Equity-Focused Education Abroad in a Community College: Practitioner Perspective

Abstract

ABSTRACT This qualitative case study examines, through an educational equity lens, the motivation, challenges, and assessment associated with international program development as appraised by the faculty and administrators in a district of multiple community colleges. To this end, semi-structured interviews were conducted with four faculty members and three administrators. Policy documents at the state, district, and college levels and website program descriptions were further used to triangulate the data sources. Thematic analysis suggests the faculty and administrators’ motivation for developing international programs was often shaped by their personal backgrounds and their equity-minded visions to provide students with opportunities that every student deserves. Included in the reported challenges were institutional-level difficulties with recruiting students able and willing to study abroad, getting paperwork approved, and finding a faculty colleague willing to devote time to program development. The participants further described the success of education abroad in relation to their state’s prescribed learning outcomes, add-on global learning outcomes at the institution level, and skills needed for students’ future employment. Findings from this case study shed light on the needs of planning education abroad that are unique to community colleges, as a locus to help make education abroad a more accessible option for student learning.