Kudzayi Maumbe

Investigating the relationships between visitor and trip characteristics, vacation planning, visitor spending, and destination evaluation: the case of Garrett County, Maryland.

The study analyzes factors affecting vacation planning in terms of information search and length of vacation planning time. The study also investigates the relationships between: visitor and trip characteristics; vacation planning; and outcomes such as visitor spending and destination evaluation. Analysis was conducted through structural equation modeling (SEM) in AMOS. Results show that visitor and trip characteristics affect vacation planning and that planning affects visitor spending and destination evaluation. Management implications are discussed.

Teaching and Learning in Recreation and Tourism: A Comparison of Three Instructional Methods

This study compared three instruction methods including one teaching centered (TC) and two learner centered: team-based learning (TBL) and service-learning (SL) on student performance, motivation, evaluation of teaching and retention. No significant instruction method differences were noted on student performance, but significant differences existed on motivation, evaluation of teaching and retention. SL students displayed more motivation than TBL students, while retention was highest under TC followed by TBL and SL in that order. Student evaluation of teaching showed that students’ perception of learning was highest under TC, while teaching effectiveness and satisfaction overall, were highest under SL. Possible implications of findings to learners, instructors and college departments are discussed.