2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The importance of global competencies for an engineering workforce to address cross-border challenges and the emphasis on studying abroad to develop these abilities is well documented. Some of the biggest problems in society require extensive collaboration that extends beyond national borders. In a new digital professional context and interconnected global society, where seeing a colleague thousands of miles away now happens with the click of a Zoom link, the ability to work globally has arguably never been greater. Traditionally, study abroad programs have been viewed as playing a significant role in preparing students for international careers.

How program participants perceive the development of global competencies through the lens of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory [1] is limited in the literature. An investigation into this subject can provide insights into how to approach cultivating students’ abilities to collaborate across borders. A qualitative research study at the Pennsylvania State University employed participant interviews to identify the components of the “Como, Italy Technical Presentation and Cross-Cultural Engagement” faculty-led study abroad program that were most relevant to developing global competencies in engineering students. In addition, the factors that helped and hindered the acquisition of this skillset were explored utilizing Critical Incident Technique (CIT).

Local student interactions, an academic preparation and culture class, free time/personal exploration, guided excursions, and reflection were found to be significant as both program components and helping factors in the development of global competencies. Cultural immersion, interactions with locals, and faculty encouragement were important as program components but not explicitly identified as helping factors. Conversely, (negative) mindset, the study abroad cohort, and one’s (insufficient) language abilities were determined to be hindering factors. The study participants were able to provide insights that aligned their experiences with Kolb’s model. Reflection, faculty guidance, and time to engage with experiential learning were crucial in this process. Additionally, the recursive nature of learning was evident in many participant narratives.

Practitioners in the field of education abroad for undergraduate engineering students may benefit from considering the program components and factors identified when devising programs and curricula. A model was created that may guide the practice of program design. As the study abroad field strives to respond to the need for global competencies in the engineering workforce, additional investigations must be undertaken. Research incorporating mindset, the qualities that make local student interactions meaningful, and the inclusion of larger sample sizes and quantitative methods may be of particular interest.