Digitalisation of the Tourism Pedagogical Strategies in Zimbabwe State Universities: Approaching the 21st century dynamics

Abstract

Despite the plethora of approaches used in pedagogical strategies in the Zimbabwean Universities, the question of relevance of these approaches to impart skills to the tourism graduates remains a subject of debate. The 21st century approach to tourism business is clearly defined as digitalized. Zimbabwean Universities are currently training tourism students aiming at meeting the international standards, but are heavily handicapped in using appropriate pedagogical strategies to mitigate quality gaps between tourism graduates and industry. Digitalized technical and non-technical skills are inseparable with tourism industry trends. This study sought to examine the use of ICT as a pedagogical strategy that universities may employ to address the 21st century digital era. The study also sought to assess the usage of ICT equipment in teaching tourism courses and the challenges universities encounter in addressing industry needs. A qualitative research approach was adopted targeting the significance of using a State University in assessing how the pedagogical strategies align with the digital tourism world. Interviews, questionnaires and focus group discussions were triangulated to gain an in-depth understanding of course materials, learner engagement, course technology, learner support and general course information in relation to industry needs. Research findings indicated the need for tourism pedagogical strategies in Universities to adopt a paradigm shift.