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ETD Abstract Container

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Studying Abroad: An Opportunity for Growth in Spirituality

Clemens, Jacob Edward
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1403546783

Abstract Details

2014, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, Higher Education Administration.
The purpose of this collective case study was to explore how six college students described the influence of their study abroad experience on their spirituality. I situated this study in a constructivist research paradigm because the inquiry focused on how the participants constructed meaning about and understood the influence of study abroad on their spirituality. I utilized a staged, semi-structured interview protocol consisting of up to three separate interviews. Interviews took place before participants departed for their study abroad experience, while they were abroad, and after returning home from studying abroad. Students studied abroad for at least eight weeks during the summer of 2012. Through a better understanding of their described experience, I gained insight into the impact of study abroad, how study abroad affected specific spiritual practices, and which specific elements of study abroad ignited spiritual development. From the data, six major themes emerged to indicate how students described the influence of studying abroad on their spirituality. Students became more aware of their own and others' spirituality. Spiritual coping was utilized by many participants in reaction to feeling isolated, uncomfortable, and homesick. Participants enacted spiritual and religious practices while abroad to help cope with being abroad or to enact their spirituality. Participants engaged in dialogue about spirituality and spiritual questions. Finally, participants expressed that, after studying abroad, their spiritual identity was strengthened.
Dafina-Lazarus Stewart, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Ellen Broido, D.Ed. (Committee Member)
Stefan Fritsch, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Patrick Pauken, Ph.D., J.D. (Committee Member)
213 p.
Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Religion; Spirituality
study abroad; student; spirituality; faith; higher education; college; international; religion; spiritual; global; spiritual coping; coping; meaning; purpose; spiritual conversations; spiritual dialogue; studying abroad; character; character development

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Clemens, J. E. (2014). Studying Abroad: An Opportunity for Growth in Spirituality [Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1403546783

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Clemens, Jacob. Studying Abroad: An Opportunity for Growth in Spirituality. 2014. Bowling Green State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1403546783.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Clemens, Jacob. "Studying Abroad: An Opportunity for Growth in Spirituality." Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1403546783

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1403546783
2,007
© 2014, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.