Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs and Learning Sustainability: A Southeast Asian Context

Abstract

As a widely offered course in International Relations (IR) programs, the teaching and learning of Southeast Asian Regional Dynamics (SARD) struggles to adopt a pedagogical strategy that counters stagnancy and passive learning. The problem is exacerbated when SARD courses discuss topics of sustainability in Southeast Asia, which obligates instructors to introduce complex empirical cases that may be difficult for students to grasp. As a means to ignite the students' interests and allow a platform in which students can see directly the issues that defy sustainable development in the region, this study bridges the conception of experiential learning in SARD courses based on Below, Nydegger, and Parmentier's study on short-term faculty-led study abroad programs, and looks at the prospects of its implementation into SARD courses. To make this argument, this conceptual narrative review explores the following ideas: The intertwining of sustainability and Southeast Asian contexts by exploring academic topics such as haze pollution, climate change, and illegal fishing within the context of Southeast Asia, as well as culturally-sensitive topics; acknowledgement of the instructors' responsibilities within the context of program planning, technical arrangements, and the conduct of program orientations; and establishing active learning students through real-life learning mechanisms that elevate the students' independent learning, research skills, communication skills, and critical thinking.

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