Intercultural Wonderment and Study Abroad: An Educational Practice Model

​This study introduces an educational practice model focused on increasing responsibility for educators who design and implement study abroad programs. In doing so, the study introduces an important new conceptual idea “Intercultural wonderment,” that encapsulates the underlying curiosity in individuals to seek out new and different experiences while studying abroad as well as their willingness and capacity to deal with discomfort and disequilibrium. Utilizing pre-post survey data collected from students studying abroad over the course of a semester, the results demonstrate the critical importance of different educational practices (e.g., fieldwork, reflective practices, supportive faculty and staff) on student’s intercultural wonderment, which in turns significantly influenced their levels of global learning. The study concludes with important recommendations for educators charged with designing, implementing, and assessing the outcomes of study abroad programs.