Journaling to Develop a Study Abroad Course for Business Majors

Abstract

Objective - This research explored the cultural and educational insights in Thailand to develop a study abroad course for Business Communication students including a pre-departure segment followed by a trip to Thailand. The context was a small mid-western teaching university in the United States of America. Methodology/Technique – The primary researcher collected textual data by means of keeping a daily journal in Thailand including visits and stays in both urban and rural areas for over a period of two months. The journaling included reflections on the primary researcher’s observations and comments about learning sites, opportunities and cultural activities. The data collection also included videotaped interviews, photos of sites, local people, and cultural artifacts to be utilized in the course. Finding & Novelty - Content analysis of the journal yielded three sets of themes which resulted in the development of the course: a) Identification of opportunities to develop and practice intercultural sensitivity, intercultural development, and intercultural competencies; b) recognition of cultural artifacts to bring awareness to the culture of the country visited; and c) identification of a set of practical issues related to international travel. Type of Paper: Empirical. Keywords: Curation, experiential learning, journaling, study abroad, social enterprise, reflection. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Ward; J.G; Ward Y.D; Jones; S. 2020. Journaling to Develop a Study Abroad Course for Business Majors, Global J. Bus. Soc. Sci. Review, 8(1): 30 – 40. https://doi.org/10.35609/gjbssr.2020.8.1(4) JEL Classification: A30, A39.