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Keywords

short-term study abroad, photovoice, experiential learning theory, united nations sustainable development goals

Abstract

This study explored how undergraduate participants in a short-term study abroad (STSA) program engaged with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through visual documentation. Grounded in the framework of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), the research examined how participants demonstrated awareness of sustainability issues through photographs captured during travel across five European cities (Amsterdam, Bruges, Delft, Leuven, and Paris) in May 2024. Twenty-nine participants from the University of Georgia were instructed to photograph at least five SDGs in each city, identifying the corresponding goal for each image. A quantitative analysis of frequencies revealed all 17 SDGs were represented, with SDG 15 (Life on Land), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) most frequently depicted. These quantitative findings were complemented by qualitative interpretations of recurring visual themes—livestock and natural landscapes (SDG 15), urban mobility and renewable infrastructure (SDG 11), and tourism and floriculture (SDG 9). The limited presence of human figures across photographs suggests that participants may have gravitated toward accessible, public scenes and felt hesitant to capture social interactions or people, revealing a potential bias toward the environmental dimension of sustainability. Within the ESD framework, these findings indicate cognitive engagement with sustainability concepts but limited socio-emotional or behavioral expression. The study demonstrates the pedagogical potential of visual methods to promote sustainability literacy in international education and offers recommendations for integrating SDG-focused reflection, ethical visual practices, and structured dialogue into future STSA curricula to strengthen critical thinking and global awareness.

Rights Statements

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0

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