S. Dawson, Čedomirka Stanojević, B. McCormick, Daniela Tamas, F. Eminović, Lauren Lomax, LeAnn Wheeler
{"title":"Disability in Southeast Europe: Qualitative Analysis of a Faculty-Led Study Abroad Program","authors":"S. Dawson, Čedomirka Stanojević, B. McCormick, Daniela Tamas, F. Eminović, Lauren Lomax, LeAnn Wheeler","doi":"10.18666/trj-2023-v57-i3-11887","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"This study documents the perceptions of recreational therapy students who took part in an international faculty-led study abroad experience for 3 weeks in Serbia, Romania, and Croatia. Students volunteered in institutions, schools, and a camp for individuals with disabilities as well as taking part in cultural experiences. Participant video journals were recorded pre-trip, during the trip, and shortly after returning from studying abroad to garner student perspectives. Using a general qualitative approach, responses were transcribed verbatim, coded, and then arranged in over-arching themes. Pre-trip themes focused on looking forward to the experience coupled with anxiety. During the trip perceptions included, a positive impact from working in programs with clients who have disabilities as well as developing relationships with peers in the program cohort. Upon return and reflection, students expressed a perceived overall growth professionally and personally from the trip, a positive experience, life-long relationships that were firmly established, a gratefulness for the experience, and finally, helpful suggestions for future improvements.","PeriodicalId":45238,"journal":{"name":"Therapeutic Recreation Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7000,"publicationDate":"2023-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Therapeutic Recreation Journal","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.18666/trj-2023-v57-i3-11887","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"REHABILITATION","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This study documents the perceptions of recreational therapy students who took part in an international faculty-led study abroad experience for 3 weeks in Serbia, Romania, and Croatia. Students volunteered in institutions, schools, and a camp for individuals with disabilities as well as taking part in cultural experiences. Participant video journals were recorded pre-trip, during the trip, and shortly after returning from studying abroad to garner student perspectives. Using a general qualitative approach, responses were transcribed verbatim, coded, and then arranged in over-arching themes. Pre-trip themes focused on looking forward to the experience coupled with anxiety. During the trip perceptions included, a positive impact from working in programs with clients who have disabilities as well as developing relationships with peers in the program cohort. Upon return and reflection, students expressed a perceived overall growth professionally and personally from the trip, a positive experience, life-long relationships that were firmly established, a gratefulness for the experience, and finally, helpful suggestions for future improvements.