Tourism Curriculum Research Articles

Experiential learning in sport tourism curriculum: A case study at the university of the Algarve

Sport is an important activity for tourists when they travel away from home, and travel experiences are accompanied by different types of sport. This paper focuses on an innovative pedagogical approach based on experiential learning activities. With this study we intend to describe the context, the teaching and learning process, and a real case package proposal that was successfully implemented by a group of undergraduate students. This education approach has been developed for the last three academic years as part of a 3rd year module ‘Sport, Leisure and Tourism’ within Sports undergraduate degree at the University of Algarve (Portugal). The case study method and reflective portfolio, underpinned by experiential learning theory, were designed to create an authentic, enriching and transformative learning experience for all students. The authentic experiential learning had positive impact on the dynamics established in the classroom, where we could see active participation of the students. This education experience allowed the creation of a tourist sport package that fits the objectives of a specific hotel, and allows the diversity of their offer and the attraction of new senior clients.

Unique practices in teaching affective learning in a higher education applied curriculum

AbstractAffective learning is important for the holistic development of students. Yet, not much is reported about how it is achieved in the higher education classroom. The purpose of this paper was to appraise the Hospitality and Tourism Management curriculum and pedagogical practices being utilized to deliver affective learning outcomes in Community Colleges in Jamaica. Adopting a qualitative tradition, involving analysis of the hospitality and tourism curriculum documents and personal interviews of 35 purposively selected academic and non‐academic participants, the study found that while affective learning practices were infused in pedagogy, the educational activities were not linked to clearly defined learning outcomes in the formal curriculum. Cognitive learning outcomes dominated the formal curriculum. Students' access to affective learning experience was facilitated through an improvised informal curriculum, that is, learning experiences that occurred outside the planned curriculum. The article theorized that design flaws in the planned curriculum contributed to the experience. This research has implications for staff professional development, practical‐based subject curriculum design and for standard setters who monitor alignment between higher education and industry requirements.

Soft skills’ infusion in tourism curricula: scale development and validation

ABSTRACT To stay competitive and enhance student employability, universities must continuously monitor the potential soft skills gap between their curriculum and industry demands in tourism and hospitality (T&H). This study aims to develop and validate a scale to measure soft skills integration in T&H programs. Using established scale development procedures, data from two student cohorts underwent exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The resulting two-factor, 30-item scale demonstrated high reliability and validity, identifying two dimensions: conceptual/creative and leadership/interpersonal. This scale can enhance T&H education by assessing how well universities equip students with essential soft skills for the industry.

How to Improve the Walking Classroom: Status of Implementation, Problem Analysis, and Strategy Educational tourism innovation in primary schools

Educational tourism is an educational approach that integrates field trips and curriculum learning. It has the potential to enhance students' enthusiasm for learning, develop their practical skills, and enhance their overall quality of education. Since 2013, significant attention has been paid to the implementation of educational tourism in China. The government has consistently released a series of policy documents with the objective of fostering the growth of educational tourism, transitioning it from a pilot program to a comprehensive promotion strategy. Nevertheless, in practical application, research trips present numerous challenges, including the issues of "study and travel are separated" and "skimming over the surface". Based on the findings of the field investigation conducted in five primary schools located in Jinhua City, it is evident that despite the active involvement of students and teachers in research trips, numerous practical challenges are encountered. This paper presents an analysis of the present state of the educational tourism curriculum implementation in primary schools. It examines various challenges, including the curriculum's singular design, limited practicality, a scarcity of qualified teachers, insufficient student subjectivity, and an imperfect evaluation system. In order to address these issues, this study suggests several strategies for improving the effectiveness and quality of the primary school educational tourism curriculum. These strategies include reconstructing the curriculum system, refining the curriculum design, enhancing teacher training, establishing a comprehensive evaluation mechanism, fostering closer collaboration between families and schools, mobilizing social resources, and other related approaches.

Financial literacy in tourism and management & business administration entry-level students: A comparative view

Financial competences are essential in the tourism industry and consequently are valued in hiring and promotion decisions. However, according to the literature, tourism graduates appear to have inadequate levels of financial skills. The perceived lack of required competences results in a competitive disadvantage for tourism graduates in favour of those who studied Management & Business Administration, or equivalent degrees. To explain this gap, some authors point to the scarcity of finance-related courses within the curriculum of most of tourism or hospitality programs, but it is also suggested that the characteristics of the students enrolling in tourism and hospitality degrees could play a relevant role, highlighting that those students lack the required background knowledge and attitudes resulting in major constraints for financial competences development.Our study compares the levels of financial literacy, financial self-efficacy, numeracy, and financial interest of entry-level students enrolled in these two competing university degrees, Tourism and Management & Business Administration. Our results indicate significant differences in both variables that in addition to the scarcity of finance subjects in the tourism curriculum could affect the students’ prospects and employability.

Engaging in student evaluations of teaching through intrinsic motivation: an exploratory study of competence, perceived choice, value/usefulness, and relatedness

ABSTRACT Student evaluations of teaching (SET) elicit feedback to enhance the course, teaching, and learning. However, hospitality and tourism curriculum research lacks an understanding of the dyadic relationship between the instructor and motivation and other logistics to complete SET. This remains important to uncover student competence, perceived choice, value/usefulness, and relatedness to complete SET to increase SET feedback from instructors. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient analysis was employed to test the hypotheses using data collected from 69 undergraduate hospitality and tourism students recruited through U.S. educational institutions in the northeast and southeast. Results reveal that intrinsic motivation relates positively to SET completion, showing a strong, positive correlation between all variables. The study provides contributions to instructors to offer extrinsic motivators to encourage students to recognize the value of the SET. The study is among the first to explore the intrinsic motivators and completion of SET with hospitality and tourism undergraduate students.

Incorporating the student voice in undergraduate tourism curriculum in China

Despite the advocacy of student-centered learning, students' voices are frequently neglected in tourism and hospitality higher education. Compared with career intentions and internship experiences, little attention has been paid to incorporating students' ideas into the curriculum for tourism studies. This study explores students' perceptions of and expectations from the undergraduate tourism curriculum in China. Focus group interviews were conducted at ten different Chinese universities that provide tourism management programs. The analysis generated five themes of students' overall perceptions and expectations respectively. The students’ detailed perceptions and expectations of theoretical and practical knowledge are presented. The results of this study have eight implications for tourism educators to help improve curriculum design by incorporating the student voice in China.

Educational and training imperatives for future tourism competencies: The case of Slovenia

BACKGROUND: Research has long shown that there is a need for better tourism education. Previous research has mainly focused on management’s perceptions of the need for future competencies in tourism, while employees’ perceptions in general have not been properly investigated. OBJECTIVE: This paper identifies tourism employees’ perceptions of the competencies needed in the tourism industry in the future. METHODS: Based on a survey questionnaire, we analysed the attitudes of 226 tourism employees regarding the competencies they estimate they will need in the future. RESULTS: According to the employees, the most important competencies are a high level of hospitality, the ability to work with people, cooperation with stakeholders and emotional intelligence. In contrast, digital literacy is rated as less important, indicating that employees expect tourism to continue to be primarily a ‘human contact’ industry. We found statistically significant differences in respondents’ assessments in relation to their education, hierarchical position, age and area of work in tourism, but not in relation to their gender. CONCLUSIONS: The findings have practical value for tourism curriculum and training developers at all levels of education, and also provide important details with regard to the need for future research.

Tracing the Sustainability Components in the Indian Tourism Curricula: An Exploratory Study

Abstract Tourism for its intrinsic character of people, planet and profit has been an enduring area of research for sustainable policy and practices. Planning and implementing sustainable tourism in India are largely shaped and groomed in the classrooms. Currently, over two hundred universities across the country offer tourism programs. The current study involves a two-stage process. Available literature was first summarized into items of sustainability components required of a program structure such as sustainability aspects; viz. socio-economic, environmental, and business, case study approach, interaction with stakeholders, research & practices in local settings and timely update of the syllabus. Such components in the second stage of the research formed the basis of the questionnaire used for qualitative research involving senior academics responsible for designing the syllabi. Findings present a model on the effective integration of sustainable tourism theories and practices into tourism curricula.

Integrating Supranational and National Frameworks into Local Tourism-Related English Courses

This article is aimed at identifying ways in which Learning Freedom bridges the gap between student’s English skills and the English competencies expected in supra-national documents such as Common European Frame of Reference, Common ASEAN Tourism Curriculum, and Indonesian Qualification Framework (IQF). Using tourism core competencies (Semrad, et al, 2012; Zehrer & Mössenlechner, 2009) and competency-based learning theories (Cañado, 2012; Dooly, 2013), the study extracts competencies in the documents and, using syllabus development theories (Alsubaie, 2016), it integrates them into English for Tourism and Hospitality syllabus. Using student active learning paradigms (Seigel & Rockwood, 1993), it also teases out how Learning Freedom as an education policy offers opportunities to educational trainings. Data were collected through note-taking of key ideas in the policy documents and through interviews of tourism stakeholders, experts, and practitioners. The information was identified and classified based on content. The study explicated 47 key ideas, half of which are integrated into an English-for-Tourism-and-Hospitality syllabus and another half was implemented through 2-day industrial visit practicum and 8-day on-the-job internship programs implemented within Learning Freedom paradigms. The study shows effective use of the materials in increasing English competencies but the increase is below the target and more training is recommended.

Internal Factors Hindering the attainment of English Proficiency in ASEAN Common Competency Standard

This study is aimed to investigate internal factors hindering the attainment of English proficiency standards in the Common ASEAN Tourism Curriculum. The study was conducted to tourism students. The study used a descriptive qualitative method and the data were gained through questionnaires for the students in three sub-divisions; Hotel Accommodation, Food and Beverage, and Hotel Engineering. The findings showed that there are several internal factors that hinder the attainment of English proficiency standards. The internal factors include the lack of confidence to use English in interaction in the learning process and outside the class; the minimum ability to reach general English and English proficiency standards; the monotonous learning style in learning English; the lack of self-esteem in case of following the learning process by doing an assignment or practicing; the limited exploration and use of knowledge about English terms based on their subdivision; the lack of intrinsic motivation as the reason to improve their skill in English; the passive attitude by the students toward learning process of English subject.
 
 Keywords: English proficiency standard; Common ASEAN Tourism Curriculum; internal factors

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

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.

A Review of Sustainable Tourism Curriculum on Higher Education

Global researchers have widely carried out publications on the tourism curriculum. The issue of sustainable tourism has been agreed upon as a platform for the development of world tourism. This study was conducted by studying reputable scientific articles on the tourism curriculum by connecting the two perspectives. Using the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach in the 2017-2022 scientific article, it was found that there are various pedagogical approaches to delivering sustainable tourism materials in universities. Student-based learning techniques were the determining factors for learning success, supported by the strategic partnership of higher education institutions with the tourism industry. Sustainable tourism learning in higher education was a long-term investment in tourism's human resources to realize tourism that can balance business, ecological and social benefits in the present and future.

Analysis of Productive and Receptive Skill Languages on The Common ASEAN Tourism Curriculum (CATC) Toolboxes For Vocational Students Hospitals Study Program


 
 
 
 The Common ASEAN Tourism (CATC) curriculum is one of the key elements of the tourism development framework in ASEAN countries in the MEA era. Common ASEAN Tourism (CATC) is designed to provide a practical model for delivering vocational training covering 32 skills across six occupational areas in the hotel and travel sector. The general objective of this study is to identify and analyze the skills and knowledge of the Common ASEAN Tourism Curriculum (CATC) toolbox productive and receptive language skills for vocational students in tourism universities. For this reason, the specific purpose of this study was to analyze and identify Productive and Receptive Language skills in the Common ASEAN Tourism Curriculum (CATC) toolbox for vocational students in the hospitality program. Based on the analysis results, it was found that in the receptive skills in the Toolboxes Common ASEAN Tourism Curriculum (CATC), five specific competencies provide knowledge and learning related to language skills. Modules in the Common ASEAN Tourism Curriculum (CATC) Toolboxes discussed that language skills are mostly aimed at work areas such as front office and Food Beverage, Travel, and tour operations, suitable to language and communication skills.
 
 
 

Needs Analysis of English Language Use in Tourism Industry in Selangor, Malaysia

English proficiency is required in all professional areas, but it has become essential in the tourist industry because of its specific characteristics. Needs analysis plays a vital role in developing the curriculum in English for specific purposes. This studyidentifies the needs and the problems of English language usage among the tourism industry employees in Selangor, Malaysia. The questionnaire was used as the primary data focusing on speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Utilising a descriptive research design, a total of 50 respondents were randomly selected for the study. The findings showed that in general, the respondents’ overall needs of English language skills were rated at a high level. Meanwhile, regarding the employees’ problems in using English at work were found at a moderate level. The problems encountered were less high compared to their English language needs. The necessities resonated what English skills are essentials for them to use in their job and to know the elements of each skill to be improved when they learn English. The implication of the findings will be helpful to develop and expand existing English for Tourism curriculum or ESP courses, particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia, to create a more effective English for tourism course based on the needs of the tourism industry employees in the future.

Learning by doing:

Having a strong affinity and interdependence with a wide range of sectors and industries, tourism is, by nature, an interdisciplinary field. However, despite this realization, there are still different barriers to the development of interdisciplinary research and active collaborative projects within Tourism Higher Education. In addition to these barriers, there is also a disarticulation between tourism curricula and what practitioners perceive as being key skills within the industry. Hence, as the context in which the tourist activity takes place becomes more competitive, resulting in a pressing need for skilled and multifaceted professionals, educational institutions and tourism educators are increasingly being challenged to overcome these barriers and come up with creative projects that can help bridge the gap between academia and the labour market.
 Aiming to describe an interdisciplinary project focusing on soft skills within different tourism subsectors, this paper will draw on a literature review, project outputs and two questionnaires, as to describe its implementation and overall results. Mostly based on students’ perceptions and determining whether they are aligned with the industry’s current demands and expectations, in addition to a general description, it will crosscut different perspectives, analysing the importance attributed to soft skills by students and prospective employers. Deriving from this analysis and the project’s scope, the authors will also put forward a reflection regarding the impact of the project on not only student’s perceptions regarding soft skills, but also on the affordances of the project to develop transversal competences, making a case for other innovative initiatives. As a result, the final section of the paper will include references to lessons learnt and future research directions.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT BETWEEN INDIA AND AUSTRALIA

The primary purpose of any tourismcurriculum is to cultivate the talents and skills of students to make them fit as per the needs of the industry. This helps to maintain tourism offerings as per the international standards for both domestic and international tourists. Tourism is an industry of expanding economic significance to both India and Australia. This study aims to compare the undergraduate tourism curriculum content in India with those offered in Australia in order to show up differences in approach, outcomes and design. As a sample 18 Indians and 7 Australian universities undergraduate curriculum content was selected. Content analysis is used to examine the curriculum content. The study result indicates that Australian universities have more specialization in tourism management/theory subjects as compared to Indian universities.However the present post-covid-19 pandemic era would be requiring more digital competency skills which are comparatively lesser in the current curriculum structurefor both the countries. The study provided valuable information in the form of cross-country curriculum content comparison and shows that under which components differences occur further it can be helpful for tourism curriculum planners to know the difference and to adapt well with the current industry requirement.

Drivers for Sustainability Awareness Development in Tourism Curricula: The Case of Spanish Universities

Spain is one of the most popular tourism destinations in the world, and one of the top ten countries in terms of tourism contribution to its economy. As tourism is causing a gravely negative impact on the environment, universities play a key role in raising student awareness and reducing the damaging consequences of said tourism. Connections between sustainability and tourism studies have received little attention in higher education. The lecturing staff and student bodies from universities were interviewed with the aim of finding out what motivates academics to develop conductors and indicators that raise environmental awareness within under-graduate Tourism degrees. Results show a different perspective on teaching sustainability within the tourism curricula at public and private universities. According to the participants, motivation and training lecturers have been the two main drivers. Results can be applied to other Tourism degrees in order to overcome the common barriers that these studies have to face to introduce sustainability in the tourism curricula.

Teacher agency and the implementation of CEFR-like policies for English for tourism and hospitality: insights from local vocational high schools in Indonesia

ABSTRACT Tourism is a service industry that demands well-trained professionals with internationally accredited skills including English language proficiency. Meeting such demands has been one of the foremost concerns of the ASEAN ministries of tourism and education. In collaboration with ASEAN member countries and the Australian government, Indonesian Ministry of Education and Ministry of Tourism piloted the integration of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), ASEAN Common Competency Standards for Tourism Professionals (ACCSTP), Common ASEAN Tourism Curriculum (CATC), Regional Qualifications Framework and Skills Recognition System (RQFSRS), and Indonesian Qualification Framework (IQF) into the National Curriculum (K-13) for hospitality and tourism education. Successfully trying out at hospitality and tourism colleges, the project was subsequently extended to vocational high schools. The study reported in this article investigated how the various policies were integrated by English teachers for their implementation in vocational high schools in a local Indonesian context and what outcomes and experiences resulted from this process. The article illustrates micro-level teacher agency in meeting regional, national and local policy mandates for preparing tourism and hospitality professionals for the common ASEAN job market.

Towards a Broader Perspective on Tourism Education, Research and Publication

Purpose. The aim of the study is to discuss tensions between the academic responsibilities of education, research and publication, and how these have made tourism academia increasingly inward-focused. Method. Drawing upon approximately 50 years of personal experiences as an academic based in a faculty of environment. Findings. Tourism research has become more and more insular, reducing opportunities to contribute to the resolution of important public debates and policy issues, undermining enhancement of the reputation of the field and those involved in it. Research and conclusions limitations. The limitations include lack of a literature review or structured empirical research. It is concluded that tourism scholarship should be broadened and engage more with other fields and disciplines. Practical implications. Tourism curricula should be broadened, while administrative procedures should be more flexible to facilitate the creation of greater synergies between teaching, research and publication. Originality. In the manuscript, topics are addressed that are of great interest and often discussed informally, but are seldom put in writing. Type of paper: An opinion piece.