Co-instructors from New Zealand study abroad experience publish article on experiential learning

Co-instructors of the New Zealand study abroad experience Carol Smith and Rodney Parks have published an article focused on deepening experiential learning in the absence of technology in the Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. Smith is associate professor of health and human performance and Parks is university registrar, assistant the provost and assistant professor in the Human Services Department. 

​The article focuses on the rise of mobile devices, such as cell phones, and the impact they have on students studying abroad. Students discussed their feelings of being disconnected and describe how disconnecting impacted their overall experience. Participants in the study agreed that disconnecting from technology (specifically cell phones) had positive effects on experiential learning and the global experience.

Major themes included students’ enhanced immersion and engagement, the value of disconnection in providing opportunities for personal growth, and the difficulty of initial separation from technology as a result of conditioning.

To link to this article: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14729679.2016.1244646