Download or read book Transformation Through Disorientation written by Christy M. Cooper and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Participation in study abroad programs has more than tripled over the last quarter century. As more college students opt to study cross culturally, understanding this impact on student development is relevant. Disorientation through culture shock is a recognized common experience in study abroad programs; however, limited research is available on what perspective transformations emerge for students through this process. The purpose of this narrative study was to explore the perspective changes that may have occurred in the lives of Council of Christian Colleges and Universities students through their participation in the Oxford Programme for Undergraduate Studies. This study explored the experiences of eight alumni from Azusa Pacific University, who studied abroad through the Oxford Programme for Undergraduate Studies (OPUS) between 2011-2015. The following research questions that guided this study were: What stories do participants share about their lived experiences during the Oxford Programme for Undergraduate Studies (OPUS) study abroad semester, and their transition home? How do the participants' stories reflect disorientation from their study abroad experiences and their transitions home? How do these study abroad experiences affect participant perceptions of personal identity, spirituality, and academic pursuits? Data was gathered through interviews, researcher observations and artifacts, and analyzed for codes and themes. The study's findings revealed that self-realization occurred for participants through experiences of daily exploration, intellectual pursuit, and in the context of community. Furthermore, the results indicated that: the Oxford tutorial system promoted a process of transformative learning; the OPUS semester structure fostered identity development, leading to expressed confidence and a sense of belonging; spiritual development is a holistic and integrative process, and; the transition back to campus from Oxford was more difficult than the transition abroad. Recommendations include supporting students with a seminar during the semester following their return, and connection to faculty within their major for extended learning opportunities.