Amy Cicchino, Aaron Clevenger, Sue Macchiarella

Faculty Support for High-Impact Study Abroad Experiences

Introduction

Faculty support for high-impact study abroad experiences. Discover how professional development enhances faculty support for high-impact study abroad, improving cultural competence, curriculum, and assessment.

Abstract

This qualitative study identifies impacts a community of practice program had on faculty-participants leading study abroad learning experiences. Through qualitative analysis of learning artifacts and interviews, researchers highlight that a professional development program focused on cultural competence and high impact practices (HIPs) frameworks led faculty to think about curriculum, planning, and assessment in new ways, balancing logistical and theoretical trip design. Specifically, participant data showed the program offered a theoretical language and framework, challenged assumptions about study abroad as a vacation-like trip, and encouraged faculty to develop assessment mechanisms for cultural competence in addition to their course learning outcomes. Despite limitations in participant sample size and the single institutional context of this study, these data raise important questions about how faculty are prepared to instruct and lead study abroad and other HIPs, and how cross-campus partnerships can foster more comprehensive professional development opportunities in these areas. 

Review

This qualitative study offers valuable insights into the impact of a professional development program structured as a community of practice on faculty leading study abroad experiences. Through a rigorous analysis of learning artifacts and interviews, the researchers effectively demonstrate how targeted support, focusing on cultural competence and High-Impact Practices (HIPs) frameworks, can significantly reorient faculty approaches to curriculum design, planning, and assessment. The core finding—that the program fostered a theoretical language, challenged superficial understandings of study abroad, and encouraged the development of cultural competence assessment—is highly relevant to institutions aiming to maximize the educational efficacy of their global learning initiatives. A key strength of this research lies in its focus on the often-under-examined role of faculty preparation in facilitating impactful experiential learning. By detailing how a community of practice can equip faculty with the conceptual tools to balance logistical demands with theoretical underpinnings, the study provides a compelling model for institutional support. The emphasis on developing assessment mechanisms for cultural competence, in addition to traditional course learning outcomes, represents a significant contribution, highlighting a practical pathway towards more sophisticated evaluation of deep learning in these complex global contexts. This work effectively illustrates how intentional faculty development can elevate study abroad beyond a mere travel experience. While the study presents compelling evidence for the efficacy of this particular professional development model, it appropriately acknowledges limitations regarding its participant sample size and single institutional context. These factors suggest that the specific impacts observed may not be universally generalizable. Nevertheless, the research successfully raises crucial questions about the broader landscape of faculty preparation for leading both study abroad and other HIPs. The implications for fostering comprehensive, cross-campus professional development opportunities are clear, suggesting fertile ground for future research that could explore the scalability and long-term effects of such programs across diverse institutional settings and with larger, more varied faculty cohorts.

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