Beyond employability : Work-integrated learning and self-authorship development

Work-integrated learning (WIL) continues to be a central element of higher education and may provide students with opportunities for both personal and professional development. However, the personal development opportunities afforded by WIL are often overshadowed by the more typical focus of work readiness. Increasing attention to self-authorship, an important stage of personal development when students start to make use of their internal voice to guide their beliefs, identity and relationships, could address this imbalance in WIL programs. This article explores the extent to which WIL enables self-authorship development in tourism management students. An interpretive, longitudinal case study methodology guided the study. The findings indicate the significant potential of WIL to foster students’ self-authorship development given the opportunities and challenges inherent in placements. The Work-Integrated Learning for Self-authorship Development (WILSAD) model is proposed as a conceptual framework to assist WIL program designers in fostering self-authorship development in their students

Fostering Self-Authorship Through Work Integrated Learning in University Tourism Programs: A Missed Opportunity?

Work integrated learning (WIL), in its various forms, continues to be a central element of university tourism programs. Internships, the most common form of WIL, provide opportunities for both personal and professional development. This article presents findings of a content analysis of WIL programs in Australian tourism, hospitality and events (TH&E) undergraduate degrees. Publicly available unit/subject guides were gathered through an internet-based review. This analysis of secondary data identified that the majority of WIL curricula in the Australian university TH&E programs focus on career development, followed by academic achievement and thirdly, personal development. It is argued that the opportunity to facilitate students' personal growth and the achievement of advanced learning outcomes through WIL is not being fully realized. Through the lens of 'self-authorship', meaning in this case, the student's use of their internal voice to guide their beliefs, identity and relationships, this paper explores the opportunities for WIL programs to be (re)designed to meet industry needs while also facilitating the individual, personal development of future tourism, hospitality and events leaders

Cooperative and work-integrated education in hospitality and tourism

This chapter discusses the role of work-integrated learning (WIL) in tourism and hospitality education. As a relatively recent university discipline, the use of work-integrated learning programs is widespread. A significant challenge for providers of tourism and hospitality university education is the appropriate balance of a vocational and academic curriculum. A case study is presented to highlight the efforts of an Australian university in embedding WIL into their curriculum design for their tourism and hospitality degrees. Strong industry collaboration and a curriculum informed by the principles of experiential learning, organizational behavior and critical reflection aim to improve workplace readiness of students, maximize learning opportunities during the placement, and increase retention of graduates in such labor intensive industries

Ecotourism enterprise and sustainable development in remote Indigenous communities in Australia

Indigenous Australians suffer considerable social and economic disadvantage. The challenge for Indigenous communities is to discover opportunities that will provide sustainable development. Ecotourism is seen as one sector that could provide such opportunities. However, there remains substantial debate within the academic literature regarding the main characteristics of what actually constitutes ecotourism-based activities. This paper is concerned with the theoretical propositions and associated arguments concerned with defining the term \u27ecotourism\u27 as it is likely to relate to remote Indigenous communities in Australia. Only by establishing and clarifying such core dimensions of the term is it possible to evaluate the possible relevance of ecotourism activities and enterprises to the economic and human development of Indigenous communities in Australia

Beyond employability : Work-integrated learning and self- authorship development

Work-integrated learning (WIL) continues to be a central element of higher education and may provide students with opportunities for both personal and professional development. However, the personal development opportunities afforded by WIL are often overshadowed by the more typical focus of work readiness. Increasing attention to self-authorship, an important stage of personal development when students start to make use of their internal voice to guide their beliefs, identity and relationships, could address this imbalance in WIL programs. This article explores the extent to which WIL enables self-authorship development in tourism management students. An interpretive, longitudinal case study methodology guided the study. The findings indicate the significant potential of WIL to foster students' self-authorship development given the opportunities and challenges inherent in placements. The Work-Integrated Learning for Self-authorship Development (WILSAD) model is proposed as a conceptual framework to assist WIL program designers in fostering self-authorship development in their students

Developing a taxonomy of \u27award-winning\u27 restaurants: what are they actually?

This article aims to clarify the term \u27award-winning restaurants,\u27 by conducting a literature review focussed on answering six broad questions. The questions posed relate to what awards are; who are judged; who decides on awards; what are being judged; why do awards exist; and what awards are available? The paper is compiled with a set of definitions and categories to illuminate, in comparable terms, what is required of a restaurant to become award-winning. This paper has no empirical component; it creates a foundation for studies which can be used to ensure that quality assurance, rather than marketing objectives, is at the forefront when restaurant awards are in question

Poverty, Indigenous culture and ecotourism in remote Australia

Significant challenges exist for Indigenous people in identifying suitable economic and commercial development opportunities directed at enhancing economic and human development within their communities. Ecotourism is seen as one sector that could provide such opportunities. Don Fuller and his colleagues examine the importance and implications of Indigenous culture for ecotourism developments in remote Australian Indigenous communities, in order to evaluate the potential of ecotourism ventures as a possible contributor to economic and human development within remote Indigenous communities. In addition to examining the influence of culture, the paper suggests important strategies for Indigenous success in operating ecotourism enterprises. These include the importance of consultation and planning processes, the availability of suitable education and training to Indigenous business owner-operators and the availability of joint-venture partnerships with actors in the mainstream economy