Online Learning for Vietnamese Hospitality and Tourism University Students During a Time of Covid-19

Abstract

Online learning increased in prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic. Hospitality education programs were not unique in their transition to online learning nor their incorporation of online instruction via learning management systems (LMS); there was, however, a pedagogical disconnect as hospitality and tourism education has historically been more task-oriented and centered on face-to-face interaction. This study aimed to identify Vietnamese hospitality and tourism students’ perceptions of their engagement in the LMS. Survey evidence revealed that students in hospitality and tourism programs with prior internet experience adapted more quickly. Although the majority of students agreed that online education facilitated remote study, they still preferred engaging in face-to-face sessions. Results additionally revealed that students believed that online learning would become a vital part of the future hospitality and tourism curricula. Thus, satisfaction with online learning is contingent upon the topic matter and the lecturer’s application and teaching talents. Findings herein have a variety of practical and theoretical consequences, notably through the theoretical distance theory, which demonstrates that results converge.