North American Students in Israel: An Evaluation of a Study Abroad Experience

Autor/inn/en	Donitsa-Schmidt, Smadar; Vadish, Maggie
Titel	North American Students in Israel: An Evaluation of a Study Abroad Experience
Quelle	In: Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 11 (2005), S.33-56 (24 Seiten) PDF als Volltext (1); PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei (2) Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1085-4568
Schlagwörter	Semitic Languages; Second Language Learning; Jews; Foreign Countries; Language Skills; North Americans; Language Proficiency; Study Abroad; Ethnicity; Cultural Awareness; Student Attitudes; College Students; Canada; Israel; United States + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Arabisch; Hebräisch; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Jew; Jude; Jüdin; Juden; Ausland; Language skill; Sprachkompetenz; Language skills; Studies abroad; Auslandsstudium; Ethnizität; Cultural identity; Kulturelle Identität; Schülerverhalten; Collegestudent; Kanada; USA
Abstract	Every year, thousands of students worldwide leave home for the purpose of participating in an educational experience in a different country. Israel is one of the many destinations offering study abroad programs. Yet, being a Jewish country and a homeland for the Jewish Diaspora (Jewish communities outside Israel), Israel constitutes a unique study abroad case since it is typically Jewish students from all over the world who choose to take part in these programs. While, internationally, the popular incentives which drive students to study abroad include the desire to improve foreign language skills, to be introduced to new cultures, to receive international work experience and to develop independent skills, these are not the primary reasons why Jewish students choose to study in Israel. Rather, their main purpose for spending time in Israel is to strengthen their Jewish identity and become familiar with their own Jewish heritage. Studying Hebrew, one of Israel's official languages, is most often considered a secondary aim. Nonetheless, study abroad programs in Israel do include a language component, since it is assumed that learning Hebrew will help enhance students' Jewish awareness and identity. This research investigates changes in self-ascribed identity among study abroad students in Israel as a result of the time spent in the country, and examines the gains in their Hebrew language proficiency. Attitudes towards the host country and local culture are also explored for the purpose of better understanding the relationship between students' identity, Hebrew language proficiency and dispositions about Israel. Since North America has the largest Jewish community outside Israel, North American students (from the United States and Canada) make up the majority foreign population studying in Israel. The study concentrates specifically on North American students taking part in a study abroad program in Israel, seeking to understand how the study abroad experience in Israel influenced students' identities, attitudes and Hebrew language proficiency. (Contains 4 tables.) (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Frontiers Journal. Dickinson College P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013. Tel: 717-254-8858; Fax: 717-245-1677; Web site: http://www.frontiersjournal.com
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10