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Semester at Sea Global Studies Program
Get PDFIncreasing intercultural competence in students is becoming extremely important to institutions around the United States. With the current trends in higher education, study abroad programs need to address intercultural competence as a necessity for the global age (Fantini, 1995). There is no clear consensus on how intercultural competence should be defined. Despite the varied definitions, the need for preparing students for an interconnected world could not be more important.
There has been a recent push for assessing intercultural competence in study abroad programs. Many institutions and organizations claim that their programs are developing global citizens and intercultural competence, but they do not describe how they are developing these competencies. Intercultural competence, for most, does not “just happen.” It must be intentionally addressed in higher education programs, experiences, and courses.
The Semester at Sea (SAS) Global Studies Program (GSP) has been remodeled to support students in understanding the importance of intercultural competence on the ship and in a port. Intentionally addressing intercultural competence in co-curricular activities can provide a more comprehensive and integrated approach, while aiding students on their intercultural discovery. Successful intercultural interactions are at the heart of study abroad; therefore, it is worth investigating the criteria by which SAS in-country programs help students become more culturally sensitive and less ethnocentric. SAS believes in providing students with a hands-on field experience in-country. Thus, it is necessary to discover what kind of GSP curriculum would mirror the students’ learning outside the classroom. This expanded program will support SAS participants in further engaging in global initiatives while in-country
The Communicative Functions of Language: An Exploration of Roman Jakobson’s Theory in TESOL
Get PDFLanguage is an essential instrument of human expression and communication. In the field of TESOL, much attention is given to the what (vocabulary as building blocks) and the how (grammar as a blueprint for construction) but we seldom explicitly address why language matters in terms of the greater purpose it serves. Roman Jakobson’s model of the communicative functions of language is a compelling framework through which the overarching aims of language can be examined for richer ESL/EFL instruction and more effective, comprehensive use on the part of English language learners. This paper is an exposition and exploration of the model in parts and in tandem, as well as a guide to applying its referential, conative, emotive, phatic, poetic and metalinguistic functions in TESOL contexts
Jordanian Public University Student Voter Participation in Parliamentary Elections
Get PDFMany researchers have studied the association between Jordanian parliamentary elections participation and influential factors such as national origin, and tribe. Although scholars have identified the clear relationship between tribal heritage and voter decision making, such a distinction has not been studied amongst university students specifically. The purpose of this study is to identify and quantify the correlations between various factors of student life and the decision to participate in Jordanian parliamentary elections. Specifically, this research focuses on the potential influences of national origin, tribal affiliation, and current living environment (including school environment). Data was collected at six Jordanian public universities located in the southern, central, and northern regions of the country. Specifically, the researcher collected data through observation, professor and student interviews, and surveys. Throughout all aspects of the study, the researcher operates with the null hypothesis that there is no relation between various aspects of student personal and public life and the decision to vote. The research is conducted with the alternative hypothesis that there is a relation between personal and public factors and the university student’s decision to vote
Mental Health Support for Students During Study Abroad
Get PDFThis paper will be looking at Wesleyan University student’s mental health during their study abroad experience. The research question analyzed how well-prepared Wesleyan University students felt for mental health issues during study abroad, what resources they had and used, what resources they would have found helpful, and what affected their mental health. Emerging adults are such a variant group and no student’s needs will be the same for all, but guidance and resources can still be provided.
The research was conducted through a twenty-question survey sent out to returned study abroad students at Wesleyan University. Seventy-three responses were received.
It was found that the majority of students either did not feel well prepared or only felt somewhat prepared. There is no accurate way to predict which students will struggle with mental health during studying abroad. Students used more coping mechanisms than resources provided by the program or Wesleyan University. The most highly recommended suggestion for the Office of Study Abroad at Wesleyan was hearing other student’s stories with mental health and study abroad.
With these findings, I developed eight suggestions for Wesleyan University’s Office of Study Abroad which are: move beyond culture shock, create a more open and safe communication with students, Wesleyan University students prefer to be self-sufficient, mental health problems can vary based on location and the student’s identity, staff and students should know about triggers that can occur during study abroad, set realistic expectations for study abroad for students, and finally, not every student will think mental health is a concern- talk about it anyway
Missing the Message: Advocating for Action in Human Rights
Get PDFThis research addresses two basic yet exhaustive questions dictating the field of human rights advocacy. The first question surrounds the feasibility of implementing a universal list of human rights across contexts, and whether the attachment of moral values to discussions of human rights further obfuscates the ability to enforce them. What are universal human rights, and how do culture and politics challenge efforts to implement them? Three case studies, the Iranian revolution, the Rwandan genocide and the Salvadoran civil war, provide the backdrop to discuss practical strategies underlying ostensible human rights interventions and the tipping points at which those strategic goals led to intervention. The second question addresses the practical approaches to elicit action against human rights violations and provide protections for those in need. How can local groups or actors most effectively appeal to international audiences for intervention in human rights violations? The goal is to provide clear analysis of how those advocating for intervention can effectively appeal to relevant strategies rather than morality in order to reach the tipping point sooner
Una aproximación al proceso de construcción de la identidad cultural coreano-argentina en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires / An Approach to the Korean-Argentine Ethnic and Cultural Identity in the City of Buenos Aires
No full textKorean migration to Argentina is still fairly new, with the first migrants having arrived in the 1960s. However, the population of Koreans in Argentina has created a collective society large enough to be named its own Barrio. The purpose of this research is to investigate the construction of ethnic identity among Korean-Argentines living in the city of Buenos Aires in Argentina. In this process, the investigation considers the relationship between discrimination and ethnic-identity formation, as well as the importance of the knowledge and practice of heritage language, customs, and rituals in the familiar world in order to maintain ethnic-identity. Furthermore, this investigation considers the Korean migrants of the 1, 1.5, and 2 generation who are in someway connected to the social network of Barrio Coreano or Baek-ku.
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La migración coreana a la Argentina sigue siendo relativamente nueva, con los primeros migrantes llegados en la década de 1960. Sin embargo, la población de coreanos en Argentina ha creado una sociedad colectiva lo suficientemente grande como para conformar su propio Barrio. El propósito de esta investigación es examinar la construcción de la identidad étnica entre los coreano-argentinos que viven en la ciudad de Buenos Aires en Argentina. En este proceso, la investigación considera la relación entre la discriminación y la formación étnica-identitaria, así como la importancia del conocimiento y la práctica del lenguaje hereditario, costumbres y rituales en el mundo familiar para mantener la identidad étnica. Además, esta investigación considera a los emigrantes coreanos de las generaciones 1, 1.5 y 2 que de alguna manera están conectados a la red social de Barrio Coreano o Baek-ku
Maternity Care: A Case Study at Centro de Parto Normal
Get PDFAn overwhelming percentage of Brazil’s population has caesarean births (C-sections), and during pregnancies many women endure violations of their rights such as mental and physical abuse. The main objective of my community study project (CSP) is to learn more about normal childbirth through fieldwork at Centro de Parto Normal (CPN). The goal is to understand how CPN’s approach and principles create a better birthing experience with quality maternity care. My second objective is to learn how CPN mitigate issues with accessibility to health facilities, especially in Brown and Black locations. A general goal is to share my acquired knowledge and promote women to gain agency over their births through a brochure about my experience. Methods used include participant-as-observation, observer-as-participant, three interviews. Data includes observations from watching births, seeing the infrastructure of CPN, participating in pregnancy circles, and statistical data from the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IGBE).
From this experience I have made personal and academic growth. I learned about the benefits of non-pharmaceutical pain relief and the abundance of ways to deliver a baby. There is no roadmap to how a birth should happen; each woman has a unique experience that is specific to her needs and desires. Personally, I have decided what type of birthing experience I want to have for myself, and I have realized that strong connections are able to form even with a language barrier. This process of experiential learning and engaging with a community has made me more committed to fighting for women’s rights and more dedicated to continuing educating myself and decolonizing my thoughts.
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Uma porcentagem esmagadora da população brasileira tem nascimentos de cesariana (C-seções) e, durante a gravidez, muitas mulheres sofrem violações de seus direitos, como abuso mental e físico. O objetivo principal do meu projeto de estudo comunitário (CSP) é aprender mais sobre o parto normal através do trabalho de campo no Centro de Parto Normal (CPN). O objetivo é entender como a abordagem e os princípios do CPN criam uma melhor experiência de parto com cuidados maternidade de qualidade. O meu segundo objetivo é aprender como o CPN mitiga os problemas com a acessibilidade das instalações de saúde, especialmente nos locais Brown e Black. Um objetivo geral é compartilhar meus conhecimentos adquiridos e promover as mulheres para obter agência sobre seus nascimentos através de uma brochura sobre minha experiência. Os métodos utilizados incluem participantes-como-observação, observador-como-participante, três entrevistas. Os dados incluem observações de observação de nascimentos, ver a infraestrutura do CPN, participar de círculos de gravidez e dados estatísticos do IGBE.
A partir dessa experiência, fiz um crescimento pessoal e acadêmico. Aprendi sobre os benefícios do alívio da dor não-farmacêutico e a abundância de maneiras de entregar um bebê. Não há um roteiro sobre como um nascimento deve acontecer; Cada mulher tem uma experiência única que é específica para suas necessidades e desejos. Pessoalmente, eu decidi o tipo de experiência de parto que eu quero ter para mim e percebi que conexões fortes podem se formar mesmo com uma barreira de idioma. Esse processo de aprendizagem experiencial e envolvimento com uma comunidade me fez mais empenhado em lutar pelos direitos das mulheres e mais dedicado a continuar educando-me e descolonizando meus pensamentos
Ewondo in the Classes, French for the Masses. Mother-Tongue Education in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Get PDFCameroon is home to over two hundred eighty native languages coming from three language families, making it one of the most linguistically diverse countries on Earth. Despite this, native languages hold very few domains in Cameroonian society. In recent years, several experimental programs have begun to implement native languages in schools citing that children learn best in their mother tongue. Among these include ELAN-Afrique, an initiative put forth by La Francophonie with the main aim of helping students better learn French by way of their mother tongue. This paper seeks to differentiate the benefits prescribed or expected by overhead actors from the actual benefits occurring at one Ewondo-medium ELAN school in Yaoundé. The study includes a series of twenty interviews with program leadership, linguists, NGOs, as well as teachers and parents of students enrolled in the program. Claims made in interviews were then validated or refuted by classroom observation. The program’s main flaw is the assumption that the students’ mother tongue is Ewondo when in reality, due to their urban upbringing, the students’ mother tongue is French. This causes the reality of the program to differ fundamentally from the expectations of La Francophonie as some benefits are negated, some manifest differently than expected, and some appear never having been predicted
Music as the Guide on the Pathway to Empowerment and Wellbeing. A Narrative on an arts-based Holistic Health Solution.
Get PDFThis study explored music as the guide on the pathway to empowerment and wellbeing at a nonprofit organization called Durban Music School. Using narrative inquiry, I have collected stories from different people involved with Durban Music school as well my own observations and reflections. Through finding empowerment through music myself, I was able to add in my personal experiences to compliment the experience of others. Using informal interviews and conversations, direct observations, journaling, and playing guitar as a method of inner reflection, I looked to explore through stories how underprivileged individuals have found empowerment through their musical journey. Out of the nine participants that participated, only three are current students at Durban Music School. The other participants are the teachers and the CEO at Durban Music School as well as one parent. Main themes from the stories include the importance of voice, vision, discipline, value, and community. Overall, there seemed to be evidence of positive impacts on the student’s self-image and self-worth. Previous studies and literature are included in the study that emphasize the same findings. While this study was not in-depth or significant enough to make any conclusions about health behavior change, the positive impacts cannot be overlooked or ignored. This project adds personal stories to complement existing research on this topic
Health Literacy Skills of Aging Populations and Its Impact on the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease
Get PDFCardiovascular disease (CVD) represents a threat to both the economic and social well being of Switzerland. Cardiovascular disease is easily a preventable disease, yet continues to take over the world. One’s ability to read and comprehend health information from medical professionals is a vital component of maintaining and improving an individuals’ overall health. Health literacy can have an impact on the effectiveness of preventive interventions in health behaviors and the success of health outcomes. Studies have shown that well-educated and financially improved persons have a higher health competence than lower educated persons.1 Given that cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the developed country of Switzerland, it is evident that the prevention of the disease is affected by health education.
The lifestyle behaviors and foundations of adult health are laid in early life, especially for cardiovascular disease patients. Cardiovascular disease prevention strategies must go beyond addressing the environmental, political and social factors that determine the risk of CVD, but the need to address health education, health literacy, health communication and individual health behaviors.2 Health literacy is a necessary ingredient for improved community, greater adherence to cardiovascular treatment regimens, greater ability to engage in appropriate self-care, improve health status, and greater efficiency and cost savings to the health system as a whole.3 In this study, I have examined the relationship between health literacy and health outcomes, especially regarding cardiovascular disease (and its risk factors), to determine if higher health literacy skills in elderly patients are correlated with successful prevention and interventions strategies