Working Paper Series

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive understanding of how tourism and hospitality students learn and how they develop their approaches to learning in a self-financed college. The study investigates whether there is a change in students? approaches to learning as they progress through their programmes of study. Data was collected on student approaches to learning at four points: the initial entry to their associate degree programmes, the second year of study (associate degree), the beginning of the first semester of their degree programmes (top-up degree) and the final year of the same programmes. The study is a longitudinal one. It is hoped by that assessing and analyzing students? learning approaches and the direction of any change will allow feedback to be provided to colleges, curriculum planners, and teaching staff about how they are affecting the way their students approach to learning, and thereby assist them to work towards continued improvement and enhancement of learning and teaching.