Integrated into departmental curricula, short-term programs should provide the opportunity for faculty to explore pedagogical methods and approaches that are otherwise impossible in a classroom-based course. Short-term programs can be scheduled flexibly, ideally involve the cooperation of two instructors teaching two courses from within their disciplines that complement each other as well as the destination. Depending on the offerings, each student earns credit for one or two courses, and pays a program fee that covers all aspects of travel and living abroad. Most short-term study abroad programs run between ten and twenty-five days during the January or Summer break. Course proposals will engage the location, through regular engagement with local people and groups and/or sites of interest in order to enhance opportunities for learning.
Priority will be given to proposals that best incorporate the Study Abroad Student Learning Goals into the proposal and that can show how the course will/can attract students who do not typically engage in study abroad. Proposals that meet expectations or exceed expectation in helping students gain the following study-abroad student learning goals will be approved to move forward:
- Knowledge of cultural worldview frameworks:
- Meet Expectations: Demonstrates adequate understanding of the complexity of elements important to members of another culture in relation to its history, values, politics, communication styles, economy, or beliefs and practices
- Exceeds Expectations: Demonstrates sophisticated understanding of the complexity of elements important to members of another culture in relation to its history, values, politics, communication styles, economy, or beliefs and practices.
- Understanding Global Systems:
- Meet Expectations: Analyzes major elements of global systems, including their historic and contemporary interconnections and the differential effects of human organizations and actions, to pose elementary solutions to complex problems in the human and natural worlds.
- Exceeds Expectations: Uses deep knowledge of the historic and contemporary role and differential effects of human organizations and actions on global systems to develop and advocate for informed, appropriate action to solve complex problems in the human and natural worlds.
- Cultural Self-awareness:
- Meet Expectations: Recognizes new perspectives about own cultural rules and biases (e.g. not looking for sameness; comfortable with the complexities that new perspectives offer.)
- Exceeds Expectations: Articulates insights into own cultural rules and biases (e.g. seeking complexity; aware of how her/ his experiences have shaped these rules, and how to recognize and respond to cultural biases, resulting in a shift in self-description.)
- Applying Knowledge to Contemporary Global Contexts:
- Meet Expectations: Plans and evaluates more complex solutions to global challenges that are appropriate to their contexts using multiple disciplinary perspectives (such as cultural, historical, and scientific).
- Exceeds Expectations: Applies knowledge and skills to implement sophisticated, appropriate, and workable solutions to address complex global problems using interdisciplinary perspectives independently or with others.
- Cultural Diversity:
- Meet Expectations: Analyzes substantial connections between the worldviews, power structures, and experiences of multiple cultures historically or in contemporary contexts, incorporating respectful interactions with other cultures.
- Exceeds Expectations: Adapts and applies a deep understanding of multiple worldviews, experiences, and power structures while initiating meaningful interaction with other cultures to address significant global problems.
- Independence:
- Meet Expectations: Beyond classroom requirements, pursues substantial, additional knowledge and/or actively pursues independent educational experiences.
- Exceeds Expectations: Educational interests and pursuits exist and flourish outside classroom requirements. Knowledge and/or experiences are pursued independently.
Additionally, faculty should consider the following when developing a short term study abroad program:
Purpose and Focus
- Potential interest among students and faculty: Does the proposed program engage unique pedagogical or methodological techniques? Is the destination of interest to the Gonzaga community?
- Marketability: Does the proposed program or GIF course have a target audience? Do the faculty making the proposal demonstrate that they will be able to recruit a minimum of 12 students? Faculty with accepted proposals will be expected to actively participate in recruitment. If a course or program does not meet minimum requirements it will be cancelled.
- Diversity of sites/geographic locations: In the context of all study abroad offerings, as well as the College or School’s broad goals and faculty expertise, does the proposed program offer a new location/approach or regional focus?
- Curricular fit: Does the proposed program enhance or compliment the departmental, College, School or University curriculum? Will courses meet other curricular requirements?
- Study Abroad student learning outcomes: Does the proposed program show how it will meet the study abroad student learning outcomes?
Program Design
- Experiential Learning: How course(s) will engage experiential pedagogies, taking advantage of on-site learning opportunities and facilitated experiences should be described in detail in the proposal narrative. In other words, how do(es) the course(s) you are proposing engage the location to enhance learning?
- Logistics/feasibility: Is the proposed travel itinerary do-able and does it support sound academic goals? For GIF courses, is any travel or field-placement coordinated with the Florence campus?
- Cost: Is the proposed program within financial limits of Gonzaga students in general?
- Appropriate length: Typically, programs run for 3-4 weeks during an inter-semester period. Does the length of time abroad/in the field seem reasonable for the learning goals proposed? Are class meetings scheduled on campus to offset a shorter experience abroad?
- Itinerary: Is the proposed itinerary well thought out and researched?
Rationale
- Does the Program or course(s) enhance or otherwise fit in the College or School’s Strategic Plan?
- Use of site: Does the itinerary make good use of local resources and events? How the sites to be visited are linked with the academic content of courses? Are students encouraged to link the experience of travel with the cognitive/reflective aspects of courses? How?
- Engagement with local society: Are there opportunities for students to work and/or interact with local community members?