An Evaluation Of A Global Business Minor Program On The Intercultural Competence And Professional Development Of Students And Faculty

• Main Author: Edmiston-Strasser, Dawn Marie
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: W&M ScholarWorks 2020
• Subjects: Higher Education
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1593091599; https://scholarworks.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6884&context=etd

Internationalization has become widely recognized as a critical element of higher education, and study abroad is considered one of the most common methods to achieve it. Yet, despite the perceived value of study abroad for both students and faculty, institutions struggle with committing resources to such opportunities as well as assessing the true impact of these learning experiences. This study evaluated the Global Business Minor (GBM) program at William & Mary (W&M), the first program in the nation to allow students to earn a minor in a single summer through an innovative hybrid learning approach that involved one week at W&M, three weeks of online learning and eight weeks at University College Dublin in Ireland. This evaluation sought to provide insights to administrators regarding the facilitating conditions and barriers for the GBM as well as how the program contributed to the intercultural competence and professional development of students and faculty. This study involved in-depth interviews and document analyses to include student reflections on LinkedIn. The findings revealed the GBM contributed to the intercultural competence of students and faculty through an increased understanding of cultural awareness, diversity, and perspective. The program also contributed to the professional development of students through career awareness and building competencies related to communication and teamwork, as well as the professional development of faculty through the enrichment of curriculum and enhancement of teaching skills. Recommendations included dedicating resources to ensure sustainable and immersive learning programs, establishing clear program objectives with intentional assessments, and incentivizing faculty efforts to teach abroad in support of W&M's mission to develop compassionate global citizens.