Study Abroad Course Research Articles

How to Begin a Successful Study Abroad Course

As employers seek to build a comprehensive work environment and prioritize not only subject matter discipline knowledge and its relevant application, they also desire to hire students with a wider breath of skills. These skills include considerable “soft- or people-skills”, now being referred to as “career- or world-readiness skills. Employers certainly value and assess a students’ knowledge base, but in addition successful employers want employees to demonstrate the ability to “apply relevant information to assist others in solving challenges and being more productive”. Study abroad experiences provide an excellent opportunity for students to develop these skills. In preparation for a study abroad course just as with any course, the instructors must apply critical curriculum design components to this experience if it is to be meaningful. Careful attention must be paid to the expected learning outcomes using Bloom's Taxonomy verbs and background design to select content, preparation needed, relevant assignments/activities and assessments. It is also critical to establish trusted on-the-ground collaborators to ensure the experiences can be planned and executed in a well -organized and intentionally educational manner.

Impact of a Study Abroad Course in Helping Undergraduate Students Affirm Their Career Aspirations to Become Veterinarians: A Qualitative Inquiry

Impact of a Study Abroad Course in Helping Undergraduate Students Affirm Their Career Aspirations to Become Veterinarians: A Qualitative Inquiry

Developing Student Intercultural Communication, Intercultural Sensitivity, & Professional Identity Through Online International Study Abroad

Abstract Date Presented 04/20/2023 This study explores how an online faculty-led international study-abroad course fosters master’s-level OT students’ skills in developing intercultural sensitivity, cross-cultural communication, and professional identity. Primary Author and Speaker: Lynne Andonian Additional Authors and Speakers: Megan C. Chang, Jerilyn Smith, Alison George

77 Assessing Value of a Novel NC State University Two-Week Animal Science Study Abroad Course in Chiang Mai, Thailand for Post-Pandemic Student Education

Abstract Partially due to COVID-19 education adaptations, students and teachers alike have become more normalized to online learning platforms. While this can be valuable, it has led to an increased concern that students resist in-person meetings, lack animal and personal interactive skills and many social and cultural cues. Online platforms can allow globalized learning, but there is considerable difference between interactive study abroad education and online delivery methods. After 2 years of COVID-19 impacting study abroad programs, NC State University programs reopened in Spring 2022, although the interest and availability were understandably less than pre-pandemic years. The novel ANS 395 course Thailand: Global Animal Management Issues, Concerns and Solutions was offered Summer 2022 as a two-week, three credit hour course with 17 undergraduate students. Of these students, at least 24% had never flown, 35% had never traveled outside the USA and many more had not traveled since they were young. ANS 395 explores Thai culture and its influence on cat, dog, and elephant management as compared with North American norms. The students were housed near Chiang Mai, Thailand at a large animal sanctuary that is residence to over 100 elephants, 600 dogs and 2,000 cats. In ANS 395, students were taught and allowed to participate in basic veterinary techniques including physical exams, blood collections, IV catheter placement, suturing, medical injections, skin scraping, fecal testing, feed intake assessment, and surgical (spay/neuter) preparation. Students were able to interact with numerous animal professionals and rescued animal species in unique situations including cats in large outdoor population holding areas, semi aggressive and / or paralyzed dogs, elephants that had been severely abused, suffered landmine wounds, or were geriatric. Over 90% of the Thai population identifies as Buddhist. This presents a unique animal management learning perspective since Buddhism teaches the avoidance of all work that involves any killing of animals. Therefore, euthanasia is avoided in most veterinary cases. In contrast, many of the unique animal situations discussed above would be considered for individual humane euthanasia in North America. The novelty of ANS 395 for both instructors and students did not allow for research into how the opinions of the students on ethics and animal care may have been altered by the first offering of this course. Students were asked to Likert scale rank their Thailand animal science experience from 1(poor) to 10 (best). The average was 9/10 (n = 17). This indicates that the student’s post-pandemic valued and enjoyed their interactive study abroad experience. However, instructors did note potential post pandemic increases in social interaction difficulties. As this course develops, knowledge from 2022 will allow student assessment on ethical standpoints regarding animal care prior and post travel to understand cultural and animal management opinion changes after real world exposure.

Indigenizing Internationalization and Internationalizing Indigenization: Insights From a Virtual Study Abroad to Ireland, Jamaica, and Aotearoa/New Zealand

This paper aligns with the themes found in “The Transitions of Online Learning and Teaching” and “Sustaining Positive Change,” and reports on the collaborative work of a faculty member and an instructional designer from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, where Indigenization and internationalization are leading institutional priorities. Here we consider possibilities for greater collaboration between these disciplinary and programmatic imperatives for mutual benefit, which the shift to virtual learning during the Covid pandemic enabled. We explore the capacity of Virtual Study Abroad course design to synthesize Indigenous and Western pedagogies and methodologies to conceive of innovative curriculum consistent with the negotiation of epistemological third spaces through the design of a Virtual Study Abroad course focusing on educational systems in Ireland, Jamaica, and New Zealand. Major themes emerging from the data include the capacity of virtual learning to enhance the democratization of knowledge and the potential of participatory pedagogies and innovative assessment approaches to decolonize postsecondary curriculum. Ultimately, we hope that this work will serve to inform new institutional models and approaches, whereby Indigenization strategies serve to decolonize internationalization programs, and Indigenization efforts benefit from innovative programming emanating from internationalization initiatives. Such a reconceptualization holds the promise of mobilizing Higher Education in the service of social justice and the ‘global good.’

“Those lessons learned went right out the window once I was atop the soil where it all happened”: Transformative Learning in a Study Abroad Course

This project investigated the learning process and outcomes of a study abroad course in England and France that focused on dramatic social shifts in the world war eras. Well-established adult learning theories provided the course framework, and this study examines the characteristics and elements contributing to transformative learning. Eleven undergraduate students participated in this descriptive qualitative study. Three themes emerged from the research: students experienced a journey of intense emotion (Theme I) and meaning making (Theme II) sparking profound developmental changes (Theme III). Learning involved the whole body with students referring to visceral sensations stimulated by specific places visited during the course. Subsequent disorientation triggered the transformative learning process. Dialogue, journaling, and follow-up projects led to critical self-reflection whereby students questioned their perspectives and self-concepts. Post-travel focus groups revealed the impact of the course on validation and/or revision of student perspectives which led to informed decisions and actions. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the complexities inherent in transformative learning, especially through place-based and embodied learning practices. Implications include embracing holistic learning, fostering awareness of the learning environment including historical context, developing authentic relationships, and role-modeling critical thought and reflection.

Impacts of Prosthetic Innovation in Ecuador Study Abroad Course.

Biomedical engineering (BME) students typically have a schedule filled with specific course requirements, leaving little room for spending a semester studying abroad. We established a new short-term BME study abroad course, partnering with a non-profit healthcare organization that provides high-quality prosthetic care to underserved populations. This innovative study abroad course was met with great student demand. The impact of this short-term study abroad course is increased by developing year-long BME senior capstone design projects based on the needs identified throughout the experience in Ecuador. Shortly after the conclusion of spring semester, students and two BME faculty/staff traveled to Ecuador. During the work week, the students participated in small teams in patient evaluations, castings, fabrication of prosthetics, device fittings, rapid prototyping-testing iterations, and post-prosthesis gait training with physical therapy. Weekends included guided cultural activities. Each student maintained a journal that reflected observations and insights from these experiences. Upon return to the US, students that registered for an additional course credit created video reflection presentations and wrote project proposal reports based on the needs identified in Ecuador. The project proposal reports were used to develop a BME senior capstone design project. Pre and post course self-assessment surveys showed significant increases in five ABET learning outcomes, three BME learning outcomes, and four course-specific learning outcomes. Students who took the two-credit course reported significant increases in four more learning outcomes than students who took the one-credit course. Many students described the experience as inspiring and life-changing, and the program continues to run each summer.

Indigenizing Internationalization and Internationalizing Indigenization: Insights From a Virtual Study Abroad to Ireland, Jamaica, and Aotearoa/New Zealand

This paper aligns with the themes found in “The Transitions of Online Learning and Teaching” and “Sustaining Positive Change,” and reports on the collaborative work of a faculty member and an instructional designer from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, where Indigenization and internationalization are leading institutional priorities. Here we consider possibilities for greater collaboration between these disciplinary and programmatic imperatives for mutual benefit, which the shift to virtual learning during the Covid pandemic enabled. We explore the capacity of Virtual Study Abroad course design to synthesize Indigenous and Western pedagogies and methodologies to conceive of innovative curriculum consistent with the negotiation of epistemological third spaces through the design of a Virtual Study Abroad course focusing on educational systems in Ireland, Jamaica, and New Zealand. Major themes emerging from the data include the capacity of virtual learning to enhance the democratization of knowledge and the potential of participatory pedagogies and innovative assessment approaches to decolonize postsecondary curriculum. Ultimately, we hope that this work will serve to inform new institutional models and approaches, whereby Indigenization strategies serve to decolonize internationalization programs, and Indigenization efforts benefit from innovative programming emanating from internationalization initiatives. Such a reconceptualization holds the promise of mobilizing Higher Education in the service of social justice and the ‘global good.’

Behind the Scenes: Teaching the Sociology of Tourism Abroad

International travel has long been considered a key pedagogical strategy for global learning. Yet very little is known about whether study-abroad experiences increase students’ awareness of the impact of tourism as a global phenomenon. In this study, we assessed students’ learning through a content analysis of their journals and final essays from a short-term study-abroad course that used key concepts from the sociology of tourism to explore the impact of tourism in a developing country. Findings demonstrate how thinking sociologically about travel and tourism enabled students to look “behind the scenes,” fostered critical-thinking skills, helped in their self-assessment of ethnocentrism, and promoted a sense of global responsibility. We also discuss areas that merit further pedagogical attention, particularly when students struggle to unlearn preconceived ideas about poverty and inequality or resort to overgeneralizations when thinking comparatively.

Developing Global Citizens through International Studies: Enhancing Student Voices and Active Learning in Short-Term Study Abroad Courses

Abstract Educating global citizens has become part of higher education in international studies. Scholars argue that education includes having a global worldview that critically evaluates complex challenges in an ever-changing environment. Most agree that something more than classroom lecture is required to transform students’ perspectives, but debates exist about exactly what “more” means. Short-term study abroad courses have evolved as one way to offer a global experience to students, especially those who must balance work, school, and family life while also facing the economic restraints of higher education. These programs, however, have been criticized as providing little more than a voyeuristic view into the lives of others with no real experience with cultures, development of global citizenship, or true engagement with global issues. This study assesses the impact of a short-term study abroad program on students’ perceptions of their role as global citizens and identifies pedagogical tools that increase the likelihood that students will embrace global citizenship as a transformative learning experience. Using reflection papers and photo elicitation, this article shows that immersive short-term study abroad experiences that include extensive community engagement have the potential to change students’ perception of the world and the way they see their role in it.

Undergraduate Research Abroad: Shared Themes in Student Learning from Two Models of Course-Embedded Undergraduate Research in Field Biology Study Abroad Courses

The authors present student self-reported learning gains from two undergraduate courses that embed research within study abroad courses. Students in one course worked in small groups on original research projects; students in the second course collectively contributed to one ongoing, professional research project. Differences in student learning between courses raise questions about the relationship of course structures to high-impact practices.

Transformative Learning in Nicaragua: A Retrospective Analysis of University Agriculture Students’ Long-Term Changes in Perspective After a Study Abroad Course

Study abroad courses have become a priority for institutions of higher education because of a need to broaden students’ perspectives of the world. However, a dearth of knowledge existed regarding whether the reported outcomes of study abroad courses, such changes to students’ perspectives, endure over time. In response, this retrospective study explored how university agriculture students’ (n = 5) shared experiences during a one-week study abroad course to Nicaragua influenced their long-term changes in perspective after returning to the U.S. in 2018. Through our phenomenological analysis, three themes emerged: (1) dichotomous learning outcomes, (2) recognition of power and privilege, and (3) advocacy for global experiences. In the first theme, dichotomous learning outcomes, participants’ long-term changes in perspective appeared to vary based on their level of academic maturity. Meanwhile, in the second theme, as university agriculture students compared their lived experiences in Nicaragua to their existing assumptions of the U.S., it appeared to elicit powerful shifts concerning how they viewed the world. And, as a result, they reported their experiences prompted them to consider the implications of social inequities more deeply. In the final theme, participants reported that after returning home, they began to advocate for global experiences among their peers, family, and friends. Consequently, our findings supported the use of short-term study abroad courses to foster a positive transformation in students’ global perspectives and behaviors after returning to the U.S.

Transformative Learning in Nicaragua: A Retrospective Analysis of University Agriculture Students’ Long-Term Changes in Perspective After a Study Abroad Course

Study abroad courses have become a priority for institutions of higher education because of a need to broaden students’ perspectives of the world. However, a dearth of knowledge existed regarding whether the reported outcomes of study abroad courses, such changes to students’ perspectives, endure over time. In response, this retrospective study explored how university agriculture students’ (n = 5) shared experiences during a one-week study abroad course to Nicaragua influenced their long-term changes in perspective after returning to the U.S. in 2018. Through our phenomenological analysis, three themes emerged: (1) dichotomous learning outcomes, (2) recognition of power and privilege, and (3) advocacy for global experiences. In the first theme, dichotomous learning outcomes, participants’ long-term changes in perspective appeared to vary based on their level of academic maturity. Meanwhile, in the second theme, as university agriculture students compared their lived experiences in Nicaragua to their existing assumptions of the U.S., it appeared to elicit powerful shifts concerning how they viewed the world. And, as a result, they reported their experiences prompted them to consider the implications of social inequities more deeply. In the final theme, participants reported that after returning home, they began to advocate for global experiences among their peers, family, and friends. Consequently, our findings supported the use of short-term study abroad courses to foster a positive transformation in students’ global perspectives and behaviors after returning to the U.S. Keywords: agricultural education, study abroad, phenomenology, retrospective long-term change

A Report on the Process of Transforming an English Language Program for Speaking Proficiency in the Philippines to an Online Study Abroad Course

A Report on the Process of Transforming an English Language Program for Speaking Proficiency in the Philippines to an Online Study Abroad Course

Correction to “Undergraduate Research Abroad: Shared Themes in Student Learning from Two Models of Course-Embedded Undergraduate Research in Field Biology Study Abroad Courses”

Correction to “Undergraduate Research Abroad: Shared Themes in Student Learning from Two Models of Course-Embedded Undergraduate Research in Field Biology Study Abroad Courses”

Awakening Transformative Learning: A Comparison of the Dissonance Experienced by Agriculture Majors During Study Abroad Courses to Costa Rica and Thailand

Students who have participated in study abroad courses exhibit an improved capacity for citizenship, emotional growth, and global competence. However, achieving such requires that study abroad courses be designed to allow students to question their underlying beliefs and values – a concept called dissonance. When individuals reflect on dissonance, it has been reported to spur a process in which their previously held perspectives are transformed. As such, this investigation sought to compare the dissonance experienced by agriculture majors (N =21) at Louisiana State University during study abroad courses to Costa Rica and Thailand. We bounded cases by academic college, degree level, and year. However, they were distinct regarding context and duration. As a result, two forms of dissonance were consistent across cases: intellectual and moral. However, within cases, we also distilled context-specific dissonance that students grappled with that helped them reconsider their previously held worldviews. Our findings demonstrated that when students processed dissonance productively, their global knowledge and perspectives were transformed. We also concluded that although shared forms of dissonance existed, it is imperative for faculty to design students’ experiences abroad purposefully to nurture students’ perspective changes in transformative ways. Keywords: Costa Rica; dissonance; study abroad; Thailand; university agriculture student

Awakening Transformative Learning: A Comparison of the Dissonance Experienced by Agriculture Majors During Study Abroad Courses to Costa Rica and Thailand

Students who have participated in study abroad courses exhibit an improved capacity for citizenship, emotional growth, and global competence. However, achieving such requires that study abroad courses be designed to allow students to question their underlying beliefs and values – a concept called dissonance. When individuals reflect on dissonance, it has been reported to spur a process in which their previously held perspectives are transformed. As such, this investigation sought to compare the dissonance experienced by agriculture majors (N =21) at Louisiana State University during study abroad courses to Costa Rica and Thailand. We bounded cases by academic college, degree level, and year. However, they were distinct regarding context and duration. As a result, two forms of dissonance were consistent across cases: intellectual and moral. However, within cases, we also distilled context-specific dissonance that students grappled with that helped them reconsider their previously held worldviews. Our findings demonstrated that when students processed dissonance productively, their global knowledge and perspectives were transformed. We also concluded that although shared forms of dissonance existed, it is imperative for faculty to design students’ experiences abroad purposefully to nurture students’ perspective changes in transformative ways.

Schumpeter in Vienna: A Study Abroad Course

This paper builds upon the work of Dalton and Logan (forthcoming a) by describing the motivation for and mechanics of teaching a course dedicated to Schumpeter as a study abroad program in the city of Vienna. We argue that the qualities Vienna possesses, both historical and contemporary, make a good laboratory for exploring Schumpeter's ideas and that the process of encountering a new culture through a study abroad course is the best way to internalize his theory of innovation. To do so, our paper first outlines the course content before describing the linkages between techno-romantic Vienna and Schumpeter's intellectual development. We then describe specific examples for how instructors can use Vienna as a laboratory for teaching Schumpeter's ideas. We close by sharing preparatory details for instructors and offering the perspective of a student who took this course in the summer of 2018.

Addressing Students’ Mental Health Needs in Faculty-Led Study Abroad Courses

ABSTRACT The increased enrollment of students with mental health needs in U.S. higher education, paired with increasing emphasis on study abroad participation has led campus mental health professionals to consider how their services might extend to serve students with mental health needs who are studying abroad . When it comes to faculty led courses, instructors can play a key role in providing on-the-ground support for students experiencing mental health challenges. The findings from this study provide key insights that college mental health professionals can use to better understand and support these instructors as they serve on the front lines of addressing students’ mental health needs while they are away from campus. In particular, our findings point to key ways that college mental health professionals can partner with education abroad offices to provide effective pre-departure training and in-country support for faculty instructors.

Guided Journaling: Focused Writing to Enhance Learning during a STEM Short-Term Study Abroad Course

More students are enrolling in STEM short-term study abroad courses, yet the structure of these programs poses pedagogical challenges for faculty needing to cover an entire course in a few weeks. Challenges include lack of pedagogical resources and research; the need to intentionally intervene to structure learning so that students can process, connect, and reflect to promote deeper thinking; little time for preparation or content front-loading; and finding balance between faculty-led instruction and experiential activities. To address these challenges while teaching a short-term study abroad course in Costa Rica, daily guided journaling worksheets (GJWs) fostered learning through intentional writing by sharpening student focus, connecting study abroad experiences with concepts from the texts, capturing thinking, promoting student reflection, and elucidating student concerns. The GJWs incorporated thinking routines, content graphic organizers, and a variety of writing prompts. Overall, the GJWs documented student learning in a format that allowed for prompt assessment and feedback while overcoming some of the challenges related to teaching a short-term study abroad course. With relevant and situational modifications, GJWs can be a beneficial tool for other types of experiential teaching situations such as internships, practicums, co-ops, field trips, laboratory activities, and community-based learning.