Abstract
This article showcases an innovative cross-disciplinary course on green business that featured a short-term study abroad (STA) program in Germany. The course and STA component were jointly developed and taught by an International Business and a German language/culture faculty member, in an attempt to capitalize on the knowledge and skills from experts in both fields. This stands in contrast to most business-focused STAs, typically designed and implemented by one business faculty member without explicit attention to the development of students' cultural competence. After presenting our case for this cross-disciplinary approach, we describe the course with relevant information about the content focus of business and sustainability in Germany and about class meetings, assignments, and expected learning outcomes. We then provide details on the STA trip, featuring site visits to companies and organizations related to green banking, renewable energy, green automotive, and green building. We conclude with an analysis of the ways that students engaged each other across disciplinary lines, particularly within the context of the site visits in Germany and students' team research project work, where both business and culture played crucial roles.
Recommended Citation
Gonglewski, Margaret and Helm, Anna
(2017)
"Crossing Disciplinary Lines to Engage Students in Cross-Cultural Learning During Short-Term Study Abroad,"
Global Advances in Business and Communications Conference & Journal:
Vol. 6:
Iss.
1, Article 4.
Available at:
https://commons.emich.edu/gabc/vol6/iss1/4