Factors Affecting Students' Learning and Satisfaction on Tourism and Hospitality Course-Related Field Trips

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to report the results of a project that studied the factors affecting students' learning and satisfaction on Tourism and Hospitality course-related field trips. A questionnaire was used to measure students' perceptions of their learning experience and satisfaction. Twenty Likert scale statements were developed to gauge students' attitudes toward the different activities, the running of the tour, and the different roles of the teacher and tour guide throughout the tour. Three factors were derived using factor analysis: 1) Learning-Orientated Activities; 2) Tour Guided Activities and Entertainment; and 3) Student's Expectation and Relationship with Classmates. Multiple regression analysis revealed that Student's Expectation and Relationship with Classmates and Learning-Orientated Activities exerted a positive impact on the overall satisfaction with the field trip. T-tests and ANOVA tests revealed some significant differences among the demographic variables. The implications of the study and suggestions for educators relating to the organization of field trips are also discussed.