Short-term study abroad (STSA) trips, typically lasting two to three weeks, are gaining popularity. This presentation focuses on short-term stays abroad, defined as two to three-week programs outside the home institution's geographical location, which is the fastest-growing type of learning experience. According to Iskhakova and Bradly (2021), these programs are becoming shorter and more intense, while still enhancing the intercultural skills and personal growth of university students. Our STSA program in Ghana combined service learning with cultural studies. Students visited a local primary school daily, engaging in teaching and educational activities. They also participated in cultural center studies, learning traditional skills such as drumming, dancing, crafting, and singing. Additional activities included visits to historical sites, funeral ceremonies, and markets, providing first-hand experience of Ghanaian traditions. We will share our experience of taking students from a Tennessee university to Ghana. For this qualitative study, we employed a triangulated approach, analyzing reflective journal entries, post-trip surveys, and our observations of student interactions with locals and school children. This method allowed us to gather rich data and identify recurring themes related to intercultural competence, personal growth, and the development of global perspectives. Despite literature suggesting that longer stays offer more benefits, this short-term trip was suitable for these students, most of whom were leaving the United States for the first time. This presentation aims to demonstrate that short-term study abroad programs can effectively broaden students' perspectives, enhance their academic and personal development, and prepare them for a globalized world.

Authors:
Queen Ogbomo, Tennessee Tech University, United States
Cale Koester, Tennessee Tech University, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Queen Ogbomo is an Associate Professor in the Curriculum Instruction Department at Tennessee Tech University, USA. Her current research interests include recruiting underrepresented students to the College of Education and Study Abroad Programs.
Cale Koester is a Senior Lecturer of Educational Technology in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Tennessee Tech University, USA.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/queen-ogbomo-9b844540/

Connect on ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Queen-Ogbomo

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