The Internet and Travel and Tourism Education 9780789016515, 0789016516

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The Internet and Travel and Tourism Education

The Internet ami Travel and Tourism Education has been co-published simultaneously as Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, Volume 1, Numbers 2/3 2001.

The Internet

and Travel

and Tourism Education Gary Williams William Chernish Bob McKercher Editors The Interne! and Travel ami Tourism Education has been co-published simultaneously as Journal of'Teaching in Travel & Tourism, Volume 1, Numbers 2/3 200K

(g) CRC Press

Taylor & Francis Group Boca Raton London New York

CRC Press is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Croup, an informa business

The Internet and Travel and Tourism Education has been co-published simultaneously as Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, Volume 1, Numbers 2/3 2001. First published 2001 by Haworth Press Inc. Published 2021 by CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group 6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300 Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742 © 2001 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business No claim to original U. S. Government works ISBN 13: 978-0-7890-1651-5 (pbk) This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of their use. The authors and publishers have attempted to trace the copyright holders of all material reproduced in this publication and apologize to copyright holders if permission to publish in this form has not been obtained. If any copyright material has not been acknowledged please write and let us know so we may rectify in any future reprint. Except as permitted under U.S. Copyright Law, no part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers. For permission to photocopy or use material electronically from this work, please access www. copyright.com (http://www.copyright.com/) or contact the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400. CCC is a not-for-profit organization that provides licenses and registration for users. For organizations that have been granted a photocopy license by the CCC, a separate system of payment has been arranged. Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at http ://www.taylorandfrancis. com and the CRC Press Web site at http ://www. crcpress. com Cover design by Thomas J. Mayshock Jr. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publicatinn Data The Internet and travel and tourism education/Gary Williams, William Chemish, Bob McKercher,editors. p. cm. Co-published simultaneously as Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, vol. I, nos. 2/3,2:00 u.m. - 5:Wp.nUKST). E-mail address: getintt Website: 1-800-342-9678. E-mail address: © 2001 by The Hawonh Press, Inc. All rights reserved.] KEYWORDS. Internet, tourism education, academics, teaching

Gary Williams, PhD, is an Educational Technology Consultant based in Perth, Western Australia. Bob McKercher, PhD, is Associate Professor, Department of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, PRC. Address correspondence to: Dr. Gary Williams, Educational Technology Consultant, PO Box 484, Mundaring, 6073, Western Australia, Australia (E-mail: [email protected]). I Ha worth co-indexing entry note): "Tourism Education and the Internet: Benefits, Challenges und Opportunities." Williams, Clary, and Boh McKercher. Co-published simultaneously in Journal oj Teaching in Travel & Tourism (The Ma worth Hospitality Press, an imprint of The Hu worth Press, Inc.) Vol. I, No, 2/3, 2001, pp. 1-15; and: The Internet ami Travel and Tourism Education (ed: Gary Williams, William Chernish, and Boh McKercher) The Ha worth Hospitality Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc., 2001, pp. 1-15. Single or multiple copies of this article are available for a fee from The Haworth Document Deliver)' Service 11-800-342-%7K, y;00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (EST). E-mail address: getinfo^ihaworthpressinc.coml.

© 2001 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

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THE AND TOURISM EDUCATION THE INTERNET AND TRAVEL AND EDUCATION

INTRODUCTION The purpose of this paper is to raise issues identified by tourism and hospitality academics related to the use of the Internet in travel and tourism education. The paper "sets the scene" for this volume devoted to the Internet and Tourism Education. The benefits and challenges of using the Internet are described in a general manner. The remaining papers in the volume describe specific instances of how tourism academics, and students, are maximizing the benefits and meeting the challenges, The use of the Internet for education is growing rapidly. The term "Internet" is often used erroneously as a synonym for the World Wide Web. In fact, the term is far broader, including all forms of electronic communication (e.g., email, Web forums, listservs, Web video) involving a computer, and all information placed on the World Wide Web (i.e., WWW) that is accessed using software called browsers (e.g., Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator/Communicator). From modest beginnings the Internet has now become a mainstream educational tool, used for teaching and scholarly research purposes. Students are keen to use it, and in some cases possess greater skills than academics. Moreover, industry is increasingly demanding that graduates are Internet literate. The rapid evolution of the Internet brings with it a number of challenges. Even though it is in common use, questions have been raised about how well it is being used. Moreover, the pace of technological evolution has been so rapid that it has outstripped the ability of many academics to keep up with it. While most educators agree the Internet is changing the nature of tourism education and research, many academics and educational institutions alike are struggling to determine how to use it more effectively. The purpose of the paper is to raise issues relating to opportunities and challenges posed by the Internet in tourism education. The material presented is based on the authors' experiences and is augmented by two small surveys conducted of tourism academics. The first, posted on TRINET in early 1999, sought opinions about the benefits and risks of the Internet as a tourism education medium. The second, a survey conducted of delegates to the 5th annual Asia Pacific Tourism Association (APTA) conference in Hong Kong in August 1999, examined Internet use among a sample of tourism academics.

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TOURISM EDUCATION AND THE INTERNET: THREE PERSPECTIVES PERSPECTIVES The relationship between tourism education and the Internet can be viewed from three perspectives. These are: • the Internet as a teaching and learning tool; • assisting students in understanding the applications of the Internet in the tourism industry; and • developing students' operational Internet skills. The Internet is revolutionizing how tourism education is taught. Increasingly, hospitality and tourism courses view the Internet as a major means of information transmission and communication (Spivack & Chernish 1999, Lew 1999). Currently use of the Internet in tourism education varies from simple email communications between lecturers and students to subjects and entire degrees being offered online. But, the Internet is more than an alternative educational platform. Exposing students to the Internet in a teaching and learning environment also assists them in understanding its applications in the tourism industry. While predictions about the speed of growth of use of the Internet by travelers vary all reports predict continued strong growth as the technology improves and access becomes a given, rather than a feature, of people's lives. As a result, students need to develop an appreciation of how fundamental the changes to tourism promotion and purchasing behavior will be as a result (McCole 2000). Use of the Internet to book airline tickets and hotel accommodation, for example, grew by 146 percent during 1999 (TIA 2000), with more than 16.5 million US adults now choosing this distribution network. Another 35 million research their travel plans on the net before purchasing tickets offline. Students also need to develop operational Internet skills if they wish to be competitive in the job market once they graduate. Increasingly, employers are looking for graduates who possess these skills (Connolly, Olsen & Moore 1998, Baines 1998). As a result, many tourism departments which offer training in IT packages designed for tourism (such as airline or hotel reservation software) are now offering additional topics, and in some cases subjects, that ensure students gain operational Internet skills, The challenge is to define what these skills should be. Spivack and Chernish (1999) comment that people wanting a middle or upper management position in the tourism industry are in-

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creasingly being expected to possess skills associated with Web site publishing, graphics design and database management. However, these skills may not be required for entry level positions. As a minimum, graduates need to be able to use the Internet as a communication tool (e.g., email and bulletin boards) and as an information source (e.g., ability to visit Web sites and use search engines).

EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF USING THE INTERNET IN TOURISM EDUCATION Tourism academics have a strong role to play in facilitating the achievement of each of these three perspectives. In order to fulfill this role, academics need to consider the Internet and tourism education from all three perspectives. The Internet brings with it a number of opportunities to enhance the quality of tourism education and research. But, as with all new technologies whose benefits are still being determined, there are also some inherent risks that the technology will be misused and that its benefits will not be fully felt. A number of benefits of using the Internet in tourism education, as well as some challenges are discussed below. These issues were identified by the authors and also from a survey of members of TRINET, the Internet-based tourism researchers network. The TRINET survey was posted in Spring 1999 and generated responses from only 14 members. While the number of respondents was small, the quality of their answers was strong.

Benefits of Using the Internet in Tourism Education Communication Facilitator The technological infrastructure of the Internet has significant potential to enable a social architecture to exist amongst students and teachers (Chickering & Ehrmann 1996). Deiser (1999) describes a social architecture as an environment that enables a sense of community, personal relationships, trust and caring, willingness to share, and a commitment to mutual support and learning. Some of the benefits of computer-mediated communication environments-both synchronous (i.e., where the message receiver reads it immediately after the sender has posted it) and asynchronous (i.e., where the message receiver reads it sometime after the sender has posted it) are as follows.

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• Communication amongst lecturers and students that either irregularly, or never, have face-to-face contact such as for students studying by distance education. • Interaction among students, and between the lecturer and students, is facilitated as traveling and scheduling difficulties are reduced due to the ability to send and receive messages 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (Rowntree 1995). • The ability to promote reflective and critical thinking as concepts and topics are debated and critiqued in electronic communities where a transcript of messages is available. • Support for students hesitant to directly approach a lecturer or to discuss matters with their peers face-to-face (Chickering & Ehrmann 1996, Berge 1997). • Support for students, especially those for whom the language of instruction is a second language, through the use of asynchronous communication tools that allow students time to interpret a message, reflect upon its meaning and compose a response (Chickering & Ehrmann 1996, Rowntree 1995). Information Source Arguably, the greatest impact the Internet has had on tourism education is that it has revolutionized the amount of information academics and students alike can access. One can now access more information from more sources than ever before, which provides new teaching and learning opportunities. The explosion in the amount of information available presents both opportunities and, as discussed elsewhere, challenges for tourism educators. Moreover, the quality and currency of information available and the array of sources from which information can be gathered is changing how tourism programs are offered. Students and researchers can now access many of the leading tourism journals online through their institution's library or directly via the World Wide Web, and gain access to abstracts of others electronically. Besides, through the use of sophisticated search techniques targeted searches on specific topics can be conducted. The result may be the ability to produce a comprehensive literature review faster and more thoroughly than ever before. The educational benefits to the student are self-evident. It also means that academic staff members may have to invest more time in their own background reading to remain current with the literature from a larger number of sources. Opportunities also exist to teach tourism in "real-time" by encouraging students to access newspapers and news magazines online. Thus,

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for example, students can observe issues as they evolve, rather than relying on dated material in books and journals. One author used this approach when he organized a study tour to South Korea in 1998. At that time, South Korea was in the midst of the Asian financial crisis and was struggling with its worst economic recession since the Korean Conflict. Total economic consumption declined by 30 percent, outbound tourism had almost completely stopped and even domestic tourism had slowed to a trickle. Students were required to write a background paper on the state of the Korean economy prior to the trip. Those students who relied on existing library resources and encyclopedias produced reports that were out of date. Students who used the Internet, on the other hand, and who accessed current economic reports, as well as online English language Korean newspapers, were able to prepare accurate, up-to-date situation analyses, Cross-Cultural Understanding The communication facilitator and information source benefits of the Internet can promote cross-cultural understanding, allowing people relatively easy access to any information placed on the Web and supporting relatively easy communication amongst teachers and students that are geographically dispersed. The Web also enables students and teachers to access news and information from international sources, broadening their perspectives on the world. Online newspapers, radio stations and even television/video reports enable students and researchers to gain a better understanding of other cultures and lifestyles. Additionally, through Internet-based electronic communication tools students can discuss issues and conduct joint research with students from other countries. Informal networks have been established between universities in different jurisdictions to enable their students to discuss similar issues. Such contact tends to occur on a subject-by-subject basis where the subject is international in scope and where the content is similar. Indeed, the authors are aware of at least one such network where students from a number of universities in different countries must co-operatively complete a major assignment, sharing the results of research about their country with others, Motivator Many students and lecturers feel stimulated, and improve their time on task, when using the Internet (Chickering & Ehrmann 1996).

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By incorporating the Internet into the curriculum it is possible to increase students' motivation to learn, A part of this motivational effect is that students realize that the Internet will affect them and, therefore, consider Internet literacy as being important to their professional futures. Provision of a Range of Learning Activities From a constructivist perspective every learner is unique and knowledge is constructed in the mind of the learner. Therefore, each student benefits differently from different learning activities (Bodner 1986, von Glaserfeld 1990, 19X4). The Internet has the potential to facilitate the provision of learning activities that use a variety of media techniques. For example, Internet-based notes exploring a real tourism issue could present the following activities. • Textual comments that include a number of images and links to further notes, some of which were written by the lecturer and some that were written by other academics. • Audio commentaries that elaborate upon concepts that are difficult to express solely in the written form. • Video footage and animations to show memorable features and to help in understanding. • An electronic bulletin board where students are encouraged to debate specific questions posted by the teacher and to interact with invited experts. Provision of a Range of Study Modes Study modes such as distance education that involve minimal, if any, face-to-face contact between the teacher and student have been provided by institutions of higher education for decades. With the advent of the Internet, and more specifically the Web, many of these institutions are offering a greater variety of distance education study modes. The 'mainly online' study mode is increasingly becoming another source of students, and consequently income, for universities. Challenges in Using the Internet in Tourism Education While the development of the Internet can be traced back to the 1960s, it is only since the creation of the Web in the early 1990s that its

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use has become popular in the developed world. As a result, many institutions as well as academics are still in the exploratory or rapid growth stages of their Intemet-expertise/use lifecycles. Consequently, most academics are still learning how to use the Internet effectively. As Postman (1990) comments: "technology always has unforeseen consequences, and it is not always clean at the beginning, who or what will win, and who or what will lose." The following is a discussion of some of the present and future challenges that face tourism educators using the Internet. Of these challenges the amount, purpose and reliability of tourism related information posted on the Internet are probably the greatest issues facing tourism educators today. Information Overload The Internet contains an unimaginably large number of tourism and travel related Web sites. A search on the AltaVista search engine conducted by the authors in October 2000, using the keywords "tourism" and "travel" yielded 4.2 and 16.2 million "pages" of information, respectively. With so many potential sites it is not surprising that many people suffer from information overload. Many tourism academics and students do not have the patience to search for the best sites if they do not appear in the top 20 sites identified by a search engine, and neither do they know how to conduct a targeted search to filter out sites of limited educational value. As a result, the research process seems to be undergoing a radical change. The traditional paper based method of searching for information is to collect information, read and critique it, reflect upon, and then make sense of it. With the Internet, this process is speeded up geometrically, where people now seem to scan the Web, glance at information and decide to keep or reject it before hurrying to the next site. There is a danger that many tourism students' increasing use of the Internet as an information source may result in them considering that the "cutting and pasting" of information equals understanding. The authors have observed that some students equate "any research" with "good research" and, consequently, limit their intellectual pursuit of a topic to a cursory inspection of material that is readily available on the Web. Teachers need to convince students of the merits of Birkerts' (1994: 76) comment: "No deep time, no resonance; no resonance, no wisdom." Purpose and Reliability of Material Posted on the Internet Many students do not seem to consider the purpose and reliability of tourism material posted on the Internet, and as such do not appreciate its

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limitations. Much of what is presented in tourism sites is designed to attract potential visitors and not to educate tourism students. There have been far too many instances where students have used promotional material, including industry press releases, as "research" without reflecting on the original purpose for posting the material or on its accuracy. Promotional Web sites may be useful for descriptive research (i.e., profiling a destination's attractions) and may also be acceptable for high school and some technical college programs, but are unsuitable for analytical or reflective research unless the student acknowledges its original purpose and limitations as a scholarly resource. A critical and developing role for academics is to ensure that the Internet is used to access appropriate and relevant material. This means that one of the roles teachers need to play is to become filters, and introduce the concepts of evaluation and judgment by recommending Web sites that have a degree of veracity and relevance to the subject at hand. As well, the increasing use of the Internet does suggest that tourism curricula need to increase the emphasis on developing students' research skills. In traditional library based research, all material available has been vetted to some degree before it has been placed on the stacks. As a result, students have developed confidence in the reliability and appropriateness of material available. This belief, unfortunately, seems to have carried over to much of the material posted on the Web, sometimes with adverse consequences when students submit assignments. One of the challenges we face as educators is to try to teach our students to develop critical thinking skills. This is done, in part, through direct contact we have with students through the use of lectures, essays, tutorials, and the like. But, many of these skills are also developed indirectly by having students read widely from the academic literature, especially from peer refereed journals. While journals admittedly have some weaknesses, it is also true that papers published have had to undergo a rigorous review process by anonymous referees. As a result, material published usually presents a logical considered argument and is likely to present an accurate interpretation of a situation. Unfortunately, no such quality control mechanism exists on the vast majority of the Internet. Impersonal Communication While the Internet can enable communication amongst students and teachers, it is less personal than face-to-face contact, where visual and

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tonal clues are present, and telephone contact where tonal clues remain. While there is little doubt of the benefits of some types of communication (e.g., email, bulletin boards), questions arise about whether such communication methods should be used to supplant or complement more traditional means. In the tourism industry, communication and interpersonal skills are highly valued. There is a need to devote greater resources to the development of these skills in graduates such that the industry can deliver quality service. With the increasing use of the Internet for communication there is a threat to the industry of the more impersonal approach of the Internet flowing over into the workplace. This has been recognized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) which, during a meeting on the Effects of New Technologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism sector resolved, according to Baines (1998:162-163), that: The evolution of the hotel, catering and tourism sector and the introduction of new technology requires training in communication and interpersonal skills both for those currently employed and those seeking employment in the sector. Need to Learn How to Use Computers As previously discussed in this paper, employers are now expecting graduates to possess operational Internet skills, in addition to general computer skills. While many students already possess a degree of computer literacy the authors' experiences are that in many cases the amount of computer literacy is over estimated, particularly amongst mature aged students and in non-science courses. Consequently, a challenge for academics is the need to spend time in already crowded curricula helping students understand the fundamentals of Internet use. Added to this is the time and commitment necessary of the academics to maintain their Internet skills. The Internet as a Teaching and Learning Environment Tourism and hospitality education departments are facing the challenge of determining the extent to which the Internet should be part of the teaching and learning environment. As is evident from the discussion of the benefits of using the Internet, it is a tool for use in on-campus and distance education environments.

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The on-campus environment offers face-to-face lectures and tutorials that many students value. While students are demanding more technology in higher education, most are not demanding it as a substitute for face-to-face teaching (Ryan 1998). For on-campus students the Internet can be an additional learning resource. The provision of distance education through the Internet does offer benefits for certain student cohorts. As Spivack and Chernish (1999) comment, it gives institutions "the ability to reach special population groups who can expand their career opportunities for international tourism education by enrolling in programs and courses which are not offered at their respective institutions. . . ." As well, given the long and irregular working hours of the tourism industry the flexibility associated with distance education environments is attractive to many parttime students. Studies have shown that such environments are generally better suited to students with certain characteristics. These include being motivated, goal directed and highly disciplined (Spivack & Chernish 1999). Such characteristics are more commonly found in mature students studying to attain postgraduate awards. Access and Equity Issues also arise about access to the Internet and consequent concerns about educational equity. In countries with high rates of access, such as America or Australia, ethnic minorities, the poor and residents of rural areas have disproportionately low access. In 1998, about 60 percent of Americans with incomes of greater than $75,000 used the Internet, compared to 20 percent of those earning less than $25,000. Similar rates of use were noted when university graduates and high school drop-outs were considered (Anonymous 2000). Indeed, the USA National Telecommunications and Information Administration found that money is the single greatest determinant of who has Internet access (NTIA 1999). While many universities offer on-campus Internet laboratories for all students, demand far exceeds supply. Those who have home-based access may have an advantage over those students who cannot afford to be online. Globally, residents of the developed world have disproportionate access to the Internet. Of the approximate world-wide 360 million Internet users 44 percent reside in Canada and the USA, 26 percent in Europe and 25 percent in the Asia/Pacific. This is in stark contrast to the one percent in Africa and the four percent in Latin America. Indeed, only six percent of the world's population uses the Internet (NUA 2000). Such a

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small percentage places the potential educational inequalities in perspective. It is but one technology that can be used to help students learn. In the majority of the world there are far more pressing needs than access to the Internet. Cost-Financial and Non-Financial Given the embryonic nature of education using the Internet is it difficult to complete a cost-benefit analysis. However, educators are becoming increasingly aware of the many costs. Non-financial costs include the time of the teacher and support staff, in finding and evaluating information, moderating electronic discussions, and designing and developing Web sites. In relation to courses where the dominant delivery mechanism is the Internet, there is potential for the quality of the education to decrease if administrators adopt a policy of employing part-time teachers that are told to "teach" using the existing online material (Ryan 1998). The financial costs for the university and the students are significant and a challenge for educators is convincing university administrators of the magnitude of these costs (Ryan 1998, Spivack & Chernish 1999). From a university perspective financial costs include the wages of the people involved in the development and maintenance of Internet-based material and the supporting infrastructure. At the moment there are few indications that the often-purported long term cost savings to the education sector, often used as an argument to encourage Internet development, will be realized (Ryan 1998). USE OF THE INTERNET BY TOURISM

ACADEMICS

The success of using the Internet in tourism education depends on the ability of staff to use the technology effectively. A preliminary survey of 31 tourism academics conducted at the Asia Pacific Tourism Association (APTA) Conference in August 1999 suggests that the technology is evolving faster than their ability to keep up with it. While the survey is certainly not definitive, we feel the results are indicative of the state of the art among many tourism academics. Most tourism academics indicated that they use the Internet as a communications tool (email between colleagues, email to students) or to search for information on the Web that is, subsequently, used in a subject. However, apart from these simple operational skills, skill levels

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and the consequent ability to use the Internet effectively, decline rapidly. For example, fewer than half of the academics were involved in a subject that provided an electronic discussion board (e.g., a bulletin board, listserv or Web forum), and only about 20 percent had taught a subject where Internet-based communication was the major means of communication between the staff and students. Only one respondent indicated that real-time (i.e., synchronous) electronic communication techniques were used with students. When research and scholarly work is considered, most academics have strong operational skills to conduct library searches, visit tourism-related Web sites and use online journals. However, their use of the Internet for more sophisticated scholarship activities likewise declines rapidly. Only about one quarter have conducted a survey using the Internet and a similar number of people have posted a message on a tourism related electronic discussion board. Few have attended virtual conferences. The survey results indicate that while tourism academics are using the Internet for teaching and scholarship, its use-especially as a communication facilitator-is not being maximized. As this is a major benefit of using the Internet, and can assist in developing cross-cultural understanding, the results from this small-scale survey indicate that greater effort may be necessary to integrate asynchronous and synchronous communication tools into the teaching and learning environment. CONCLUSION

Tourism graduates are increasingly being expected to have an understanding of the applications of the Internet in the tourism industry, and to have operational Internet skills. Academics, by incorporating the Internet into the teaching and learning environment help students in achieving these employment criteria. Benefits of integrating the Internet into the environment include its use as a communication facilitator and as a source of information. However, one needs to be aware of the attendant risks-such as information overload and lack of reliability. From the small-scale survey it is evident that greater effort is necessary to maximize the appropriate use of the Internet for tourism teaching and scholarship. Academics face challenging times. In order to teach effectively about, and how to use, the Internet they need to maintain their:

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• understanding of the impact on the tourism industry; • operational skills; and • understanding of appropriate teaching methods that minimize the potential disadvantages. REFERENCES Anonymous. (2CXX)), Labour Pains. The Economist-The new economy sttnvv insert, Sept 23, 25-29. Baines, A. (1998). Technology and tourism. Work Study, 47(5), 160-163. Retrieved 6th October, 2000 from the World Wide Web. http://www.emerald-library. com/brev/07947ea 1 .htm Berge, Z. (1997). Computer conferencing and the on-line classroom. International Journal of Educational Telecommunications, 3( 1), 3-21. Birkerts, S. (1994). The Gutenburg elegies: The fate of reading in an electronic age. Faber and Faber: England. Bodner. G. M. (1986). Constructivism: A theory of knowledge. Journal of Chemical Education. 63,873-878. Chickering, A. W., & Ehrmann, S. C. (1996). Implementing the seven principles; Technology as lever. AAHE Bulletin, October, 3-6. Connolly, D. J., Olsen. M. D., & Moore, R. G. (1998). The Internet as a distribution channel. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 39(4), 42-55. Deiser, R. (1999). Knowledge networks of the future. Proceedings of the 19th World Conference on Open Learning and Distance Education, Vienna, Austria, June 20-24. Lew, A. A. (1999). World Wide Web resources for tourism resources. Tourism Geographies, /-ensuring that project objectives are met by monitoring and measuring progress and taking corrective action when necessary. These processes are about monitoring the project. Deviations from plan need to be dealt with so that they do not adversely affect the end results of the project. Here the stress is on understanding unexpected delays, cost overruns, or changes in scope. Generic activities include:

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a. Monitoring deviation from the plan. b. Taking corrective action to match actual progress with the plan. c. Receiving and evaluating project changes requested from stakeholders and team members. d. Rescheduling the project as necessary. e. Adapting resource levels as necessary. f. Changing (usually cutting) the project scope. g. Returning to the planning stage to make adjustments to the project goals and getting them approved by the stakeholders. 5. Closing Process Growp-formalizing acceptance of the project or phase and bringing it to an orderly end. These final processes of the project/phase stresses maintaining momentum (avoid the common fall-off of enthusiasm at the end) and gaining acceptance of the end-product. Generic activities include: a. b. c. d.

Acknowledging achievement and results. Shutting down the operations and disbanding the team. Learning from the project experience. Reviewing the project process and outcomes with team members and stakeholders. e. Writing a final project report.

Setting of the Case Study The Institution. This case reports the development of a Web course at Northern Arizona University (NAU) in the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management (SHRM). The course was developed and implemented by the author of this case study. From inception in late December 1998 to through implementation in fall semester 1999, NAUs Office of Technical and Learning Education (OTLE) provided technical support. The course described is a Hospitality Sales Management course (HA-400), which in the classroom, delivers content through traditional lecture and readings and reinforced by group discussions and role-play simulations. The task in this case was to webiti-e (coined word by Collins, 2000) the in-class course; to create the same course similarly delivered entirely through the Web. NAU is fortunate to be one of the few educational institutions that have made significant progress in utilizing Internet technology to fulfill the future educational needs. The development of the Web version of HA-400 was greatly assisted by the depth of the NAU Web course de-

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sign experience. According to Foster (2000), in spring semester 1997, NAU through its existing Office of Teaching and Learning Effectiveness (OTLE), experimented with new instructional delivery and piloted seven Web courses. It took 15 months before this number had grown to 39. This was a major accomplishment given that all courses were individually customized and created through non-standardized means (no templates and no formally dedicated technical personnel). The success of these initial courses proved the viability of Web delivery and subsequently attracted additional NAU resources. OTLE's infrastructure was formalized and operations focused for increased production. NAU rejected suggested proposals to outsource Web course design and committed itself to "in-house" design and production. With this decision, Web course production at NAU exploded. In the next 14 months, 96 Web courses were added and by the close of 1999, brought the total NAU Web-based course offerings to 135. Although NAU had made tremendous progress in embracing the Internet/Web for university course delivery, resistance to changing from traditional educational paradigms was still found among a large number of NAU's faculty and students. At the time of this case, NAU, through its OTLE office, was still experimenting with its response Web-based instruction. In short, firm commitment and solid mechanisms and Web design infrastructure were in their adolescence. The Faculty Person. The author of this case study brought significant experience to the development of HA-400. Eleven years ago, he joined the faculty at the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management (SHRM) at NAU. He brought 19 years of sales and marketing industry experience with him. Three years ago, he designed and gained approval for the traditional in-class version of HA-400, Hospitality Sales Management. Taught in the traditional classroom, the objectives of HA-400 are: (a) familiarize students with and dispel myths about the sales function, (b) teach a "consultative selling" style targeting business-to-business (B2B) markets, (c) provide students with a "hands-on" experience by supporting the first "academic" half of the course with role-play simulation exercises in the second half. In the spring of 1999, this veteran traditional professor became a "novice" Web-course designer/facilitator. Both a Web version of HA-400 and a traditional (in-class) version were targeted to be simultaneously taught in the fall semester 1999. The objectives of the Web version of HA-400 remained the same as the traditional in-class version and the traditional HA-400 class was enhanced to receive its resources (syllabus, reading material, etc.) from the Web course design. Both ver-

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sions complemented each other and were taught as similarly as possible. Until this point, you have heard from the author in a "third-person" tense. He would like to become more personal and directly tell you his story. Phase I-Preparation and Education Initiating. I was a little apprehensive when my Associate Dean approached me at the end of fall 1998 and asked. "Would you like to convert your HA-400 class to the Web?" In some ways I saw this as a learning experience, but was intimidated by the unknown. Sure, there was technical backup at NAU's OTLE and I was computer literate, but I'm not a techie and don't know how to write html (web language). Yet, I sensed that traditional classroom teaching must adopt the potentialities of new learning tools and the Web was clearly one of these. I had four basic questions that needed to be answered: 1. How would webitizing my class affect my professorial career? 2. Could I complete this task within the time constraints? 3. Would I be fully supported by my administration and OTLE technical staff. 4. How could this project be most effectively and efficiently planned? Questions Addressed. I was very concerned about career ramifications and time constraints. After all, tenure-track and tenured faculty are promoted and rewarded based upon traditional measures: teaching, research, and service. The time necessary for the entire three-phase project was projected at one year. Phase I-Training and Phase II-Design would take approximately 70% of the year. Phase Ill-Implementation of the Web course would account for 30%. And, I had to accomplish this while teaching a full load. What effect would this have on my "real-job?" Would this effort to convert to the Web be rewarded or considered in my performance appraisal? Would my teaching evaluations be negatively affected by a first time course on an experimental medium? Would I have access to TAs (teaching assistants) during implementation? And, what about compensation and intellectual property rights? My Associate Dean assured me by documenting this effort into our quasi-MBO (Management By-Objectives), "Faculty Annual Expecta-

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tions" document. This documentation provided an "up-front" agreement that was linked to annual evaluations and assuaged my career concerns. Compensation was minimal at $1,500, TA assistance was budgeted at one per 20 students, and intellectual property rights concerns were ambiguously addressed and not fully resolved. I spoke with faculty in other disciplines at NAU and found that their administration's understanding and support is not always there. My Associate Dean is a recognized Web expert and scholar and has two years of teaching an SHRM Web course (Collins, 2000). Due to his hands on experience, he understood the risk taken for a faculty person to teach through a new medium and understood the difficulty of the learning curve that would accompany the experience. Administrative support is imperative to the success of a project like this. With assurances of support from my administration, concerns about technical support moved to my highest priority, I had hopes that someone would take me by the hand and make sure that I would emerge from this phase with solid basic skills necessary to webitize my course. But at this stage, I found that I had entered a symbiotic partnership; 1 was part of a team effort. For the partnership to be successful I, a faculty person, must drop all perceived if not real, pretenses and respect staff people who were now my teachers. I, the faculty person, was now the student. After several social meetings with OTLE, I had built a relationship with them and became comfortable with their willingness to make me successful and their competence to do so. Together, we formalized objectives and a plan of how we would work together throughout this project. I offered the Project Management Model (Figure I) as a guide. While this was not OTLE's normal project flow, they were flexible. They adapted to my vision of the project flow so that I would be more comfortable during my time of uncertainty. Being housed in separate buildings we decided on using several methods to implement the Three Phase Project Management Model: 1. Person-to-Person Meetings: (a) A single contact person was assigned to me to ensure clarity of my interface with OTLE, (b) Weekly we debriefed prior week's assignments and gathered new assignments, (c) I personally met with all key OTLE support staff (during Phase I and II; the faculty person would need their personal assistance, thus familiarity was important). 2. Contact by E-mail: More than several times during the week, the faculty person would be in contact with the single contact person

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at OTLE. OTLE was very responsive and patient with the many requests for information or clarification. The technical support people at OTLE needed my course content expertise to produce a working template. In exchange, they made sure that 1 acquired information about the Web tools and alternative techniques available. The working template produced by OTLE converted my perception of an abstract task to the start of something concrete. The working template was similar to a rough first draft of a paper that could be progressively refined. This helped me to envision the holistic nature of the project, which helped to reduce my uncertainty about this project. Education in basic alternative Web tools and techniques provided me a rich foundation upon which I could apply my creativity to modifying my traditional class to a Web class. I'm the kind of person that needs a map to the world. This map was provided by the Project Management Model and the working template. But, I also needed to acquire and become specifically competent in Web tools and techniques before I could enter Phase II-Design (May 1, 1999). I needed to have possession of needed computer hardware/software and familiarity with: 1. A fast and networked computer (Pentium III, 450 MHz, 128 mg ram, and 9 gigabyte hard drive and connected to a TI Internet network). Note that a lesser computer will suffice but Web connection and processing speed is critical. The computer must have sound and video cards and equipped with speakers. 2. Basic computer software (Microsoft Office 2000 package containing word processing, spreadsheet, database, electronic slide program-Power Point, and email). 3. Web software including Netscape, Explorer Microsoft Internet or other, downloaded Real Player for sound, and video capability software for "web streaming." 4. Familiarity with personal email communications and setting up folders (to organize incoming email messages-M/c/wo// Outlook was the package). 5. Familiarity with group electronic packages (use of a Virtual Conference Center, a static bulletin board facsimile and dynamic "live" and real-time chat site). 6. Familiarity with setting-up and managing a listserv (electronic interactive email broadcast communications vehicle).

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7. Have a basic understanding of Web page editing (to update the Web course as needed). Dreamweaver 2 was used as the HTML conversion program. Results. When first presented with the above long list of needed equipment and competencies, I was overwhelmed. Looking at this list more closely, 1 found that I already had some of the equipment and was already working with many of the processes. While most of my initial questions had been answered, some still remained, albeit of less concern. With my growing knowledge, others questions revealed themselves. Specifically, I began to worry about how I would personally be able to edit the Web course without relying on OTLE support. However, I emerged from Phase I relatively confident that we (the partnership) could modify and adapt my in-class teaching experiences to a Web environment. While initially apprehensive, if not actually frightened, 1 found that technical literacy is less important at this point than conceptual Web literacy. Phase I prepared me to more confidently move to Phase II-Design of the Web course and I knew that my education and competence would continue to grow. The major lessons that I learned in Phase I were four-fold: 1. Adjust the time allowed for Phase I depending on the beginning level of the faculty person's computer/Web knowledge base, 2. Be prepared for things to take longer and encounter more difficulties that one might originally anticipate, 3. Maintain an "idea notebook" or log to collected spontaneous ideas concerning Phase II-Design, and 4. Do not, I repeat, "DO NOT' leave Phase I without knowing how to personally post and edit Web pages. Phase II-Design Initiating. My three primary success indicators for this phase were: (a) the course would be fully designed for a 16-week semester on August 29, 1999; that is, the content and look of modules and topics would be in place and ready for students to begin, and (b) I would be able to be self-sufficient in managing the course once implementation (Phase III) began; familiar with and have control (ability to edit for changes that would inevitably occur) over course implementation, and (c) I would be able to manage the large amount of student assignments that even 15 students could generate over email communications.

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I had three basic questions that needed to be answered: 1. To whom should the course be targeted? 2. What should the course look like and how should it flow? 3. How would the course be managed? Questions Addressed. Design of the course was dependent on the characteristics of the students taking the course. I wanted to get more "bang-for-the-buck" and, thus, designed the course to address two student audiences: (a) Weh C7o?5-students taking the Web course from locations geographically removed from the main campus and (b) Traditional C/oH-students who would take the same course in an on-campus classroom, but in a Web-enhanced format. This enhancement meant that the Traditional Class would essentially obtain all of its assignments and resources from the Web as did the Web Class, but would meet two days per week (normal class periods) with the faculty person as a clarifying lecturer and facilitator. Since Web course delivery was still relatively new at the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management (SHRM), I recognized that traditional students would represent the majority and non-traditional (working adults over age 25) the minority. Thus, the course was aimed at the majority population with flexibility to adjust to the minority population's needs. Overtime, increasing numbers of non-traditional students will grow to be the majority population and the Web course will be adapted. Next, I had to decide what the course would look like and how it would flow. Using my existing in-class HA-400 syllabus and experience of teaching in a traditional class environment, I designed around my past experience. I gave OTLE my "design" wish list. OTLE technical support fulfilled the wish list within their basic NAU Web course design template. Thus, there was flexibility for me to customize my course, but, at the same time, fit the basic university Web course design. Finally, the design of the Web version of HA-400 was implemented in the following sequence: 1. Basic Web Course Template Installed. The HA^400 course had electronic "place-holders" copied into files. These files were the boilerplate university templates. 2. Graphics. The HA-400 course was semi-customized with appropriate graphics that 1 chose. In some cases, copyright releases were needed.

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3. Selling Model Translated. My in-class HA-400 course is organized around what I call "the Consultative Selling Model." The basic NAU template course, which was written in terminology such as modules and topics, was translated into the model's language: phases, steps, and topics. 4. Course Content Compiled and Installed. I gathered appropriate resource material such as various web sites and on-line articles that would be used for each topic within each step and within each phase of the course organizational model. Further, I began to write articles that would subsequently be placed as on-line reading material (replace textbook readings) in the Web. I designed activities to measure student comprehension such as questions synthesizing the various Web learning exercises and discussion questions for the Virtual Conference Center (VCC). Additionally, I created an on-line "role-play course-packet" that is the basis for role-plays in the second half of the course. 5. Optional Course Enhancement Software Added. OTLE Installed: (a) on-line sites giving students access and linkage to computer software such as the Virtual Conference Center (VCC) and "live" Chat Site, (b) crossword puzzle program (for test study guide purposes), and (c) an on-line exam software package. With the basic design of the HA-400 course now in place, my attentions turned to questions concerning how I would effectively manage the course during Phase Ill-Implementation. 1 was disappointed to learn that OTLE did not address this concern. I would need to learn on my own. 1 had been assured that I could obtain TA assistance depending on the enrollment of the Web course. Having never taught a Web class, I did not have familiarity with the expected workload and, thus, how to use any allocated TAs. And, the workload varies with the complexity of assignments in a course. Should allocated TAs be expanded depending on the nature of the course? OTLE estimated that 15 students is the maximum Web class that one faculty person can handle. Even 15 students can generate a large amount of email responses to the faculty person. Generally, you can expect the quantity of these responses to expand with the number of assignments designed into the Web course. I had a lot of assignments and expected heavy incoming emails. This gave rise to managing email. 1 used Microsoft Outlook and named folders that corresponded to the design of the course. Folders carried the names of the various phases,

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steps, and topics found in rny "Consultative Selling Model." I could transfer incoming course related email from my general Inbox to my named Folders. Clustering these into folders on a daily basis organized my grading efforts. One management problem that I did not anticipate was the fact that many students who had signed up for the Web course were not really "Web-literate." This may be surprising to you, it was to me, but we may have assumed too much about the level of computer fluency and independence of our students. Again, this is more of a problem when dealing with traditional age students than with older non-traditional students. And, this is another reason why Web courses must be targeted to the right student population. OTLE had built help sites into the course design. There were help pages and technical contact sites on the NAU campus: phone numbers and emails for technical support. However, the faculty person is the first person that students will call even regarding a technical problem. Obviously, this is a course management challenge and will incur time investment from you. Results. In Phase II, the Project Management schedule was interrupted. It became obvious that the full course would not be published on the Web at the start of classes on August, 29, 1999. Several events temporarily derailed the design phase: (a) summer vacations for OTLE staff people were not factored into the plan and (b) a key graphic designer resigned from OTLE. Scrambling, I made trade-offs and prioritized essential design completion objectives. I had many of the design elements completed: (a) a basic template for the entire course and (b) content in place for the first two weeks of the semester. I decided to "get-ahead-of-the-students" by a few weeks and continue working to finish Phase II while simultaneously implementing in Phase III. Of course, this put me under extreme stress and probably produced a lesser quality educational experience for the students during fall semester 1999. Leaving Phase II, I was apprehensive of just how the course would turn out in Phase III. I wasn't prepared and I knew it. All I could rely on was my own sense of complete the job no matter what it might take. I knew that my traditional professorial measures, teaching, research, and service, would suffer in the fall semester 1999.1 made sure that I talked with my Associate Dean about this and readjusted my "Document of Expectations" to reflect the situation. Fortunately, my supportive administration understood and adjusted. The major lessons that I learned in Phase I were three-fold:

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1. What can go wrong, will go wrong. 2. If you are operating in unfamiliar territory and especially under a tight schedule, you will not have the time to make-up anything overlooked in early phases. For example, I still did not know how to edit Web HTML and did not have any time left to learn it before Phase III would begin. Being self-sufficient in adjusting and adapting the Web course during its implementation is essential because you are not able to foresee all of the design problems before the course is operational. And, your technical support, in my case OTLE, is not available to address problems as responsively as possible. 3. New problems can potentially arise at any time. For example, I now had a course management problem of excessive email. My OTLE technical support had never factored this into my Phase I training program or my Phase II design program.

Phase Ill-Implementation Initiating. On August 29, 1999, the Web course was scheduled to begin and students were registered, thus, implementation was imperative. The rational project management approach (Figure I) to dealing with tasks and activities had degenerated into a sunival mode and staying one step ahead of the students. I had two major questions: 1. Would this first Web Class be successfully implemented? 2. Could I simultaneously implement (Phase I I I ) and complete the design (uncompleted in Phase II)? Questions Addressed. Entering Phase III without fully completing the design phase caused me to be extremely rushed throughout the entire semester. And, as you will recall, I was already carrying a full load of normal professorial responsibilities. The following is a pointby-point of the main issues that I faced and how I responded during Phase Ill-Implementation: 1. Training Students to Use the Web. Mentioned earlier, it is a misconception that traditional undergraduate students are familiar and facile using the Web. Most problems were encountered in navigation within the Web course. The basic template was a "breadcrumb trail" approach; "after this step, proceed to the next step." I found that there needs to be interconnected comprehensive "site

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maps" that provide a multiple navigation options versus simply following a linear trail through the course. Yes, students may have explored the Web for personal reasons, but many students did not exhibit initiative in handling minor problems and sought answers by directly calling me. They did this even though there is a formal technical help line link within the course. You should expect that the students would come to you for technical assistance even though other help has been built into your Web course infrastructure. Note: As mentioned earlier, this Web class was also used to "enhance" my traditional in-class version of HA-400 (Traditional Class) that was simultaneously taught with the Web version (Web Class). Many of the Traditional Class students resisted accessing the Web to obtain their assignments and resources. While they also lacked Web literacy as mentioned above, many of these students were openly rebellious at having to change from their traditional reliance on hardcopy material such as handouts and textbooks. To the detriment of course content delivery, I spent a large amount of time handholding and explaining course delivery changes. Also, since the Web Class required weekly homework and the Traditional Class was also required to produce the same scheduled homework, there were many complaints (sometimes to SHRM administration) that the workload was too much. Perhaps this is an idiosyncratic condition specific to our SHRM students, but it may be a reflection of today's students not having the same amount of work demanded in traditional classes. 2. Training Students to Use Self-Discipline to Stay on the Course Timeline. Perhaps today's traditional classroom education has conditioned students to rely upon the faculty person to remind them to manage their own learning timeline. Managing a Web course requires strict adherence to assignment due dates. Why? Because a good Web course will have many assignments that in some ways substitute for the traditional class faculty person's lecture and facilitation. Weekly, it is not unusual for there to be four assignments per student that must be monitored. Falling behind denies thorough performance evaluation and timely feedback. In the first week of the course, students were required to sign a "Letter of Agreement" which indicated that they were expected to be responsible adults, to self-manage, and that all assignments were due each Friday at 5:00 PM and that no exceptions were per-

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milted. This may or may not have been effective however, it put all students on notice. 3. Training Students to Honor the Professor's Office Hours. Initially, I found that students feel that since they can access the Web at any time, the faculty person is available at anytime. I clearly clarified expectations: a. I have definite office hours when I can be reached and will respond to telephone calls and email. b. As noted below, I set-up a schedule when weekly student assignments would be acknowledged as received and when grades would be posted. Note: Certainly the faculty person can respond more frequently than his or her posted schedule; however, clear expectations of a minimum feedback provides more flexibility for the faculty person while reducing student uncertainty. Student uncertainty and sense of isolation is greater when taking a Web class since face-to-face classroom personal interaction is absent. 4. Inventing Ways to Manage the Course. As mentioned, Phase 1 and II overlooked any discussion of course management issues. I invented two primary administrative vehicles. a. Storing and Retrieving Incoming Email. I used a hierarchy of folders designed around the course model in my Microsoft Outlook the email software package. b. Student Peiformance Feedback. I accomplished this by: (a) On the first day of each week, I notified all students by listserv of my receipt of their assignments submitted as of the previous Friday's due date and (b) by the end of the week, I posted accumulative grades (student identities were coded) on an Excel spreadsheet published within the Web course. Posted grades lagged student assignment submission by one week; however, early notification by listserv gave feedback that assignments had been received. 5. Preventative/Anticipatory Organizational Measures. In addition to storing and retrieving incoming student email communication, it was necessary to remain highly organized in all content material that was prepared to be published on the Web course. Your com-

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puter hard-drive should be used to backup and warehouse all raw input material for subsequent publication on the Web. a. The Microsoft Windows Explorer System. I maintained a highly organized system within my computer's hard-drive. Often this material needed to be quickly accessed from its original production format. This organization was especially important since the content production was translated or edited into web pages by OTLE support (I never became competent in Web page editing until after this semester was over). Throughout the semester, I was continuously sending content production was sent to OTLE as email attachments in order to be published in HTML on the Web. b. Microsoft Outlook Folders (Email). Parallel to the hard-drive organization, 1 maintained a hierarchical folder organization system to retain all documents transmitted by email to OTLE for Web page translation. Results. I felt relief when Phase III and the fall 1999 semester had ended. It was clear that my support team, my student customers, and I had survived without major loss of quality instruction. Generally, the large number of reading, group discussion, homework, and role-play assignments appear to have given students full content exposure to the discipline. Student performance on periodic exams indicated normal distribution of learning objectives. Some difficulties adapting the traditional version of the class should, however, be noted. First, Hospitality Sales Management, HA-400, incorporates role-plays in the second half of the course. Role-plays do not translate very well over the current technology. While in-class students were able to role-play within small groups within the classroom, the Web students had to conduct role-plays in small groups over a "live" chat site. Unfortunately, typing responses is not the same as speaking. I ameliorated this weakness by requiring a videotape of a final-exam "capstone" role-play. Web students mailed this video to me. A second difficulty was concerned with the amount of time spent in training students on Web navigation at the expense of content delivery. This difficulty will invariably "leak" over into the final student evaluation of the course. Finally, course quality suffered due to my having to simultaneously complete Phase II-Design while implementing Phase III. The student stakeholders in both the Web Class and the Traditional Class had the opportunity to give feedback through Student Course

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Evaluations. While the faculty person scored very high on his content, there were widely uniform complaints on the workload and in the case of the Traditional Class, that the Web was not something that they had expected and therefore, they expressed dissatisfaction. I had quickly learned about designing and implementing a Web course. While I had to acquire this education "under continuous fire," it was clear that solid knowledge was won. I paid a steep price, but the experience had yielded benefits to me. I was now in a position to improve my performance for a repeat of the course in spring 2000. I planned to spend the break between fall 1999 and spring 2000 semesters to learn how to edit Web pages. This is probably the single most important lesson that I had learned. Without the ability to "fish for yourself," you are dependent on others who are less involved with your course and less able to quickly respond to problems as they occur. And, because most faculty will not be ready to "fly solo" in the second flight of a Web course, it is recommended that you have continued access to help. In my situation, though not in a formal contract, the technical support team agreed to remain in contact and continue to give me support over the next semester. CONCLUSIONS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

Universities and other postsecondary educational institutions are participants in an "electronic gold-rush" to deliver courses over the Internet. Whether or not prospector faculty agree with this reality, most certainly they will be asked to make a journey into this unknown territory. The purpose of this case study was to answer the question, "What can traditionally experienced faculty expect when training for, designing, and implementing his or her first undergraduate university course to be delivered over the Internet and World Wide Web (Web)?" In an extended metaphor, faculty inexperienced in Web course delivery were described as prospectors making their first trip to acquire gokh the promise of Web-based course delivery. For this journey, they needed: (a) a map of the territory, (b) tools, techniques, and provisions, and (c) stories from earlier pioneer prospectors to relate practical lessons about what the new prospectors could expect to find. This case study attempted to outfit these prospector faculty.

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First, a map of the territory was supplied. The Project Management Model (Figure I) provides an overview of how to systematically arrive at the destination: implementation of a successful Web course. Second, the model's Phase I-Preparation and Education supplied the prospector faculty with the necessary tools and provisions to make the trip. Finally, Phase II and III related practical lessons about the realities that the prospector faculty person might find while seeking his or her success. These lessons and recommendations plus those learned in Phase 1 are summarized: 1. Phase l-Preparation and Education a. Be sure to balance your personal and professional responsibilities. Ignoring these will negatively affect your overall performance. I fell out of balance in my personal life: (a) daily exercise and workouts stopped, (b) time with spouse and family was limited, and (c) outside interests were put on hold. Remember that the development and teaching of a Web course is only one part of your professional responsibilities. Being under stress (the project had fallen off schedule) my full attention was focused on problems associated with technical Web glitches and scrambling to meet weekly deadlines. I found that my professional duties suffered during Phase III: (a) abbreviated patience with students, (b) decline of research and scholarship activities, and (c) diminished service activities. b. The OTLE technical support team should be more aggressive in guiding the faculty person. At present they are ioo participatory when the faculty person is unaware of the magnitude of the learning task and how much time it takes. Also, they need to ensure that the faculty person does not leave this phase without primary Web skills: (a) how to edit Web pages and (b) solid demonstration of familiarity with all technical tools that will be used in implementing the course. c. At present, the OTLE technical support team ignores any training in Web course management or the administration of the massive amounts of email correspondence between faculty and students. This management problem also can overwhelm the students as well as the faculty member. d. More information needs to be given to the faculty person regarding what to expect from the students. For example, the Web

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Class students were less than competent in using the Web and required an inordinate amount of the faculty person's time in handing basic instructions. Almost fifty percent of the Traditional Class students were very resistant to the change of having their class Web enhanced. Surely, OTLE, who had experience in designing and helping implement 135 Web courses had access to this knowledge? 2, Phase II-Design a. Despite the fact that NAU specifically focuses on distant learning and Web course delivery, OTLE, primary Web course design unit, is understaffed, under-funded, and not fully integrated into the major Statewide Academic Services Division of NAU. This problem is currently being addressed and must be resolved to ensure future success in this area. I see this problem as one of the primary reasons why I exited Phase II underprepared to implement in Phase III. b. The basic NAU template design is a strong asset to help a new Web course to quickly materialize, however, its stock (standard) approach does not anticipate some courses that require more innovation. For example, the HA-400 course that 1 taught in this case study required "live" role-plays from students. OTLE was not prepared to offer ready solutions. The lesson here is that a wide range of Web and technical solutions need to parallel a correspondingly wide range of academic courses. And, it's clear that some courses are simply not suitable for Web delivery. 3. Phase Ill-Implementation a. Clearly, faculty people must be given incentives to undertake the risk, magnitude of task, and change from familiar teaching habits. I was given a $1,500 stipend, which is a paltry sum given the extra amount of work to complete this project. Fortunately, I was highly motivated to accept these challenges; however, all faculty people may not have the same motivation. Also, traditional academic college performance evaluation processes should reward the faculty person

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for successfully undertaking the difficult task of implementing a Web course. b. Time was a major problem, thus release time from normal (teaching, research, and service) duties is recommended. Perhaps a teaching assistant could be assigned to compensate for the additional time costs. c. The most significant lesson learned in Phase Ill-Implementation was that under no circumstances should this phase be entered without fully completing Phase I and II. Everything suffers: faculty, students, and course quality. 4. Key Project Lessons a. Ensure that you have your administration's full support and that they are fully aware of the complexity of webitizing a course. b. Ensure that answers to questions such as compensation, release time, and intellectual property rights are fully answered. c. Ensure that you have a willing and competent technical support staff. d. Allow more preparation time than you expect and know that problems always occur with even the best plans. e. Maintain balance in your life because this will allow you to weather the process. f. Adopt the philosophy of an educational entrepreneur by creatively building new professional tools. And, do this with a sense of adventure. The preceding presented a case study that, hopefully, will reduce uncertainty for faculty anticipating "webitizing" their courses. I hope that my journey through educational cyberspace will help you on this relatively unfamiliar road. REFERENCES Baker. S. and Baker, K. (1998). Project management. New York: Alpha Books, Simon and Schuster Macmillan Company. CHRIE. (2000). Conference Program. Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (CHRIE), New Orleans, LA: International Conference, July 20-24, 2000,

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Collins, G. (2000, January 31). Associate Dean and Web Expert, School of Hotel and Restaurant Management (SHRM) at Northern Arizona University (NAU). Flagstaff, AZ: Personal conversation with author. Duncan, W.R. (1996) A guide to the project management body of knowledge. Upper Darby, PA: Project Management Institute. Foster, T. (2000, January 31). Senior Support Systems Analyst, Office of Teaching and Learning Effectiveness (OTLE) at Northern Arizona University (NAU). Flagstaff, AZ: Personal conversation with author. Grimes, A. (2000, July 17). "A matter of degree." Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones, Inc. p. R29. Montgomery, M. (1999), "Phases of internet commerce/* International Journal of Hospitality Information Technology* Volume I, No, I, pp. 9-25. Shiller, R.J. (2000). Irrational exuberance. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

The Virtual Enterprise: Using Internet Based Technology to Create a New Educational Paradigm for the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Jonathan Hill Stuart A. Schulman

SUMMARY. This article discusses the need for enhancements in the way that tourism education is conducted and shows how changes in the way that technology is used in the global tourism and hospitality industry has necessitated that change. It offers as a solution an educational model called "The Virtual Enterprise" (VE). The history of the model and its implementation at a U.S. community college, as a professional education curriculum that has shown great potential to prepare students for the global nature of the 21st century workplace, is discussed. The Virtual Enterprise, has shown itself to be a business simulator that inculcates both technical and "soft" skills to students. Tourism and hospitality educators face Jonathan Hill is Assistant Professor, Department of Tourism and Hospitality, Kingsborough Community College, City University of New York, NY, USA. Stuart A. Schulman, PhD, is Chairman, Department of Tourism and Hospitality, Kingsborough Community College of the City University of New York, NY, USA. Dr Schulman is the Director of the University Institute for Virtual Enterprise. Address correspondence to: Professor Jonathan Hill, Department of Tourism & Hospitality Kingsborough Community College, City University of New York, 2001 Oriental Blvd., Brooklyn, NY 11237 (E-mail: [email protected]). | Haworth co-indexing entry note): "The Virtual Enterprise: I Ising Internet Based Technology lo Create a New Educational Paradigm for the Tourism and Hospitality Industry." Hill, Jonathan, and Stuart A. Schulmun. Co-published simultaneously in Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism (The Haworth Hospitality Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc.) Vol. I, No, 2/3, 2 Website: I-800-342-9678. E-mail address: © 2001 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All lights reserved.I KEYWORDS.. Internet KEYWORDS Internet,, touris tourism m and an d hospitalit hospitalityy education, education, virtual virtua l enen terprise, terprise, virtua virtuall

INTRODUCTION Any curriculum that is taught to tourism and hospitality students today must factor in the Internet, both as an instructional medium and as a key tool in industry. The Internet has cut wide swaths through the established means of product distribution and product marketing in a remarkably short time. As a result of wide Internet access, today's tourism and hospitality professional is in the position of competing with the customer for the customer's business! At the proprietary and community college level where curricula is frequently skewed toward the distribution system (e.g., airline CRS systems) a new paradigm must be found to structure educational programs that will at once attract students and prepare them to become the industry professionals of tomorrow. At the baccalaureate and graduate levels these changes in the distribution and information systems impact upon the definition and interaction of tourism as a multi-component, interdisciplinary industry. The reality of these severe changes in the nature of the way business is conducted in the global tourism and hospitality industry creates a need to ensure that a professional education curriculum provides students with the new requisite skills to be successful, and gives faculty the best forum to teach these skills. To meet these needs, the Tourism and Hospitality Department at Kingsborough Community College (KCC) of the City University of New York has developed an Internet based, e-commerce driven business simulation program called Virtual Enterprise (VE).

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TOURISM EDUCATIONTOURISM AND HOSPITALITY EDUCATIONCHANGING INDUSTRY INDUSTRY PREPARING STUDENTS TO ENTER A CHANGING Students entering the global tourism and hospitality industry must increasingly come to their employers with proficiency in three areas: an "Office Suite" capability (such as Microsoft Office) with word processing, spread-sheet and presentation software capabilities, facility with "legacy" distribution systems such as the airline CDS systems, and increasingly, knowledge of the Internet as a sales and distribution tool. This means that students are required to have skill sets that allow them to process, and make decisions on, qualitative, quantitative and relational databases where the inventory and information changes constantly. A challenge for educators has been to find practical ways to interject elements of reality and decision making into the teaching of these technical skills. Far too often a student who has done well in learning spreadsheet software in the classroom cannot translate that fluidity into the work place. Frequently we find that students learn the technical aspects of these software tools but not the decision making skills that these tools are designed to support. Classroom instruction on the Internet (rather than Internet-based curriculum) remains an emerging discipline. Web education has too frequently become a matter of "surfing" the vast inventory of product that is available on the Web. Web-based education has made its entry into the tourism and education curriculum as a basic method of communication and, at Kingsborough Community College as it has at many colleges and universities, an exciting means of delivering distance education. Internet distribution of tourism and hospitality products has become, in the past two years, the preferred form of vending for the vast majority of suppliers. According to the Travel Industry of America (1998), some 88 percent of direct suppliers (including airlines, hotels, car rental, ferry services, cruise lines, tour operators, attractions, restaurants, CVBs, etc.) offer some selling vehicle over the World Wide Web. These suppliers are then supplemented by traditional intermediaries like travel agents, wholesalers and consolidators, messenger services, and a variety of auction/bid sites that allow you to "name your price" for travel product. The attraction in using the Internet as a prime distribution tool for tourism and hospitality industry suppliers is of course the opportunity to eliminate the cost prohibitive aspects of a vendor-centered distribution

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system based around the travel agency community. With commissions paid to intermediaries the second highest expense (after employee salaries) for the majority of industry suppliers, the move to a consumer direct selling system has been embraced by the major suppliers, particularly transportation providers such as airlines and train companies where the inherent value of intermediary involvement in the selling process can be negligible. In addition the cost of developing and maintaining a Web site can be offset by reduced expenses in the production and distribution of brochures and other traditional sales collateral material. The phenomenally rapid way in which the general public, especially the community of frequent travelers, has embraced the Internet as a tool to research and buy their travel on-line has meant that most suppliers have been hard pressed to meet the demand for user-friendly, real-time accessible travel Web sites. The result has been to create an army of hyper-informed travel consumers who, with a bit of practice, can walk into a travel agent, or call any reservations center armed with at least the same amount, if not vastly more, information about their proposed trip than the travel agent or reservationist with whom they are talking! Hence the travel professional is put in the unenviable position of having to compete with the customer for the customer's own business! As a result anecdotal surveys indicate that year 2000 Internet bookings have not caught up to the volume of net-based bookings that many industry and academic researchers were forecasting. A key issue arising from the Internets ascendancy has become this: If the tourism and hospitality distribution system has given the consumer the same access to the vendor's product as the travel agent has (albeit with some commission being paid), then the travel agent is, in effect, competing with the traveling public for access to the same information, fares, etc. While many travel companies have inserted an "agents only" section into their Web sites that allows the agent to use the Internet as their booking tool, their clear emphasis has become consumer direct business. Again, this is cost driven as the opportunity to avoid paying segment fees to the major airline CRS systems represents a significant saving to the travel providers. The rapid adoption, and ease of use, of these Web-based booking sites, indicates that the time of the airline CRS as the prime booking source is rapidly drawing to a close. The private sector seeks employees who have the technical and critical thinking skills to make good decisions in this emerging new economy (Fripp 1993). To prepare our students for this job market has caused our department to search for new, targeted instructional paradigms to achieve this. The old paradigm for tourism education has

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shown to have only limited abilities to convey to students the ever-changing nature of the tourism and hospitality industry. For teachers, the old paradigm also limits their ability to teach the skills that will be in demand in the 21 st century, or to provide a foundation for the pedagogy that is required to show students the way the industry currently works. THE OLD PARADIGM Traditional tourism education programs are based on multi-component, theoretical models that are, comprehensive, practical and unifying. These include curricula that are based around (1) demand factors (frequently stressing the experience of local industry suppliers), including tourist motivations, perceptions and expectations, (2) Supply factors which include the infrastructure and resources of the providers of tourism and hospitality services, and (3) the marketplace which includes study of the various industry intermediaries (Schulman 1989). These models are supplemented by the traditional computer skills requisite to the area of specialization, e.g., airline CRS systems and hotel and restaurant inventory systems. These skills have then traditionally been supplemented by the physical skills such as tour administration, room make-up, or food preparation. The limitations of this traditional educational model for the tourism and hospitality industry become very apparent when matched against the demands of the 21st century model, based as it is on Internet driven systems of supply, demand, inventory, communication and administration. Hence the search by educators for a model that can put classroom instruction to practical use, encourages students to take risks and make mistakes to a far greater extent than they can in an internship setting, and brings in the elements of the global workplace that they will soon be entering. THE NEW PARADIGM The current environment in the tourism and hospitality industry places a demand on educational programs, that prepare their graduates to enter that industry, to develop an individual with a strong but flexible skill set based around the use of technology to access, analyze and react to information. These skills effectively nestle into the basic service

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skills that remain a significant part of most line and middle management jobs in the industry. A number of qualitative surveys of private sector managers and former students identified certain skill sets that were indicators of success for industry employees. Furthermore, the landmark SCANS skills assessment as developed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce identified a series of core foundation skills necessary for functioning in the global economy (Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills 1991). The challenge then for a teacher of tourism and hospitality is how to develop these skills in students in a way that will ensure that they can recall them in the "heat of battle" in the frequently high pressure world that the industry will place them in. TEACHING TECHNOLOGY-THE VIRTUAL ENTERPRISE In the 21 st century the successful graduate of a tourism and hospitality program must, first and foremost, be able to utilize technology to find information quickly. Increasingly this requires using the Internet. The Internet has quickly become the prime means for business communications via email or videoconferencing. In the tourism and hospitality industry the Internet provides the ability to take orders on-line or to create a living brochure, thus reducing the dependence of printed promotional literature and the out of date pricing they so often carry. The need to develop student facility with the Internet as a communication tool has been simultaneously matched by its increasing use as a delivery system for course curriculum, lectures and learning modules. As a result the Virtual Enterprise instructor is provided with a tool-the Internet-that allows students to access course work and instructional materials from anyplace, and then to act on those instructions by communicating with any of 3,000 enterprises around the world. At KCC, each Virtual Enterprise has its own website which serves as the communication center for the students in the course. It serves as an important tool for the instructor who can make available key readings and assignments, leave messages for the class as a whole and monitor the progress of various projects that the firm and its "employees" are working on. For the students the course website becomes a message board, a virtual textbook, and a place where they can focus their efforts. It is a technology platform that allows broadcast email campaigns to be conducted and promotional Web pages to be designed. It also allows for students to communicate with their counterparts around the globe.

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Rather than being a cold, impersonal means of communication, the Internet enables Virtual Enterprise students to develop real human relationships based on the businesses that they are involved with and the similar concerns that students everywhere share. When a student in New York comes to realize that the grade of a student in Vienna is dependent on her getting an invoice filled out, approved and sent back, the entire educational process takes on a meaning that goes beyond business or the classroom. "SOFT SKILLS" AND THE VIRTUAL ENTERPRISE CLASSROOM The root cause rationale for Virtual Enterprise education has been the development of soft skills. Team work, the interdependence of the employees of a firm, critical thinking, quantitative skills and qualitative arguments are all developed in a VE class. The U.S. governments definition of these skills in the often referenced SCANS Report of 1991 outlined the soft skills that students should have developed before arriving into the work force. The skill sets that follow have been defined by VE instructors as core experiential goals for students participating in the VE. They are a good basis for any curriculum development that seeks to make use of the VE experience. VIRTUAL

ENTERPRISE

Skills and Competencies 1. Interpersonal Skills Participated as a member of a team to solve problems. Assisted others in the enterprise. Provided service to clients or other team members. Exercised leadership in the company. Negotiated with customers or co-workers. 2. Information • Acquired information needed to assist in making a business decision. • Evaluated information needed to assist in making a business decision.

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• Communicates information to others via oral, written or technological means. • Improved telephone skills. • Learned about cultural diversity in the workplace and business world. 3. Resources • Learned to better allocate time to achieve completion of tasks. • Set individual or team goals. • Developed strategies to achieve goals. • Located customers for the enterprise. • Bought or sold products from other enterprises. 4. Technological Skills • Used Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to assist in achieving a business goal. • Increased competency using the above computer programs. • Used the Internet to assist in achieving a business goal. • Used a graphics program to develop a brochure. • Used e-commerce. • Used email. 5. Basic Business Skills 9 Wrote business communications. • Edited business communications as a result of critiques from faculty or peers. • Did computations using a manual system or using computer programs. • Listened carefully to other members of the group or potential customers. • Made an oral presentation or conducted business by speaking to co-workers or customers. • Developed a better understanding of business organization. 6. Personal Growth • Interacted with co-workers and/or customers. • Understood the importance of responsible behavior in business settings. • Better organized tasks to ensure completion. • Evaluated performance based upon self-assessment or critiques from faculty and peers. While an important element in presenting and discussing these ideas, the traditional classroom environment limits the way in which a student can experience them conceptually and absorb them. Furthermore,

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scheduled lab time for the teaching and development of computer skills lacks the real-time, real world attributes that are a constant feature of life in the private sector. Even the most skilled instructors have had the frustrating experience of students who have performed acceptably in their computer applications classes, but who are unable to perform those skills in the private sector. Hence the search for a new paradigm that allows students to blend the theory of the classroom, technology skills and the unique experiences of the private sector. THE VIRTUAL VIRTUAL ENTERPRISE Virtual Enterprise (VE) is an interdisciplinary business simulation program in which students create, develop and operate practice firms that trade their products and services in a global e-commerce network comprised of more than 3,000 worldwide firms in over 100 countries. Students utilize synchronous and asynchronous learning strategies, computer-assisted instruction, and Web-based international banking and other technologies to create and operate successful firms. VE is a comprehensive and student-centered approach towards teaching; learning and working which provides goal-oriented instruction and practice in a simulated business environment. It gives students a broader international perspective as well as the ability to use the latest technologies and equipment necessary in the rapid shifts affecting both business and education in today's global environment. VE's provide the necessary link for students to employ academic and career-related knowledge to "real-work" business situations. The "link" is enhanced by the private-sector partnerships that are an integral part of the VE experience. A main objective of the Virtual Enterprise is to improve the student's problem solving strategies, both individually and in teams. In addition, communicating and cooperating with supervisors and other employees in the enterprise are stressed. Students participate in the international network of practice firms and thus acquire first hand knowledge of the global economy including exchange rates, monetary, and business systems of the countries in which VE currently operates. The use of technology in the various sectors of the tourism and hospitality industry features the use of the Internet for global transactions, communications, and information gathering.

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The Virtual Enterprise has been used as an educational tool in Europe for more than 200 years. VE's roots can be traced to Austria, where the student-run companies are known as Practice Firms (Gramlinger 1996). Their success in teaching core business skills and providing students with real familiarity with office skills lead educators from the United States, including the New York City Board of Education, to travel to Austria for further study of this educational program. VE's have been used successfully on the secondary, post-secondary, and graduate levels in Austria and have spread successfully throughout Europe and to Asia. The practice firm concept has been a prominent part of the trade-centered education in Europe where students being trained in commercial schools were thought to benefit greatly from time spent working in these "virtual" businesses. Business was (and is) transacted within a network of school-based firms located throughout Europe. As noted the Practice Firm concept had grown to the point where schools in Germany, Denmark, The UK, Spain and Finland had joined their Austrian colleagues in a loose network of firms. In 1995 the New York City Board of Education joined the international VE network and created a successful incubator program with eight firms in New York City high schools. In 1997 The City University of New York became a partner with the N YCBOE, along with two other American colleges and eight European institutions in an historic FIPSE (Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education) grant which focused on the establishment of an American network for the development, administration and dissemination of the VE learning model in the U.S. VIRTUAL ENTERPRISE-AN INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT The noted Rutgers University Globalization expert Richard Langhorne has noted in his recent work that college students today no longer attend a school to be a part of a specific departments curriculum, i.e., Cornell University's School of Hotel Studies or Stanford University's Department of Engineering but rather, that a student entering a college in the 21 st century does so to become a part of a global system of knowledge that is constantly being advanced and refined by the global community of scholars and students who make up that community. In this

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model a students lab partners or thesis advisor are not in the next dorm or on-campus building, but rather at schools in the UK, New York, California, Hong Kong and so on (Langhorne 2000). The Virtual Enterprise is already a living example of this model as students work with their peers on a truly global basis-overcoming the constraints of language, time zones and conflicting school calendars to develop a truly global base of knowledge. Students in Virtual Enterprise companies communicate via Internet-based media, largely through email but also through video conferencing and chat rooms. KCC students deal with their peers throughout the global VE network on a weekly basis during the semester. By replicating basic business exchanges of selling, negotiating, buying and servicing, students develop business skills that will serve them well in today's tourism and hospitality industry. They also learn the "soft" skills of developing a business relationship and how important the human element remains in transacting business. These "virtual" business relationships take on a tangible element at the many trade fairs and conventions that are a major part of the Virtual Enterprise experience. Major trade fairs are held in Europe each year with participants coming from around the world to promote their products, develop strategic partnerships and, most importantly, to meet face to face with the business contacts that each student has developed over the course of the year. Amidst the frenetic activity that truly provides exposure to the facets of international trade, faculty advisers have the chance to work together to exchange ideas in both formal and informal venues. Over the past three years Kingsborough Community College has played host to the first American hosted International Trade Fair, which has seen more than 3,000 attendees representing 150 firms from more than 20 countries including the U.S., Europe, Brazil and Japan. As this Middle-European educational concept proves itself it will grow in America, expand its current foothold in Asia and Latin America and deliver to faculty and students alike a dynamic way to learn professional skills and the workings of the global economy. THE VIRTUAL ENTERPRISE AT KINGSBOROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE One of the first Virtual Enterprises set up by the New York City Board of Education was a travel agency. A team from Kingsborough Community College's Department of Tourism and Hospitality visited the location, which included a real travel agency office set up inside a

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remodeled classroom with live access to a major CRS. The team was excited enough by the possibilities to request that the program be developed within the department at Kingsborough Community College. The excitement was spurred by the opportunity to train students on industry specific cutting edge technology while exposing them to the dynamics of the work place. Thus the opportunity to develop a contextual collaborative learning process to better prepare tourism and hospitality students for a service industry for which information technology is the backbone was the overriding impetus for the development of the college's first firm. In the Fall of 1997, the department launched its first VE. As with any business its first activities were entrepreneurial in nature and were based around market research to determine which of a host of product recommendations had the most viability. These first VE students found themselves dealing in a virtual business world where more than 3,000 college based firms were buying and selling products and services from one another. Settling on the name Kingsborough Enterprises, the firm was set up as a meeting planning company designed to handle the meeting logistics for the members of the original FIPSE grant. In this way the students had hit on a business for which there were no competitors and a burning need existed. It also allowed them to utilize industry specific hardware, software and business systems in order to accomplish the work at hand. As with any start-up that achieves some success, Kingsborough Enterprises developed an entrepreneurial group within the firm that same semester who had some great ideas for publishing local visitor guides for students. When their own executives turned them down for funding (virtual) to develop their product line, they approached their faculty advisor and asked (demanded actually) to set up their own VE. In this way we came to have our second VE, Exell Publishing which does destination centered guide books and Web sites. This energy has now led to the establishment of 11 firms at Kingsborough Community College involving three departments. Each of them is designed to provide the students with hands on exposure to job specific information technology, office equipment and office systems. Currently in operation we have the following firms: • • • •

Kingborough Enterprises: Meeting and Event Planning Excel Publishing: Publisher of Tourism Guides and Web Sites Millennium Airlines: International Schedule and Charter Carrier City Lights Hotel: 4 Star Manhattan Property

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Caanesa Restaurant: Deluxe Restaurant and Caterer Ocean Whispers: Spa Travel Gear: Travel Clothing Manufacturer Ultimate Itinerary: Adventure and Eco Tour Operator ASSESSING THE VIRTUAL ENTERPRISE AS AN EDUCATIONAL MODEL

Assessment Strategy The VE program at Kingsborough Community College (KCC) was developed and implemented in the Department of Tourism and Hospitality in fall 1997. Entering its third year of operation, a pilot two-phase assessment strategy was developed in conjunction with the Director of Institutional Research at KCC. The first phase consisted of an examination of some of the core anecdotal "process" observations. Using the evaluation findings of this formative pilot, the second phase of examining "outcomes" will be developed and piloted. Following this process, a review of the overall assessment strategy will be conducted, with both phases of the assessment strategy implemented in the fall 2000 semester. The first phase of the assessment strategy for the Virtual Enterprise Program (VE) was piloted during the fall 1999 semester. During this assessment phase, the focus was on process rather than outcomes. During this phase, several key process-related hypotheses were examined. These included the following: • That the average VE student attended and participated in classes, labs, workshops and events, on a voluntary basis, far in excess to the required contact hours of a three credit course. • That the student attended and participated in VE events because they perceived "value" in the development of workforce skills and competencies. • That the skills and competencies developed by the student could be identified as the core SCANS skills and competencies and their subsets. Methodology A rando random m sample sample of fift fiftyy (50 (50)) VE student studentss enrolle enrolledd in variou variouss KC KCC C base basedd enterprise enterprisess durin duringg th thee fal falll 1999 1999 semester semester participated participated in th thee first first--

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EDUCATION

phase pilot assessment. Students were required to keep detailed, coded logs of the dates, hours, and tasks and activities that occupied their VE hours. The student log structure conformed to the six key SCANS skills and competencies: Interpersonal Skills, Information, Resources, Technological Skills, Basic Business Skills, and Personal Growth. Students participated in a workshop that focused on how to complete the logs and were given detailed written instructions to further guide them. Preliminary Findings Thirty-three (33) usable responses were received, eleven (11) unusable responses were received, and six (6) students were not responsive in the test population of fifty (50) students. Significant Findings were as follows: • Student participation in classes, labs, workshops, chat-rooms, and meetings ranged from a low of 43.5 hours to a high of 92.5 hours. The average participation of the thirty-three respondents was 69.15 hours. VE is a three (3) credit course with thirty-six (36) required contact hours. Student participation was nearly double the required course participation. • Thirty-one (31) of the thirty-three (33) participants, nearly 94% of all respondents, found VE to be of great value in the development of critical skills and competencies for their professional growth and development. VE had a great positive impact on student attitudes toward learning. • The invested student hours over the critical six SCANS skills and competencies were distributed as follows: Interpersonal Skills-11.80 hours; Information-12.59 hours; Resources-9.96 hours; Technological Skills-13.92 hours; Basic Business Skills-9.75 hours; Personal Growth-10.13 hours. This relatively even distribution suggests the development of both "hard" and "soft" skills consistent with the SCANS skills and competencies. The first-phase "process" assessment largely confirmed the anecdotal observations of VE faculty. The pilot suggested several areas that needed additional clarification for the next iteration of data collection in the Spring, 2000 semester. These include instructions to the students regarding the recording of their invested hours. In the reported hours students did not include participation in the annual Business Conference, held at KCC, participation in the Canadian Trade Fair in Quebec, Can-

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ada, ada, or participatio participationn in various various event eventss hosted hosted by VE corporat corporatee partners partners.. These These omissions omissions resulte resultedd in an under-reportin under-reportingg of the the hour hourss investe investedd by the th e student. student . The Th e V E facult facultyy assert assertss that tha t the th e actua actuall number numbe r o f investe investedd hours hour s averages averages in th thee 85-100 85-100 range range whe whenn these these factors factors ar aree considered considered.. CONCLUSION CONCLUSION The Tourism and Hospitality Industry has been among the first to experience the affects of globalization, and the education that we provide to our students must, of necessity, be different from the one that we provided just a few short years ago. A Virtual Enterprise curriculum presents an opportunity to teach these new skills by plugging into the context of 3,000 student run "virtual" businesses around the world. Based on the experience of the faculty of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality at Kingsborough Community College The Virtual Enterprise can make an important contribution to the study of travel, tourism and hospitality and to the professional education of those who will run these businesses in the years ahead. REFERENCES Fripp, J. (1993) Learning through Simulations, Berkshire, England: Mcgraw-Hill Europe. Gramlinger, F. (1996) Practice Finns in Austrian Schools-A continuing Investigation. English Translation of the German Original in Erziehungswissenschift tind Beruf, (44) heft 4. Lang home, Richard (2000) The Coming of Globalization New York and London, Macgraw-Hill. Schulmun, S. (1989) A Study of Institutional Linkage: Travel and Tourism Education at Community Colleges in The United States, UMI Publishing. Ann Arbor, Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (1991) What Work Requires of Schools, A SCANS Report for America 2000, Washington, D.C, U.S. Department of Labor Travel Industry of America (1998) Annual Report.

Restaurant Management and Operations: A Tourism Virtual Experience Laurel A. Marshall

SUMMARY. Virtual enterprise (VE) is an inter-disciplinary business simulation, where students use technology to trade products and services through a global e-commerce network of more than 3,000 firms. VE CAANESA International Restaurant utilizes the Internet as a major part of the daily enterprise operations. This inner city community of students worked in an on-campus office environment as managers of different departments, using a web-based instructional platform. The paper is an empirical study, demonstrating the course design, development and dissemination of information using regular classroom instruction in business and marketing techniques, as well as the Internet accessed instructional program. The course information could be accessed at any time day or night. The usage information is detailed within. The shift in the comfort level of the students in various skills was measured at the beginning and end of the semester when the students took a self-evaluative skills inventory assessment survey. The survey measured their competency; their ratings are included. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-342-9678. E-mail address: Website: