Collective Witnessing and Committing to Action: Enhancing Student Reflection in Short-Term Study Abroad

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 11:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Experiential Education and Community Engagement: Scholarship and Practice SIG Roundtable 1

Abstract

With the growth of short-term study abroad (STSA), there is an increasing need for pedagogies that move students beyond cultural exposure toward transformation. This qualitative case study examines a four-week program in Thailand integrating guided journaling, group reflection, and public storytelling. Drawing on transformative learning theory, pedagogy of discomfort, and public narrative frameworks, the study explores how structured, collective, action-oriented reflection helped students navigate disorientation and imagine future commitments. Data sources included student journals, essays, interviews, and arts-based artifacts. Findings suggest shifts in students’ understanding of community, leadership, and discomfort. The study offers a replicable pedagogical structure for fostering identity shifts and action in STSA, responding to calls for more intentional, creative, actionable reflection in global experiential learning.

Author

• William Pryor, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill