Methodological Considerations in Data Collection for Language Learning in a Study Abroad Context.

To the extent that study abroad (SA) programs are intended to enhance the language skills of their participants, the design, implementation, and evaluation of them must address the issue of how best one acquires a second language, which in turn entails other questions: What does it mean to acquire a second language? How is the acquisition of another language measured and/or evaluated? How does the SA experience affect it? At least two factors contribute to the fact that these rich data sources are not exploited for answers to these questions more than they are. First, the range of experiences which fall under the rubric of “study abroad” is so varied and complex that generalizations about optimal learning contexts need to be made with great caution. Second, often those best positioned to study this aspect of the SA experience, namely program administrators and teachers, are trained in disciplines which do not prepare them for this task. The purpose of this paper is to outline a series of factors that together provide a framework for looking at SA and to outline some research approaches, methods and techniques appropriate for examining the language acquisition aspects of this experience. A primary benefit of examining analytically the SA experience from a linguistic perspective is internal. They are a common component of many foreign language programs across the country and need to be eval-