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Title:
Collaborative Course Design: Engaging Students in Place-Based Learning in Faculty-Led Study-Abroad Programs
Abstract:
This paper examines the impact of engaging students as active participants in their own learning through faculty-led study abroad programs in Taiwan, highlighting how this approach deepens student learning and fosters stronger connections with the local community. Using two case studies from summer 2023 and 2024—a three-week program focused on “Memory and the Politics of Heritage” and a five-week program on “Taiwan: Language, Culture, and Society”— the presenters demonstrate how experiential learning projects that require students to plan and lead activities in the host country cultivate critical thinking, cultural empathy, creativity, group care, and flexibility. In the first program, students in Taipei engaged in the concept of "reading the city" through site visits, fieldwork, and a culminating group project where they planned and executed guided tours related to Taiwanese history, culture, or identity. This method allowed students to actively construct knowledge by integrating course content with personal experiences, resulting in a profound engagement with the city's historical and cultural landscape. The second program expanded upon this model by incorporating a Final Experiential Research Project in which students designed and led immersive learning experiences at sites of local significance. This project not only provided students with leadership opportunities but also deepened their understanding of complex societal issues in Taiwan through direct engagement with local communities and cultural practices. This session will present practical strategies for implementing collaborative course design and field-based learning, addressing the challenges and successes encountered in these programs. By sharing rubrics, instructions, and student evaluations, we aim to offer insights into the transformative potential of experiential learning in study abroad settings and to inspire the integration of similar projects into other curricula.
