Date of Award

Fall 2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

College

College of Education

Department

Department of Education

Primary Advisor

Dr. Steven J Henderson

Second Advisor

Dr. Janet Deck

Third Advisor

Dr. Lisa Coscia

Abstract

Chaperones are adults who accompany, look after, and supervise traveling students. This case study examined the influence of an urban middle school short-stay international trip to France on chaperones’ perceptions and attitudes toward traveling students, co-chaperones, and the destination culture. Five chaperones on spring break trips from 2014 to 2017 provided data during individual ex post facto semi-structured interviews. Trip-related documents and trip vendor participant online accounts were analyzed to corroborate and augment the interview data. Participants developed a positive view of the traveling students after traveling together for ten days. Chaperones increased their understanding of diversity, developed a deeper understanding of students and co-chaperones, and increased their knowledge of the destination culture. Though some conflicts and misunderstanding existed among chaperones, the chaperones’ attitudes toward co-chaperones were mostly positively influenced by the experience. The chaperones infused the lessons learned and the realia gathered during the experience in classroom instruction. Chaperoning urban middle school students was an opportunity for personal and professional growth and an opportunity to build enduring relationships between the students and the chaperones.

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