Hospitality Students Research Articles

Building Tourism and Hospitality Students’ Soft Skills via a Mental Health Intervention – An Exploratory Study in Macao, China

ABSTRACT This exploratory research investigates the efficacy of group art therapy for the purpose of nurturing the development of soft skills amongst a group of tourism and hospitality students in preparation for their employment in stressful workplace environments. Soft skills are interpersonal and social competencies that can enhance coping skills. Thus far, little is known about how mental health intervention classes could actually contribute to soft skill development. In an attempt to understand the relationships between art therapy and soft skills for effective workplace stress management, a qualitative approach was carried out involving semi-structured interviews with fourteen students of tourism and hospitality following a group art therapy activity. The results offer evidence that a well-delivered mental health intervention such as art therapy in a group setting can contribute to the building of soft skills and associated coping skills in preparation for workplace stress reduction.

Hands-On Learning During Pandemic: Through the Lens of Socioeconomically Underprivileged Students

ABSTRACT Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, education and training faced disruption, necessitating a shift to open and distance learning (ODL) due to lockdowns and social distancing. Socioeconomically disadvantaged hospitality students encountered significant obstacles, including limited electricity, connectivity, devices, and caregiver support, potentially exacerbating educational disparities. This study focuses on hospitality students who underwent a practical-intensive food and beverage class during the pandemic. Interviews were conducted to explore students’ ODL challenges, experiences returning to campus, and resilience in self-directed learning. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes and seven sub-themes. It was found that poor internet access and inadequate self-training tools hindered practical skill acquisition. Short video tutorials were proven effective, fostering students’ self-directed learning and video editing skills. Suffice to say, educational tools like short videos and social media assist underprivileged students’ practical skill development, thus bridging the digital divide in education despite the challenges.

A Perspective on Teaching Business Ethics to Students of Higher Hospitality and Tourism Education

ABSTRACT This paper explores business ethics education in the higher hospitality and tourism (H&T) education sector, focusing on curricular integration, content, and teaching methods. The H&T industry faces unique ethical challenges due to its guest-centric nature and competitive environment. Over the past four decades, H&T higher education has balanced vocational training with academic rigor to develop ethical leaders. Despite the recognized importance of ethics education, debates persist on teaching methods and content, with concerns about curriculum imbalances, disconnects between classroom scenarios and real-life situations, and insufficient support and training for H&T educators. This review underscores the need for closer collaboration between educators, academics, professionals, and organizations to improve the quality of business ethics education in H&T.

The Effects of Blended Team-Based Learning on the Cross-Cultural Readiness of Tourism and Hospitality Students: A Mediation Study

ABSTRACT Blended team-based learning (BTBL) has become a popular pedagogical method in tourism and hospitality (T&H) education. However, its efficacy in developing industry competencies remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by applying Social Learning Theory to examine how BTBL constructs perceived enjoyment, individual learning, team effectiveness, and knowledge-sharing influence cross-cultural readiness (CR). This study employed correlation and regression analyses using SPSS Process Model 81 on data from 272 T&H university students enrolled in BTBL-based courses. This study provides novelty by confirming the relationship among the BTBL constructs and extending the model to determine the chain-mediation effects of BTBL in influencing CR. These imply that BTBL enhances learners’ competencies through social learning. As a pedagogical implication, this study recommends that T&H educators develop CR and related industry skills by implementing BTBL activities, which provide learners exposure to “real-world” scenarios and autonomy to discuss collaboratively and make critical decisions as a team.

Appearance, Tastiness, and Healthiness Perception of University Students Towards Sustainable Cereal Snack Bar Enriched With Pumpkin

Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) is an endogenous product of low commercial value. Cereal bars are used as a snack, mainly in intermediate meals. The development of new food products with low commercial value contributes to endogenous products’ valorisation and sustainability. This study aimed to develop a cereal bar using pumpkin and pumpkin seed flour and analyse appearance, tastiness, and healthiness perception related to it by university students from different areas. The nutrition students’ group was constituted of 33 students and the hospitality group was constituted of 26 students, both rated the bar in terms of appearance, tastiness and healthiness perception using a Likert scale from 1 (lower value) to 5 (higher value). Based on the global appearance was notorious the higher value rate of the nutrition students (32.2%) compared to the hospitality students (3.4%). The developed cereal-pumpkin bar seems to be an interesting alternative to other snack bars available on the market.

Analysis of Sustainability Perceptions in Uncertainty Times: The Case of Hospitality Students

Analysis of Sustainability Perceptions in Uncertainty Times: The Case of Hospitality Students

From Root to Stem: Optimizing Produce Utilization and Reducing Waste through Sustainable Cooking Practices

Background: In modern society, food waste is a pressing issue contributing to environmental degradation and resource depletion. “From Root to Stem” proposes a solution by advocating for sustainable cooking practices that maximize the use of every part of produce. Objectives: The objectives of this study were twofold. Firstly, to assess the existing levels of awareness and implementation of root-to-stem cooking practices among hospitality students. Secondly, to identify the obstacles hindering widespread adoption of root-to-stem cooking and to pinpoint the factors that facilitate its uptake. Additionally, the study aimed to propose effective strategies for promoting the incorporation of root-to-stem cooking practices in both domestic and commercial environments. Methodology: To accomplish these goals, a quantitative research approach, specifically employing a descriptive research design, was utilized. Data collection involved the use of an online questionnaire distributed via Google Forms among a select group of hospitality students with expertise in the kitchen. Convenience sampling was employed to gather data, resulting in a sample size of 328 participants. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 23, based on a mixed questionnaire format. Results: The data reveals that 92.1% of respondents are familiar with root-to-stem cooking. However, only 4.3% always incorporate these techniques, with 58.6% doing so sometimes. 87.4% have received formal education or training on root-to-stem cooking, and 78.1% believe it can contribute to reducing food waste. Additionally, 56.3% are moderately likely to explore root-to-stem cooking further in the future. Conclusion: Root-to-stem cooking offers a sustainable solution to minimize food waste by utilizing entire plants. Despite obstacles like limited consumer awareness and logistical challenges, collaborative efforts among stakeholders can drive its adoption. Through education, digital platforms, and policy interventions, root-to-stem cooking can revolutionize culinary practices and promote a more sustainable food system.

Promoting Discovery Learning to Boost the Students’ English Writing in Vocational Schools

This study aims to examine the impact of implementing the discovery learning (DL) approach on improving students' writing skills in English subjects. The study employed a quantitative method with a quasi-experimental design involving pre-tests and post-tests on two groups: a control group and an experimental group. The population of this study comprised 10th-grade students of Hospitality 1 and 2 at SMK N 6 Semarang in the 2024/2025 academic year, with Hospitality 1 as the control group and Hospitality 2 as the experimental group. In the experimental group, students were taught using the discovery learning (DL) approach, while the control group was taught without it. Data were collected through a writing test on recount texts and a closed questionnaire containing 15 questions to measure students' perceptions of the discovery learning approach. The data analysis, conducted using SPSS 27, revealed that the t-value (9.830) was greater than the t-table value (1.849) at a significance level of 0.025 with 27 degrees of freedom. This indicates that the alternative hypothesis (Ha) is accepted, and the null hypothesis (Ho) is rejected, showing a significant effect of discovery learning on students' writing skills. The questionnaire results demonstrated that students responded positively to this method, stating that discovery learning helped them become more active and engaged in the learning process. In conclusion, implementing the discovery learning (DL) approach significantly improves students' writing skills, making it an effective alternative for enhancing writing abilities in English language learning. The implication of this study suggests that teachers are encouraged to integrate discovery learning into their teaching strategies to foster active student participation and achieve optimal learning outcomes.

The Effect of Hospitality and Tourism Programs’ Student Need for Achievement on Academic Resilience: The Moderating Roles of Mindfulness and Cyberloafing

ABSTRACT The study examines the moderating roles of mindfulness and cyberloafing in the relationship between the need for achievement and academic resilience among students in hospitality and tourism programs. The captive group survey method was adopted. 720 valid responses were gathered from students enrolled in hospitality and tourism programs in Egypt’s universities. The findings revealed that students' need for achievement is positively correlated with their academic resilience. Also, students’ mindfulness positively moderates the relationship between the need for achievement and academic resilience, whereas, cyberloafing negatively moderates such relationship. The findings emphasize the significance of fostering mindfulness and addressing cyberloafing habits as crucial elements in bolstering students’ academic resilience. This research adds to the current body of literature by shedding light on the combined moderating impacts of mindfulness and cyberloafing. Moreover, it provides actionable insights for educators and administrators seeking to improve student outcomes within hospitality and tourism education programs.

The correlation between medical students’ clinical dishonesty, psychological distress, and moral intelligence

IntroductionClinical dishonesty is one of the components of academic dishonesty that deals with the unprofessional behavior of students in hospital and clinic environments (medical students, nursing students, etc.). Psychological distress and low moral intelligence among students can be known as predisposing factors in performing dishonest clinical behaviors. The present research addresses a gap in the scientific literature by investigating dishonest behavior among medical students.MethodsThis cross-sectional study examined medical students’ clinical dishonesty, psychological distress, and moral intelligence. Rafati et al.‘s questionnaire was used to investigate clinical dishonesty, Kessler’s Psychological Distress Questionnaire (K6) was used for psychological distress, and Lenik and Keil’s (2005) questionnaire was used to determine moral intelligence. Cochran’s formula was used to calculate the sample size and the simple random sample (SRS) method was used for sampling. Data were statistically analyzed in SPSS version 27 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, United States). a P-value less than 0.05 was considered significant.Results317 medical students were included in this study, of which 176 (55.5%) were male and 141 (44.5%) were female. We found a direct and significant statistical correlation between clinical dishonesty and students’ distress (Correlation Coefficient: 0.162, P-value < 0.001). In addition, there was a statistically significant inverse correlation between clinical dishonesty and moral intelligence (Correlation Coefficient: -0.241, P-value: 0.004). Moreover, there was a higher rate of clinical dishonesty among senior medical students (P-value < 0.001). Moreover, the most dishonest clinical behaviors are as follows: [1] Disclosure of patient information in public or with non-medical personnel (76%), Incorrect examination of vital signs and physical examinations (69.4%), Not reporting incidents or errors of others involving patients (41.6%).ConclusionFinally, most students have experienced engaging in at least one clinically dishonest behavior. Such actions increase with the progress of the educational level so that it reaches its peak at the internship stage. Moral intelligence is a learnable concept, and mental distress also has its own treatments. Therefore, improving these two factors can reduce clinical dishonesty among medical students.

Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practices of generic drugs and their potential nocebo effects among second year medical students in a rural tertiary care teaching hospital: a cross-sectional study

Background: As drugs contribute significantly to healthcare costs, reduction in their cost by using generics offers a significant advantage so evaluation was done of knowledge, attitude, and practices of generic drugs and their potential nocebo effects among second year medical students in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Methods: A prospective, observational, and questionnaire-based study was conducted after approval by the Institutional Ethics Committee. Pretested and validated questionnaire consisting of 26 questions about generic drugs was filled by 92 participants. The filled questionnaires were collected and analyzed on Microsoft Excel sheet. Results: Majority (90.2%) students had heard about generic drugs, however, only 18.5% students thought there was a nocebo effect associated with the use of generic drugs. Majority of the study population had a positive attitude towards use of generic drugs and believed them to be equally efficacious as branded drugs in addition to not having more side effects than branded drugs, though their current practices did not reflect this knowledge and attitude. 63% also said that following this study, they were likely to prescribe or consume generics as future doctors and patients. Conclusions: The participants had sufficient knowledge and positive attitude towards use of generic drugs. Knowledge regarding the possible nocebo effects of generic drugs was lacking.

The use of the objective structured clinical examination to evaluate paediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills in medical students and measures to improve training

BackgroundThe main objectives of the study were to analyse the use of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) to evaluate the skills of medical students in paediatric basic life support (PBLS), to compare two resuscitation training models and to evaluate the measures to improve the teaching program.MethodsComparative, prospective, observation study with intervention in two hospitals, one undergoing a PILS course (Paediatric Immediate Life Support) and another PBLS. The study was performed over three phases. 1º. PBLS OSCE in 2022 three months after the resuscitation training 2. Measures to improve the training program in 2023 3. PBLS OSCE in 2023. Overall results were analysed and comparison between both sites and those for 2022 and 2023 were made.ResultsA total of 210 and 182 students took part in the OSCE in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The overall mean score out of 100 was 83.2 (19), 77.8 (19.8) in 2022 and 89.5 (15.9) and 2023, P < 0.001. Overall cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) effectiveness was adequate in 79.4% and 84.6% of students in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The results of hospital students undergoing a PILS course were better (86.4 (16.6) than those undergoing a PBLS. 80.2 (20.6) p < 0.001. The results from both hospitals improved significantly in 2023.ConclusionsThe OSCE is a valid instrument to evaluate PBLS skills in medical students and to compare different training methods and program improvements. Medical students who receive a PILS attain better PBLS skills than those who undergo a PBLS course.

A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE REGARDING MENSTRUAL HYGIENE AMONG FEMALE NURSING STUDENTS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Objectives: Menstruation, though a normal physiological process in the females of reproductive age group, is surrounded by various misconceptions and social taboos. Inadequate knowledge and unhygienic menstrual practices can adversely affect female health. Poor menstrual hygiene practice has been negatively associated with infection of the reproductive and genitor-urinary tract, cervical cancer, absenteeism from school, or drop-out, poor academic performance, lower self-esteem, and poor quality of life. We conducted this study to evaluate the knowledge and practices regarding menstruation in female nursing students in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted over for three months on female B.Sc nursing students in the first year to the fourth year through face-to-face interview at the department of Pharmacology in a tertiary care hospital. Data regarding socio-demographic profile, knowledge of obstetric and gynaecological factors, perception of menstruation, and hygienic practice of the participants during their menstruation were collected. Results: Responses from 165 participants were analyzed. The mean (± SD) age of the students was 19.64 (± 1.09) years. Most of their parents had education up to a diploma and above (47.27% among mothers and 70.9% among fathers). The majority of the participants used to experience dysmenorrhea (52.72%) and had pre-menarcheal ideas about menstruation (78.18%). Mother was the most common source of information (54.54%) followed by teachers (16.96%) and media (13.33%). The majority knew the source (89.09%) and cause (100%) of menstrual bleeding. A considerable portion (45.45%) thought menstruation as the sign of conception. The majority (96.36%) used commercially made sanitary pads, and used to dispose of the used sanitary pads in the dustbin (98.19%) by wrapping them with paper (98.19%). Conclusion: Present study found an encouraging picture regarding knowledge and hygienic practices during menstruation among the participants. Education about menstrual hygiene needs to be imparted at the grass root level. In this regard Anganwadi and health care workers, teachers and media can play a major role. All mothers need to be taught about the importance of hygienic practices during menstruation, convey correct information to their daughters, and should be encouraged to break the age-old myths and taboos associated with menstruation.

The effects of general anaesthesia on body temperature of dogs subjected to ovariohysterectomy or orchiectomy performed by veterinary students in a teaching hospital

Hypothermia during anaesthesia is a significant concern in veterinary practice, as it can lead to various complications, making it essential to understand the factors that contribute to temperature regulation in animals undergoing surgical procedures. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the change in body temperature over the course of anaesthesia in dogs undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy and orchiectomy, and determine the effect of gender, dose of premedication, weight, age and duration of anaesthesia of the change of body temperature over time. One-hundred and ten dogs (n=110) that underwent elective ovariohysterectomy (n=75) and orchiectomy (n=35) surgery performed by veterinary students at the University of Adelaide were enrolled in this study. Dogs’ anaesthesia records were evaluated for change in body temperature over the course of anaesthesia, and correlated with gender, two premedication doses of acepromazine (mg/kg), body weight (kg), age (months) and anaesthesia times (minutes). The analyses were performed at TPm (temperature at premedication), T0 (induction), T15, T30, T60, T90, T120 and TRec (recovery) minutes. Statistical analysis was performed using the GenStat software and included repeated measures analysis and ANOVA. Significance was considered when p < 0.05. The data showed a significant time-by-gender interaction with female dogs experienced a greater degree of heat loss than male dogs at T60 (p<0.01), T90 (p<0.01) and T120 (p<0.01). At recovery, female average temperature was higher than in males (p<0.01). There was no significant difference in body temperature when other covariates were used in the analysis. The core body temperature of female dogs decreased significantly over time compared to males, with the most pronounced differenced during the intraoperative period. However, the study’s retrospective nature and limited sample size may influence the generalizability of these findings.

Knowledge, Attitude and Diagnosing Ability about Oral Cancer among Medical and Dental Students of a Tertiary Medical College in Chitwan, Nepal

Background Oral cancer is one of the most common cancers taking away many lives worldwide. The chances of recovery from oral cancer are good if, detected early. Lack of knowledge, casual attitude, and poor diagnostic skills among medical and dental undergraduate students could delay detection and management. The present study aims to assess and compare the knowledge, attitude, and diagnostic ability of oral cancer among medical and dental undergraduate students in a tertiary care hospital in Chitwan, Nepal.MethodsA comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 123 (medical- 72, dental- 51) undergraduate students using a pre-fabricated questionnaire with close-ended questions and the responses were recorded in Excel sheets. The recorded responses were analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) software. A chi-square test was performed to analyze the difference in knowledge, attitude, and diagnostic ability among medical and dental undergraduate students.ResultsThe response rate for the study was 96.09%. The study revealed over 80% adequacy of knowledge of oral cancer among the participants. 92.41 % of medical students and 96.45 % of dental students showed a positive attitude towards oral cancer. However, a difference was noted in the diagnostic ability of oral cancer among medical and dental students. 93.13% of dental undergraduates were confident about diagnosing oral cancer whereas the confidence of medical undergraduates was only 40.96%.Conclusions The study highlighted the need to educate medical and dental undergraduates about oral cancer and emphasized the need for the revision of the medical curriculum to improve their confidence in their diagnostic ability of oral cancer.

Knowledge on and Compliance with Standard Precautions among Medical Students in Jharkhand, India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and compliance with standard precautions among medical students in a tertiary care hospital in Jharkhand, India.Methods: A total of 280 medical students, including phase I and phase II MBBS students, participated in the study. Phase I comprised an introduction to standard precautions in four-hour classes while the Phase II comprised of 8 hours of theory and three skill assessments on standard precautions according to the CBME curriculum and pandemic module. A structured validated questionnaire was used to collect data on the student's knowledge, attitude, and practice related to standard precautions. The questionnaire included items assessing various aspects of standard precautions, and scoring criteria were used to evaluate student performance. The overall level of knowledge, attitude, and practice was classified as poor (&lt;50% score), moderate (50–79% score), and good (≥80% score).Results: Among the phase I students, 32.8% got a good score. In contrast, in the phase II, 56.6% demonstrated good performance in adhering to standard precautions. The median total score was 68 (interquartile range 62-71) of 85, indicating a satisfactory level of understanding and compliance with standard precautions. However, areas such as needing to remove PPE before leaving the patient's environment and not recapping needles showed rooms for improvement.Conclusion: Students showed good knowledge and compliance with standard precautions. Phase II students demonstrated a better understanding of standard precautions compared to their phase I counterparts. This highlights the positive impact of practical hands-on training as particularly emphasized in the phase II curriculum.

The Impact of Environmental Knowledge on Food Waste Reduction and Sustainability Practices among Hospitality Students in Malaysia

Environmental sustainability and food waste reduction are among the critical challenges facing the hospitality industry worldwide. This study was conducted to identify the impact of environmental knowledge on food waste reduction and sustainability practices among hospitality students in Malaysia. A quantitative approach was used, and we surveyed 94 hospitality students from various programs at UiTM Penang. The online questionnaire was conducted and analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis. There is a significant positive correlation between environmental knowledge, food waste behaviors and sustainability-related behaviors. The strongest relationship was found between food waste behaviors and sustainability-related behaviors, suggesting that environmental knowledge and food waste practices are closely related to broader sustainability behaviors in hospitality education. The study contributes to the understanding of how environmental education can shape the future of hospitality professional practice, offering valuable insights for the development of industry curricula and training programs aimed at promoting sustainable practices in the hospitality sector.

Teaching Hospital Governance Model for Service Quality Performance: Case Study of Indonesian Central General Hospital

This study aims to investigate the effect of teaching hospital management practices on the quality performance of health services by involving elements such as hospital accreditation standards, quality management, and JCI Academic Hospital-specific standards that are indirectly connected. This study chose a survey-based quantitative approach to clinical professional students in vertical teaching hospitals under the direct management of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. Six proposed hypotheses were tested by Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis. The test results showed a positive influence between hospital teaching governance and hospital accreditation compliance, quality assurance and JCI Academic Hospital standards. Third, compliance with teaching hospital standards was also found to have a significant positive effect on the performance of teaching hospital service quality. Understanding the role of governance in encouraging the performance of teaching hospital service quality can help develop effective managerial strategies in achieving complete service quality for patients and clinical profession participants. This research resulted in contributions to existing practices and literature as governance modeling in dual quality standards charged to teaching hospitals.

Entrepreneurial Intention of Tourism and Hospitality Students: An Examination Through the Lens of Theory of Planned Behavior with Perceived Desirability and Perceived Feasibility

ABSTRACT This study investigates the elements influencing the Entrepreneurial Intention (EI) of Tourism and Hospitality (T&H) students using TPB with Perceived Desirability (PD) and Perceived Feasibility (PF). Quantitative research methodology was used. The data was collected from the students of T&H, and a sample of 392 respondents was considered. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed research model empirically. SEM findings revealed that applying the TPB with PD and PF produced a strong model for explaining the EI of T&H students, as it explained 52% of the variance in EI. This investigation aids in a better grasp of the EI of T&H students, which may be useful to policymakers and institutions/universities in allocating resources, developing strategies and providing all necessary resources to improve entrepreneurial skills among students.

Reviewing the Career Decision Conceptualization among Hospitality Students

Future research might consider elucidating the most important factors influencing hospitality students’ career decisions. A career decision is a choice made by an individual based on one’s interests, abilities, and values. An individual needs to make the right decision in order to have a good career. This also applies to higher-learning students, as they need to make a career decision upon graduation. Therefore, this study aims to identify and review the factors influencing career decisions and their impacts among hospitality students. A systematic review was conducted, and secondary data were collected from various sources, analysed, and interpreted in order to gain a better understanding of the topic. The researchers focused on three factors that were mostly mentioned in previous studies: nature of work, self-efficacy, and social status. It was found that the nature of work has both a positive and negative impact on students’ career decisions. Meanwhile, self-efficacy had a negative impact on students’ career decisions because it mainly depended on the student’s confidence in their capabilities. Lastly, social status also contributed negatively, which focused mainly on the community's perceptions of careers in the hospitality industry. Future research might consider elucidating the most important factors influencing hospitality students’ career decisions.