Passport to transformation: Assessing transformative learning in overseas students through travel experiences

Abstract

[eng] This research note advances prior studies by thoroughly examining transformative learning in overseas students. Employing an embedded mixed-method approach that incorporates pilot interviews and graphic elicitation basedon King’s (2009) Learning Activities Survey, we examined 339 transformed respondents and 8 graphic elicitationinterviewees. The results highlight the transformative power of experiences outside the classroom, revealing thattravel has a more significant impact on students’ transformation than academic learning upon their return totheir home country. Moreover, our findings indicate that travel frequency and reflection significantly contributeto students’ transformation, while factors such as travel companion, pre-language level, length of stay, and timeelapsed since return showed no significant impacts on transformation through travel. These insights offer valuable guidance for practitioners, encouraging the integration of travel as a vehicle for transformative learning in educational programmes and products.