Engaging Students in Learning: Lessons from Short-Term Study Abroad Experiences in Italy

Study abroad is being promoted as a strategy to enhance undergraduate students’ intercultural knowledge and competence and life-long learning. This study reports on students’ knowledge, skills and dispositions that occur as a result of participating in a short-term study abroad experience in Italy. Students provided responses to open-ended prompts and five structured questions. Findings of the study suggest students gain valuable insight while participating in hands-on, structured, study abroad experiences.