Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education
Article Title
Assessing Intercultural Competence in Experiential Learning Abroad: Lessons for Educators
Abstract
The old adage that travel broadens the mind may not hold true for every student studying abroad. While pre-departure and in-country support for intercultural learning can help, some students still fail to develop their intercultural competence and some even go backwards. Using a combination of quantitative (Intercultural Development Inventory) and qualitative measures, this study examines what happens in intercultural learning when students participated in a four-week experiential field school in India, preceded by a twelve-week preparation course on the ethics of international voluntourism. Results found that, while students’ pre- and post-trip Intercultural Development Inventory results varied, qualitative data gave insights into student learning and revealed important lessons for educators.
First Page
45
Last Page
64
Recommended Citation
Paras, Andrea and Mitchell, Lynne
(2017)
"Assessing Intercultural Competence in Experiential Learning Abroad: Lessons for Educators,"
Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education: Vol. 1:
No.
1, Article 8.
Available at:
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/elthe/vol1/iss1/8