- Title
- A curriculum framework for undergraduate coastal and marine tourism university programmes
- Creator
- Jonas, Lynn Cindy
- Subject
- Education, Higher -- Curricula
- Subject
- Tourism -- Study and teaching (Higher) Marine ecotourism Ecotourism -- Study and teaching (Higher) Tourism -- Environmental aspects
- Date Issued
- 2019
- Date
- 2019
- Type
- Thesis
- Type
- Doctoral
- Type
- DEd
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10948/40006
- Identifier
- vital:35646
- Description
- The ocean economy has gained increasing economic significance over the past several years. Marine tourism as an economic activity has increased tremendously over the past several years. Not only does marine tourism and leisure have the ability to create employment, but there are numerous entrepreneurial opportunities in the industry. The importance of the coastal and marine tourism sector is evident and research in this sector abounds however, the issue of marine tourism education has been neglected as an area of research. A need therefore exists for the creation of ocean economy related qualifications and programmes and this study developed a curriculum framework for undergraduate coastal and marine tourism university programmes around which future Coastal and Marine Tourism (CMT) programmes could be created. The research objectives were to firstly determine the coastal and marine tourism stakeholders and role players’ perceptions and expectations of undergraduate coastal and marine tourism education and graduate competencies. The second objective was to ascertain the statutory and policy matters that shape university programmes and finally to incorporate the UNESCO-IBE curriculum framework into undergraduate coastal and marine tourism university programmes. This study fit within the pragmatic paradigm and a mixed methods research approach was utilised with a multiphase design. The data collection process was divided into three phases with Phase One collecting qualitative data through content analysis, Phase Two collecting quantitative data through a survey with questionnaire as research instrument and Phase Three collecting qualitative data through a semi-structured interview with an interview schedule as research instrument. Phase One included document analysis in order to determine the subsectors of the CMT industry, statutory and policy documents to determine programme development regulations as well as collected information regarding the socio-economic environment of the country. Phase Two collected data from industry operators and Phase Three collected data from educators and industry association representatives. The study identified four sub-sectors of the CMT industry namely Conservation Areas, Coastal and Marine Adventure Activities, Land-based Marine Tourism Attractions and Marine Resources and Recreation. All three phases of data collection were utilised to develop these four sub-sectors. The pertinent findings of Phase One indicate that the socio-economic environment in which the CMT programme would be developed is one with a slow economic growth rate, low numeracy and literacy levels with high numbers of unemployed graduates. Language policies are critical in order to accommodate English second language speakers. Furthermore, there are low levels of academics with doctoral degrees with targets to improve the status quo. Phase Two data collection notes that industry operators would prefer a programme that has strong practical and vocational focus with matters such as excursions, work-based learning and alternative teaching methods being important. These findings are supported during Phase Three data collection with educators and industry association representatives placing stronger focus on practical presentation of content and engagement with industry through site visits and demonstration of activities to students. Based on the findings in all three phases, a schematic of the CMT curriculum framework is developed and presented. Recommendations are made for the implementation of the CMT curriculum framework in order to identify omissions and to include the student voice. Stronger linkages should also be forged between industry and academia in order to facilitate the CMT programme. Further research could also test and implement the four identified sub-sectors in order to determine its suitability.
- Format
- xix,273 leaves
- Format
- Publisher
- Nelson Mandela University
- Publisher
- Faculty of Education
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Nelson Mandela University
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | Lynn Jonas.pdf | 4 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |