Leading Short-Term Study Abroad Courses: Motivations and Outcomes for Community College Faculty
Open AccessThis case study explored faculty motivations for choosing to lead short-term study abroad courses and the personal and professional outcomes of the undertaking as reported by the faculty members themselves. This study also identified specific instances of internationalized practice in the development and implementation of the course. Three faculty members from one community college were included in this case study. Study data were collected through semistructured interviews, participant observations, and document review. Individual interviews were conducted at three points: before, during, and after the study abroad course trip. The before-trip interviews focused on the three participants' motivations to pursue the opportunity to lead a short-term study abroad course and their desired outcomes of the undertaking. The interviews conducted during the trip explored real-time perceptions of the experience and reflections on the preparation process. The interviews conducted upon return from the trip explored faculty reflections on the actual and planned outcomes of the experience. Participant observations noted instances of internationalization in teaching and learning during the delivery of the course while abroad. The documents reviewed included syllabi, course descriptions, international education mission, portions of the community college strategic plan, and course promotional materials. These results indicate that faculty were motivated to pursue the opportunity to lead short-term study abroad by intrinsic personal and professional factors. Outcomes for faculty revealed professional growth in disciplinary knowledge and enthusiasm, internationalization of teaching and learning, an expansion of their professional practice and roles, and individualized personal outcomes. The study suggests that leading short-term study abroad courses can serve as a professional development activity for faculty in a variety of ways, including internationalization.
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