Creating future-fit leaders : towards formalising service learning in university programmes
- Taylor, Susanne, Spowart, Jane
- Authors: Taylor, Susanne , Spowart, Jane
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Service learning , Experiential learning
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5348 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/13142
- Description: Service learning as a form of experiential learning has become a more common component in higher education in South Africa. The aims of service learning (SL) may be briefly stated as engendering a sense of civic responsibility in students prior to their entering the world of employment. SL is, by definition, a mutually beneficial arrangement, during which both parties derive benefit and contribute to the exchange of learning. SL is a formal component of qualifications and, as such requires that suitable SL placements in community settings are identified. This necessitates that partnering agreements are concluded, that both the student and community hosts are prepared for the SL and that assessment and feedback occurs. The Faculty of Management at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa prides itself on educating future-fit leaders. This is accomplished by excellent academic programme offerings, many of which have work integrated learning components that allow students to complement the classroom theory learnt with authentic supervised and assessed workplace experience. The focus of SL, however, is to ensure that students understand the society that they will be working in and entrenching a sense of civic mindedness. As SL sites are not always readily available and as the universities need to ensure placement opportunities for all students in a programme with a formal SL component, this paper will propose that a phased-in approach to SL in the Faculty is pursued, exploring the notion of working via the international association ENACTUS (the acronym derived from Entrepreneurial, Action and US) to establish linkages that would lead to formalisation of partnership arrangements. ENACTUS describes itself as ‘a community of student, academic and business leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better more sustainable world.’ Participation in ENACTUS is voluntary and is not linked to any formal academic programme credit. It is anticipated that such an approach will result in a win-win situation both for the ENACTUS students at the University of Johannesburg and then the Faculty of Management specifically as it builds a potential SL partner base. The Faculty offers a wide range of programmes, including Hospitality Management, Tourism, Information Technology, Human Resource Management, various Management programmes, as well as Entrepreneurship. These programmes are well-suited to support the ENACTUS project as it enables students from across disciplines to work and learn together - and make a difference to the lives of others. An ENACTUS-UJ and Faculty of Management partnership will thus be mutually beneficial, serving as a springboard for the introduction of SL in the various academic programmes, thus making this a formal and credit-bearing study component in the Faculty. Communities that benefit from ENACTUS programmes will then have sustained support and move from being recipients of service to partners in the learning process of student. The paper will explain the concepts community engagement and community service, contrasting these with an overview of the theory of experiential education of which SL is a form. Taking the approach of community engagement, specifically via ENACTUS is proposed as a springboard to more sustained SL in the Faculty of Management at the University of Johannesburg, with mutual reciprocity and benefit to the university, its students and the community.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Taylor, Susanne , Spowart, Jane
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Service learning , Experiential learning
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5348 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/13142
- Description: Service learning as a form of experiential learning has become a more common component in higher education in South Africa. The aims of service learning (SL) may be briefly stated as engendering a sense of civic responsibility in students prior to their entering the world of employment. SL is, by definition, a mutually beneficial arrangement, during which both parties derive benefit and contribute to the exchange of learning. SL is a formal component of qualifications and, as such requires that suitable SL placements in community settings are identified. This necessitates that partnering agreements are concluded, that both the student and community hosts are prepared for the SL and that assessment and feedback occurs. The Faculty of Management at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa prides itself on educating future-fit leaders. This is accomplished by excellent academic programme offerings, many of which have work integrated learning components that allow students to complement the classroom theory learnt with authentic supervised and assessed workplace experience. The focus of SL, however, is to ensure that students understand the society that they will be working in and entrenching a sense of civic mindedness. As SL sites are not always readily available and as the universities need to ensure placement opportunities for all students in a programme with a formal SL component, this paper will propose that a phased-in approach to SL in the Faculty is pursued, exploring the notion of working via the international association ENACTUS (the acronym derived from Entrepreneurial, Action and US) to establish linkages that would lead to formalisation of partnership arrangements. ENACTUS describes itself as ‘a community of student, academic and business leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better more sustainable world.’ Participation in ENACTUS is voluntary and is not linked to any formal academic programme credit. It is anticipated that such an approach will result in a win-win situation both for the ENACTUS students at the University of Johannesburg and then the Faculty of Management specifically as it builds a potential SL partner base. The Faculty offers a wide range of programmes, including Hospitality Management, Tourism, Information Technology, Human Resource Management, various Management programmes, as well as Entrepreneurship. These programmes are well-suited to support the ENACTUS project as it enables students from across disciplines to work and learn together - and make a difference to the lives of others. An ENACTUS-UJ and Faculty of Management partnership will thus be mutually beneficial, serving as a springboard for the introduction of SL in the various academic programmes, thus making this a formal and credit-bearing study component in the Faculty. Communities that benefit from ENACTUS programmes will then have sustained support and move from being recipients of service to partners in the learning process of student. The paper will explain the concepts community engagement and community service, contrasting these with an overview of the theory of experiential education of which SL is a form. Taking the approach of community engagement, specifically via ENACTUS is proposed as a springboard to more sustained SL in the Faculty of Management at the University of Johannesburg, with mutual reciprocity and benefit to the university, its students and the community.
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How well do first year hospitality management students adjust to the first year of university life?
- Authors: Spowart, Jane
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: First year students , Hospitality management students
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6073 , ISSN 978-0-615-54307-9 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/10677
- Description: In South Africa the graduation rate could be improved at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). There have been a number of First Year (FY) initiatives at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) to support first year students. This paper will explore if there is a relationship between the adjustment to first year and to the success rates of Hospitality Management (HM) students compared to those in the Faculty of Management and in the UJ. The mixed method research was to establish if a smaller focused group of first year students adjust to FY studies and university life quicker and better than their peers who are part of larger classes. The challenge is to ensure the First Year Extended (FYE) programme does assist students to be successful and improve their results, attitudes and coping mechanisms.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Spowart, Jane
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: First year students , Hospitality management students
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6073 , ISSN 978-0-615-54307-9 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/10677
- Description: In South Africa the graduation rate could be improved at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). There have been a number of First Year (FY) initiatives at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) to support first year students. This paper will explore if there is a relationship between the adjustment to first year and to the success rates of Hospitality Management (HM) students compared to those in the Faculty of Management and in the UJ. The mixed method research was to establish if a smaller focused group of first year students adjust to FY studies and university life quicker and better than their peers who are part of larger classes. The challenge is to ensure the First Year Extended (FYE) programme does assist students to be successful and improve their results, attitudes and coping mechanisms.
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Perception of tourism graduates and the tourism industry on the important knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry
- Wakelin-Theron, Nicola, Ukpere, Wilfred I., Spowart, Jane
- Authors: Wakelin-Theron, Nicola , Ukpere, Wilfred I. , Spowart, Jane
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Important knowledge and skills , Tourism industry , Graduates
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/279706 , uj:30042 , Citation: Wakelin-Theron, N., Ukpere, W.I. & Spowart, J. 2018. Perception of tourism graduates and the tourism industry on the important knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 7(4):1-18. , ISSN: 2223-814X
- Description: Abstract: Higher education institutions (HEIs) are under increasing pressure to equip graduates with the necessary knowledge, skills, and attributes that would make them employable and highly versatile in various tourism sectors. This means that the various qualifications in tourism that are awarded by HEIs should reflect the tourism industry’s needs and expectations. Consequently, it is important to identify the kind of knowledge skills that need to be developed in tourism graduates to prepare them for the working world. The purpose of this article is to identify the perceptions of tourism graduates and the tourism industry on the important knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry. The research adopted a sequential explanatory mixed method, which entailed combining quantitative and qualitative methods. However the findings, both from the quantitative and qualitative phases highlight the important knowledge and skills required. In terms of important knowledge and skill, both parties seem to be at par in their perception. The study found that the most important knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry are customer service/awareness, ethical conduct at work, verbal communication, acceptance of responsibility, attention to detail, ability to work under pressure, time management skills, and motivation. Significant differences existed between the perceptions of tourism graduates and those of the tourism industry regarding professional, operational, knowledge and skills attributes. However, no significant differences existed between the perceptions of tourism graduates and those of the tourism industry regarding personality traits. This paper is hopefully useful for the development of important knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry. As such it has meaning for higher education institutions that offer tourism qualifications as well as the tourism industry who employs tourism graduates. This paper is original, as the study contributes to the body of knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry since no other paper as far as could be assessed, has taken up the topic of the perception of tourism graduates and the tourism industry on the important knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Wakelin-Theron, Nicola , Ukpere, Wilfred I. , Spowart, Jane
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Important knowledge and skills , Tourism industry , Graduates
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/279706 , uj:30042 , Citation: Wakelin-Theron, N., Ukpere, W.I. & Spowart, J. 2018. Perception of tourism graduates and the tourism industry on the important knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 7(4):1-18. , ISSN: 2223-814X
- Description: Abstract: Higher education institutions (HEIs) are under increasing pressure to equip graduates with the necessary knowledge, skills, and attributes that would make them employable and highly versatile in various tourism sectors. This means that the various qualifications in tourism that are awarded by HEIs should reflect the tourism industry’s needs and expectations. Consequently, it is important to identify the kind of knowledge skills that need to be developed in tourism graduates to prepare them for the working world. The purpose of this article is to identify the perceptions of tourism graduates and the tourism industry on the important knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry. The research adopted a sequential explanatory mixed method, which entailed combining quantitative and qualitative methods. However the findings, both from the quantitative and qualitative phases highlight the important knowledge and skills required. In terms of important knowledge and skill, both parties seem to be at par in their perception. The study found that the most important knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry are customer service/awareness, ethical conduct at work, verbal communication, acceptance of responsibility, attention to detail, ability to work under pressure, time management skills, and motivation. Significant differences existed between the perceptions of tourism graduates and those of the tourism industry regarding professional, operational, knowledge and skills attributes. However, no significant differences existed between the perceptions of tourism graduates and those of the tourism industry regarding personality traits. This paper is hopefully useful for the development of important knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry. As such it has meaning for higher education institutions that offer tourism qualifications as well as the tourism industry who employs tourism graduates. This paper is original, as the study contributes to the body of knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry since no other paper as far as could be assessed, has taken up the topic of the perception of tourism graduates and the tourism industry on the important knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry in South Africa.
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Strategizing management education in response to artificial intelligence
- Van Lill, Daneel, Spowart, Jane
- Authors: Van Lill, Daneel , Spowart, Jane
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Artificial Intelligence (AI) , Management education , Business schools
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/238560 , uj:24478 , Citation: Van Lill, D. & Spowart, J. 2017. Strategizing management education in response to artificial intelligence.
- Description: Abstract: This review informs the positioning of management education in a much changed global socio-economic context. The authors relied on scholarly articles and intellectual trusts found among the leaders of competitive industries. We set the stage where the impact of Artificial Intelligence on human agency plays out. Attention is drawn to information knowledge management and learning; the probable extinction of managers and finally, shifts in the futures of providers of management education.
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- Authors: Van Lill, Daneel , Spowart, Jane
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Artificial Intelligence (AI) , Management education , Business schools
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/238560 , uj:24478 , Citation: Van Lill, D. & Spowart, J. 2017. Strategizing management education in response to artificial intelligence.
- Description: Abstract: This review informs the positioning of management education in a much changed global socio-economic context. The authors relied on scholarly articles and intellectual trusts found among the leaders of competitive industries. We set the stage where the impact of Artificial Intelligence on human agency plays out. Attention is drawn to information knowledge management and learning; the probable extinction of managers and finally, shifts in the futures of providers of management education.
- Full Text:
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