Graduate Studies
First Advisor
Elizabeth Niehaus
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department
Educational Studies (Educational Leadership and Higher Education)
Date of this Version
3-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Citation
A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Major: Educational Studies (Educational Leadership and Higher Education)
Under the supervision of Professor Elizabeth Niehaus
Lincoln, Nebraska, March 2024
Abstract
This qualitative study utilized a constructivist grounded theory approach to understand how rural students engaged with people in their home community as it related to before, during, and after their study abroad experience and what impact that engagement had on their experiences. Participants included 15 students who self-identified as being from a rural background that studied abroad for a minimum of one semester. Participants included students from one of two large, public universities in the state of New Mexico. Data collection included two semi-structured, in-depth interviews with each participant.
The study used a constant comparison method to generate a theory on how self-identified rural students engaged with their home community as it related to their study abroad experience. The implications for this theory are an increased understanding of how this engagement effected the self-identified rural students’ study abroad experience and how academic institutions can better support these students through the study abroad experience. Future research should focus on a longitudinal study of rural students and their study abroad experience and re-entry.
Advisor: Elizabeth Niehaus
Recommended Citation
Karr, Todd M., "Rural Student-Home Community Engagement Impact as a Result of Study Abroad Experiences: From Preparation Through Return" (2024). Dissertations and Doctoral Documents from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–. 61.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissunl/61
Included in
Educational Sociology Commons, International and Comparative Education Commons, Rural Sociology Commons, Social Psychology and Interaction Commons
Comments
Copyright 2024, Todd M. Karr. Used by permission