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- Problem-based learning for developing interpersonal skills: the case of hospitality and tourism studentsPublication . Silva, Susana; Couto, Maria JoãoConsidering that one of the main goals of higher education is to promote the development of employability skills in students so that they can be able to adapt and function in unknown and ever-changing professional contexts, the dichotomy between work and professional practice assumes great relevance. As the tourism industry is constantly changing, a focus on predominantly theoretical training has proven to be insufficient. Several studies have shown that there is a gap between the classroom context and the challenges existing in the real work context. The pedagogical strategies adopted in higher education in Tourism and Hospitality courses continue to show little investment in the development of practical knowledge, skills, and attitudes. In this sense, the use of problem-based learning (PBL) in higher education, as a constructivist strategy, assumes a crucial role. By promoting self-learning, PBL enables the development of conceptual and procedural knowledge, problem-solving skills, critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork skills, thus enhancing motivation and the perception of self-fulfillment. In a PBL setting, students are encouraged to share their opinions, perceptions, and knowledge and to formulate new ideas and concepts. By assuming an active role in the construction of their knowledge, through confrontation with "real situations" and based on a collaborative environment, students develop more meaningful learning, access and use specific skills in meaningful contexts, develop a greater perception of self-confidence and self-efficacy before entering the labor market. By developing a better understanding of the complexities inherent in the real world, they foster their future employability. Considering the challenges faced by hospitality and tourism students in the organizational context, especially when they are responsible for managing people, we used the PBL strategy in the classroom context. Our main research aim is to understand the students' perception of the impact of the use of PBL on the development of skills that enhance their interpersonal skills and employability. The research used a quantitative approach with two evaluation moments: at the beginning of the semester (M1) and at the end of the semester (M2). The data were collected through an online questionnaire during March 2020 and June 2020. We obtained 180 answers for M1 and 165 for M2. The results suggested that, for moment 1, students valued equally all the interpersonal skills, and they intend to develop mostly communication skills. For moment 2, the students valued more all the interpersonal skills. They had considered that the PBL strategy was important to develop their self-confidence and relations with others and less important for initiative and openness. Moreover, the students had considered that this is a very positive strategy to develop the skills in the curricular unit. Our results suggested that the use of problem-based learning for classes that aim to develop practical skills, namely interpersonal skills, should be adopted.
- Gender bias in the hospitality sector: female and male jobsPublication . Silva, Susana; Couto, Maria JoãoThe hospitality sector is still very traditional and male-dominated in terms of values, it is segregating and discriminatory according to gender, not only horizontally but also vertically, the wage differences between men and women are critical, and many of the jobs are stigmatized. Indeed, despite women representing most of the workforce in hospitality, such numerical dominance is not reflected in the leadership positions they occupy. Traditionally, men and women occupy different roles in the hospitality industry: women are more often assigned functions that are in line with their social roles and that represents an extension of their domestic tasks so that it is easier to find women in-room service or cleaning. Men, on the other hand, are more easily assigned physically demanding tasks, administrative and management functions, which require more skills and are therefore better paid. This study aims to examine the female and male social representation associated with the performance of certain roles in the hospitality sector, as perceived by tourism and hospitality students, to explore gender representations associated with different hierarchical positions and departments, and to understand some of the (in)equalities that continue to persist between men and women in hospitality. A quantitative cross-sectional study was performed to achieve the study goals. Our sample consists of 200 higher education students in tourism and hospitality. Based on Bem Sex Role Inventory short-form traits questionnaire, we applied an online questionnaire with the purpose of knowing the students’ gender representations of different professional activities in the hospitality industry. Within our results, we expect to describe the gender bias of the professional functions in the hospitality sector. On the other hand, we expect to understand possible gender differences between operational and leadership positions, and from different departments. The findings of this study will help the hotels to analyse their gender practices and policies. By giving voice to the stereotypes that foster gender inequalities in the hospitality sector, hotels can become aware of their gendered practices and policies that impact the recruitment process and the various roles and functions that are assigned to men and women.
- The use of ICT strategies in teaching in higher education: the expectations of hospitality, tourism, and restaurant studentsPublication . Silva, Susana; Couto, Maria João; Silva, CândidaSeveral studies have tried to understand the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Higher Education, namely how the learning contexts influence student learning and their expectations about their graduation course. This study aims to know the students’ expectations about the use of ICT in teaching in courses hospitality, tourism, and restaurant in higher education institutions. More specifically, we aimed to identify the importance attributed to the use of ICT strategies in the teaching of different classes by students and to characterize how ICT strategies should be used for the assessment of the classes. A quantitative cross-sectional study was performed to achieve the study goals. Our sample consists of 161 higher education students in hospitality, tourism, and restaurant courses. We applied an online questionnaire and used IBM SPSS 27.0 for the statistical analysis. Our results showed that 65% (n=105) considered very important to use ICT to share documents, 73% (n=117) to search for information, 58% (n=94) to present content during the classes, and 52% (n=84) to communicate content. In the same way, 79% (n=127) referred to the use of ICT during the classes as a very important strategy to motivate students, 73% (n=117)to increase the quality of the learning process. Regarding the use of ICT to perform the assessment, 60% (n=96) considered that depends on the kind of contents, and 37% (n=80) referred that ICT should be used to perform the assessment of the classes. Therefore, we can conclude that the use of ICT during classes is very important to the students of hospitality, tourism, and restaurant in order to facilitate and promote the learning process. Students also referred that the use of these strategies to perform the assessment depends on the kind of contents of the classes. This study reinforces the need to train higher education teachers with digital skills and the need for Higher education institutions to have adequate ICT tools.