Randal Arsenault

Biography

Randal Arsenault is a director belongs to the department of Biology from the university of Alberta.

Research Interest

Dr. Randal Arsenault is the Director of the University of Alberta’s Southern African Field School providing world class field education in Swaziland, South Africa and Mozambique. The program offers life changing educational experiences for undergraduate students interested in African Ecology, Marine Ecology and One Health. Students connect with the local communities, develop international networks and learn to develop poignant research questions that will inspire future development in Africa. www.science.ualberta.ca/africa Dr. Arsenault is the principal investigator for research on the effectiveness of community service learning to promote intercultural competencies in students who study abroad and students who do not study abroad. This research is supported by the Vice Provost Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund (TLEF). Abstract: There is very little empirical research on study abroad and intercultural learning. Scholars now question whether studying abroad, in itself, will lead to intercultural learning and competencies. The purpose of this study is to assess how well University of Alberta study abroad programs are promoting intercultural learning, using quantitative and qualitative mixed methods, and compare to students who do not study abroad. We will assess empirically four factors which may affect intercultural learning: i) study abroad; ii) intercultural education and reflection; iii) community service learning; and iv) location and difference from home culture. The long-term goal is to assess what types of intercultural practice and reflection activities are effective in promoting intercultural competency, and how to incorporate intercultural learning into home campus courses. This research will inform changes to the study abroad community and inform the creation of such experiences on campus, such as intercultural community service learning within our community. Dr. Arsenault holds a Ph.D from the Centre for African Ecology, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa and a Master of Natural Resources from the University of Manitoba. Other research areas include facilitation and competition of multi-species systems, savannah ecology, natural resources management and plant-animal interactions in Africa. Examples of past research include understanding the mechanisms of coexistence and the grazing ecology of zebra, white rhino, wildebeest and impala in Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, South Africa.