A Study On The Cultivation Of Professional Practical Ability For Undergraduates In Tourism Management

Professional practical ability is essential for undergraduate students who majorin Tourism Management. The students’ professional practical ability affects thetourism as well as the students’ own future. Thus, not only the goal, the features ofTourism Management major and the tourism market but also the students’ futureurges us to investigate how to develop the professional practical ability in students.Using the method of researching, the interview, the survey procedure and comparingtest, the study tries to define the professional practical ability. Then, by usingquestionnaire, the study describes the current situation of this ability in undergraduatestudents and addresses the problems in the process of cultivating the ability. Finally,the study comes up with the strategies of how to cultivate this ability. There are fiveparts in the study, as follows:The first part is related to research background and literature review. Throughsearching the researches about professional practical ability around the world,relevant studies were found scarce and underdeveloped. Most of the researchers haveonly demonstrated the importance of the professional practical ability, the problemsin ability development and the composition of the ability from a macroscopic level. Itis hardly possible to find any specified division of the professional practice ability.The next part is aimed in defining the professional practice ability in TourismManagement, and to describe the specific division of the concept then followed by“The Ten Ability” in the professional practical ability. They are: solid professionalknowledge application ability, skilled professional skills operation ability, excellentlanguage expression and interpretation ability, professional English application ability,tourism management professional writing skills, tourism software operation andapplication ability, hotel service and marketing management ability, tourism routedesign and marketing ability, tourism aesthetic ability and tourism expansion serviceability.Part three sums up the current situation in cultivating the ability in undergraduatestudents. It is found that unbalanced ratio of practice and theory courses and the practice course do not work well, the small differences among various ways ofcultivation, the limited method in practice and theory courses, the mismatch betweencourse content and market requirement, the disqualified teachers and the unsuccessfulschool-company cooperation.The forth part discovers the problems from the current situation. According tothe findings, there are several main problems. Firstly, the goal of teaching isinaccurate. It favours theories while ignores practice. Secondly, the implementation ofcourses is not reasonable because there is no hands-on module in core courses.Thirdly, the difference is not evident and the talent resource do not feed the demandof the market. Then, the corporation between school and company is not in long-term,neither is it successful. What is more, the style of teaching practical ability ismonotonous and the internship opportunity is insufficient. Also, there is a resourceshortage in “Double-qualified Teachers”. Last but not least, the evaluation system isunreasonable.The last part is mainly to raise some strategies about how to cultivateprofessional practical ability in undergraduate students. We should develop a goodvalue to aim at the job market, to enhance the curriculum and increase the number ofpractice courses. And we need to standardise the practical course teaching, to improvethe evaluation system. Also, the cooperation between schools and companies shouldbe intensified to build up a long-term relationship. Besides, two mentors or “Double-qualified Teachers” in campus plus “Mentor System” in company. Finally, make useof the Profession Association and provide internship opportunities for students inorder to build the “New Vacation” concept.