”... while education is an ongoing process of improving knowledge and skills, it is also-perhaps primarily-an exceptional means of bringing about personal development and building relationships among individuals, groups, and nations.” -Jacques Delors, Chairman of the International Commission of Education for the Twenty-First Century: “LEARNING: The Treasure Within” p.14 (1998, first published 1996)
High school students who have experienced international education, who speak another language, and have lived in another culture are simply better prepared and have more options, both personally and professionally. All students and teachers benefit from developing their intercultural skills.
AFS believes firmly in the value of experiential learning. Participants on an AFS Program have structured orientations and are placed in classrooms, but the principal learning opportunities on the AFS Program come from the daily experience of living in another cultural environment. Learning by experience is intrinsically motivating, is better remembered, and the skills learned are retained longer than in a classroom setting.
Our framework for learning is involvement in the local culture and community. We encourage participants to become more aware of the issues affecting their host society, to engage in service to the community, and to form close relationships across cultures. When they return home, we support them in their re-integration to their home societies and encourage them to put their new knowledge to use. We work within a Global Education Framework.
Assessment of the Impact of the AFS Study Abroad Experience
Recently, Dr. Mitchell Hammer of Hammer Consulting and American University completed a three-year, independent study of AFS Programs. According to Dr. Hammer, these findings confirm that international student exchange at the high school level plays a critical role in building bridges across cultural differences. Students return home with improved abilities to navigate across cultural boundaries.
The study findings show that the AFS Programs help young people:
- Become more competent in crossing cultures.
- Feel comfortable with people from around the world.
- Build stronger friendships with people from other cultures.
- Become fluent in the foreign language.
- Immerse yourself completely in your host culture.
International Research Community
Selected research by AFS:
1. Press Release Study Abroad Builds International Competence
2. Assessment of the Impact of the AFS Study Abroad Experience
3. An Overview of AFS Research: 1980-1993
Research by AFS on the Intercultural Experience
Why an AFS Experience Accelerates Learning and the Growth of Competence
Global Education Framework for AFS
