Zusammenfassung
Destinations-Management-Organisationen greifen seit jüngster Zeit auf Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien für Weiter-bildungszwecke zurück. Der Sinn dahinter ist, Reisekaufleute, Reiseberater und Reiseanbieter fortzubilden, um es ihnen zu ermöglichen, eine spezifische Destination und ihre Attraktionen besser zu vermitteln und zu verkaufen. Dieser Beitrag befasst sich mit formellen und informellen Perspektiven des Lernens und bezweckt in erster Linie, die aktuellen eLearning-Kurse zum Thema Touristendestinationen hinsichtlich ihrer formellen und informellen Lern-Erfahrungen einzuordnen. Zweitens sollen in diesem Beitrag die Auffasungen der Reisekaufleute zum Thema der Lern-Erfahrung durch formelle und informelle Lernerfahrungen aufgezeigt werden, die von einer regionalen Schweizer Destination angeboten werden. Hinsichtlich der hergestellten Lernsoftware könnte man solche Kurse als formelles Lernen betrachten, da die Inhalte nach strikten Vorgaben gestaltet und strukturiert sind und ein finaler Test/Zertifikat vorgesehen ist. Bezieht man sich jedoch auf die Perspektive der Nachfragenden – also beispielsweise auf die tatsächlichen Lernerfahrungen der Reisekaufleute – lassen sich einige informelle Lernpraktiken und –Details erkennen. Dazu gehören beispielsweise die Spontaneität, sich ebenso für einen Kurs, wie auch für dessen Veranstaltungsort und Zeitraum, zu entscheiden. Die Erkenntnisse dieser Studie tragen zu einem tieferen Verständnis der Aspekte formellen und informellen Lernens bei, die für die Wissensbildung von Reise- und Touristikspezialisten über touristische Destinationen relevant sind.
Abstract
Destination Management Organizations recently have started to use Information Communication Technologies for educational purposes: to train and educate travel agents, travel consultants, and tour operators in order for them to sell a specific destination and its attractions in a better way. The paper addresses the formal and informal learning perspectives and, firstly aims to map current eLearning courses about tourism destinations according to formal or informal learning experiences they offer. Secondly, perceptions on the learning experience of travel agents who attended an eLearning course offered by a Swiss regional destination are presented. Considering the produced courseware, such courses may be considered as formal learning, because contents are strictly designed and structured, and usually a final test/certificate is foreseen. However, when it comes to the demand side – i.e. the actual learning experience of travel agents – various informal learning practices and features are identified, such as spontaneity of the decision to take the course or location and timing of course attendance. The findings of this study contribute to an enhanced understanding of formal and informal learning aspects in the process of knowledge construction about tourism destinations for travel and tourism professionals.
About the authors
Asta Adukaite, M.A is a PhD candidate at USI – Università della Svizzera italiana (Lugano, Switzerland), Faculty of Communication Sciences. Her main research interest is technology enhanced lifelong learning in the tourism sector. She holds a Master degree in International Tourism from USI and currently is coordinating the UNESCO Chair in ICT to develop and promote sustainable tourism in World Heritage Sites at USI.
Prof. Dr.Lorenzo Cantoni Professor at USI – Università della Svizzera italiana (Lugano, Switzerland), Faculty of Communication
Prof. Dr.Lorenzo Cantoni graduated in Philosophy and holds a PhD in Education and Linguistics. He is full professor at Università della Svizzera italiana (Lugano, Switzerland), Faculty of Communication Sciences as well as director of the Institute for Communication Technologies and scientific director of a wide range of lab-institutions. He also serves as chair-holder of the UNSECO chair in ICT and is president of IFITT – International Federation for Information Technologies in Travel and Tourism.
Nadzeya Kalbaska, PhD is a lecturer and a postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Communication Sciences at USI – Università della Svizzera italiana (Lugano, Switzerland). Her research focus is on Human Resource Management and eLearning application in the hospitality and tourism industry. Nadzeya manages various applied research projects at the webatelier.net laboratory. She serves IFITT-International Federation for IT and Travel and Tourism (www.ifitt.org) as General Secretary.
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