An Examination of Agriculture Faculty Members\u27 Involvement in and Perceptions of Study Abroad Programs

Globalization and internationalization are not new concepts. In the context of higher education, globalization can be viewed as the environment in which contemporary institutions function, while internationalization refers to the actions taken by universities and colleges in response to the changing environment. While internationalizing education has become popular rhetoric among institutions of higher education, is necessary to reflect on the actualization of internationalization goals in the closing of the decade. Can we hope to provide mechanisms for student engagement on an international level without continuing engagement of university faculty? As suggested by prior research, the answer is no. Faculty involvement in and perceptions of study abroad can influence significantly students’ decision to study abroad. However, research conducted to examine faculty involvement and the factors influencing their involvement remains limited. This dissertation study was conducted with agriculture teaching faculty at two 1862 land-grant institutions to gain a better understanding of agriculture teaching faculty involvement in and perceptions of study abroad. The objectives of this dissertation were organized and addressed by way of three articles in a series. An integrated review of literature was employed in article one to (a) describe the role of faculty in study abroad, (b) identify specific activities that constitute faculty involvement in study abroad, (c) identify institutional, professional, and personal dimension factors that influence faculty involvement in study abroad, and (d) propose a conceptual model for explaining faculty involvement in study abroad. Article two was conducted to provide a descriptive and comparative analysis of faculty involvement by institutional, professional and personal dimension factors. Lastly, structural equation modeling was employed in article three to provide a more in-depth examination of the structural relationships between variables in the personal dimension and faculty involvement in study abroad. A conceptual framework for examining the personal, professional and institutional factors influencing faculty involvement was developed and further examined. Findings from this study provide a better understanding of agriculture faculty involvement in study abroad, as well as offer implications and directions for future practice and research in this area