Experience Matters: The Differential Impact of Pedagogy on Students’ Cultural Intelligence – An Exploratory Study

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different pedagogies on students’ cultural intelligence. The study compared three pedagogical approaches – a lecture-only approach, lecture supplemented by a short-term immersive experiential approach, and a medium-term virtual experience approach. Analysis of the data suggests that experiential approaches result in significantly higher cultural intelligence in students across knowledge, skills and attitude levels. Further analysis indicates that lectures with intensive immersive experience generally result in higher cultural intelligence than a virtual experience approach on the knowledge and skills components, whereas a virtual experience approach has a better impact on the attitude component.