Impact of Short-Term Study Abroad Experiences on Transformative Learning

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a rapid rise in the number of universities offering students opportunities to study abroad. Traditional semester-long programs have been shortened with many new programs ranging anywhere from 1 to 8 weeks in length. The increased number of short-term programs has enabled professional degree programs, such as nursing, to increase student participation in these programs. These changes are supported by growing evidence of the impact of these programs on student learning, personal and professional development, and understanding of self as a global citizen. Utilizing Mezirow’s transformative learning theory to conceptualize critical reflection, this quantitative study examined the impact of six short-term study abroad programs on critical reflection as a core element of transformative learning. A modified version of the Reflection Questionnaire developed by Kember et al. was completed by 20 participants at 6 weeks following the completion of the study abroad experience. Participants were largely female (90%) and minority students (75%). The results showed that mean critical reflection scores across programs were moderately high (3.84/5.00). Nursing students who went to Haiti scored highest on critical reflection (4.70/5.00) compared to students in the other five programs. Reflective journaling and participation in service learning activities were linked to the highest critical reflection scores. Short-term study abroad programs support transformative learning for students representing a minority population and those in professional and traditional degree programs.

Transformative learning as pedagogy for the health professions: a scoping review

“…Other approaches to generate data included audio‐diaries, participant observations, critical incidence reports and debrief sessions. A modified version of the Reflection Questionnaire was used in the quantitative study …”

“…A total of 64 of the 99 articles made reference to reflection as a process to both facilitate and assess TL, with one article offering a ‘Model of Holistic Reflection’ . Specific ways in which reflection was encouraged included interviewing and debriefing, discussions, focusing on core values, and reflective writing, including using journals . Reflection was described as ‘open‐ended’, ‘self‐reflection’ and ‘critical’, with one study suggesting that such ‘critical reflection’ could minimise the gap between theory and practice …”

“…A modified version of the Reflection Questionnaire was used in the quantitative study. 13 Nursing was the health profession that featured most in the included studies (52%), whereas programmes in medical education were described in 24 (24%) articles. In four articles, multiple health professions were included in a single study.…”

“…84 Specific ways in which reflection was encouraged included interviewing 69,83 and debriefing, 32,85 discussions, 41,86 focusing on core values, 29 and reflective writing, including using journals. 13,27,30,45,52,87 Reflection was described as 'open-ended', 40 'self-reflection' 28 and 'critical', 38,55,63,[88][89][90] with one study suggesting that such 'critical reflection' could minimise the gap between theory and practice. 90 There is also a strong social imperative for TL.…”

Transformative Learning and Inclusion in a Global Social Work Course

“…Global education experiences have the potential to be transformative, and several scholars have examined the use of transformative learning theory in understanding and improving learning in short-term immersion courses (Dorsett et al, 2017;Roholt & Fisher, 2013;Walters, Charles, & Bingham, 2017). Transformative learning theory was originally developed through qualitative research methods to understand adult women returning to school for professional development (Mezirow, 1991(Mezirow, , 2000.…”