Building a Faculty-Led Study Abroad Program with Backward Design

Research has shown that high impact practices improve the quality of student learning, experience, retention, and academic success, particularly for underserved students. The teaching and learning practices that have been extensively tested and have been shown to be beneficial for college students include study abroad and field-based service-learning projects. In Summer 2019, a group of four undergraduate pre-service teachers at a Hispanic-serving university from the United States participated in a 10-day faculty-led Taiwan Study Abroad Program. One of the components of the program was a service-learning project – a 2-1/2-day English Language Camp in a Taiwanese elementary school. Using this study abroad program as a model, this article discusses how to develop and implement a program with the end in mind, including the respective academic preparation including the pre-travel, on-site, and post-travel assignments. The backward design framework provides instructors a planning structure and process to guide curriculum, assessment, and instruction.