Abstract:
Marshall McLuhan (1962) used the metaphoric term 'global village' to highlight the symbolic shrinking of the earth brought about by the increasing use of electronic technology that facilitated the simultaneous interaction among people in distant locations with relative ease and speed. With advanced technological achievements and increased travel, education has become even more internationally mobile with border crossing among students being the rule rather than the exception. Today, studying abroad in higher education is increasingly being viewed as a regular part of education in a globalised world. Though some may argue that globalisation is a step in the right direction
towards uniting world communities and promoting social and environmental commitment, others may insist that it is a ‘double-edged sword’ which brings economic disparity to many regions. Whichever position is held, in these changing times education has become an international commodity subject to market forces. The research is designed to enable us to ascertain whether student learning is enriched in a manner that allows them to build their social and cultural capital. If social capital is “investment in
social relations by individuals through which they gain access to embedded resources to enhance expected returns of instrumental or expressive actions (Lin 1999, p. 39)” and cultural capital can be defined as “ material and symbolic goods that a society considers of worth that also includes accumulated cultural knowledge that confers power and status (Bourdieu,1996)”, then modern universities have a role in developing such capital in their graduates. This paper discusses the conceptualization and early findings from a broader longitudinal study which examines the perceived efficacy of the semester abroad experience at the University of Sydney over a period of three years. At the core of this research, is an examination of how teaching and learning is constructed and experienced. We will also examine social learning systems through the emerging communities of
practice and changes in the identities of lecturers and students who participate in study abroad and exchange programs at the Faculty of Education and Social Work and will argue that through their participation in these, students tap into that futuristic part of the society that seeks to fit into the knowledge economy with competence and confidence. In this paper, we will look at the findings gleaned from focus group sessions and the online questionnaires which were answered by newly enrolled semester abroad students who had consented to participate in the study.
Key Phrase: Higher Education
towards uniting world communities and promoting social and environmental commitment, others may insist that it is a ‘double-edged sword’ which brings economic disparity to many regions. Whichever position is held, in these changing times education has become an international commodity subject to market forces. The research is designed to enable us to ascertain whether student learning is enriched in a manner that allows them to build their social and cultural capital. If social capital is “investment in
social relations by individuals through which they gain access to embedded resources to enhance expected returns of instrumental or expressive actions (Lin 1999, p. 39)” and cultural capital can be defined as “ material and symbolic goods that a society considers of worth that also includes accumulated cultural knowledge that confers power and status (Bourdieu,1996)”, then modern universities have a role in developing such capital in their graduates. This paper discusses the conceptualization and early findings from a broader longitudinal study which examines the perceived efficacy of the semester abroad experience at the University of Sydney over a period of three years. At the core of this research, is an examination of how teaching and learning is constructed and experienced. We will also examine social learning systems through the emerging communities of
practice and changes in the identities of lecturers and students who participate in study abroad and exchange programs at the Faculty of Education and Social Work and will argue that through their participation in these, students tap into that futuristic part of the society that seeks to fit into the knowledge economy with competence and confidence. In this paper, we will look at the findings gleaned from focus group sessions and the online questionnaires which were answered by newly enrolled semester abroad students who had consented to participate in the study.
Key Phrase: Higher Education