Levels of curricular integration (Isabelli-Garcia et al., 2018) are different ways of incorporating the curricular objectives of your study abroad (as well as those of your department and/or program) into the trip.
The level of curricular integration you choose depends on the amount of FSA experience you have, , as well the amount of time and energy you have available for it and your comfort level with FSA.
Levels
Descriptions and examples
Example
1. The “laissez-faire” approach
Import a course from your college into the host country.
Enrol students in a course offered in the host country.
Offer an intensive course in a particular country during summer session (for example, McGill Summer Studies in Italy).
Enrol students in a daily language course at a local private language school, college, or university.
2. Participate in the experience
As with the “laissez-faire” approach (import a course or enrol students in a local course) AND
Incorporate activities designed to integrate students into the local culture and encourage reflection.
Students stay with host families; students participate in cultural excursions and/or tandem learning.
Students use the vocabulary and grammar they learned in their language courses to volunteer at a local orphanage and interact with the children (for example, by teaching the children).
4. Study abroad as a process
Similar to explicit integration (integrate a project or task into the trip) AND
Offer pre-departure preparation (orientation, discussions, tandem learning, training in research or project methods).
Participate in ongoing data collection and reflection during trip (journaling, reviewing, analysis and evaluation).
Maintain ongoing contact with the host community.
Offer opportunities for analysis and reflection post-trip.
Students prepare for a research project at home, work on the project in the host country, and present their findings upon return.
Students participate in a post-travel open house and/or international night activities to share their FSA experiences.
5. Fully articulated
Similar to study abroad as a process (students prepare prior to departure and continue working on the project during trip) AND
Study abroad is a central component of the curriculum and a means to achieve the overall goals of the program.
Students study the target language throughout the program, prepare for the trip, participate in the trip at the end of the program, and present their final project based on experiences in the host country as part of their comprehensive examinations.