Six Weeks in the Eifel: A Case for Culture Learning during Short‐Term Study Abroad

Abstract

The popularity of 1 study abroad has grown significantly in the past decade. Today, more than half of university study abroad students choose January term, and other pro grams of 8 weeks or less (Open Doors). In fact, such programs are cited as the driving force behind the remarkable growth in overall study abroad par ticipation, and many expect continued increase in the area of short-term programs (Loveland and Murphy). There are numerous positive aspects of short term study abroad. First, because programs typi cally take place during semester breaks, January or May intercessions, or the summer, students can study abroad without forgoing academic, extra curricular, or employment options that occur dur ing the academic year. Second, short-term pro grams typically offer courses that fulfill major, mi nor or elective requirements that students would need to take even if they remained on their home campus. Third, students can study abroad several times during their undergraduate career, and have the opportunity to learn about and explore several parts of the world. Fourth, short-term programs of fer a sense of security (Woolf), as students typically venture abroad as a group of US students and at least one faculty leader, who are often all from the same home institution. Finally, because such pro grams are typically faculty-led, there is often signifi cant control over the academic focus, course con tent, and program schedule. Based on findings from a recent ethnographic study that documented how a group of undergrad uate students defined, experienced, and perceived self-identified cultural encounters as they navi gated the complexities of the 6-week German Lan guage and Culture in Mayen program (see Cul tural Encounters), this article suggests that culture learning should become an integral and explicit component of short-term study abroad. After pro viding background information on the study, a model of culture leaming that can be applied to short-term study abroad is presented. Then, three issues from the study's findings that support the need for integrating culture leaming into short term study abroad are highlighted. Finally, con crete suggestions and activities are offered.