Community geography as a model for international research experiences in study abroad programs

Abstract

Collaborative engagement with local residents and organizations is often cited as one of the most valuable aspects of community-based research integration in classroom settings. However, little has been written on the impact of community engagement in international study abroad programs. We explore the use of community geography in Belize to develop international, community-based research experiences for undergraduate and graduate students. In our study abroad program, students utilize Geographic Information Systems, Global Positioning Systems data collection, fieldwork, and interviews to understand social and environmental issues important to our Belizean collaborators. As we demonstrate in this article, foreign collaborators often have different expectations, commitments, burdens, and resources that either encourage or limit their participation in all stages of the research process. These conflicts present researchers and educators with a significant challenge to identify the appropriate model for community engagement that works best in the particular international context. With these challenges in mind, we examine a community geography model for study abroad programs that has implications for geography and related disciplines as scholars work to create meaningful and sustainable international research experiences that benefit higher education students as well as community residents and organizations in host countries.

Keywords::

• community geography
• study abroad
• international education
• fieldwork
• Belize

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to four anonymous reviewers and the sub-editor for their helpful comments on this article. We also sincerely appreciate the Belizean residents and organizations that allowed these collaborative research experiences to take place for our students. Finally, we acknowledge the financial support of the International Strategic Initiative at the Georgia State University.