2018 Volume 48 Pages 53-71
This article reviews the current patterns of students who study abroad from a Japanese university and constructs a conceptual framework to analyze it. Based on the framework, through a case study of a large comprehensive national university, the article attempts to compare the traditional patterns of study abroad to study abroad in ASEAN countries. This is a new trend for Japanese university students and indicates that study abroad patterns of Japanese university students are changing.
Specifically, this article examined 19 study abroad programs in 2016 for textand coding-analysis and then compared the program contents. The author found that 1) study abroad in ASEAN countries aims to improve students’ academic skills, and attitudes, in addition to English language proficiency and communication skills, and 2) content differs by student status: undergraduate or graduate. In addition to these, studying abroad in ASEAN countries is seen by students as a very short-term (approximately 10 days)，academic discipline-centered, and faculty-led. These features are considered a new pattern of Japanese university students’ study abroad experience.
