Assessing the Development of Intercultural Competence as a Learning Outcome of International Experiential Learning

Does international experiential learning improve students' levels of intercultural competence and civic engagement? This paper assesses the development of intercultural competence of students who participate in experiential learning opportunities. Based on data collected from student participants in field school in India, the study measures the intercultural competence of participants using the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) before their departure and after their return from the India field school to determine to what degree (if any) this program increased the IDI level of participants. The results of the IDI are also supplemented by qualitative data from written reflections submitted by students before, during, and after their participation in the field school.