ABSTRACT

Intercollegiate student-athletes have few opportunities to participate in high-impact academic engagement opportunities, such as education abroad experiences. In this paper we explore the possibilities of intercollegiate foreign tours as a meaningful academic engagement opportunity for student-athletes. We examine learning outcomes of 31 student-athletes after participating in a one-week foreign tour experience playing baseball and participating in associated educational and cultural activities in Cuba. Data come from one case study that employs three qualitative strands: a pre-trip survey, in-country daily reflections, and a post-trip survey. We use an inductive analytical approach, informed by learning and development theory to examine players’ cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral development as a result of the foreign tour. Findings indicate that foreign tours that include an educational component may bridge athletics and the academic mission of higher education and can provide a meaningful opportunity for high-impact engagement that student-athletes perceive to be missing from their education.

摘要

校际学生运动员很少有机会参与具有影响力的学术参与机会，例如出国教育经历。在本文中，我们探讨了校际国外旅游作为学生运动员有意义的学术参与机会的可能性。我们检查了 31 名学生运动员在参加了为期一周的国外巡回赛打棒球和参加古巴的相关教育和文化活动后的学习成果。数据来自一个案例研究，该研究采用三个定性链：旅行前调查、国内日常反思和旅行后调查。我们使用归纳分析方法，以学习和发展理论为依据，检查球员在国外巡回赛中的认知、态度和行为发展。