Re-Entry Introduction

Professor Tsuneo Akaha and Professor Wei Liang will have led a group of 15 students on a ten-day
immersive learning trip to China and Japan during Spring Break 2017 (March 18-26, 2017). This
immersive learning experience is an embedded education abroad component of the course entitled
East Asia Seminar: Foreign Policy, Trade, and Security.
It is recommended that faculty hold two re-entry sessions and provide an introduction to the online
career toolkit. This type of programming supports reflection, continued professional development,
and community building. Below is a brief outline of recommended re-entry programming, and
detailed session information can be found on the programs East Asia Seminar Website.
Contributions to Student Learning
Re-Entry programming is an important part of study abroad program design, because it allows
students to continue reflecting on their experience and actively experiment with their newfound
knowledge in future academic and professional contexts.1
David Kolbs Experiential Learning Theory supports the need to intentionally design programs
students are guided through the learning process and can fully take advantage of the abroad
experience.2 This ensures that learning continues beyond the immersive learning experience, and
addresses the different learning styles and needs of each student, particularly for students who
require more guidance through the reflection process.3
Re-Entry programming is also an opportunity for faculty and students to assess whether students
made progress towards achieving the learning outcomes set out by faculty.4 This knowledge enables
faculty to make appropriate changes to future programming.
Description of Re-Entry Sessions
The re-entry sessions build off activities given during the pre-departure sessions in order to create a
comprehensive learning experience for the student. These sessions are meant to help students
articulate what they learned during their experience abroad in a way that benefits their personal and
professional development. Re-Entry programming will increase student reflection, articulation, and
integration of their study abroad experience into academic and professional applications.5
There are two 1-hour sessions that take place during class time after returning from the Immersive
Learning trip. The first session should happen within 2 weeks after return, followed by the second
re-entry session a week later.
Forum on Education Abroad, Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad, Standard 4
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice-Hall.
3
Forum on Education Abroad, Standard 2: Organizations seek to create and maintain continuity with student
learning and development on the home campus.
4
Forum on Education Abroad, Standard 2: Regular evaluations are conducted to assess student learning and
development.
5
NAFSAs Guide to Education Abroad, Post Study Abroad. p. 92.
1

Re-Entry Session 1 will give students an opportunity to integrate their immersive learning experience
into their broader professional development. They will practice these skills through reflection on their
experience paired with mock interviews. Re-Entry Session 2 gives students the opportunity to present
their experiences during their time abroad, combining concise reflection and public speaking skills.
Career Toolkit
The Career Toolkit is a collection of resources to help students prepare for the job search, job
interviews, resume building, and personal branding. It consists of relevant websites, interesting
articles, and informative videos that teach students how to articulate the positive impact of their
experience in the East Asia Seminar.
The Career Toolkit also includes a Resource Database where students and faculty are able to
contribute resources to a shared file. As students continue to discover helpful material in their job
searches and professional development, they will be able to import the resources for all to utilize.