Critical Reflection on Study Abroad
This course is designed to extend the learning from students’ study abroad experience and help them apply/transition this knowledge at home in their professional, personal and academic life. The seminar revolves around readings and discussions focused on global connectedness and communicating across/about cultural, racial, and linguistic difference abroad and at home. Centered around the idea of reflective practice, students are challenged to reflect on their choice to study abroad, their expectations of the host country, their academic engagement while abroad, as well as the politics of nationality overseas.
course highlights
Critical photo & Social media Analysis project
This assignment requires students choose a photo that they took while studying abroad and critically analyze it using their written reflections from throughout the semester. In 5-7 pages they discuss where and why the photo was taken, what they were thinking about at the time, and how their thinking either about the subject of the photo or about themselves or their worldview has changed both as a result of study abroad itself, but also as a result of taking 15 weeks to critically reflect on it.
The photos above are sampled from the Fall 2015 and Spring 2016 semesters with student permission.