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Study abroad (SA) in North America is changing in two ways: short‐term trips are becoming more popular, and more students are traveling in teacher‐facilitated groups. These changes raise questions about how teaching methods can help to improve outcomes in short stays abroad, particularly in the case of language learners. To better understand teachers' perspectives on pedagogy, we conducted a series of group and individual interviews with 18 college teachers who facilitate short‐term language SA. The results of a constructivist grounded theory analysis showed that teachers believed pedagogy in short‐term SA could be improved by integrating the SA program into the at‐home curriculum, by targeting both measurable and process‐based objectives, by adopting a variety of teaching strategies including experiential teaching, and by integrating interactions between students and locals in different ways. The Challenge Is short‐term SA truly less effective at developing students' language proficiency than stays of longer duration? What if context‐specific teaching practices could be developed to help facilitators maximize the benefit of shorter stays? This study examines teachers' beliefs about how pedagogy in short‐term SA can be improved.

This study analyzes how self‐guided cultural exploration and reflection (SCER) tasks affect the development of intercultural competency (ICC) of students participating in a study abroad program. The Intercultural Effectiveness Scale (IES) was used to measure students' ICC development before and after a 6‐week faculty‐led study abroad program in Japan. The SCER tasks encouraged students to examine Japanese history, cuisine, politics, architecture, economy, communication style, and behaviors, and gain a sophisticated understanding of the Japanese culture through the lens of unique Japanese perspectives. The results reveal significant gains in overall IES scales, in particular, student's continuous learning and interpersonal engagement saw the most change. Analysis of student reflections further demonstrates the positive impact of culturally bridging experiences on self‐awareness and cultural exploration. We argue that the impact of perspective‐shifting practices, combined with students' first‐hand intercultural experience improves student's level of hardiness. Finally, student reflections reveal the important role that the SCER tasks have on initiating a meaningful dialogue with their host families. The Challenge Due to globalization, students today need to develop intercultural skills, and study abroad is widely held as one of the most effective ways of developing competence, and more university students are attending short summer‐long programs. In this context, we ask, how can teachers design a program that maximizes student's intercultural learning in a short‐term study abroad program? Can students develop a rich and deep understanding of the culture in short‐term study abroad? This article presents unique cultural bridging experiences, self‐exploration tasks, and teacher guidance that impacted the development of student's intercultural competency.

: Increasing numbers of students are opting for study abroad programs of 2 months or less while research on study abroad generally focuses on semester‐ or year‐long programs. This study quantitatively examines changes in students' spoken Spanish after 6 weeks in Argentina using native speaker ratings of student speech. The researcher then uses self‐report measures to determine which of the following variables predict improvements in speaking, pre‐program motivation and intercultural sensitivity, relationship with the host family, and interaction with native speakers. Results suggest that short‐term programs can benefit language skills, as the majority of students in this program demonstrated small yet highly significant improvements in spoken Spanish even though a percentage of students showed a decrease in their skills. Surprisingly, only pre‐program levels of cultural sensitivity predicted students' improvements in language skills, providing further evidence of the importance of culture in language learning.

Shifts in attitudes toward tourism management have permeated the literature on consumer behavior since the COVID-19 pandemic. Marketing strategies have targeted young people because, in an increasingly digital social world, global travel is especially appealing to this demographic, which feels a sense of isolation exacerbated by the pandemic. Postpandemic studies indicate that intercultural awareness and experiences are particularly sought after by American youth, who are comparatively isolated geographically from the rest of the world. This isolation has led to a longstanding deficit in global intercultural knowledge, as typified by high failure rates among American expatriates employed abroad. This phenomenon has prompted American institutions of higher education to create short-term study abroads to immerse students in global experiences proactively. These have been increasingly offered since the pandemic. 

Despite the mounting evidence supporting the effectiveness of short-term study abroad programs (such as Service-Learning programs) on university students’ development, few studies have been conducted to explore the impact of short-term study in China programs on young people from Hong Kong. This study employed a qualitative design method to examine the impact of three types of short-term study programs in China—summer school, cultural tour, and service-learning—on Hong Kong university students’ development and to explore both the facilitators of, and the barriers to, the impact of the programs. A total of 42 students from 17 short-term study in China programs were interviewed individually. Results showed that all three types of short-term study in China programs were perceived by participants as having a positive impact on their intercultural competence as well as their perceptions of, and attitudes toward, the Nation and Chinese people. Participants of service-learning programs also demonstrated enhanced global citizenship. However, these programs did not have any significant impact on their perceived identities as Hong Kong or Chinese citizens. Individual and program factors that facilitated or impeded the student’s gains from the programs were identified. These findings provide pioneer evidence for the positive impacts of short-term study in China programs on Hong Kong local university students and for the improvement of the current programs as well as the development of new programs in the future.

The purpose of this study is to describe learning that occurred among participants who engaged in a short-term education abroad program using a modified situated learning theoretical framework. In situated learning theory, experience becomes activity and takes on a dynamic relation to learning. For the study, I selected a specific case to examine one type of education abroad program that students can engage in, which was a short-term education abroad program where a group of nine students traveled as part of a course for one week. Methods of data collection for this qualitative study included direct participant observation, field notes, and in-depth interviews. I asked the participants to describe their experiences during their short-term education abroad program, and I analyzed their descriptions based on the four elements of context that I defined for the study in an education abroad program - activity, tools, situation, and community of learners. I examined how these elements of context related to learning for them. I applied this theoretical framework by looking at the ways in which participants described how they learned in their education abroad program. I also looked at the ways in which the descriptions of learning provided by the participants contribute to new ways of understanding learning in context in an education abroad program.

Objective This study examined the impact of a short-term study abroad program, focusing on program evaluation, attendee satisfaction, and acquired knowledge and skills. A questionnaire survey was conducted covering various aspects including demographics, program evaluation, and feedback. Results Results indicated higher female participation due to gender imbalances in pharmacy students in Egypt, with senior students recognizing the value of international experience. Attendee satisfaction was high, with positive feedback on accommodation, tours, and workshop materials. Field visits and workshops provided valuable experiential learning, with attendees suggesting extending the program’s duration. The program equipped attendees with knowledge and skills relevant to pharmaceutical products and services, leading to improved competences and perceptions. The study concludes that such study abroad experiences profoundly impact personal growth and recommends integrating them into educational curricula for valuable experiences.

The purpose of this paper is to serve as a comprehensive review of short-term study abroad (STSA) outcomes to help guide future STSA and study abroad (SA) scholars and practitioners in the further development of the field. This paper is the first comprehensive and systematic review of all outcomes of STSA programs within the SA body of research based on 156 papers. The study provides the first comprehensive classification of all previously studied STSA outcomes (85) into six categories: cross-cultural outcomes, STSA pedagogy outcomes, personal and professional outcomes; language outcomes; teacher and faculty outcomes; and other outcomes. Distinct sub-categories are identified that provide insights on the current landscape of STSA and related research. This study makes a significant contribution to the theory and practice of SA, and among the key contributions are a systematic understanding of the scale and scope of STSA outcomes; insights on the most efficient design of future STSA programs; and an expanded understanding of the role and importance of STSA programs in international education. Furthermore, a comprehensive STSA outcomes map develops an extensive research agenda. While the COVID-19 pandemic currently limits the opportunities for STSA, given its previous popularity, the authors envisage a strong return in the coming years of this form of affordable and valuable global learning. STSA programs have become an important component of higher education and which require considerable resources from participants and educational institutions alike. Therefore, further research is needed to understand the impacts of STSA programs and to further improve program design. Such research will serve to better inform both academic understanding of the phenomenon and educational practice. The study provides the first comprehensive classification of all studied STSA outcomes. [Author abstract, ed]

PurposeThe marketisation of higher education fosters the notion of students as consumers, highlighting the shifting dynamics of student–teacher relationships. This paper aims to contribute to ongoing discussions about students as consumers and their involvement in pedagogical practices. We explore students’ experiences in short-term study abroad (SA) programmes that involve collaborative learning, examining how a consumerism-oriented approach affects students’ perceptions of their pedagogical identities and student–teacher pedagogical relationships.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative exploratory study was conducted to capture students’ rich and subjective perceptions and experiences. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 15 Chinese undergraduate students who participated in a short-term SA programme at a UK university. Following data translation and transcription, a thematic analysis approach facilitated our exploration.FindingsChinese students engage in SA programmes as a strategic investment in personal growth and transformation, with their consumer-oriented identity fostering a mutually beneficial relationship with educators and group members. This consumer mindset appears to enhance active student engagement and, to some extent, create reciprocal student–teacher interactions through power sharing and collaborative involvement.Originality/valueThis study presents empirical data exploring the impact of consumer identity on the dynamics of student–teacher relationships in the SA context. It provides recommendations for implementing pedagogical approaches designed to mediate the influence of consumerism on student engagement, particularly in shaping collaborative student–teacher relationships. This study offers insights for future research on the effects of consumerism in higher education within cross-cultural contexts.

English use in many short-term study abroad (STSA) contexts is often more fluid than in its common representation in language education. Based on such representation, students may develop perspectives towards effective language use as fixed on standard norms. Experiences of communication during STSA may help students form new perspectives towards English use, linked to Global Englishes (GE), which accounts for the fluidity of English use in global communication contexts. The formation of new perspectives may be evident in GE understandings, i.e., pluralistic over monolithic awareness of English, recognition of linguistic diversity among English users, acceptance of variability in English language use, and recognition of the role of English as lingua franca (ELF). This qualitative interview study investigated the development of GE awareness among 15 Japanese university students participating in different STSA. Semi-structured interviews were conducted pre-sojourn, post-sojourn, and six months later. A thematic analysis of the interviews revealed that while perspectives towards learning remained focused on standard norms, new GE awareness and practices emerged following social contact with other international students in linguistically and culturally diverse settings. The paper argues that the learning potential of multilingual and multicultural STSA experiences should be emphasised over “target” language focus on standard language norms.