Scottsdale Community College: A Short-Term Education Abroad Program Designed for the Non-Traditional Student

Abstract

Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, Scottsdale Community College (SCC) is one of ten colleges comprising the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD). Since October, 2006, the MCCCD faced public scrutiny regarding its ability to properly manage funds allocated for international education partnerships and programs. As a result, the MCCCD Chancellor and Governing Board mandated new policies including those for international travel.

This proposal, SPA 201: Spanish Language and Culture in Guadalajara, comes at a critical time for MCCCD and SCC. New policies require the faculty leader to submit a final evaluation report to administrators. These reports will ensure that programs continue to meet the needs of the students and colleges. The rationale behind this Course-Linked Capstone is to design a program, outcomes assessment, and evaluation which will become models for future education abroad programs as well as serve as tools for restructuring current programs.

The 2006 Open Doors reported that 70% of community college students chose short-term education abroad programs in 2004/05. SPA 201: Spanish Language and Culture in Guadalajara is an embedded five-week program to be implemented in SCC’s 2008 Summer Session. Tailored to the non-traditional student, participants will spend the third and fourth week in Guadalajara, Mexico and the other three weeks in the classroom at SCC.

Designed to meet the needs of all stakeholders, SPA 201: Spanish Language and Culture in Guadalajara supports the mission of the community college by providing access to all students. It also addresses the broader IE community by reinforcing the need to take into account the role the external context plays in program design and evaluation. It stresses that international educators must recognize that the external context plays a critical role in the program design and ultimately the outcomes assessment and program evaluation.

Disciplines

International and Comparative Education

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