Community assessment of Indigenous language-based tourism projects in Haida Gwaii (British Columbia,Canada)

Abstract

Research into language-based tourism programming is rare. Aside from a few studies that consider the language/tourism nexus broadly, research has failed to examine the community context in which development takes place or the impact of communities on the choice of suitable projects. This study assessed the relative merits of 12 proposed language-based tourism projects to support the development and revitalization of Haida language. This research was conducted in two phases: initially, informal focus groups were used to identify key criteria affecting development, which were then used as a means of reflecting on the proposed projects from the perspective of the community. The results show that the two projects with the greatest potential include Impromptu Cultural Performances and Increased Signage in Haida Language. The level of community support contingent upon their ability to (1) find suitable partnerships, (2) secure adequate approvals, (3) hold long term industry potential, (4) deepen speaker opportunities, and (5) moderate high level political concerns. This research fills a gap in the literature by offering evidence to support projects best suited to the needs and aspirations of the community and introduces a necessary distinction between language use in tourism settings versus language planning in tourism settings.     

Exploring factors influencing individual participation in community‐based tourism: The case of Kampung relau homestay program,Malaysia

This paper presents the early findings from a qualitative investigation conducted to examine how participation is practiced in a community‐based tourism program which offers homestay experience to tourists in Kedah, Malaysia. The first objective of the study was to determine where on the spectrum of participation (Pretty 1995) does the homestay program fall. The second objective was to explore the variables that may influence the extent of community participation in this program. Findings from the present study indicate that participation in community‐based tourism is influenced by community members’ motivations to participate. An important implication from this finding is that community‐based tourism projects must include awareness programs among its members so as to educate them about the project and to motivate them to participate.     

Bridging the Divide Between Theory and Practice

Abstract

Experiential learning approaches such as role-play have been found to be valuable methods of bridging the divide between academic knowledge and practical skills, a problem often cited in tourism and hospitality management education. Such approaches have been found to contribute towards deeper learning by enhancing students' interest, motivation, participation, knowledge and skill development. This paper reports on the implementation of an experiential learning approach designed to encourage and facilitate deeper learning approaches, with the contributing aims of providing students with a more interesting learning experience and a broader set of skills for future employment.     

Providing a More Successful Education Experience for Asian Hospitality Management Students Studying in Australia

ABSTRACT

Economic necessity and political influence has resulted in many western universities striving to increase the number of international students choosing their institution. The consequences of increased numbers of international students has implications for teaching staff and domestic students. This research is focused on international students from Asia studying the Bachelor of Business (Hospitality Management) at The University of Queensland and is set in the context of those students' learning experience. Focusing on issues of teaching and learning styles, the research is based on the suggestion that Asian students have to make a substantial adjustment in terms of their learning styles in order to succeed in a Western University.

The empirical research focuses on Asian students' motivation, choices and expectations of their learning experience in Australia and identifies difficulties those students have experienced. Insights of staff within the School of Tourism and Leisure Management at the University of Queensland are also discussed, particularly focusing on cultural issues.

This article concludes with several recommendations concerning strategies that could be, and are being adopted by The University, academic staff and Asian students.     

Learning through engagement: undergraduate students engaging in community-based participatory research (CBPR) in hospitality and tourism education

This paper discusses how instructors can engage their students in community-based participatory research (CBPR) projects that involve not only research on a topic but also include community stakeholders in the research process and provide opportunities for service learning. CBPR is defined, examples of effective CBPR student projects are presented, the possible benefits and drawbacks of CBPR student projects are offered, and tips for conducting successful CBPR projects with hospitality and tourism students are provided.     

Learning about the real-world in MICE education: The case of exhibition learning from Thailand

Abstract

The use of experiential learning in tourism and hospitality education is well-documented in literature. Experiential learning studies in this field may include, for example, internship experiences, field trip perceptions, conferences, and social events. However, there is still insufficient literature to understand students’ learning and their real-world experience in MICE education, especially in the exhibition sector. This study, therefore, addresses this gap by reporting the experiential learning of graduate students in an event course with the objectives to investigate student perceptions on academic learning experiences and the development of work-related skills by carrying out the exhibition project. Students are challenged to perform a complicated task as a real exhibition organizer, and to deal with other stakeholders of the exhibition industry (e.g., exhibition venue, exhibitors, contractors, and visitors). The experiential learning method is discussed through the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) process. The results indicate that students not only gained in-depth learning about the exhibition industry, but also developed important work skills (e.g., teamwork, planning, and coordinating skills). Moreover, classroom learning, industry visits, and real-world experience are found to be the important factors contributing to exhibition learning. The current study contributes to the limited exhibition learning literature and provides event educators new insights into the teaching and learning of exhibition-based projects in regard to how students plan, learn and carry out the exhibition event through the case of Thailand. Other similar courses may apply the learning processes and results of this study to develop effective experiential learning in MICE education.     

Affective learning in short-term educational travel abroad: An exploratory mixed-method study

Employing an exploratory mixed-method approach, this research explores young adults' affective learning outcomes derived from their short-term educational travel abroad experiences. Different from previous travel research mostly focusing on the educational benefits of cognitive knowledge and technical skills, the current research highlights the prominent effect of educational travel on young adults' personal growth and attitudinal/emotional development by investigating the understudied domain of affective learning and how it manifests among college students having short-term study abroad experiences. Through a systematic review and a follow-up survey-based comparison study, five salient affective learning variables were identified—perspectives on global interdependence, intercultural attitudes, openness to diversity and challenge, environmental attitudes, and general self-efficacy. Furthermore, this research found that travelers’ lower-order affective learning shows significant progress after the short-term educational overseas travel. This study contributes to a niche topic in tourism research and provides implications to promote educational travel as an effective transformative learning approach.     

Regionalism in Tourism-The Case for Kenya and Ethiopia

Abstract

To understand the behavior of tourists from different cultures, a cross-cultural study was conducted to examine Japanese and American college students' travel preferences. A psychographic approach based on value orientations was used to understand the relationship between travel preferences and students' cultural tendencies of horizontal and vertical individualism and collectivism. The study confirmed previous findings that Japanese and American college students have different cultural tendencies and travel preferences. In addition, horizontal and vertical individualism and collectivism significantly correlated with several travel preferences among Japanese and American college students.     

Tourism governance in protected areas: investigating the application of the adaptive co-management approach

Abstract

Protected areas have become popular tourism destinations; yet these areas are often plagued by poor governance systems, particularly in developing countries. Adaptive co-management (ACM) has been advocated as one approach to improve the governance of protected areas, yet empirical evidence from developing countries is lacking. This study investigates the application of the ACM approach in two protected areas in Bangladesh which are also important nature-based tourism destinations. Using Lawachara National Park and Sundarbans East Wildlife Sanctuary as cases, this qualitative study explored the extent to which an ACM approach was able to support the achievement of key governance principles such as participation, accountability, transparency, power, rule of law, and social learning. It was found that the approach was successful in facilitating the increased participation of a broader range of stakeholder groups, and the collaboration between them. Importantly though, it was the adaptive element of ACM which was found to have made the greatest contribution to improved governance with the approach providing new opportunities for stakeholders to engage in iterative learning. This aspect was found to be of particular importance for the sustainability of the protected areas with stakeholders reporting changes attitudes and behaviour towards protected area conservation.     

Active Learning

ABSTRACT

Active learning means students learn by doing something. It can help students become lifelong learners; however, it's not easy to implement. The following guidelines provide some considerations and ideas for implementing active learning in your classroom.     

Host tourism aspirations as a point of departure for the sustainable livelihoods approach

The sustainable livelihoods (SL) approach offers a holistic framework and a practical toolkit to analyze tourism's impacts and interactions within a community. This study argues that the usefulness of the SL approach in tourism can be enhanced by ensuring that the approach is built on a genuine people-centered starting point. The exploration of the local community's representations of, and aspirations for, their roles in tourism as a future livelihood choice meets this need. To verify the value of this approach empirically, this study examined the case of Lhasa, Tibet, and local youth as the research respondents. The findings suggest that the young hosts in Lhasa urban area were heterogeneous in their responses to tourism as a future livelihood choice. They fell into four subgroups: in-betweeners, ambivalent supporters, alternative supporters, and lovers. Further, this study examined the profiles of these four subgroups and explored their responses. The study enhances the SL approach by taking tourism as an example and clearly defining the departure point for its adoption within the context of broader livelihoods portfolios. Additionally, it suggests some potential directions for tailored management strategies to meet youth and community perspectives.     

For-profit environmental voluntourism in Costa Rica: teen volunteer,host community,and environmental outcomes

With its growth in popularity, voluntourism (volunteer tourism) has seen greater attention from the research community. This case study research investigates the tripartite outcomes of a for-profit environmental voluntourism program in Costa Rica, focusing on teen participants, host community, and the environment. Authors conducted field research and gathered data from online surveys, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and participant observation with 108 respondents, including teen voluntourists, parents, and community influentials. Findings indicated community stakeholders perceived projects to be meaningful, with visible social and environmental benefits. In the short term, teens showed an increased concern for social and environmental problems, as well as a heightened awareness of environmental issues. Self-reported increases in time spent volunteering after students completed the program was less prevalent; however, 19% of teens stayed committed to volunteerism and civic engagement through completion of more than one voluntourism service tour. We documented longer term positive outcomes in relation to pro-environmental behavior change and attempts at intergenerational learning. Unexpected outcomes were documented in relation to bolstering of longer term academic and life/career paths after completing a service trip. We highlight best-practices for planning projects through individuals with longstanding community connections and an ability to facilitate outcome oriented, meaningful service projects.     

VONNA(HBP)

ABSTRACT

In this paper, a new learning package, VONNA(HBP), which provides an interactive and online environment for novices to study and practice hotel budget planning, is introduced. Its design philosophy will be discussed thoughtfully with special focus on how to make use of the multimedia and Internet. According to literatures, learning packages are faced to be more effective in delivering teaching material. Researchers indicate that students using a self-paced learning package score higher than in a traditional classroom setting. Moreover, the learning package provides different scenarios for students to explore themselves in a practical environment and is more cost effective and systematic than lectures. Currently, most learning packages in hotel education are not implemented using multimedia with Internet access. Our paper describes a new learning package that fills the gaps.

VONNA(HBP) requires participants to investigate operational budgets on various areas such as sales levels, payroll, inventory level, promotion strategies, and facilities planning, etc. Eventually, the students/novices are required to practice their skills in a comprehensive case about a hypothetical hotel. They need to solve managerial problems by a combination of budgetary planning on human resources, staff training programmes, facilities' maintenance and replacement, or promotion schemes. Analytical tools are available for students/novices to judge an appropriate decision in handling constrained resources.     

Applying the counseling-learning approach to a tourism-related massive open online course

ABSTRACT

This study discusses how to apply counseling-learning (CL) principles to a particular e-learning solution for teaching a tourism-related subject via a massive open online course (MOOC). Several effective caring patterns in achieving learning-related goals and being part of a community according to the CL principles are presented and discussed using the MOOC “eTourism: Communication Perspectives” as a case study. The study underlines how the MOOC platform can act as a place for contents enjoinment and active learning. Moreover, the active role of social media for increasing the engagement of learners in the proposed activities and for developing a sense of the community is identified. In particular, Facebook and Twitter can act as places for community building and informal social interactions among learners that last beyond the completion of the course, which in turn can be a valid aid for continuing the relationships among instructors/learners and learners/learners, and for reaching new ones.     

Computer Usage in Accredited Post-Secondary Culinary Arts Programs

Abstract

Students for whom English is a Second Language (ESL) and who are engaged in English based education can generate a range of pedagogical and ethical issues for educators. A multiple case study conducted in 1999 investigated issues associated with the education of ESL students from lecturers' perspectives and identified teaching strategies used by lecturers to counter the pedagogical and ethical issues. Pedagogical issues related primarily to English literacy standards of students, tailoring curricula and teaching practice to meet ESL student needs. Strategies used included monitoring of teaching strategies, provision of additional textual support, mixed groups, interactive learning, team assignments and limited use of examinations. Ethical issues were associated with the business versus academic enterprise of education and accepting students whose language ability was questionable and who subsequently expected to achieve a positive outcome-an English degree.     

Implementing Flexible Learning Practices in Tourism Courses

ABSTRACT

The design and delivery of quality tourist experiences will be the key focus for tourism and hospitality professionals throughout the 21st Century. This outcome will be promoted through educational design and delivery that meet the needs of a diverse range of tourism students. Aspiring towards this aim, a process for introducing flexible learning practices in the development of tourism courses is outlined. This process is then applied to the redevelopment of a tourism project course. To conclude, the utility of flexible learning practices and information and communication technology for delivering quality learning outcomes to students separated by geographic distances is critically appraised with reference to tourism course development.     

The Impact of Individual Ability and Favorable Team Member Scores on Students' Preferences of Team-Based Learning and Grading Methods

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of individual ability and favorable team member scores on student preferences of team-based learning and grading methods. The results indicate that the impact of individual ability on the preferences of team-based learning was affected by the three levels of favorable team member scores (p < .05). For students of low level of individual ability, the preferences of team-based learning were significant among students with three levels of favorable team member scores (p < .05). Findings note the importance of teachers' grading methods as well as individual ability and favorable team member scores in the team selection process to promote students' attitudes toward team-based learning.     

Development of Computer-Mediated Teaching Resources for Tourism Distance Education

ABSTRACT

This article presents a qualitative account of the development of computer-mediated tourism distance learning resources. A distance learning model was developed at the Centre for Tourism, University of Otago (New Zealand) in 1998-1999. The article reviews the development of this Internet-based learning resource explaining the design and development of Programme links (providing study information for students) and Paper links (course material and learning features). The design of course material is reviewed with emphasis given to consistency of presentation between papers. The template for course material is described and illustrated and the article concludes with an overview of important design considerations.     

Empirical investigation of the relationship between serious leisure and meaning in life among Japanese and Euro-Canadians

ABSTRACT

Serious leisure (SL) is a specific leisure experience characterised by perseverance, leisure career, personal effort, durable benefits, unique ethos, and identification with the activity. As it results in self-actualisation and self-expression, Robert Stebbins has proposed that SL does not only increase participants’ hedonic well-being (e.g. pleasant feelings), but also enhance their eudaimonic well-being [e.g. meaning in life (MIL), self-expressiveness, virtue]. Although this argument makes logical sense, it has not been empirically tested. The purpose of this research is to empirically examine the relationship between SL and eudaimonic well-being focusing on MIL. We used data from 207 Japanese and 202 Euro-Canadian middle-aged and older adults collected through a cross-sectional online survey. After multi-group confirmatory factor analysis, multiple mediation analyses were conducted to test whether SL core characteristics impacted MIL or its sub-dimensions (i.e. purpose, coherence, and significance) both directly and indirectly via personal and interpersonal rewards of SL. Results suggested that among Japanese, SL was positively related to MIL both directly and indirectly via SL’s personal rewards. Among Euro-Canadians, the direct link was limited to only a few MIL sub-dimensions, and indirect effects were not significant. These mixed results were discussed in relation to SL, eudaimonic well-being, and culture.     

Issues Surrounding Asian Students Hospitality Management in Australia

ABSTRACT

Similar to many western nations, the education of international students by Australian universities has developed into a major industry. Since 1994, the number of international students studying for an Australian qualification has risen by 146% (IDP Education, 2001). The majority of these international students come from the traditional South East Asian countries of Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia mainly to study Business and Economics programs. Growth in international student demand is forecast to continue to rise with countries such as China demonstrating significant growth (IDP Education, 2001).

This paper attempts to present an analysis of the major issues surrounding the education of Asian students. While mention is made of the predictable problems that all international students face when studying in a foreign country, the focus of this paper concentrates on Asian students' learning approaches and styles and associated problems. This paper evaluates research conducted among all Asian students studying in Australia; however, the focus of this paper is those Asian students who are studying Hospitality and Tourism Management at undergraduate level.

The paper identifies both positive and negative images of Asian students and highlights several misperceptions regarding Asian students that are commonly held by western academics. Finally, the paper presents an overview of what strategies might be adopted by western academics in order to make Asian students' experiences at western universities more enjoyable and successful.