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The iframe version

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Data visualization from Many Eyes

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Cameron

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Chelsey Collins

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Northern Kentucky Republican Office Calls Registered Republicans

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Written Story Assignment

Mary Cupito — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 03:52:30 +0000

International Travel vs. Studying Abroad

Students might loathe the classroom environment and seek a means of academic adventure elsewhere. The learned masses are afforded that opportunity with study abroad programs. But are those programs really worth the investment? This is a question frequently weighed by students and their parents when considering study abroad programs as a means to further their investment in education.

There are an increasing number of students who travel abroad and it continues to grow. According to a study by the Institute of International Education, a record 241,791 U.S. college students went abroad in 2006-07 for college credit (http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-11-16-study-abroad_N.htm). This was an 8% increase from the previous year, and nearly 150% more than a decade earlier, the report says. The Institute is a non-profit New York-based group that tracks international enrollment trends with U.S. State Department funding.

Some would argue that studying with a group as a young adult, while gaining credit, is the best means of global exploration. Yet, there is a chance that such an opportunity might shelter the average student from cultural experiences that could otherwise be missed. Studying with a group and a predetermined schedule could prevent students from venturing off the beaten path.

Warner Allen, 31, is one person who would argue against study abroad programs being better than independent travel for education. As a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University and Northern Kentucky University for separate degrees, Allen says that studying abroad with a school organized group most certainly takes away from a potentially life changing experience.

Allen has not only studied abroad, but also travelled across Europe as a member of the U.S. amateur soccer team. Allen said, “There was a drastic difference between travelling with the team and with the school.” Allen has completed a BA as well as a MBA in PR and Journalism.

He says that although he has been many places for work and leisure, he still feels like he missed many things missed in his organized trips.

Allen said, “We would wake up with a set schedule in school and have to follow it. There was no room for debate. We ate at preapproved places and stayed in prearranged hotels. I always wondered what it would’ve been like to just leave the group.”

Allen said that he learned a lot more with the team than he did with the school. Allen said they always found great places to eat and always met interesting people. With the school, Allen said, they would have been cut short in conversation. But with the team, Allen said “if we weren’t training, we were able to do whatever we liked. As long as we were up and ready for training the next day of course.”

Others are not so sure, however, about the effectiveness of travelling alone versus traveling with school abroad. Charles Snow, 59, has spent most of his life travelling around the world. Snow is a college graduate who used the limited study abroad resources provided through school to see the world. Snow said, “Sure, travel is great when you are with friends or by yourself. But when I travel, I go to have a good time. Memorizing [the] history of where I am is usually the last thing on my mind.”

Snow said, “Sure I learned a lot. When I was with school there was much to learn, but I can’t remember any of it now.” Snow said that he learned valuable skills that cannot be taught in a class room. Snow said, “I learned things like, how to negotiate cab fare, and cultural norms and things like that. There’s really no way you can make a curriculum around that.” Snow believes that it is more important and culturally beneficial to travel independently than through school.

However, Martha Bell, 52, a former professor of Politics at the University of Kentucky, said that she believes it depends on the person. “Some people are just more receptive than others,” said Bell. “If you are receptive, you tend to learn quite a bit with a study group abroad. But if you are alone and receptive, you can potentially take more from the experience.”

Northern Kentucky University offers study abroad programs in 35 countries on 6 continents across the globe(http://studyabroad.nku.edu/start/scholarship.php). The programs can range from one week to one year with varying options of length of time in between. They’re study abroad programs appear to fit virtually any schedule. The International Study Scholarship amount has also been increased to $3,000. Students can earn up to this amount or half the cost of the trip, whichever is less, based on their financial need.

Bell said she has travelled during her years at college and has also travelled to many other places on her own, often staying away for months at a time. Bell said, “If you think of it this way, you learn a lot of information about where you are visiting, as always, when you travel with study abroad programs. But, it teaches you nothing about budgeting money, or organizing travel plans. You just miss out on all the experiences of adulthood and independence.”

Weighing the difference between in studying abroad Bell said, “That [it] all depends on what you are looking for when you get on that plane. Do you want the credit and the security? Or do you want the danger, the adventure, the independence of traveling alone?” (http://travel.state.gov/)

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