate alcohol use.Appropriate alcohol use. Safe sex.Safe sex. General health guidelines.General health guidelines. How to respond in an emergency How to respond in an emergency (keeping perspective, (keeping perspective,

knowing who to call/where to go).knowing who to call/where to go). Managing Managing expectations (academic, cultural, and personal).expectations (academic, cultural, and personal). OHIO requirementsOHIO requirements (embassy registration, HTH insurance, (embassy registration, HTH insurance,

copies of passports and flight itineraries to OEA).copies of passports and flight itineraries to OEA). Identity issues.Identity issues. Cross-cultural communication.Cross-cultural communication. Logistical tips from returned students Logistical tips from returned students (packing, travel deals, (packing, travel deals,

etc.).etc.).

The Nuts and Bolts: Orientation The Nuts and Bolts: Orientation BasicsBasics

All study abroad orientations should include:All study abroad orientations should include: Site-specific health and safety information.Site-specific health and safety information. Advice on logistical matters.Advice on logistical matters. Cultural norms and appropriate cultural Cultural norms and appropriate cultural

behavior.behavior.

Site-Specific Health and Safety Site-Specific Health and Safety Information.Information.

Students should be aware of:Students should be aware of: Risks associated with site.Risks associated with site. Recommended or required immunizations and Recommended or required immunizations and

medications.medications. Meeting places and responsible persons during Meeting places and responsible persons during

emergency.emergency. Laws of host country.Laws of host country.

Students should receive:Students should receive: HTH insurance card and brochure.HTH insurance card and brochure. Emergency card with appropriate information.Emergency card with appropriate information.

Logistical SupportLogistical Support

Students should receive:Students should receive:

Course request form and information on Course request form and information on academics.academics.

Direction on arrival to site, including travel Direction on arrival to site, including travel from airport to lodging.from airport to lodging.

Detailed, printed program itinerary.Detailed, printed program itinerary. Required paperwork for OEA and hosting Required paperwork for OEA and hosting

organization.organization.

Logistical Support, Cont’d…Logistical Support, Cont’d…

Students should be informed about:Students should be informed about:

Travel documents and timelines. Travel documents and timelines. Check carefully and use OEA as a resource.Check carefully and use OEA as a resource. This will be different for non-US citizens.This will be different for non-US citizens.

Weather at destination.Weather at destination. Packing list and culturally-appropriate dress.Packing list and culturally-appropriate dress. Communication– calling cards, cell phones, Communication– calling cards, cell phones,

e-mail, skype.e-mail, skype.

Logistical Support, Cont’d…Logistical Support, Cont’d…

Students should also be informed about:Students should also be informed about:

Money matters- exchange rates and where Money matters- exchange rates and where to exchange money. How to carry $ and to exchange money. How to carry $ and make payments.make payments.

Meals and types of food that will be Meals and types of food that will be available.available.

Resources available on-site.Resources available on-site. Program rules and disciplinary procedures.Program rules and disciplinary procedures.

Cultural Norms and Culturally Cultural Norms and Culturally Appropriate BehaviorAppropriate Behavior

Inform students of gestures, terminology, or Inform students of gestures, terminology, or behaviors that may be inappropriate in host behaviors that may be inappropriate in host culture.culture.

Share resources for learning about culture:Share resources for learning about culture: International students, returned students.International students, returned students. Literature.Literature. Films.Films. Periodicals.Periodicals. Culture Grams.Culture Grams.

Inform students of host country practices or Inform students of host country practices or beliefs that may differ from US. American views.beliefs that may differ from US. American views.

Additional IdeasAdditional Ideas

Q&A with returned students or students from Q&A with returned students or students from host country.host country.

Have students do their own research and Have students do their own research and present on what they’ve learned.present on what they’ve learned.

Include resources for LGBT students and Include resources for LGBT students and multicultural students.multicultural students.

Have students collaborate on a project to build Have students collaborate on a project to build community.community.

Consider making your orientation for-credit.Consider making your orientation for-credit. Consider involving parents in your orientations. Consider involving parents in your orientations.

Program Orientations and Program Orientations and Experiential Education Experiential Education

“Tell me and I will forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand.”

– Chinese proverb

Involving and engaging students in reflective exercises at every stage of the study abroad process:

Promotes active learning Strengthens group relationships Encourages personal development

Experiential Education, Cont’d…Experiential Education, Cont’d…

“Experience alone is

insufficient to be called

experiential education, and

it is the reflection process

which turns experience into

experiential education.” (Joplin, 1995).

Image from: http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/enviroprojects/what.html

Maximizing Study AbroadMaximizing Study Abroad Study abroad orientation and culture-Study abroad orientation and culture-

learning curriculum developed by the learning curriculum developed by the Center for Advance Research on Center for Advance Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) at the Language Acquisition (CARLA) at the University of Minnesota.University of Minnesota.

Audience: students, language instructors, Audience: students, language instructors, study abroad professionals.study abroad professionals.

Goal: To prepare students for the Goal: To prepare students for the language and culture learning that will language and culture learning that will occur abroad.occur abroad.

Discovering your Cultural Discovering your Cultural DiversityDiversity

p. 187 in Maximizing Study Abroad Guidep. 187 in Maximizing Study Abroad Guide Summary: Students list words that describe Summary: Students list words that describe

a significant part of who they are and a significant part of who they are and debrief the activity as a group.debrief the activity as a group.

Goal: Encourages students to reflect upon Goal: Encourages students to reflect upon their identity and how they may be their identity and how they may be perceived abroad.perceived abroad.

Contact Office of Education Abroad for Contact Office of Education Abroad for this resource.this resource.

Core Cultural Values & Culture Core Cultural Values & Culture MappingMapping

p. 221-226 in Maximizing Study Abroad p. 221-226 in Maximizing Study Abroad Guide.Guide.

Summary: Students are presented with a Summary: Students are presented with a handout describing various cultural values handout describing various cultural values (Individualism vs. Collectivism, Equality vs. (Individualism vs. Collectivism, Equality vs. Hierarchy). They are asked to rank their own Hierarchy). They are asked to rank their own values, American cultural values, and the values, American cultural values, and the values of their host culture along this values of their host culture along this continuum.continuum.

Contact Office of Education Abroad for this resource.Contact Office of Education Abroad for this resource.

My Personal Coping StrategiesMy Personal Coping Strategies

p. 283-4, 293-8 in Maximizing Study p. 283-4, 293-8 in Maximizing Study Abroad.Abroad.

Summary: Students review the stages of Summary: Students review the stages of cross-cultural adjustment and brainstorm cross-cultural adjustment and brainstorm some coping strategies for culture shock. some coping strategies for culture shock. They also review scenarios and give advice They also review scenarios and give advice for successfully crossing cultures.for successfully crossing cultures.

Contact Office of Education Abroad for this resource.Contact Office of Education Abroad for this resource.

Using Technology Using Technology

How to use Blackboard:How to use Blackboard: Create a “Non-term based course”.Create a “Non-term based course”. Contact Service Desk at 593-1222.Contact Service Desk at 593-1222.

Consider a program web site or blog.Consider a program web site or blog. Sample: http://www.bobcatsabroad.com/dia/Sample: http://www.bobcatsabroad.com/dia/ Use for:Use for:

• Student BlogsStudent Blogs• ItinerariesItineraries• Updates for parentsUpdates for parents

Student orientation is a Student orientation is a continuing processcontinuing process

Encourage students to reflect on their experience before, during, and after their study abroad program. Journaling Group reflection questions Returned student gathering

ResourcesResources

State Department: www.travel.state.govState Department: www.travel.state.govCenters for Disease Control: www.cdc.govCenters for Disease Control: www.cdc.govTravel guides – Lonely Planet, Let’s Go, Frommer’sTravel guides – Lonely Planet, Let’s Go, Frommer’sPeriodicals / Online news sites – international sections of Periodicals / Online news sites – international sections of

US periodicals and international newspapers.US periodicals and international newspapers.Association for Experiential Education: http://www.aee.org/ Association for Experiential Education: http://www.aee.org/ Paige, R. M., Cohen, A.D., Kappler, B., Chi, J.C. & Paige, R. M., Cohen, A.D., Kappler, B., Chi, J.C. &

Lassegard, J. P. (2002). Lassegard, J. P. (2002). Maximizing Study Abroad: A Maximizing Study Abroad: A Student’s Guide to Strategies for Language and Culture Student’s Guide to Strategies for Language and Culture Learning and UseLearning and Use. University of Minnesota: Center for . University of Minnesota: Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition.Advanced Research on Language Acquisition.

Culturegrams: http://www.culturegrams.com/Culturegrams: http://www.culturegrams.com/