A central purpose of this book is to question the claims commonly made about the educational benefits of study abroad. Traditional metrics of enrollment increases and student self report and practices of structural immersion are being questioned as educators voice growing uncertainty about what students are or are not in fact learning abroad. This book looks into whether these criticisms are justified--and what can be done if they are. Student Learning Abroad reviews existing paradigms of study abroad; marshals research findings about what undergraduates are or are not learning; brings to bear the latest knowledge about human learning and development to raise questions about current theory and practice; and presents six examples of study abroad courses or programs whose interventions apply this knowledge. This book aims to prompt a re-consideration of long-held assumptions, beliefs and practices about teaching and learning in study abroad, and a reexamination of the design and delivery of programs. In doing so, it provides a foundation for responding to the question that may faculty and staff are now asking: What do I need to know, and what do I need to be able to do, to help my students learn and develop more effectively abroad?

Student learning abroad : paradigms and assumptions / Michael Vande Berg, R. Michael Paige and Kris Hemming Lou -- Intervening in student learning abroad : recent research / R. Michael Paige and Michael Vande Berg -- What happens when we take stage development theory seriously? / Douglas Stuart -- Paradigmatic assumptions of intercultural learning / Milton Bennett -- The intercultural development inventory (IDI) : a new frontier in assessment and development of intercultural competence / Mitchell Hammer -- Using experiential theory to promote learning and development in programs of education abroad / Angela Passarelli and David Kolb -- Learning, brain and study abroad / James Zull -- Anthropology, intercultural communication, and study abroad / Bruce La Brack and Laura Bathurst -- The psychology of student learning abroad / Victor Savicki -- Scholarship of teaching and learning in support of student-centered : learning abroad / Jennifer Meta Robinson -- Shifting the locus of intercultural learning : intervening prior to and after student learning abroad / Laura Bathurst and Bruce La Brack -- Beyond immersion : the aucp experiment in holistic intervention / Lilli Engle and John Engle -- Maximizing study abroad / R. Michael Paige, Tara Harvey & Kate McCleary -- Facilitating intercultural learning abroad / Kris Hemming Lou and Gabriele Weber Bosley -- Developing a global learning and living community : a case study of intercultural experiences on the scholar ship / Adriana Medina-López Portillo and Riikka Salonen -- An experiment in developing teaching and learning : ciee's seminar on living and learning abroad / Michael Vande Berg, Meghan Quinn and Catherine Menyhart -- Intervening for student learning abroad : closing insights / Kris Hemming Lou, Michael Vande Berg and R. Michael Paige.