Designing a learning ecosystem for intangible cultural heritage in short-term study abroad: an outcome-based education case study

In the context of globalization, short-term study abroad (STSA) programs offer opportunities for Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) transmission, yet they often risk devolving into superficial cultural exposure. Addressing this design challenge, this study proposes a learning ecosystem model grounded in Outcome-Based Education (OBE) principles to support coherent and meaningful ICH learning within compressed timeframes. Using a design-oriented case study, the paper examines a 14-day Chinese ICH program for Thai vocational students to demonstrate how OBE can be operationalized at the program level. The proposed model consists of four interconnected components, each fulfilling a specific design function: the Ecosystem Core (institutional mission and vision, anchoring design priorities and value coherence); Ecosystem Architecture (reverse-designing educational objectives, learning outcomes, and curriculum to ensure structural alignment); Ecosystem Feedback (employing assessment and rubrics as self-regulating mechanisms to support adaptive adjustment); and Ecosystem Sustenance (maintaining coherence through responsive implementation and continuous evaluation). The case analysis shows how language learning, experiential engagement with ICH, investigative activities, and social interaction are systematically connected through this ecosystem design. The study contributes theoretically by extending OBE from course-level outcome alignment to ecosystem-level design logic, and practically by offering a transferable framework to guide vocational institutions in developing context-sensitive STSA programs that promote sustainable ICH education and international cooperation.