Combining study abroad and the on-campus experience to enhance language and cultural learning

Abstract

ABSTRACT This course collaboration connected a study-abroad group (n = 17) in Madrid, Spain and an at-home student group (n = 6) in Greenville, South Carolina, USA to increase linguistic and cultural learning opportunities at both locations. Participants were Spanish majors aged 20–23 completing upper-level coursework at the same liberal arts university in the southeastern US. Through a series of in-class assignments and assessment devices, we scaffolded our courses to align with ACTFL ‘Can-Do Statement’ language proficiency standards. Students were trained to take ethnographic field notes in public spaces as a means of enhancing their awareness of authentic linguistic and cultural practices. Subsequent reflection assignments encouraged cross-cultural comparisons by individual learners and through peer interactions. Content from student essays, discussions, and social media postings showcased the students’ progress toward advanced-level language use while also revealing growth in their ability to consider multiple cultural perspectives in making value judgments, an important component of global citizenship. The study contributes a new methodology for maximizing the benefits of the study-abroad experience for participants as well as their at-home peers.