Kaleidoscope Project Update

From AFSWiki

On 10 May 2010, members of the AFS Network Intercultural Learning (ICL) Work Group met with Nicolas Geeraert and his colleague Kali Daemes in Milan, Italy, to receive an update on the Kaleidoscope Research Project and discuss the project’s preliminary results.

The Kaleidoscope Project, began in October 2009 and concluding in early 2012, is evaluating the different impacts of living abroad on participants’ well-being, stress, and cultural learning. AFS participants from both the 2010 Northern and Southern Hemisphere year programs from 26 Partners organizations are taking part in this study.

Topics of interest to AFS, to be gathered from the results of this study, include:

• Cultural distance: How (dis)similar a host culture is perceived to be and the effect this has on the student’s exchange experience,
• Development of predictive measures for difficulties and/or challenges: identifying knobs that can be adjusted (e.g., specific things like overlaying family changes, orientations, etc), the links between them, and steps to take afterwards.
• Impact of the AFS Orientation Framework: Are participants achieving the same results even if they are not receiving all of the AFS preparations they should be receiving (orientations, monthly contact, etc.)?

Within the next few weeks, the researchers will be reaching out to all of the participating Partners regarding a message to be shared with study participants, encouraging them to stay active in the study.

Over the next two months, members of the AFS Network ICL Work Group will be discussing the preliminary results of the Kaleidoscope Project with AFS colleagues.

In three months, the ICL Work Group will meet again to assess the state of the project. From AFS International, Melissa Liles and Anna Collier will remain in continual communication with Geeraert and his colleague in regards to the progress of the study.

Meeting Attendees: Kaleidoscope Project: Nicolas Geeraert, Kali Daemes AFS Network ICL Work Group: Annette Gisevius/GER, Irid Agoes/INA, Johanna Nemeth/AUT, Lisa Cohen/INT, Melissa Liles/INT, Rosario Gutierrez/COL Additional AFS representatives: Anna Collier/INT, Sabrina Brunetti/ITA