• Your study abroad experience has the great potential to bring about enduring transformations in your life.
  
• The most effective programs to achieve these transformations are the ones that go beyond academic tourism and force students not just to go into another culture but to enter into this other culture and be part of this other culture ( Berry , 2002).

Kikuyu Classmates I Ngurumo Primary School, Kenya Photograph by Ron Moffatt (in remembrance)

Why Is it Important? The world in which today's students will make choices and compose lives is: – one of disruption rather than certainty, and – one of interdependence rather than insularity. To succeed in a chaotic environment, graduates will need to be – intellectually resilient, – cross-culturally and scientifically literate, – technologically adept, – ethically anchored, and – fully prepared for a future of continuous and cross- disciplinary learning ( College Learning for the New Global Century , 2007). Therefore, the most important characteristic needed for the challenges of the 21st century “is the ability to deal with serious worldwide problems as a member of a worldwide society” (Parker, Ninomiya, and Cogan 1999, 125). Your study abroad can give you the tools to face these challenges by helping you to develop cultural competencies as describe by The Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS)

1. Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS)
2. Intensity Factor Index
3. Seven Components of Overseas Programs for Level Classification

Milton J. Bennett's
Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS)

• Learn how to determine your level of intercultural sensitivity and facilitate activities to move you through the various stages

Materials taken from Paige, Cohen, Kappler, Chi, Lassegard (2002). Maximizing Study Abroad. University of Minnesota.

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• Which type of programs are more likely to move you along this continuum?

Assessing the Study Abroad Experience
Intensity Factor Index

• The psychological intensity of your study abroad program will be impacted by the ten cross-cultural stress factors as per the Intensity Factor Index
  
• The Intensity Factors Index is a tool for evaluation the psychological intensity of intercultural environments for students based on this 10 cross-cultural stress factors.

Sample of in Intensity Factor Index for an American student in the UK

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• Another way to analyze your study abroad program will be by the program components and levels or classification
  

Seven Components of Overseas Programs for Level Classification

These seven components interact in various and complex ways and the different blends of these components constitute different levels (Engle & Engle, 2003, pp. 8-11).

• Seven Components of Overseas Programs	Level Classification
  1. Length of student sojourn 2. Entry target-language competence 3. Language used in course work 4. Context of academic work 5. Types of student housing 6. Provisions for guided/structured cultural interaction and experiential learning. 7. Guided reflection on cultural experience	• Level One: Study Tour • Level Two: Short-Term Study • Level Three: Cross-Cultural Contact Program • Level Four: Cross-Cultural Encounter Program • Level Five: Cross-Cultural Immersion Program

  Program Components	Level one: Study Tour	Level Two: Short-Term Study	Level Three: Cross-Cultural Contact Program	Level Four: Cross-Cultural Encounter Program	Level Five: Cross-Cultural Immersion Program
  Duration	Several days to a few weeks	3 to 8 weeks, summer programs	Semester	Semester to academic year	Semester to academic year
  Entry target-language competence	Elementary to intermediate	Elementary to intermediate	Elementary to intermediate	Pre-advance to advance	Advance
  Language used in course work	English	English and target-language	English and target-language	Predominately target-language	Target-language in all curricular and extracurricular activities
  Academic work context	Home institution faculty	In-house or institute for foreign students	Student group or with other international students	In house students group	Local norms, partial or complete direct enrollment
  Housing	Collective	Collective and/or home stay	Collective, home stay visit, home stay rental	Home stay rental or integration home stay	Individual integration home stay
  Provisions for cultural interaction, experiential learning	None	None	None or limited	Optional participation in occasional integration activities	Required regular participation in cultural integration program, extensive direct cultural contact via service learning, work internship
  Guided reflection on cultural experience	None	Orientation program	Orientation program	Orientation program, initial and ongoing	Orientation program, mentoring, on-going orientation or course in cross-cultural perspectives, reflective writing and research

• Ability to look at and approach problems as a member of a global society.
• Ability to work with others in a cooperative way and to take responsibility for one's roles/duties within society.
• Ability to understand, accept, appreciate, and tolerate cultural differences.
• Capacity to think in a critical and systemic way.
• Willingness to resolve conflict in a nonviolent manner.
• Willingness and ability to participate in politics at local, national, and international levels.
• Willingness to change one's lifestyle and consumption habits to protect the environment.
• Ability to be sensitive toward and to defend human rights (e.g., rights of women, ethnic minorities). *

* Source: Parker, W. C., Ninomiya, A. & Cogan, J. (1999). Educating World Citizens: Toward Multinational Curriculum Development. American Educational Research Journal , 36 (2), 117-145