ERIC Number: EJ1340649
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2151-0393
EISSN: N/A
Professionalization of Virtual Education Abroad: Where Are We in the Innovation-Decision Process?
Feld, Susanne
Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education, v13 n5S p38-45 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic upended the Education Abroad (EA) field when inperson programming and travel became impossible. In order to continue offering international experiences to students, many universities and organizations developed virtual EA offerings (VEA). This article presents data from a study that examined educators' experiences creating, facilitating, and administering these programs through a qualitative survey and optional follow-up semistructured interview. Including the reflections of 51 EA practitioners, the data reveal positive outcomes and strong support for the continuation of VEA even post-pandemic; the implications of this research are that VEA is an important part of an EA organization's portfolio and merits additional research. Using Sahin's application of Rogers' Theory of Diffusion of Innovations on incorporating technology into education, this paper considers what stage EA stakeholders are at now in the process of accepting the use of the virtual space in the field.
Descriptors: Electronic Learning, Study Abroad, COVID-19, Pandemics, Online Courses, Program Development, Outcomes of Education, Program Design, Educational Innovation
Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education. 3107 B Hampton Highway, Yorktown, VA 23693. e-mail: oic213@lehigh.edu; Web site: https://www.ojed.org/index.php/jcihe/index
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A