Cynthia S. O'halloran

Service Learning in the Hospitality and Tourism Business Environment

Abstract The authors discuss service learning as a key learning methodology for hospitality and tourism students. Service learning combines academic and practical experiences to enhance student learning. It needs to be related to the mission, goals, and objectives of a hospitality and tourism program as well as an integral component of course goals and objectives. The elements of service learning are discussed and several project examples are related to illustrate the use of service learning in the classroom and the instructors role in the process.

Changing Our Teaching Paradigm: Multiple Intelligences in Hospitality Education

This article investigates the use of Howard Gardners theory of multiple intelligences in hospitality education. Traditional teaching often focuses on the logical-mathematical and verbal-linguistic intelligences of students and neglects other forms, including visual-spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist, and intelligences, that Gardener includes in his pluralistic view of how people learn. The multiple intelligences are described and their possible uses to enhance hospitality instruction are discussed.This article investigates the use of Howard Gardners theory of multiple intelligences in hospitality education. Traditional teaching often focuses on the logical-mathematical and verbal-linguistic intelligences of students and neglects other forms, including visual-spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist, and intelligences, that Gardener includes in his pluralistic view of how people learn. The multiple intelligences are described and their possible uses to enhance hospitality instruction are discussed.

Creativity: A Key Factor for Decision-Making

Creativity in the decision making process is a key element for successful managers. Using that premise this article discusses the creative process and its application in the hospitality and tourism classroom. Activities and assignments are outlined to provide a framework for adaptation in a variety of settings.

The Diverse Classroom as an Instructional Asset

Abstract This article highlights diversity as a teaching and learning tool. Diversity is defined as more than ethnic and/or racial and includes other factors such as the wealth of resources an international student population can provide. The discussion suggests a variety of exercises to utilize diversity in the learning process.

Video Cases: An Alternative to the Term Paper

Detailed in this article is a a video production assignment for hospitality students. The goals of the project are discussed; methodology of the project is present; and challenges and successes are offered.

Comprehensive Assessment in the Hospitality and Tourism Classroom

Assessment can be used to understand where the student is in the learning process, to understand what he or she knows or can do, and to reveal his or her strengths and areas for improvement. This article examines the develop- ment and use of a comprehensive examination for graduating hospitality students.

Meeting the Wolves and Making Them Friendly: Review of a Graduate Class that Prepares Students to be Professional Trainers

This article is a description of a graduate course in which the objective is to train Masters students to be professional trainers and speakers. The purpose of this article is to help educators at other institutions develop their own similar course offering. The goal of the course is to prepare the students to be “in-house” or “external” trainers, including consultants and speakers, who would be able to negotiate, research, develop, design, and implement a complete training program for management or staff employees.

Using Community Resources to Make Learning More Meaningful: Assessing Rural Educational Settings

This article focuses on the use of community resources to enhance student learning. The article highlights rural educational settings and provides examples of one program and how resources are identified and utilized. Educational strategies for using community resources as teaching and learning tools are included as suggestions.

Nutrition Education: The Interpretive Model

This article focuses on a class project with a community partner. The focus of the project is nutrition education and how to effectively present the information. The use of an interpretative model assists students to do more than provide facts by involving learners in the learning process.