Post-Exchange Survey


 

Evaluation and Feedback for Program Participants

This questionnaire relates to the international academic exchange you have been participating in.
You can help us ensure that this program is meeting its goals and objectives by responding to this questionnaire. The information you and your fellow exchange students provide will allow us to highlight to the public and to policy makers the relevance and success of this particular exchange project. It will also contribute to our assessment of international mobility projects collectively and international education generally.  As a student who benefits from this program, your input is vital.  We want to improve the program in order to maximize results, to ensure its relevance and to positively impact students. We would appreciate it if you would complete and return the entire questionnaire to your home university's program director as soon as possible. The information requested in this questionnaire, and the one we may have asked you to complete before you left on the exchange, will remain confidential and will only be used for statistical research purposes. Thank you in advance for your co-operation and we wish you every success during the remaining part of your studies.

 


                                                        PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY

 

Section I – Biographical

1. Calendar year in which the exchange has taken place:                        

2. Name of your home institution:

3. Name of the institution you have been attending during the exchange abroad:

4.   Country of exchange:

5.  What is (are) your field(s)/discipline(s) of study?

Completing this section is encouraged but optional.

The information collected in this section, as in the questionnaire as a whole, will not be used to identify an individual student, but to compile a profile of the total exchange student population participating in our programs.

6. What is the province/territory/state of your permanent residence? 

7. Gender / sex:     Male         Female                                                                              

8. Age:    Under 18        18-21        22-24        Above 24

9. What is your family's annual income?

    Below $20,999         $21,000 - $35,999          $36,000 - $50,999         $51,000 - $75,999   
    $75,000 - $100,000         Over $100,000

10. Are you in receipt of a student loan?     Yes        No

Section II –  Pre-Departure Preparation and Post-Arrival Assistance

11. Did you attend any program orientation(s) prior to departure from your home country or after you arrival in the host country?       Yes        No  

If yes, where?  IN HOME COUNTRY      IN HOST  COUNTRY  

12. If you replied YES to Q.8, what were the strengths of those orientations?

Please tick the relevant examples provided and also add any strengths of your orientation program(s) that have not been listed.

     Settled all Study Abroad practical priorities e.g. arrival in the host country, getting to host university 

     Made me aware of the concept of ‘cultural differences’

     Gave me concrete examples of cultural differences e.g. attitudes to education, to work etc. and how these    might impact on me

     Made me aware of my own culturally-bound attitudes

     Prepared me for interacting with host country students

     Prepared me for studying in the host country classroom

     Gave me insights into how to make the most of travel and cultural possibilities in the host country

     Provided me with an understanding of culture shock.

     Gave me concrete suggestions for coping with culture shock in a healthy, practical way.

     Provided me with insight into my own strengths and weakness in intercultural communications.

Other: 

13. If you replied YES to Q.8, what were the weaknesses of the orientations?

Please check the relevant examples provided and also add any weaknesses of your orientation course(s) that have not been listed.

     The orientation program was held too late prior to departure

     There was not enough time to understand and absorb the teaching on culture

     The program was too theoretical; there was little or no opportunity to develop relevant skills

     Not enough time was devoted to self-analysis on a “cultural spectrum”

Other:

 

14. How helpful were the orientations in your ability to adapt to the host culture?

Extremely helpful    Helpful    Neutral    Not helpful at all

15. How helpful were the orientations in the overall quality of your study abroad experience?

Extremely helpful    Helpful    Neutral    Not helpful at all

16. What type of support, other than language or cultural training, did you receive in the context of your exchange?
(Check as many as apply)

    finding lodging    making travel arrangements    linking up with students at host institution

    obtaining visas/work permits    meeting with officials at the host country's American Embassy

    no other support    other, please specify

17. Overall, how satisfied are you with the support received in preparation for the exchange?  Please use a scale of 1 to 10 where “1” means “not at all satisfied” and “10” means “very satisfied”.

            1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10

Section III - Language

18. In what language have you studied during the exchange?

19. How fluent would you say you were in the host country language prior to arrival in the host country?  Please use a scale of 1 to 10 where “1” means “not at all fluent” and “10” means “fully fluent”.

             1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10

20. How fluent would you say you are now in the language you have been using in your studies during the

exchange?  Please use a scale of 1 to 10 where “1” means “not at all fluent” and “10” means “fully fluent”.


 1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10

21. Having completed your study abroad program, what aspects of your pre-departure language preparation did 

you find most helpful?  

(Please check all that apply).

     secondary school language study     

     previous study abroad experience (state where and when)

     university courses
        civilization/culture
        grammar
        literature 
        translation

      other language training (please describe)

      other (please specify)

22  Which language skills were you best prepared to perform? 

       listening    speaking    writing    reading

23. Which language skills were you least prepared to perform?   

   
   listening    speaking    writing    reading

24.Which of the following activities seem most helpful in improving your listening skills?

      listening to the language spoken by the professor in class

     listening to the language spoken by other students in class

     listening to the language on textbook produced cassettes, cds, or other media.
      listening to native speakers in informal conversational situations

25. Which of the following activities seem most helpful in improving your speaking skills?  

     speaking the language with the professor in class

     speaking the language with other students in class
     speaking the language with other students outside of class.

     speaking to native speakers in informal conversational situations

26. Which of the following activities seem most helpful in improving your writing skills?

      writing essays and other formal assignments for class
      writing e-mails and letters
      note-taking

27.  Which of the following activities seem most helpful in improving your reading skills?

      reading textbook materials for class
   
   reading material on the Internet  
   
   reading literature  
      reading e-mails

28. In which language skill did you make the most improvement while in your host country?

      listening    speaking    writing    reading

29. Which language activities or skills should receive more attention in university language programs?  

      listening    speaking    writing    reading

30. Can you describe any problem(s) you had to solve using the language of your host country and the results of your efforts to resolve them? Please elaborate.  

31. As a business major or minor, how would rate the importance of foreign language study in relation to   other

non-business requirements in your degree program?  Please use a scale of 1 to 10 where “1” means “not at all

important” and “10” means “very important”.

 1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10

Section IV – Culture

32. How familiar would you say you were prior to your semester abroad with the cultural aspects of the country you went to?  Please use a scale of 1 to 10 where “1” means “not at all familiar” and “10” means “very familiar”.

             1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10

33. How familiar would you say you are now with the cultural aspects of the country you went to?  Please use a scale of 1 to 10 where “1” means “not at all familiar” and “10” means “very familiar”.

             1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10

34. Did you receive cultural training in the context of your exchange?        Yes        No

35  In what ways has your study abroad experience affected your attitude toward the host culture?  


               (Please
check all that apply)

      I am more appreciative of the host culture.     I am more interested in the host culture.
      I have greater respect for the host culture        I am less appreciative of the host culture.

      My study abroad experience has not affected my attitude toward the host culture.         
      I am less interested in the host culture.             I have less respect for the host culture.
      Other.  Please elaborate.

36. In what ways has your study abroad experience affected your attitude toward cultural difference in general?   (Please check all that apply)

       I am more appreciative of the general cultural difference.     

       I am more interested in the general cultural difference.

       I have greater respect for the general cultural difference.

       My study abroad experience has not affected my attitude toward the general cultural difference.

       I am less appreciative of the general cultural difference.  

       I am less interested in the general cultural difference.

       I have less respect for the general cultural difference.  

       Other.  Please elaborate.

37.  In what ways, if any, has your study abroad experience affected your level of cultural self-awareness? 

             (Please check all that apply)

        I am more aware of how my culture shapes the way I view reality.  

       I am more aware of how my culture shapes what is important to me.

       I am more aware of how my culture informs my sense of right and wrong.

       I am more aware of how my culture my perceptions of good and bad.

       I am more aware of how my culture influences my behavior in professional or work situations.

       I am more aware of how my culture influences my behavior in personal relationships.

       I am more aware of how my culture influences my communication style.

       I do not feel that my study abroad experience has affected my level of cultural self-awareness.

       Other.  Please elaborate

38. To what extent, if any, has your study abroad experience enhanced your personal feelings of self-esteem and self-confidence? Please use a scale of 1 to 10 where “1” means “not at all” and “10” means “very much”.

1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10

39. What skills specifically related to intercultural communication have you been able to develop as a result of you 

study abroad experience? Check all that apply.

       I have developed a greater tolerance for ambiguity.

      I am more able to withhold judgment on behavior that initially appears inappropriate to me.

      I am able to differentiate between descriptive, interpretive, and evaluative language and thoughts in    myself and in others.

      I am able to recognize cultural patterns in way members of my host culture think and act.

      I am able to predict how members of my host culture may think or act in given situations.

      I am able to adapt my own behavior to make it more like that of my host culture.

      Other. Please elaborate.

40.  To what extent, if any, has your study abroad experience informed your understanding of culture  in the way

BUSINESS is conducted?
Please use a scale of 1 to 10 where "1" means "not at all" and "10" means "very much "

              1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10

Please give two or three short examples.  

   
            

41.  To what extent, if any, has your study abroad experience informed your understanding of cultural differences in the way MANAGEMENT AND LABOR INTERACT?
Please use a scale of 1 to 10 where "1" means "not at all" and "10" means "very much "

            1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10

Please give two or three short examples.  

               

42. To what extent, if any, has your study abroad experience informed your understanding of how cultural differences effect MARKETING practices?  

Please use a scale of 1 to 10 where "1" means "not at all" and "10" means "very much "

        1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10

Please give two or three short examples.  

       

Section V – Educational Experience

43. Did you receive as many credits in your study abroad as you would have at your own institution?`

      No (Go to question 44)            Yes (Skip to question 45)


44.  If you responded no to question 43 why not?

   
    Courses required at my home institution were not available at my host institution.
   
    There were misunderstandings about the actual content of courses at the host institution.
       I had trouble adapting to the requirements of the host institution and therefore did not do as well 
                    in some courses as I would have in my home institution.
       My home institution would not recognize courses that I took at the host institution.
       Other. Please specify.

45. From an academic perspective, what skills or knowledge did you acquire on this exchange that you would never
have acquired to the same degree had you stayed in your home institution?

        Problem solving      Critical thinking        Networking    Use or application of new technology

        Patience         Sensitivity      Listening skills      Initiative      Leadership               

        Entrepreneurship     No skills acquired to a specific degree while abroad  
        Other, please specify:

Section VI – Other Benefits and Drawbacks

46. Have you received employment opportunities or offers that you would not have received had you not gone on this exchange?           Yes      No

47. How many networks or contacts would you say you created as a result of the exchange?

     

48.  How many networks or contacts have you maintained contact with since your return?

      

Section VII - Conclusion

49. Would you have been able to go on an international study exchange without the financial assistance of this program?       Yes            No

50. Overall, did the experience meet your expectations?      Yes            No

51. Do you have any additional comments to make on the exchange?

   

Thank you very much for completing this questionnaire.

 


 

 

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College of Business Administration.  University of Central Arkansas.  201 Donaghey Avenue.  Conway, AR 72035.  (501) 450-3106.