have to concern themselves with
subletting or losing their student
housing. They will not fall behind in
other classes or delay graduation.
Quite often parental support is a
given as parents tend to be more
comfortable with the idea of their
student traveling with a known and
trusted professor.
academic and cultural activities
allows students to make better
connections and possibly more direct
application to what they studied
prior to leaving the classroom.
The reentry process involves
how to apply what students saw
and learned in the classroom
environment.
For example: a student tends to be
much more engaged and focused
when studying Spanish history and
culture after experiencing the body
of Diego Velasquez’ art work at the
Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain
versus experiencing the same body
of work on a projection screen in
a campus lecture hall. Once a real
life educational connection has
taken place, students tend to have a
much longer interest in the subject
matter past the final exam as the
educational connection becomes
more relevant and applicable.
Relationships are strengthened
during a faculty-led program.
Students are able to connect with their
professor while participating in fun
and engaging academic and cultural
activities, which can also be intensely
challenging. Students who develop
respectful and inquisitive relationships
with their professors often become
more engaged in the professor’s
classes upon returning from their
educational travel abroad program.
Additionally, this relationship
can foster more growth and
understanding during the actual
study abroad program in part
because the professor is present,
holding students accountable
and encouraging them to take
full advantage of their academic
programs and real time cultural
immersion. Students also tend
to hold the professor in higher
http://www.aramfo.org/
Less social students are more
comfortable with the idea of
traveling with a group of students
from their own school. Students
who participate in study abroad
experiences around or beyond
their junior year often have upperlevel course requirements to fulfill
which are only offered during
certain time frames, prohibiting
students from leaving campus for
an entire semester.
esteem as he/she becomes a
subject matter expert to the
student during this time period.
A faculty-led program is often
the perfect solution to students’
hesitations about studying abroad.
Many students choose not to study
abroad for a myriad of reasons and
factors including, but not limited to,
social activities on campus, fear of
losing their job, personal and peer
relationships, financial restraints,
falling behind in school, credit
issues, fear of housing concerns,
and worried parents.
Faculty-led
programs offer and
provide complete
academic freedom
for the professor.
The faculty
member that
leads the group
is typically able
to customize and
design their own
program based
on their academic
interests.
Since faculty-led programs are
short-term by definition, usually
lasting between 1-3 weeks and
taking place during summer or
over a school break, many of the
previously stated issues are resolved.
Short-term programs are typically
much less expensive than studying
abroad for an entire semester or
year. Additionally, most facultyled programs offer credit towards
fulfilling graduation requirements.
Students are much more inclined
to sign up for a faculty-led travel
abroad program if only leaving their
significant other for two weeks.
Many students do not have to quit
or lose their campus job. Most
students who participate in facultyled travel abroad programs do not
2016
A short-term, faculty-led program
can be the ideal solution. Again
most faculty-led programs have
either major or elective credit
offered to student participants.
Faculty-led programs offer and
provide complete academic
freedom for the professor. The
faculty member that leads the
group is typically able to customize
and design their own program
based on their academic interests.
When a literature professor visits
Pablo Neruda’s houses, he can
plan the students’ trip to Chile and
visit Santiago, Valparaiso and Isla
Negra - and incorporate Neruda’s
poetry into his curriculum and
lesson plans. It’s also a great way
for professors to travel by taking
the class beyond the classroom.
Credited faculty-led travel courses
is a fresh way to diversify your
array of options for study abroad
programs, and provides benefits
for both the university professors
and students.
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