Bringing a politics of hope to the tourism classroom: exploring an integrated curriculum design through a creative and reflexive methodology

ABSTRACT

The university classroom as it has traditionally been structured is ill-equipped to prepare the creative, problem-solving, socially engaged, and ?exible young adults that today’s employers demand. Hierarchical approaches to university education dominate, and students frequently fail to make the connections between what they are learning and real-world scenarios. In this paper, we present an Integrated Curriculum Design (ICD) project initiated by three professors at varying stages of their careers in two tourism classes in a Canadian University. While much of the scholarship on ICD to date has focused on its bene?cial aspects for students, here we employ Critical Analytic Practice (CAP) in order to critically re?ect on our own pedagogic values, questions, and learning as we experienced them over the course of this project. Through our creatively re?ective writings, we better understand how ICD has positively impacted our own ability to co-design and co-deliver meaningful learning experiences in the tourism classroom. Our research makes three contributions to: the limited scholarship on ICD in tourism, the limited scholarship focused on re?exivity in tourism pedagogical scholarship and we draw attention to the use of CAP as an innovative way to represent data in tourism in order to broaden our audience and impact.     

Story and moral development in tourism education

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this reflective, conceptual, and narrative article is to illuminate the promise of story in nurturing moral development, specifically in relation to nature and cultural difference, in and through tourism education. Representing both a reflection on and extension of Zachary’s experience in a graduate level course on Indigenous Knowledges taught primarily through stories, the paper traces how story enabled Zachary to shift into, or sense, new onto-epistemological perspectives relating to nature and begin to question his assumptions, privilege, and responsibilities. We focus in on the story of Mutandum – a narrative of transformation and connection – written by Zachary, which was constructed to represent his relationship to learning during the graduate course. In telling this story, and situating and reflecting on the narrative contexts within which it was crafted, we show the enabling promise of story as a moral pedagogical and epistemological tool. We argue that learning through story has much to offer tourism curricula, especially those focused on preparing values-engaged students with the competencies to take on the multitude of ethical issues in tourism and effectively navigate the moral encounters that arise in our tourism worlds.     

Creating a Virtual Learning Community

Abstract

Global learning is critical to world-class hospitality and tourism programs. However, involvement in truly global learning communities has not until recently been available to most learners. The Internet has been the vehicle that has supported the creation of global learning communities. UW-Stout has maximized distance technologies to create learning opportunities for students around the world. This article summarizes the evolution of the Master's program, presents key aspects of the curriculum development, discusses technologies utilized to support the learning environment, and shares evaluation information. Lessons learned will also be shared to assist those beginning their journey into on-line learning in a global environment.     

The Virtual Enterprise

Abstract

This article discusses the need for enhancements in the way that tourism education is conducted and shows how changes in the way that technology is used in the global tourism and hospitality industry has necessitated that change. It offers as a solution an educational model called “The Virtual Enterprise” (VE). The history of the model and its implementation at a U. S. community college, as a professional education curriculum that has shown great potential to prepare students for the global nature of the 21st century workplace, is discussed. The Virtual Enterprise, has shown itself to be a business simulator that inculcates both technical and “soft” skills to students. Tourism and hospitality educators face two challenges in preparing their students for the work place. One is to prepare them with the technical skill sets that will create demand for their services amongst employers in the marketplace. The second is to find classroom exercises and simulations that allow students to take those skill sets and put them to the test under “game conditions.” The Virtual Enterprise educational model meets both of these challenges.     

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.     

Teaching around the world for 106 days: my Semester at Sea experience

ABSTRACT

Traveling and teaching around the world for 106 days sounds adventurous or even romantic. The Semester at Sea (SAS) program introduces students to many different cultures through coursework and intensive in-country experiences with the aim of cultivating global citizenship. From the collaborative learning atmosphere that results from the unique relationships developed outside the classroom to the deep learning that occurs when students must put what they have theorized in class into practice in foreign countries. The SAS experience is more than the sum of its ports; it is like living on another campus for a semester and the interplay of varied shipboard and port experiences influence students toward a more comprehensive global perspective. This paper will describe the overview of SAS program and share my experience as a faculty member teaching for SAS program.     

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.     

Why Do Some New Hospitality College Grads Lack Management Skills?

Abstract

Practicing hospitality managers have been anecdotally heard to denigrate the management training provided by institutions of higher learning. This may be valid commentary, as graduates of hospitality management programs may possess merely an abstract conception of theoretical constructs lacking the competence to synthesize them into managerial practice.

In this article, the author posits a model to describe a learning process that may be applied to the education of hospitality and tourism students in academic courses related to the practice of management in organizations. The premise of the model is found in the academic disciplines of science and philosophy as they relate to management and learning theories. The author concludes the article with examples to support the application of the model in practical settings.     

Authenticating the learning environment

The research documented in this paper argues that the authentic learning environment is achievable through “academic practitioners” who can ground business education and research within practice. A culture fostering the academic understanding of the practitioner environment enables practical engagement with academic rigour. The case study illustrates specific examples from degree programmes engaging with student and academic voices, with a particular focus on the development of authentic learning experiences for tourism and hospitality students. Key aspects of business education need embedding within the development of tourism and hospitality curricula in order to engage with the tacit knowledge required by the sector through a holistic approach to curriculum development.     

Hospitality and Tourism Curriculum Development

Abstract

This project presents a case study illustration of a qualitative research approach for enhancing an undergraduate curriculum of a hospitality and tourism management program at a large university. Four focus groups consisting of current students, alumni, faculty, and industry practitioners provided extensive information about past and current performance of the travel and tourism program. The data collected indicated areas of concern in three different levels: the university, the hospitality and tourism program, and the university's relationships with external constituencies. Recommendations and suggestions for curriculum enhancement took into consideration the perceptions of the focus groups' participants.     

Stormy Outlook?

ABSTRACT

The education of international students in Australian universities has grown significantly over recent years, with Australia now having the highest ratio of international students to domestic students among the major English-speaking destinations popular with international students. While there is a variety of research that examines the learning experiences of international students, little research has been conducted that examines the impact that international students have on their domestic counterparts. This paper reports on research that solicits the perceived advantages and disadvantages held by 301 domestic students, who are sharing their educational experience with international students studying hospitality and tourism management. The study reveals that there is a sizable proportion of domestic students (28%) who consider that there are too many international students on campus; that domestic and international students do not readily mix and it also highlights the fact that racist incidents occur. It is suggested that institutions wishing to increase their number of international students must take into consideration the feelings and concerns of their domestic students.     

Tourism and Hospitality Higher Education in Taiwan

SUMMARY

The binary system of tourism and hospitality higher education in Taiwan divides into academic higher education and technical/vocational(institute/university of technology, five-year junior college and two-year junior college). The development of tourism and hospitality higher education in Taiwan is closely related to the growth in the domestic tourist market and the social development of the country. The earliest tourism education began in 1965. This long process of development has given Taiwanese tourism and hospitality education a multifaceted outlook and is generally divided into three periods: the origination period (1946–1968), the growth period (1969–1991), and the competition and adjustment period (1990–present). Over the past years, tourism and hospitality higher education in Taiwan has witnessed rapid growth in numbers, increasing diversification in program names, and with junior colleges and institutes of technology transforming themselves into universities of technology. Current tourism and hospitality programs are boosting global competitiveness for the future hospitality market in Taiwan, with careful positioning clear goals, curriculum planning, integrating hospitality/tourism curriculum, alliances and collaboration, and strengthening tourism and hospitality research.     

Active engagement with nature: outdoor adventure tourism,sustainability and wellbeing

Abstract

This article draws on the conflicting arguments surrounding outdoor adventure tourism activities to determine if such activities might usefully be considered beneficial for humans and nature, and how they might offer avenues for sustainable tourism practice. Research in the field has often examined outdoor adventure activities through a lens that either highlights their negative environmental impacts or has sought to conceptualise motivations and/or experiences. In this article, we argue that through practices that are often seen as destructive, there is the possibility to think differently about human-nature relationships and pro-environmentalism. To explore these issues, we draw on data collected from a series of semi-structured interviews with outdoor adventure tourists. Our analysis highlights how outdoor adventure tourism facilitates reconnections to nature, offering potential wellbeing impacts and pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours. We conclude that outdoor adventure activities as a form of sustainable tourism have potential implications for our understanding of, and engagement with, sustainability, mental health and wellbeing.     

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.     

Students' Motivation to Learn

ABSTRACT

Often called a “Discovery Major,” the parks, recreation, and tourism major tends to have more transfer students than other majors. Research has shown that educators sometimes perceive transfer students as less motivated than continuing students. This study explored differences between Parks, Recreation, and Tourism (PRT) students and non-PRT students who represented 52 majors on the University of Missouri-Columbia campus. Survey results confirmed that PRT students were more likely to have changed majors. Although PRT students reported lower ACT and GPA scores, no significant difference was found between the two groups in their motivation to learn. However, compared with non-PRT students, PRT students attributed more value to their major when they perceived having more control of their learning.     

Internationalising higher tourism education: the case of curriculum design in the Central Baltic Area

ABSTRACT

The aim of this article is to increase understanding of the process of curriculum design when incorporating an international dimension into a curriculum in higher tourism education. The process of the internationalisation of the curriculum design is investigated against a theoretical basis and described from a practical perspective by presenting a case from the Central Baltic Area. In this case, the purpose of the internationalisation of the curriculum is to provide an aligned skillset and knowledge necessary to support the development of the Central Baltic Area as a common tourism destination. First, a relevant and mutual skillset was identified by reviewing the existing curricula (N = 17) and national tourism strategies and plans (N = 3) as well as by interviewing representatives of tourism organisations (N = 103). Then, the identified skills and knowledge were translated into a joint curriculum and teaching processes.     

Tourism Education and the Internet

Abstract

Using the Internet in the teaching and learning environment assists tourism students in achieving two criteria increasingly being expected by employers. These are an understanding of the applications of the Internet to the industry, and a set of operational Internet skills.

In this paper the benefits and challenges of integrating the Internet into the teaching and learning environment are discussed. In addition, the results of a small-scale survey of tourism academics are reported.     

Tourism and environmental subjectivities in the Anthropocene: observations from Niru Village,Southwest China

ABSTRACT

The increasingly popular notion of Anthropocene urges us to reflect and review the role of the human, the Anthropos, as part of the planet earth. In this context, tourism has been singled out as a global industry that is driven by neoliberal economic principles and is inevitably intertwined in the production of the Anthropocene. At the same time, tourism has been adopted also as part of environmental governance and management, aiming for a more sustainable economy. Based on the idea that ecotourism contributes to the discourse of “nature” (and Anthropocene) disruptively as well as productively in unsettling the normative ideas of “nature” and “culture”, in this article I attempt to understand more specifically how ecotourism may enable individuals' subject formation in relation to the broader environmental discourse. Drawn on fieldwork in Niru Village, Shangri-La, Southwest China, I employ a political ecology approach and examine the ways individuals relate themselves to “nature”, through a process of negotiation and exchange with others engaged in ecotourism activities. The tourism encounters in Niru Village, therefore are also embodied encounters of different environmental subjectivities.     

Exploring the Use of Blended Learning in Tourism Education

ABSTRACT

The last few years have registered a dramatic increase in Internet use in education and a continued investment by educational institutions to increase the integration of technology components into their course offerings. While many have embraced the introduction of online components on the academic experience, some fear that online courses lack the interaction component so critical to the traditional academic experience. In response, there is a growing belief that rather than advocating online or face-to-face learning methods, one should capitalize on the strengths of both methods and examine the effectiveness of blended methods. Therefore, the purpose was to explore the influence of perceptions of online and face-to-face interaction on student satisfaction and performance on a blended learning tourism marketing assignment. The results revealed that students' satisfaction was influenced by their online interactions with other students, the instructor and specific content but that they had no effect on assignment grade. The findings suggest that instructors should consider the use of online tools to improve student satisfaction and that more research is needed to examine the link of online materials and student performance.     

Tourism Higher Education in China

SUMMARY

This paper first reviews the origins and development of tourism higher education in China, then elaborates on its present hierarchy of programs, regional distribution and mechanisms for operating schools. Based on an investigation, the paper also discusses the educational objectives, program setup, curriculum design, textbooks and reference materials. It summarizes the problems and challenges China's higher education studies in tourism are facing, and in conclusion, it explores development trends and offers suggestions for its future.