The researchers used qualitative and quantitative instruments to measure students’ linguistic gains and their opinions and attitudes toward intercultural awareness while studying Spanish as a foreign language under four different pedagogical models: a traditional face‐to‐face classroom, face‐to‐face classes with a community‐based learning component, face‐to‐face courses with an online telecollaborative language‐learning component, and study abroad. Quantitative findings from two knowledge‐based assessments indicated that students’ language learning was equivalent in all four pedagogical models. Students’ survey responses indicated that they believed that moving beyond traditional instructional models by adding classes with experiential learning boosted their second language acquisition and fueled their curiosity about cultural similarities and differences. Qualitative findings also confirmed that students’ engagement was higher in the experiential models.