Motivation & Reflection: The key components of mutually beneficial community development: Culture shock’s effect on service-learning project effectiveness
Eriksson, Tove; Palenius, Rebecca (2023)
2023
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202304266518
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202304266518
Tiivistelmä
The aim of this thesis was to identify how culture shock affects the effectiveness of service-learning projects. Specifically focusing on the dual success of successfully delivered community development projects and personal development for international students participating in the delivery of the projects. The goal was to identify what causes culture shock in the international students and how it correlates with the effectiveness of the project delivery and the personal growth of the students.
The data for this research project was gathered from 161 international students participating in projects across Thailand, Tanzania, Cambodia and Nepal. The data was collected through observations, self-assessments and project specific monitoring & evaluation practices.
The findings identified key factors contributing towards culture shock amongst the international students, along with a connection between their engagement in reflection and their personal development and the quality of project delivery they engaged in.
This thesis provided the commissioner with strategic recommendations around data gathering, staff training and how to structure service learning projects to help decrease culture shock and to utilize reflection as a tool to navigate culture shock in a productive way to help achieve effective service-learning projects.
The data for this research project was gathered from 161 international students participating in projects across Thailand, Tanzania, Cambodia and Nepal. The data was collected through observations, self-assessments and project specific monitoring & evaluation practices.
The findings identified key factors contributing towards culture shock amongst the international students, along with a connection between their engagement in reflection and their personal development and the quality of project delivery they engaged in.
This thesis provided the commissioner with strategic recommendations around data gathering, staff training and how to structure service learning projects to help decrease culture shock and to utilize reflection as a tool to navigate culture shock in a productive way to help achieve effective service-learning projects.