Changing Teaching methods in hospitality education

Hotel management constitutes an important part of the tourism industry and therefore of tourism studies. In general, teaching in essence offers the opportunity to inaugurate and incorporate a variety of teaching methods with specific aims and intended outcomes.

In general, teaching presupposes the incorporation of both informal and formal methods of learning. Formal pathways, which are offered in organized learning as in the case of Higher education entail: ‘meaningful cognitive learning various cognitive processes such as assimilation of new ideas, accommodation of existing ideas and progressive differentiation of knowledge structures were taken into consideration.

An important element that enables an effective delivery of teaching which makes learning attainable is to pertinently structure a session in alignment with the particular characteristics of the targeted audience. Thus, an educator should be able to understand and draw upon the needs and characteristics of different cohorts of students.

A well-structured lecture constitutes a sine qua element in order for the relevant information to be transmitted adequately to the students. The topics of discussion should be interlinked and conveyed in a seamless fashion so as to actively engage students in the learning process. By the end of the session, students should be equipped with a robust knowledge base, so as to be able to further expand or to concentrate on a particular dimension.

At the same time, hotel management studies as such provide a rich source of ideas and concepts in teaching given the plurality of different methods that derive from active sources of the real environment. Variation necessitates the inclusion of varied teaching methods such as lectures, seminars, and tutorials, practical training, research among others.

Additionally, the teaching of hotel management necessitates the incorporation of various methods and approaches that entail an interactive mode of transmitting the expected content. However, it should be emphasized that teaching quantity is distinct from teaching quality, with the latter in most cases presupposing a norm in teaching.

‘Learning is best conceived as a process, not in terms of outcomes. To improve learning in higher education, the primary focus should be on engaging students in a process that best enhances their learning a process that includes feedback on the effectiveness of their learning efforts’. Tourism experiences have entertainment, educational and aesthetic values, and should not harm the environment. Above all, tourism is an ‘escapist experience’ from everyday life.

The purpose is to incorporate the various methods of teaching and learning and to identify the type of experience gained during studying. Students can be seen as customers who are able to evaluate the process and methods of learning and teaching throughout their studies. They can describe their experience and express their degree of satisfaction and dissatisfaction in relation to their learning experiences. Thus, it seems imperative to understand the particular experiences of the students throughout their studies.

Educators should prioritize making the learning experience more active and immersive because students become more motivated. Thus, focusing on experience academic institutions can develop the curriculum and module content in such way that it can be enriched with various methods of learning and teaching. Additionally, an active and immersive experience in learning can play an important role in the reputation of academic institutions, leading to positive outcomes.