Perceptions and Realities of Study Abroad at UWEC : Understanding and Improving Participation in Study Abroad Programs

Abstract

UW-Eau Claire would like to ensure that learning abroad programs are accessible to all students. Decreases in student participation over the years may be a question of affordability, integration with students' disciplinary interests, student perception of obstacles (cost, time, etc.), incomplete information, or an issue of preparation and planning. To better understand learning abroad participation, our research group evaluated five years of participation data in UWEC's formal study abroad programs and in UWEC's more recently developed international faculty-led programs.