Tourism Higher Education Research Articles

Factors Affecting the Development of Target Competencies Among Final-Year Tourism and Hospitality Students in Egypt

This research investigates the contribution of each dimension in the educational process to the development of target competencies that tourism and hospitality employers seek in graduates. Using a sample of 506 senior students in 7 public universities, and using structural equation modeling, we found that 5 out of 8 dimensions in the educational process significantly affect the development of target competencies. In turn, these target competencies significantly affect the ability of students to get a job in the tourism and hospitality market. It was found that staff members, teaching methods, and facilities provided to support the teaching process are still below students’ expectations. This study is useful for policymakers who wish to do their best to improve the quality of tourism higher education in Egypt and increase its competitiveness.

How Do Hospitality and Tourism Undergraduate Students Learn? From a Perspective of Learning Styles

This theoretical paper presents the influence of learning styles and culture values on facilitating undergraduate students’ learning. Learning styles describe the way people process information. Many learning style inventories have been developed and applied widely, for example, Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory (LSI) and Honey and Mumford’s Learning Styles Questionnaire (LSQ). However, limited research has been conducted in the field of hospitality and tourism higher education, particularly in eastern culture. Past research in the hospitality and tourism higher education did not reveal if certain learning styles can contribute to better learning outcomes, however, there is a significant difference in preferred learning styles of students in terms of different cultural values. Therefore, it makes it pivotal to consider the influence of culture difference when examining how learning styles contribute to better learning outcomes in future research. Therefore, hospitality and tourism educators can properly plan useful strategies to accommodate different learning styles and enhance students’ learning.

Tourism Education and Regional Integration: Is the European Union (EU) Model Applicable for ASEAN?

AbstractIn the current age of globalization, regional alliances have become the norm, strengthening economic, political and social ties. These alliances are also shaping new regional integration and cooperation among member nations. Integration consists of harmonization and standardization of different systems into one. In higher education, this integration has been spearheaded by the European Union (EU) and by the Bologna agreement in 1999. In Southeast Asia, cooperation started in 1967 with the foundation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which consists of 10 different countries and draws together nations with different levels of development, where integration has become a priority. The roadmap for the ASEAN blueprint set a target for 2015. In ASEAN, the need for education has risen and this awareness can now be found in all the countries. Research on this process, however, has remained limited. This research paper aims to study the regional integration process in the field of higher education in ASEAN and its implications. This paper studies the history of ASEAN development in comparison with the EU education integration. It aims to draw a clear picture of the current stage of integration in education. It also aims to expand the knowledge on ASEAN and its impact on member countries’ higher education. This research uses a qualitative approach, relying on official documents and secondary data gathered from various sources. The methodology used in this paper is comparative case studies from the EU and ASEAN. Findings show that the EU and ASEAN integration processes share many common denominations but also differ due to cultural and governance differences. The ASEAN education integration process is still in its beginning stages with limited achievements, mostly in the field of higher education in tourism, a pioneer in integration.

Brechas en la educación superior en turismo en el Perú

Gaps of Peruvian Higher Education in Tourism.

How To Setup a Continuous Experimental Teaching System: Case Study On The Tourism Management Program

Chinese higher tourism education witnesses 32-year continuous innovation and exploration since the reform and opening policies. And it has gained many successful experiences in the aspects of talents cultivation mentality, nurture target, subject construction, curriculum arrangement and training module. However, it suffers the shortage of tourism professionals in tourism management. Disjunction between college education and market demand is one of the important reasons. Many-year teaching reform proves that tourism experimental teaching centre is able to encourage students’ innovative idea and practice ability to realize seamless connection of talent cultivation and market demand. What’s more, experimental teaching system can not only offer basic education for undergraduates, it also designs connectional experimental teaching system based on collaborative education between undergraduate and graduate education. It possesses basic dimension, professional dimension, comprehensive dimension, innovative dimension and dynamic dimension with the feature of basic recognition experiment, professional ability cultivation, disciplinary application innovation and industrial application development. Hence it is expected to train practical and innovative talents of different level for tourism industry and offer example and reference for graduate’s innovative education in major of tourism management.

From Escoffier to Adria: Tracking Culinary Textbooks at the Dublin Institute of Technology 1941–2013

From Escoffier to Adria: Tracking Culinary Textbooks at the Dublin Institute of Technology 1941–2013

Scholarly Activities in Hospitality and Tourism Higher Education among Private Higher Institutions in Australia

The purpose of this paper is to explore the notion of scholarship and develop research and scholarship strategies among Private Higher Institutions delivering Tourism and Hospitality degree programs in Australia. In doing so, this paper confronts the traditional view of research publications as the only form of scholarship by traditional universities. This paper argues that the purpose of scholarship should be focused towards improving a teacher’s teaching and learning process. These new knowledge need not be limited through peer reviewed journals only, but can be achieved through less formal means of communication such as fieldtrips to industry and attending conferences. This paper utilizes the six Scholarship key points as defined on P. 19 of the National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes in Australia by MCEETYA to investigate methods to capture scholarship beyond traditional research publications. <br />

Academic Agency and Leadership in Tourism Higher Education

This article explores the leadership agency of tourism faculty in higher education and recommends actions to enhance leadership for social change. Based on a review of literature grounded within an agency perspective, a conceptual framework is presented that identifies systemic and individual influences on leadership. Three types of freedom for faculty to engage in leadership behaviors arise: (1) the capacity of the individual to lead; (2) the freedom afforded by the organizational context to lead in accordance with one's capacity to lead; and (3) the social freedom to lead derived from each faculty member's disciplinary and departmental norms and structures.

Using web 2.0 in higher tourism education

This practice paper provides knowledge and inspiration on the integration of web 2.0 technologies in tourism higher education. The integration of web 2.0 in higher education rests on socio-cultural learning theories and important elements in a web 2.0 educational design are interaction, joint creation of content, critical thinking and collaboration between students and teachers both face-to-face and online via social media such as discussion forums, blogs and wikis. The paper explains how social media can help provide a frame for student preparation, support project working methods and activate and challenge students in engaging and motivating teaching and learning activities that result in in-dept learning. Such activities should be carefully planned. Particular attention is paid to providing students with instructions on how to interact with content and with each other in online learning environments. For learning to happen in a virtual learning environment, the learning process of students should be carefully scaffolded. The paper provides examples of web 2.0 learning activities from the INNOTOUR platform, which is a joint platform for students, teachers, businesses and researchers of tourism. The article exposes how the integration of web 2.0 in teaching involves much more than the integration of new educational tools. We argue that it is a radically different way of understanding and co-creating knowledge and learning, which has a range of implications. Among these are curriculum revisions to create alignment between learning objectives, web 2.0 learning and teaching processes, and student assessment.

Educating Tourism Students for Work in a Multicultural Environment

This study was conducted in 2009 in the fourth-largest tertiary education institution of Latvia, which provides higher education in tourism, among other programs. The purpose of the research was to study the tourism employers' and students' needs to evaluate the present curriculum and to offer opportunities for its development. One hundred ninety-two tourism employers and 262 students were questioned. The article presents the results of the study concerning issues of intercultural education. Based on the ideas gained from the analysis of theories and empirical data, suggestions on how to facilitate the development of tourism students' intercultural competence were elaborated.

Holistic competence approach in tourism higher education: an exploratory study in Spain

The present study aims to propose and empirically contrast a structural model of relationships between academic–professional competences in tourism higher education. Currently, much attention is being paid to the concept of competence. However, in the literature review, we did not find any proposal for a holistic approach that tends to understand the relationships between the generic and specific competences in higher education. This study is focused on a subject of the tourism degree in the University of Seville (Spain). It is based on a sample of 154 students. The results confirm that there are relationships between the generic and specific competences.

Authentic Learning and Communities of Practice in Tourism Higher Education

This article examines the potential of guest lectures to function as tools for authentic learning in a tourism management program. Using a qualitative interpretive approach, semistructured interviews were conducted with a sample of 20 students from 11 undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Interview questions addressed the guest lectures as well as aspects of social learning insofar as they relate to authentic learning. It is found that guest lectures can contribute to authentic learning by adding an applied dimension to tourism higher education while simultaneously providing inspiration for career choice. Implications for program and curriculum development are considered.

Pathways into tourism higher education

To understand tourism and hospitality students' career paths into higher education, interviews with twenty final year undergraduate students at five UK universities were undertaken. These interviews revealed four different pathways into tourism and hospitality higher education. The paper also confirms the often haphazard and unplanned nature of early career decisions, as well as highlighting the extent of social structures and employment experiences as playing a determining role in early career development. While the findings are particularly relevant to policy makers and academics in the UK, they resonate more widely in an era of changes in higher education on a global scale.

Criteria that Ensure the Quality of Higher Education in Tourism and Sport Management Study Programme

The quality of higher education is predominantly determined by the work of academic staff and organization of instructional process; the criteria of higher education institution’s infrastructure are of moderate importance. Professional qualities of teaching staff that are related to communication with students during lectures are important for quality assurance; effective communication with others was found to be the most important personal quality of teaching staff. Professional qualities were evaluated as being more important than personal ones. The most effective teaching methods important to the quality of higher education are different types of group work in the classroom. In general, the teaching and learning methods used in delivering Sport and Tourism Management study programme were rated as effective. The following properties of learning materials used in Sport and Tourism Management study programme received the highest evaluation: information links to specialty, suitability, and applicability of theoretical knowledge in practice. The objective of the research is to diagnose and evaluate criteria that assure the quality of Sport and Tourism Management study programme. The main tasks set for the research were: to review the concept of the quality of higher education and aspects of its evaluation from the theoretical point of view; to discuss the general quality assurance criteria from the theoretical point of view; to evaluate the criteria that determine the quality of teaching and learning in Sport and Tourism Management study programme. The object of the research is to establish criteria that determine the quality of teaching and learning in Sport and Tourism Management study programme. The problem of the research is to find criteria that assure the quality of teaching and learning in Sport and Tourism Management study programme.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.23.3.1204

EDUCAÇÃO SUPERIOR EM TURISMO NO BRASIL: ANÁLISE DA OFERTA DE CURSOS SUPERIORES NO NORDESTE BRASILEIRO PELOS INSTITUTOS FEDERAIS

O contexto da sociedade pós-industrial é de grandes mudanças, exigindo mais qualificação e provocando o aumento da quantidade e da qualidade da oferta de cursos superiores em turismo e áreas afins no Brasil. Este artigo, decorrente de pesquisa de doutorado, teve como objetivo analisar os cursos superiores de turismo ofertados no Nordeste Brasileiro pelos Institutos Federais de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do país, considerando o contexto da educação superior brasileira. Buscou também, entre outros objetivos específicos, mapear a oferta de cursos superiores na área de turismo no Brasil. A pesquisa tratou de temas relevantes nessa área, com abordagem sistêmica. Caracterizado como descritivo-explicativo do objeto, segundo seus objetivos, o trabalho envolveu pesquisas do tipo bibliográfica, documental e de campo. No campo realizou-se pesquisa com os Institutos Federais do nordeste, pesquisando e analisando aspectos do projeto pedagógico e organização curricular, objetivos do curso e perfil profissiográfico do egresso, comunicação, relacionamento e qualidade dos cursos de turismo e áreas afins por eles ofertados. Foram identificados mais de mil cursos superiores de turismo e áreas afins em oferta no Brasil, em 2010, dos quais 251 são ofertados no nordeste e apenas 13 deles são ofertados pelos IF. Os cursos elaboram seus projetos baseado nos parâmetros do MEC (92,30%), não consideram a política de qualificação do estado onde se inserem, ofertam três línguas estrangeiras e objetivam formar principalmente para o planejamento e a elaboração de projetos, diferenciando-se dos bacharelados pelo aspecto mais prático e operacional do curso e não focando para a pesquisa. A pesquisa pretendeu ser um instrumento que promova discussão sobre o tema, podendo subsidiar estudos acadêmicos e ações práticas de gestores educacionais e políticos do Brasil, principalmente no Nordeste.

Online Learning in Hospitality and Tourism Higher Education Worldwide: A descriptive report as of January 2012

This descriptive research was conducted to uncover the current state of online hospitality education. Over 1500 unit administrators from hospitality and tourism programs within North American and International technical, two year, and four year colleges and universities were surveyed on their perceptions related to online education. Results indicate administrators' have an affinity for face to face education, while recognizing some advantages of online learning for students. Currently, Hospitality and Tourism unit administrators do not perceive online education to be a strategic initiative, nor is there an indication that future academic plans include online learning projects.

Waving Web in Tourism Higher Education—Case Study at Tourism School of GUBS

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to introduce some approaches to wave web in tourism higher education, with analyses on key successful factors. Design/methodology/approach—The methods of investigation used in this study include observation, in-depth interviews, survey and secondary data. Findings: A comparison study indicates that virtual learning environment is a good solution to massive course load in tourism higher education. The paper figures out three effective approaches based on Blackboard System, and KSFs of online implementation, such as instructor preparation, course development, instructor accessibility, course monitoring and technology support. Originality/value: This paper illustrates the contribution of computer aided instruction and virtual learning environment to tourism higher education through case study.

Integration of environmental aspects in tourism higher education: The hotel managers' point of view

Our environment and our society is continually dynamic. Courses such as hotel management, hygiene, food and beverage, front office are essential for the tourism sector. Besides, concern for environmen tal issues is one of the key components of higher education for tourism. This study presents a critical review of environmental aspects in higher education for tourism in Turkey. Because the demand for vocational schools (two-year colleges) is more than that for faculties, there are more vocational schools than four-year faculties in Turkey. Their curriculum was researched and determined to lessons about the environment. In the scope of this study; a questionnaire was conducted on managers of blue flag hotels to learn their opinion about the sector. According to these reviews, the importance of environ mental education in higher education was emphasized.

Identifying critical service quality attributes for higher education in hospitality and tourism: Applications of the Kano model and importance-performance analysis (IPA)

This study aims to identify critical education elements using the Kano model andimportance-performance analysis (IPA), and thus provide recommendations for college hospitality and tourism programmes. It makes an empirical contribution to the question of quality in hospitality and tourism education. The population sampled was hospitality and tourism students in higher education. A total of 338 valid questionnaires were collected, with a response rate of 61.4%. The results suggest that education elements can be categorized by their different quality attributes. The two most important elements perceived by students were, 1) teachers assess the academic performance of students in a true, correct, and reasonable way, and 2) teachers can provide students with information on future employment’. Key words: Hospitality and tourism higher education, SERVQUAL, Kano’s model, IPA.

General self-efficacy's effect on career choice goals via vocational interests and person–job fit: A mediation model

This study investigates a new mediation model, in which individuals’ career choice goals are proposed to be influenced by the interplays of three influences including general self-efficacy, vocational interests, and person–job fit perceptions. Soon-to-be graduates of Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) who just finalized their placement in the industry responded to self-completed questionnaires. They were 302 senior undergraduates from two institutes of higher education in tourism and hospitality on China's Hainan Island. The four indirect causal paths within this mediation model include: (a) general self-efficacy→person–job fit→choice goals, (b) general self-efficacy→vocational interests→choice goals, (c) general self-efficacy→vocational interests→person–job fit, and (d) vocational interests→person–job fit→choice goals. The results of structural equation modeling indicate that these four paths are all statistically significant and all the hypotheses regarding these paths therefore gain empirical support. The study's findings as well as their implications are discussed within the context of self-efficacy theory, career development theory, and human resource development practices in the hospitality and tourism domain.