Impact of a Global Engineering Course on Student Cultural Intelligence and Cross-Cultural Communication

Abstract

International collaboration is an increasingly important component of engineering work (Bremer, 2008; Parkinson, 2009). This shift brings with it benefits in the form of new ideas and increased creativity in technical problem solving (Johri & Jesiek, 2014). On the other hand, it also introduces new challenges associated with working across differences in backgrounds, education, and national contexts (Bremer, 2008; Downey et al., 2006; Parkinson, 2007). To prepare students for success in this more globally connected workforce, engineering educators should explore different ways to help students develop skills in cultural intelligence and cross-cultural communication. Study abroad is a common undergraduate experience designed to help students achieve these learning outcomes, but engineers have historically been underrepresented in study abroad programs within the United States (Institute of International Education, 2015). One barrier faced by engineering students is the significant number of credits and sequential classes that make up their degree programs (Parkinson, 2007). Affordability is also a concern for many students, so it remains important to identify ways of helping students develop cultural intelligence on their home campuses (Downey et al., 2006). This paper describes an innovative global engineering program that combines a one-semester, on- campus global engineering course with a two-week study abroad module. Using a mixed- methods strategy, we investigate the influence of both the course and the international module on students’ cultural intelligence by capturing data at different points during the program and exploring specific components of the program. This study addresses the growing need to identify a variety of methods of developing cultural intelligence in engineering students.