Intercultural Competence in Short-Term Study Abroad

Assessment is growing for short-term study abroad as the majority of students (63.1%) continue to choose this option (Institute of International Education, 2016). This study examines possible gains and factors influencing such gains in students’ overall intercultural competency following participation in a short-term program. Using the Intercultural Effectiveness Scale (IES) survey distributed before, after, and three months following the study abroad experience, data was analyzed for fifty-five students across eight different short-term programs at three distinct institutions within the state of Texas. Document analysis of program syllabi also looked at connections to structured activities and assignments. The results demonstrate the potential for short-term study abroad programs ranging from two to five weeks to have significant impacts on students’ self-perceived intercultural competency that appear most affected by intentional structures. These findings support recommended practices of using well-defined activities and assignments, incorporating opportunities for meaningful local interaction, and providing planned re-entry.

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Talking with ‘Others’: Experiences and perspective transformation in a short-term study abroad program

Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad ◽

10.36366/frontiers.v33i2.484 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 35-60

Author(s):

Emmanuelle S. Chiocca

Keyword(s):

Study Abroad ◽

Transformative Learning ◽

Intercultural Competence ◽

Classroom Culture ◽

Student Experiences ◽

Short Term ◽

Study Abroad Programs ◽

Term Study ◽

Multiple Data ◽

Short Term Study

With the growth of short-term study abroad programs comes the need to develop impactful curricula and to provide supportive environments for deep learning abroad that is more than “upgraded” tourism but rather focused on educational outcomes. This qualitative case study investigates the experiences of five study abroad participants in Israel. Drawing from multiple data sources within an interpretive framework, the purpose of this study is to understand student experiences abroad. Data was analyzed inductively and thematically. Findings suggest that the holistic experience was anchored by (1) directed and diverse conversations, (2) hermeneutical reflections, (3) emotional disequilibrium, (4) intercultural competence development, and (5) student engagement in a classroom culture, which acted together as a gestalt. Results highlight the importance of dialogue, both with locals and within the classroom community, for transformative learning. These findings encourage international educators to provide instructional frames that encourage students to engage with local communities in critical ways.

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Understanding How Program Factors Influence Intercultural Learning in Study Abroad: The Benefits of Mixed-Method Analysis

Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad ◽

10.36366/frontiers.v31i1.441 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 22-45

Author(s):

Andrea Paras ◽

Michael Carignan ◽

Ashley Brenner ◽

Jane Hardy ◽

Jodi Malmgren ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Service Learning ◽

Study Abroad ◽

Intercultural Competence ◽

Intercultural Learning ◽

Short Term ◽

Study Abroad Programs ◽

Term Study ◽

Present Evidence ◽

Short Term Study ◽

The Impact

With the proliferation of short term study abroad programs at institutions of higher education, there is a need for more rigorous assessment of how these pr ograms contribute to intercultural learning. This article presents a multi institutional comparative study of students’ intercultural learning in six short term study abroad programs in Canada and the U nited S tates , employing both quantitative and qualitat ive methods. The study combines pre and post IDI survey scores with a qualitative analysis of student writing to present evidence about the impact of specific program features on students’ intercultural learning, as well as an analysis of how the students themselves make sense of their experiences abroad. We argue that the extent of pre departure intercultural training has a positive relationship with intercultural learning outcomes. Additionally, we present evidence that service learning opportunities and intra group dynamics contribute to students’ intercultural competence. We conclude that mixed methods analysis provides the most effective way of identifying how different program factors contribute to intercultural growth, when that growth occurs in a pr ogram cycle, and how program leaders can provide effective intercultural interventions to best facilitate student learning abroad.

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Emplacing Berlin: Digital Itineraries and Short-term Study Abroad in the City

International Journal of Humanities and Arts Computing ◽

10.3366/ijhac.2018.0204 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 26-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Richard B. Apgar

Keyword(s):

Study Abroad ◽

Urban Landscape ◽

Physical Space ◽

Short Term ◽

Study Abroad Programs ◽

Term Study ◽

Digital Maps ◽

Short Term Study ◽

The City

As destination of choice for many short-term study abroad programs, Berlin offers students of German language, culture and history a number of sites richly layered with significance. The complexities of these sites and the competing narratives that surround them are difficult for students to grasp in a condensed period of time. Using approaches from the spatial humanities, this article offers a case study for enhancing student learning through the creation of digital maps and itineraries in a campus-based course for subsequent use during a three-week program in Berlin. In particular, the concept of deep mapping is discussed as a means of augmenting understanding of the city and its history from a narrative across time to a narrative across the physical space of the city. As itineraries, these course-based projects were replicated on site. In moving from the digital environment to the urban landscape, this article concludes by noting meanings uncovered and narratives formed as we moved through the physical space of the city.

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The Ebb and Flow of Study Abroad: A Comparative Analysis of PRC and International Students in Taiwan

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13115844 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. 5844

Author(s):

Amy Roberts ◽

Gregory S. Ching

Keyword(s):

International Students ◽

Study Abroad ◽

Short Term ◽

Study Abroad Programs ◽

Term Study ◽

Republic Of China ◽

Short Term Study ◽

The Mean ◽

Cross Tabulation ◽

Pacific Community

The dialogue about study abroad is a contemporary trend. Since 2011, enrolments from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have gradually increased and PRC students have now become one of the largest groups of incoming study abroad participants in Taiwan. In this study, investigators explored the characteristics of PRC students in comparison with other international students studying in Taiwan universities. Data were collected from 1870 study abroad students. Data collected include the various study abroad goals, prior study abroad experiences, the Short-term Study Abroad Situational Change Survey, the revised East Asian Acculturation Measures, the Study Abroad Acculturative Hassles, and their overall study abroad satisfaction. Data analyses included computation of the mean, frequency, cross-tabulation of respondents’ responses for identified questions, and various group comparisons. Implications suggest that the characteristics of PRC students are valuable and potentially transformative markers for sustainable cross-strait ties. Study abroad programs in Taiwan are noted as one piece of the emerging discourse for sustainable co-existence between Taiwan and the PRC. As such, PRC study abroad participants along with faculty and students in Taiwan universities have an opportunity to play a role in reshaping future exchanges as well as transforming themselves into stewards of a trans-Pacific community.

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Study Abroad Objectives and Satisfaction of International Students in Japan

Journal of International Students ◽

10.32674/jis.v8i4.238 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Matthias Hennings ◽

Shin Tanabe

Keyword(s):

International Students ◽

Study Abroad ◽

Student Satisfaction ◽

Language Skills ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Short Term ◽

Study Abroad Programs ◽

Term Study ◽

Short Term Study ◽

Cultural Skills

Many Japanese universities have created short-term study abroad programs with the aim of offering a satisfying study abroad experience to international students. Based on a survey of 131 international students, this paper analyzes these students’ objectives and their relation to student satisfaction. As the results show, many students regard their experience of living in Japan as more important than their academic pursuits. Furthermore, for students with prior knowledge of Japanese, improving language skills tends to result in higher satisfaction, while for students who do not speak the local language, achieving cross-cultural skills is a major factor for having a satisfying experience.

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Program Design and the Development of Students’ Global Perspectives in Faculty-Led Short-Term Study Abroad

Journal of Studies in International Education ◽

10.1177/1028315320906156 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 102831532090615

Author(s):

Melissa Whatley ◽

Adam C. Landon ◽

Michael A. Tarrant ◽

Donald Rubin

Keyword(s):

Study Abroad ◽

Program Design ◽

Global Perspective ◽

Short Term ◽

Study Abroad Programs ◽

Term Study ◽

Global Perspectives ◽

Studying Abroad ◽

Short Term Study ◽

Before And After

This study explores connections between design features of faculty-led short-term study abroad programs and resulting changes in students’ global perspectives. Over 2,000 students provided data for this study, completing the Global Perspective Inventory (GPI) before and after studying abroad. Results indicated that program features such as participation in an internship and opportunities for reflection are positively associated with global perspective development while abroad, whereas features such as number of students traveling together and coursework in English are negatively associated with such development. Given the increasing numbers of students who participate in faculty-led short-term abroad programs, research that provides evidence-based recommendations concerning program design is essential to enhancing global perspectives through study abroad.

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Short-Term Study Abroad in Psychology: Effects of a Cultural Scavenger Hunt on the Development of Intercultural Competence

Teaching of Psychology ◽

10.1177/0098628320959922 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 48 (1) ◽

pp. 32-40

Author(s):

Ryan M. Zayac ◽

Sydney Miller ◽

Wolfgang Lenhard ◽

Amber Paulk ◽

Kirby Chrysler

Keyword(s):

Study Abroad ◽

Intercultural Competence ◽

Short Form ◽

The United States ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Study ◽

Initial Development ◽

Emotional Resilience ◽

Intercultural Competencies ◽

Short Term Study

Steadily increasing ethnic and cultural diversity in the United States has led employers to see intercultural competence as a valuable and necessary trait for those entering the workforce, including students studying psychology. One high-impact practice that may increase students’ multicultural awareness is study abroad. The current research examined the effectiveness of a cultural scavenger hunt offered during two short-term study abroad programs to increase participants’ intercultural competencies. Cultural competence was assessed in Study 1 ( N = 10) using the Miville-Guzman Universality-Diversity Scale–Short Form. Results indicated a statistically significant increase across all subscales. In Study 2 ( N = 16), the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory was utilized. Results from Study 2 demonstrated statistically significant improvements in the Emotional Resilience subscale. These findings suggest that a cultural scavenger hunt may assist participants in actively engaging in the local culture and facilitate the initial development of intercultural competencies.

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