Authors: Mark William Pennings, Debra Flanders Cushing, Rafael Gomez and Clare Dyson
Queensland University of Technology

Edition: Volume 60, Number 1, April 2020

Introduction: A distinctive characteristic of study tours is their immersive nature, and the type of learning developed in such circumstances often relies on instinctive skills related to confidence, flexibility, curiosity, resilience and risk taking. To discover more about these learning experiences for adult undergraduate students studying varying disciplines in the creative industries at an Australian University, the researchers employed educational action research and developed assessment modules to foster student awareness of intangible skills and personal characteristics during short-term international study tours. On the completion of the tours, participating staff and students provided feedback, via a questionnaire and focus group discussions, that assessed the value of these modules in promoting learning and their contribution to personal growth and cultural sensitivity. Findings show that these modules were highly effective at enabling adult students to become aware of the skills they employed while being actively engaged in international study tours. This study highlights the potential significance of immersive assessment modules that provide specific ways for students to engage with their host country and the cultural differences to which they are exposed.

Keywords: Study tours, international education, higher education, creative industries, assessment modules, work integrated learning

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 60:1. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.