Study Abroad: Planning and Study Abroad: Planning and Development, Successes and Development, Successes and

ChallengesChallenges

1) Multidisciplinary Study Abroad in Ireland 1) Multidisciplinary Study Abroad in Ireland (University of Pittsburgh)(University of Pittsburgh)

2) Models, challenges, lessons and future 2) Models, challenges, lessons and future developmentsdevelopments

Janice E. Vance, Ph.D.Assistant Professor

Director of Undergraduate Education

Dept. of Communication Science and Disorders

University of Pittsburgh

Overview of today’s talkOverview of today’s talk Brief introduction to SHRS Study Abroad in Ireland:

o History, objectives, structure, academics and more Putting our faculty-led programs in perspective –

• Models and options for study abroad

The… what, where, who, how, when ……. The hard stuff• planning, funding, implementing The scary stuff • health and safety, insurance, liability

And after all that – why? The benefits – to students, faculty, the university, study abroad

sites…. Globalization and cultural competency – what are these and how

do we promote them? What next…..?

Tanzania and beyond……..

A brief history of the SHRS A brief history of the SHRS

programprogram• How – originally sponsored by European

Studies Center, UCIS. Now self-sustaining…• When – started in 2006• What – originally an Integrated Field Trip

Abroad (IFTA) linked with a course: CSD 1011• Why – to provide a study abroad opportunity

specifically for students in Communication Science (planning careers in Language Pathology and Audiology)

• Who – rising CSD seniors (12 students)

Since then…….Since then…….• Developed into a multi-disciplinary program:• 2007:

o opened to Rehabilitation Sciences students (future careers in PT, OT, PA, pre-med)

o (14 students)

• 2008 – present: o Extended from 2 to 3 weekso CSD, RS, Clinical Dietetics and Nutrition and Athletic Trainingo (18 – 25 students each year)

129 SHRS students have participated over the past 7 years

Ireland – one island, two Ireland – one island, two

countriescountries

• BELFAST (UK) - Capital of Northern Ireland

• Population of NI: 1.5 million• Stable population, but increasing number • of immigrant from eastern Europe• Health and Education structure same as UK

• DUBLIN – Capital of Southern Ireland (Eire, Republic of Ireland)

• Independent country from the UK• Population of Ireland: 5 ½ million and growing• Multicultural city due to large immigration from

Eastern Europe and asylum seekers from Africa• Health and Education systems different from UK

Program ObjectivesProgram Objectives To provide students in the rehabilitation sciences

with an opportunity to study abroad in a program related to their specific interests

To expose the students to different models of health care and education across three countries (USA, UK and Ireland)

To expose the students to clinical practice across a range of disciplines – developing interdisciplinary understanding and exposure to multidisciplinary teamwork – health and education

To develop cultural competence…..

Topics addressedTopics addressed• Health care structure, delivery systems, referral

and reimbursement (history, current issues)• Educational structure, services for individuals

with disability• Attitudes to disability• Scope of practice of each profession• Role of the interdisciplinary team in assessment

and management• Public policy, economic, social and cultural issues

affecting services and professional practice• Research for clinical practice and evidence-based

care

• Resources and services for specific conditions and disabilitieso Autismo Physical disability in childreno Cognitive (learning) disability in childreno Speech and language disorders in childreno Hearing and visual impairments in childreno Swallowing deficits – children and adultso Nutritional deficits and diabeteso Stroke and head injury in adultso Acquired hearing deficits o Cochlear implants

• Belfast sites o University of Ulster

• Clinical Dietetics – research and practiceo University of Ulster

• Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Rehabilitation Instituteo Fleming Fulton School for children with physical

disabilityo Harberton School for children with moderate

learning deficitso Oakwood Special Unit for early autism interventiono Thornfield School – Language Learning Projecto Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast

• Regional Acquired Brain Injury Unit

o Jordanstown School for Children with Auditory or Visual Impairments

• Dublin sites oDeafhear • (National Association for Deaf People) –

hearing help program for adults with acquired hearing loss

o St. James’s Teaching Hospital – • SLP, PT, OT and CDN departments

oBeacon Hospital – UPMC private hospital• all disciplines including nursing and

social work.

Course WorkCourse Work Prior to trip (Course CSD 1903 – 1 credit)

discussions, papers and quizzes on history, health and education systems– US, UK and Ireland

Multidisciplinary team presentations on conditions/disorders and services in US

During and after trip (Course 1904 – 3 credits) Journal writing (ROLs) –academic, clinical and

cultural insights Group discussions lead by multi-disciplinary

teams Multidisciplinary team presentations on UK and

Irish services for specific conditions/disorders Final academic paper on chosen topic – in multi-

disciplinary teams

Future plansFuture plans• Depending on resources at home and in Ireland• Extend to 4 weeks• Open to pre-med, nursing, education, psychology,

social work …..• Change structure to accommodate more and

wider range of studentso Core coursework for all – history, culture, structure and

services in education, healthcare and social serviceso Specialized courseworko Core site visits for allo Specialized site visits

Models of study Models of study abroadabroad

1) Exchange programs2) Off-the-shelf programs – run by 3rd party providers or other universities 3) University sponsored programsoBuilt and led by instructor

4) Service-learning programs/research projects

1) Exchange programs1) Exchange programs• Reciprocity arrangements between universities

o Student takes classes offered from regular curriculum of host university

o Credit for credit .. or …body for bodyo15 credits – spread over 5 students (summer)o1 student taking 15 credits (full semester)

o Tend to develop through university/faculty contactso Pros and cons • Study with local students• Useful for less popular countries• Separate contracts required for each exchange

2) Off-the-shelf programs2) Off-the-shelf programs• Designed and administered by 3rd party

providers (for-profit businesses)o Several hundred providers (several thousand

programs!)o Local university affiliation (university of record)o Develop curricula, hire instructors, provide

infrastructure - classrooms, housing, staff, orientation, meals, health and safety, insurance, internship/clinical sites

o Some have close relationship with specific US universities

o US faculty may teach one or more courses in a program

• Pros and cons

oOpportunities for students (and faculty) at small colleges/study abroad offices

oDirect enroll oppportunitieso ExpenseoQuality

o Pitt evaluations

3) Faculty developed and 3) Faculty developed and led led

• Pitt Panther programs (40-50 by end 2015)• Discipline-specific or multidisciplinary• Supported (and funded) by university

o Legal supporto Insurance and liability

• Study Abroad Office support and ‘back-up’o Logistics – flights, accommodation…..o Financial safety neto Emergency – health and other

Not for the faint-Not for the faint-hearted!hearted!

• Setting up a program – you will need:o Good local contactso First-hand knowledge of location – physical and

culturalo Safe housing, transport, food, watero Classroom facilities for meeting/teachingo Knowledge of local health and emergency

serviceso Language competenceo Strong home university support system o Good communication systems

• Setting up a program – continuedo Flexible and hard-working colleagueso Time to plan and develop o Time and resources for recruitingo Leave or buy-out time to run programo Initial funding – buy-out, funds to travel

for program developmentoGood budgeting skillsAnd…..

• Pros and consoDiscipline-specifico Focusedo FlexibleoCreative

o Time-consuming and labor-intensiveoChallenging on multiple levelsoRisky

4) Service 4) Service learning/research projectslearning/research projects• Purpose

o Site selectiono Activities or projects….determined by whom?o Required skills and qualificationo HIPAA and IRBo Materials and equipmento Supervisiono Transport and safetyo Liability issueso Health and other safety issues

Why do students study Why do students study abroad?abroad?

• A student’s perspective and motivation:o Travel abroad - organizedo Learn about another cultureo Develop world viewo Learn another languageo Learn about myself – be more independento Build resumeo Program/career specific• ‘See how things are done in another

country’• Enhance possibilities of working abroad in

professional field

The educator’s perspectiveThe educator’s perspective• The ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’…….

• Academic goals

• Global competence

• Cultural competence

• How to evaluateo Programso Students’ learning