Third Space:
Evaluating a Pilot
Alette Willis, Lorena Georgiadou, Johanna Holtan, and John Harries
PTAS Questions
Why did we become interested in the
project?
What questions did you hope to answer?
How are we attempting to answer these
questions?
What have we found out so far?
What have we learnt and how will this
inform teaching and learning practices?
Why did we become
interested in the project?
HE Context
HE HE emphasis on global competencies / citizenship
Growing opportunities for ‘experiences abroad’
Intercultural engagement is not guaranteed
Appropriate preparation and support for
transformative learning to happen
(Holmes et al., 2015; Jackson, 2014)
Edinburgh Uni Context
HE Edin Uni emphasis on global
1000+ Students abroad per year
Intercultural engagement?
Minimal preparation and support provided
There is no comprehensive support programme for
Edinburgh Uni students going abroad aimed at enabling
intercultural exchange and transformative learning
There is no comprehensive support
programme for Edinburgh Uni
students going abroad aimed at
enabling intercultural exchange and
transformative learning
What questions did
you hope to
answer?
What might a comprehensive HEI
support provision look like?
From the literature:
• Pre-departure sessions
• Credit-bearing modules
Predeparture
Sojourner
(Messelink et al., 2015; Penman and Ratz, 2015)
Re-entry
We provide the Tools to explore, reflect
upon, and share cultural experiences
Third Space Pilot
40 UoE students
recruited to pilot
‘Third Space’
Promote reflexivity
and intercultural
engagement
Originated from
student feedback
Support student
transitions and
learning
Designed by
Edinburgh
University staff
Supported by
Institute for
Academic
Development and
EUSA Global
The Third Space Pilot
Weekend
Retreat
April
2014
Toolbox
Welcome
Home
Conference
October
2015
Pre-departure: Weekend Retreat
(Spring 2014)
• 2 days away from University
• Promotion of ‘reflexive inquirer’ attitude
– Mindful exploration of everyday life
– Engagement with ‘other’
• Interactive sessions and Workshops
– Story-crafting and story-telling
– Ethnographic Skills
Sojourner: The Toolbox
(Summer 2014 to Summer 2015)
• Online and in person
• 30 ‘fun’ activities encouraging students to:
– Learn something new about the ‘host’ culture
– Reflect on their own (cultural) identity
– Engage with ‘local’ people
• Network of 24 students actively engaged
https://3rdspaceproject.wordpress.com/welcome/
Re-entry: Welcome Home Conference
(Autumn 2015)
• 2 day event
• Student-led sessions
• Aims:
– Reflect on and communicate learning
– Further self-enhancement
– Avoid reverse culture shock
– Evaluate the overall provision
Does Third Space effectively support students on their
study abroad programmes in engaging interculturally
and transforming into global citizens with global
competencies?
There is no comprehensive support programme for
Edinburgh Uni students going abroad aimed at
enabling intercultural exchange and transformative
learning
Does Third Space effectively support students on
their study abroad programmes in engaging
interculturally and transforming into global citizens
with global competencies?
How are we attempting to answer
these questions?
Evaluation of the Third Space
PRE-DEPARTURE
SOJOURNER
RE-ENTRY
Questionnaires and
interviews
Document analysis of
blogs and reflexive
narratives
World Café Event
• What worked well
• What could be
improved
• Impact of Retreat on
pre-departure
attitude/experience
• To follow student
engagement with
material
• To track
learning/reflexivity/inte
rcultural engagement
• Overall evaluation 
Refinement
• Identifying ways of
making this a studentled provision 
Sustainability
Through questionnaires, interviews, document
analysis and World Cafe Event…Ongoing…
There is no comprehensive support programme for
Edinburgh Uni students going abroad aimed at enabling
intercultural exchange and transformative learning
Does Third Space effectively support students on
their study abroad programmes in engaging
interculturally and transforming into global
citizens with global competencies?
Through questionnaires, interviews, document
analysis and World Cafe Event…Ongoing…
What have we found out so far?
Engagement
40 Students
24 out of 38
still active
155 blog posts
?
Favourite Activities
10
Local Food
Beautiful Buildings
8
7
7
6
Go Team!
My Favourite Place
Local Expressions
A Third Spacer’s thoughts…
‘Third Space definitely made me think more about what I
am getting from my university exchange. I am realizing
more how all the experiences that I have gained during
the last seven month could affect and hopefully improve
the wide range of skills that we were discussing and
writing on the board during the weekend retreat last year.
Moreover, I really appreciate the network of students on
exchange that we have thanks to Third Space. I do not
feel alone but rather as a part of the exchange group of
people. Everything seems easier when there are more of
us dealing with the same problems.’
More than half (24) of the students in the pilot
maintained their engagement over a year.
Initial evidence that Third Space encouraged
and enabled students to engage interculturally
and reflexively.
There is no comprehensive support programme for Edinburgh Uni students
going abroad aimed at enabling intercultural exchange and transformative
learning
Does Third Space effectively support students on their study abroad
programmes in engaging interculturally and transforming into global citizens
with global competencies?
Through questionnaires, interviews, document analysis and World Cafe
Event…Ongoing…
More than half (24) of the students in the pilot maintained their engagement
over a year. Initial evidence that Third Space encouraged and enabled
students to engage interculturally and reflexively.
What have we learnt and how will this
inform teaching and learning practices?
PTAS Pilot will inform ongoing
development of Third Space
Welcome Home Conference
Rolling it out
International / Exchange students at Edinburgh Uni
Sustainability
Timing
Staying true to the values of Third Space
References
• HOLMES, P., BAVIERI, L. & GANASSIN, S. 2015. Developing
intercultural understanding for study abroad: students' and
teachers' perspectives on pre-departure intercultural learning.
Intercultural Education, 26, 16-30.
• JACKSON, J. 2014. Education Abroad. In: JACKSON, J. (ed.) The
Routledge Handbook of Language and Intercultural Communication.
Londond: Routledge.
• MESSELINK, H. E., VAN MAELE, J. & SPENCER-OATEY, H. 2015.
Intercultural competencies: what students in study and placement
mobility should be learning. Intercultural Education, 26, 62-72.
• PENMAN, C. & RATZ, S. 2015. A module-based approach to foster
and document the intercultural process before and during the
residence abroad. Intercultural Education, 26, 49-61.
Thank you for your attention
Contact Details:
A.Willis@ed.ac.uk
Lorena.Georgiadou@ed.ac.uk
Johanna.Holtan@ed.ac.uk
This research was funded by the Principal’s
Teaching Awards Scheme (PTAS), Institute
for Academic Development, University of
Edinburgh
Special Thanks to the rest of the Third Space Team:
Areti Manataki, Siobhan Magee and Dave McNaughton
and to all the ‘Third Spacers’ for their contributions