Education Abroad in a Community College: Equity-Minded Practitioner Perspective

• In Event: Sunday Roundtable Session 1:15 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Study Abroad and Cultural Exchange (Table 7)

Abstract

This qualitative case study examined, through an equity lens, the motivation and challenges associated with international program development as appraised by the faculty and administrators in a district of multiple community colleges in the US South. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four faculty members and three administrators. Thematic analysis suggests the faculty and administrators’ motivation for developing international programs was often shaped by their personal backgrounds and equity-mindedness to provide learning opportunities that every student deserves. Included in the reported challenges were institutional-level difficulties with recruiting students and getting paperwork approved. Findings shed light on the needs of education abroad that are unique to community colleges, as a locus to help make student learning outcomes more equitable than otherwise.

Authors

• Hyun-Sook Kang, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• LaTanya Kurney, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign