Anti-Japanese Sentiment Among Graduates Of South Korean Public Schools, Jamal Barbari

Capstone Collection

This capstone paper aims to explore how South Koreans, who have graduated public high school within the past seven years (from 2010 to 2017) view Japan and Japanese people, and what (if at all) information concerning Japan and Japanese people was established and received during their presence in the public school system. Through a brief analysis into the history and intricate relationship between Korea and Japan, introduction into hidden curriculum and its significance in this context, as well as ten personal interviews with South Korean graduates who fit the criteria for this research, this capstone paper offers a distinctive insight …

An Analysis Of The Affirmative Action Program For Ethnic Minority Students At Hexi University In Zhangye, Gansu, China, Caitlin Shea

Capstone Collection

This study investigates and critically analyzes the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) preferential policy for ethnic minority students (少数民族的优惠政策) through the use of a case study conducted at Hexi University in Zhangye, Gansu. This study examines how the national preferential policy for ethnic minority students is implemented at a university level and how it is perceived by teachers and students in order to better understand and assess the impact and purpose of the policy. The study is driven by three questions; how is the PRC’s preferential policy for ethnic minority students implemented at a university level? Is the preferential policy …

Community Development Projects In Moldova, Berkend Pura

Capstone Collection

This Independent Practitioner Inquiry Capstone (IPIC) aims to provide relevant information, from a Peace Corps (PC) Volunteer (PCV) standpoint, on a renovation project that was implemented in the village of Vorniceni, Republic of Moldova. At its core, this was a community development project that involved the active participation of the community of Vorniceni, providing local resources and knowledge towards the goal of building a healthier sanitation facility on the second floor of the local kindergarten.

The results of this effort indicate that the involvement of the client (people) is crucial to sucess in implementing projects, and it also shows that …

The Power Of Discomfort In Learning Abroad, Alexis Barge

Capstone Collection

Currently, the majority of students who study abroad do so through short-term programs. In fact, in 2015 over 60% of students who studied abroad chose short-term programs lasting eight weeks or less (IIE, 2016). It has long been the belief that study abroad has the potential to be a life-changing and transformative experience, not just academically but also for personal growth and development. Many professionals agree that the students who go abroad on short-term study abroad programs are significantly less likely to experience meaningful learning outside of the subject matter they are studying, and are less likely to experience personal …

Women Who Surf In Morocco, Anna Esposito

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In 1960, the first wave of Europeans and Americans found their way to the now bustling Taghazout Bay. From Essaouira to Agadir, expatriates lived out of vans and/or inside the houses of the Amazigh villagers. Many of these expatriates made Morocco their home from upwards of ten to fifteen years, even giving birth to children in these rural villages. The American and Europeans shared with the locals and vice versa, bartering food, skills, athletics, language, and friendship. Naturally, as surfing became a popular pastime among hippies in the United States in the 1960s, the expatriates began to bring early models …

Syrian Refugees’ Lived Experiences In Morocco, Hannah Chenok

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As the Syrian refugee crisis unfolds, those fleeing the country’s civil war are seeking refuge across the world. According to official numbers from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Syrians make up about 68% of Morocco’s documented refugee population. This ISP studies Syrian refugees’ lives in Morocco, using direct-quote, short-form narratives to highlight lived experiences. It begins with an in-depth analysis of the refugee policies in place here, and then features reflections from refugees themselves. It highlights how factors such as the amount of time spent here, refugee status, residency status, occupation, and cultural differences affect what Syrians think …

Who Am I? The Relationship Between Cultural Identity And Globalization Within The Local And Global Intersections, Nir Aish

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The imminent phenomenon of globalization has been mainly explored in academia through the lens of economics and politics. Little attention has been given to the relationship between this phenomenon and culture, and yet the yield of this relationship could be tremendous as culture determines how individuals operate in our growing globalized world. This research project takes place in Bertoua, the capital of the East Region of the Republic of Cameroon. The country is located in Central Africa, and is often referred as “Africa in Miniature” due to its vast cultural and geological diversity. The focus of the study is on …

Exploring Rwanda's Continuing Education Capacity For Information Communications Technology (Ict) Skills, Li Keen Lim

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As Rwanda strives to become the ICT hub of the region, it will need to develop its greatest asset: its people, in ICT skills. This exploratory study used 30 semi-structured interviews, observation and secondary data from different sources, schools, students and NGOs, to answer a simple question: how does an everyday, working adult Rwandan learn new computers skills for a new computer age? This study found that a wide variety of suppliers fulfil different niches that give prospective students a range of prices, content, schedules, certification, practices, etc., and that demand is increasing for a host of different reasons. It …

"Why Can’T We All Get Along:" An Analysis Of Baka Education, And The Application Of Picture Books In Baka, Kylie Richmond

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research seeks to understand the implementation of mother tongue language education, specifically within the Baka community. Research was conducted in a Baka village called Mintoum over a three week period. By working with a non profit organization, information was gathered in hopes to improve the education of the Baka. Interviews were conducted to better understand, how these booklets affected not only the child’s education but also the parents’ reaction to books in their language. There was also an observation process conducted to see how the application of these booklets took place within a new Baka run preschool program “Chasing …

Cultivating Peace Through Teaching History In Rwandan Secondary Schools: Opportunities And Challenges, Brittany Fried

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Education has the ability to cultivate a Culture of Peace or Violence. In Rwanda, pre-1994 formal education became a tool for inciting violence by presenting a discriminatory and identity-based view of history. In the 23 years since the genocide, the Rwandan government has propagated education that promotes national unity and decreases division amongst students. The 2015 national competence-based curriculum (CBC), which incorporates the holistic idea of Education for a Culture of Peace (ECOP), is one pertinent example. This study addresses: (1) the historical narrative portrayed in the secondary-level national curriculum and how it is taught, and (2) the opportunities and …

El Movimiento Que Aún Falta: ¿De Qué Forma Existe Y Se Promueve La Educación Teatral En Las Escuelas De Chile? ¿Cómo Se Ensena El Teatro En Los Liceos Con Conexión Al Cambio Social? / The Movement That Is Still Missing: How Does Theater Education Exist And Is Promoted In Schools In Chile? How Is Theater Taught In High Schools With Connection To Social Change?, Andrés G. Aguilar

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En el mundo del teatro, ha habido muchos teóricos y practicantes del arte. No solo se han desarrollado en el mundo del teatro, sino que muchos otros han transformado lo que es el teatro y el poder que puede tener. En relación con este estudio específico, comenzaré abordando tres de los teóricos del teatro: Konstantin Stanislavski, Bertolt Brecht y Augusto Boal. En relación a cada practicante, se encuentra una relación sobre cómo el teatro puede ser utilizado en la educación, destacó por la experta chilena Verónica García-Huidobro. Para complejizar aún más esa relación, abordaré cómo la educación teatral es, sin …

Weaving Identity: Stories And Manifestations Of Amazigh Carpet Weavers In The Moroccan Village Of Tarmilat, Alessandra Roggero

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

It is in the small villages of Morocco, scattered across the North in the Rif, to the South in the Anti-Atlas Mountains, and in between, where the majority of Morocco’s celebrated and beloved Amazigh carpets are made. Their power and popularity can be attributed to the indigenous female artists who have been crafting these physical tokens of memory, protection, and Amazigh identity, for millenniums. In an attempt to connect the trade of carpet weaving in Morocco back to these women and their families, this research project will explore their narratives, and the social and spatial implications of their craft, a …

“Don’T Talk Like A European”: An Autoethnography Exploring Past And Current Students’ Visions On How To Decolonize Higher Education In South Africa, Ajetha Nadanasabesan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Colonial structures persist in the South African higher education system, which perpetuates Eurocentric knowledge as a superior way of knowing. There has been a call to action by South African university students to decolonize the oppressive structures within the higher education system. This project examines how both former and current South African university students envision a decolonized higher education system. Furthermore, it gives insight into how a colonized education has impacted students personally. Additionally, the autoethnographic form of this project integrates the researcher’s relationship to colonized education systems as a way to connect self, other, and culture in a more …

When The Books Hit Back: Perceived Stress In University Students, Henry Stoddard

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

University students are a particularly high-risk population for mental illness due to high-stress levels. The university students of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa are no exception to that trend. This study surveyed and interviewed university students, and interviewed various mental health professionals from the Durban region of South Africa. The data was analyzed and used to better understand the current status of South African university students’ perceived stress, as well as the causes of their stress levels. Results showed no significant differences among demographic groups and perceived stress levels, but further research is needed to draw more reliable conclusions. In the …

The Latex Journey: A Narrative Approach To Exploring Condom Use, Stigma, And Education From The Perspective Of Women In Masxha, Kylie Yocum

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Although the South African National Department of Health (NDOH) is spending increasing amounts of money on improving their HIV programs (including the rollout of new, scented condoms for their condom distribution program), the rates of condom use at last sexual encounter are declining. This inquiry focused on young women in the neighborhood of Masxha, Cato Manor, and their opinions surrounding how condoms are being used or misused, as well as the gender norms that perpetrate this (mis)use. This inquiry demonstrated the narratives of these young women on factors such as condom acquisition, gendered stigma, and condom education, including the Life …

Innovation In Digital Music: A Customized Program For Barcelona Sae, Daniel E. Childs

Capstone Collection

Barcelona SAE is a third-party study abroad provider that facilitates study and intern abroad experiences for college-age students from around the world. One branch of Barcelona SAE is its Customized Programs Department, which offers over 45 customized programs to students studying everything from public health to the culinary arts to engineering. They currently have a gap, though, in their portfolio of program offerings: they have never offered a program geared toward students studying music. Through interviews with staff members from Barcelona SAE, this paper demonstrates a need for a music-based customized program in Barcelona. Furthermore, it fills this need with …

The World Watches: How Media Coverage Of American Police Violence Influences The Perspectives Of South Louisiana's Community Members, Jahi J. Mackey

Capstone Collection

Police violence towards African Americans in the United States have gained greater international attention in this decade due to social media and increased media coverage. Alton Sterling’s death in Baton Rouge in the summer of 2016 resulted in local pushes for criminal and racial justice reform. However, international community members were largely absent from both community dialogue and action. Keeping this in mind, my research question is as follows: To what extent does media coverage of American police violence impact the perspectives of south Louisiana’s international community members with regards to African Americans and American society. Through qualitative research methodology, …

Towards Soulful And Sustainable Service: The Role Of Ethics In Global Service-Learning Programs Within Faith-Based Tertiary Institutions, Corrie Johnson

Capstone Collection

This research evaluates the practices of specified faith-based institutions within the field of undergraduate global service learning through the lens of each of the major themes in the Fair Trade Learning framework. These themes include equal partnership, mutual learning, cooperative and positive social change, economic equity, transparency, and sustainability. Initial survey outcomes present an overall picture of where these particular universities are at in regards to balancing student and community outcomes. Interview outcomes provide a more in-depth perspective of how mutual benefit for student participants and host communities is being considered within the global service-learning programs these programs facilitate. Some …

How Anti-Racist Participatory Policy Advocacy Can Change Delaware’S Education System, Shyanne E. Miller

Capstone Collection

Non-profit organizations fighting for change in the education system are more likely to realize their mission by engaging members of the public, particularly parents and students. However, engaging the public in a meaningful way requires an understanding of barriers to participation in the education system (racism), a shift away from colorblind, liberal ideology typically used to drive non-profit activity, and the undertaking of an anti-racist agenda when working within communities. Here, I offer a set of guidelines which the Rodel Foundation of Delaware can follow to implement anti-racist, participatory policy advocacy. Starting with a review of racism in Delaware’s education …

The Heart Of Basketball: A Dynamic And Transformative Program Design For Chinese Youth, Jayson Gilbert

Capstone Collection

Chinese participation in educational overseas programs has steadily increased over the past several years. Chinese parents and youth see these types of programs, specifically short-term programs, as a means to gain exposure to a foreign country and its culture before possibly studying in that country. This capstone paper explores the value of such programs by examining their long-term impact while considering other factors that may influence Chinese desire to participate in these programs.

The research in this paper reveals that overseas youth programs that incorporate sound pedagogy and elements of experiential learning in their design have potential to be successful …

Is Restorative Justice Doing Enough To Address The Power Imbalances Caused By Systems Of Privilege And Oppression, Matthew Furnell

Capstone Collection

Restorative justice is an ever growing philosophy which is causing a paradigm shift in the way society understands and responds to crime, punishment and victimization. The State of Vermont has become a pioneer and an example of how to implement restorative practices into the official criminal justice system, developing an alternative process to traditional punitive approaches. However, it is now more important than ever to ensure that there is not a false sense of success or a level of complacency in the further development of restorative practices. It is time to critically analyse the current restorative process and explore the …

Assessing The Influence Of Career-Linked Experiential Opportunities On The F-1 Undergraduate Student Enrollment Decision-Making Process, Harrison Fuerst

Capstone Collection

International mobility efforts in the United States have garnered increased attention and funding in recent years, with such government-led initiatives as Generation Study Abroad and 100,000 Strong driving up inbound and outbound student numbers. Recent inbound mobility reports from the Institute of International Education show double-digit percentage increases in international student enrollment. Other countries also experiencing an influx of international students continue to research these trends to shape their own education strategies. Research conducted by the International Education Association of Australia points specifically to hands-on professional experience and enhanced employability as key factors important to Australia’s international student population. As …

Looking Within While Working Abroad: Experiences From An Ihp Trustees Fellow In The Field, Caitlyn Clark

Capstone Collection

International travel has the potential to be a life-changing and transformative experience. Those who travel, work, or study abroad are likely to learn about themselves and their place within the greater global community. Studying abroad, in particular, can foster this by introducing new experiences, creating opportunities for meaningful self-reflection, and encouraging the application of new ideas, whereby students develop a sense of agency and capacity for change. Study abroad practitioners have the responsibility to aid in this process of discovery, by supporting students’ emotional and physical well-being while encouraging them to embrace discomfort and disruptive experiences. For educators committed to …

How Anti-Racist Participatory Policy Advocacy Can Change Delaware’S Education System, Shyanne Miller

Capstone Collection

Non-profit organizations fighting for change in the education system are more likely to realize their mission by engaging members of the public, particularly parents and students. However, engaging the public in a meaningful way requires an understanding of barriers to participation in the education system (racism), a shift away from colorblind, liberal ideology typically used to drive non-profit activity, and the undertaking of an anti-racist agenda when working within communities. Here, I offer a set of guidelines which the Rodel Foundation of Delaware can follow to implement anti-racist, participatory policy advocacy. Starting with a review of racism in Delaware’s education …

The Principles Of Universal Design For Learning Implemented In A Non-Profit Organization: The Discovery Center., Rose Albert

Capstone Collection

This capstone focuses on the implementation of Universal Design for Learning within The Discovery Center—a non-profit organization that provides educational programs for children in Connecticut. The intention of this capstone project is to raise awareness and share introductory knowledge around Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Universal Design for Learning is a framework that relays clear information for educators and people, in general, to mirror into their curricula to increase learning for multiple individuals (Rose, 2009). This paper proposes the adaptation of UDL into The Discovery Center (TDC) curriculum to increase access to students with different learning styles and abilities. TDC …

Reaching For The Heart: An Analysis Of Language As A Weapon Of Empathy For Three Capetonians, Sarah Mcdonald

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In this paper, I examine the role that cross-cultural language study plays in the lives of three Capetonians in order to explore its capacity to foster empathy between people of different backgrounds. Framed in the context of South African history and modern academic discourse around language use in educational and public spaces in the country, I present the stories of my three interviewees and analyze particular experiences that they relayed in order to trace trends of empathy and understanding through their language use.

Through my discussion of this qualitative data, I reach the conclusion that language can be an effective …

Eco-Anxiety At University: Student Experiences And Academic Perspectives On Cultivating Healthy Emotional Responses To The Climate Crisis, Anna Kelly

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research looks at the overall question of how planetary health impacts mental health and psychological welling. The central focus is eco-anxiety—mental distress caused by climate change and environmental degradation—and how it manifests in university students. In order to gather data for this research I collected 114 student survey responses, interviewed seven young adults (ages 20-25), and interviewed seven experts in the fields of psychology and environmental studies.

They survey results show high levels of general stress and anxiety, high levels of stress and anxiety related to climate change and the state of the world, and a very high level …

'You Become A Rock': Conceptions Of Motherhood And Lessons Of Race As Told And Photographed By Four Mothers From Cape Town, South Africa, Kaitlin Abrams

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study will discuss conceptions of motherhood and lessons of racial identity through the lens of four women from Cape Town, South Africa. Utilizing both semi-structured interviews and photovoice, stories of motherhood are told as a journey from childhood to adulthood, in which one’s experience of being mothered influences decisions in current motherhood. In interviews, mothers pinpoint conceptions of good motherhood that encompass both financial support for one’s children and attentiveness, informed mostly by one’s race and class background. Additionally, experiences surrounding discrimination and silencing in childhood differ between races, later informing the way that mothers chose to share lessons …

Pluralism And Religious Education In Bali: How Lack Of Implementation Of Educational Reform Threatens Indonesian Identity In The System Used To Construct It, Nikolai O. Birch

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Indonesia’s education system was developed with the construction of the Indonesian as a cohesive people in mind. In doing so, the system adopted the practice of mandatory religious education as a means of developing the character of the Indonesian student through religion, a component imperative to the nation’s statehood. In the years and decades following, the education system, and subsequently its program of religious education, has been reformed and changed many times. This research attempts to look at how and why this changed system has struggled to implement these changes in the classroom, and why pluralism has been included in …

The Impact Of Program Structure On Language Acquisition And Intercultural Competence: A Comparative Study Of Study Abroad Programs In Kunming, China, Samantha Bergman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

According to the Project Atlas study conducted by the Institute of International Education, China is the world’s third most popular study abroad location. With over 390,000 international students currently studying in China, there are more opportunities for cultural exchange and mutual understanding than ever before. However, there is still relatively little existing research on how different study abroad program structures impact students’ Chinese language skills and cultural literacy.

This study examined the impacts of experiential learning and intensive language study abroad program structures on students’ language acquisition and intercultural competence development. Two study abroad programs based in Kunming, SIT China: …